CHAPTER 5: ENGAGEMENT RING

JEWELLE.

I looked at myself again in front of the full length mirror in the ladies’ room. I have already turned around several times just to make sure I look good.

I am not sure myself why I am conscious like this today. I’ve never been conscious about how I look since I am not really a vain person.

I sighed and messed my hair out of frustration. I’m so annoyed with myself for coming to the office so early, just to avoid the rush hour and heat as I didn’t want to get to the office already smelling of sweat.

Why am I doing this? Am I going crazy to want to impress my conceited boss?

Hold on-!

Is that what this is? I want to impress my boss? Did I really choose this seldom-worn dress for today because of that? Am I also a victim of his pheromones and handsome face now?

Noooo! I couldn’t accept it!

I let out another sigh and removed the clip in my hair.

This is so not me.

I took a sponge from my make up kit and brought it under the flowing water from the faucet. I carefully wiped everything that I put on my face earlier. No matter how I look at it, it looks fake to me.

After removing my make up, I started applying them again.

After a while, I looked at myself in the mirror again.

Subtle blush on, enough to make my cheek look naturally rosy. Check.

Subtle lipstick, just to enhance the natural color of my lips. Check.

Subtle eyeshadow, to brighten up my eyes and enhance its features. Check.

Then I put on a thin eyeliner. I enhanced my naturally curly eyelashes by coating it with colorless mascara.

I smiled at the result. Now, I feel better.

When I realized that it’s just a few minutes before the start of working hours, I picked up the make up kit and went out of the powder room to go back to my work station.

The conceited boss is not yet in. Why am I not surprised at all?

It’s just my second day, but I feel like I know my boss well. He’s a happy-go-lucky type of person. He does not take anything seriously- relationships, work, life. He’s not someone who cares for anything deeply. In his way of talking with the Company President yesterday, I can say that he doesn’t take the president’s words seriously. As if it went into one ear and out the other.

If I was the president, I would have already fired Harley.

I shook my head. Maybe that guy has a really strong backer behind him.

To think that he’s be in that position at this age. It’s a little hard to believe that he earned his position as COO based solely in his abilities.

I was in this train of thoughts when a notification popped up in my computer. I barely opened it, and a message already came in.

I frowned.

Why would this bastard want to meet me?

This fool. You’re too demanding, who do you think you are?!

“Jewelle?”

I looked up and saw that my boss is already beside my table.

“S-Sir!”

I quickly minimized the messenger.

He raised an eyebrow and brought his face near me. I pulled back reflexively.

“Sir huh?”

“B-But.. We’re in the office.”

He sighed and straightened up.

“Fine, Ms. Alcantara. Who are you fighting with? You looked like you were ready to murder someone.”

“Ah.. I just recalled something that makes me angry, Sir. It’s nothing important.”

He just looked me in the eye, trying to assess if I was telling the truth.

Then he seemed to be stunned for a moment, then turned around abruptly.

“Bring me coffee,” he said before going inside his office.

“Coming up, Sir.”

When he’s inside his office, I grabbed my head. Why did I have to lie?

After sending the message to James, I closed our conversation and got up to make coffee for my boss.

Harley is staring at the door, his chin propped against his had, when I went to his office. I raised an eyebrow. He came in late, and now he’s daydreaming instead of working. Tch! Tch! What a truant.

“Sir?” I called him because he just kept watching me as I move towards his table.

He pouted. And boy, that emphasized his lips! Sinful lips.

“You took so long in preparing my coffee,” he said while still pouting like a child throwing a tantrum.

“Sir, it’s the coffee maker’s fault, not mine.”

He pouted more.

“I don’t like the coffee from the coffee maker. I like the one you made last night.”

I gaped at him.

What’s gotten into my boss today?

“Sir, that coffee last night just happened to be a instant coffee. All I did was put sugar and water and stir it.”

“Exactly. I like it better when you’re the one who decides how much coffee and sugar to put into my coffee based on how much sweetness and bitterness you’d like me to taste.”

Okay, wait. Where is my conceited, arrogant boss and who the heck is this guy?

“Sir, do you have a twin?”

“Twin? I don’t have one. I am an only child! Why?”

I couldn’t suppress my thoughts so, “If so, where is my conceited and arrogant boss?”

He laughed.

“Conceited? Can’t we just say ‘confident’?”

“When confidence is beyond the ceiling, that’s already conceit,” I scowled at him.

“Why are you like that?”

“What do you mean why I am like this? I just happened to be like this, what’s your problem?” I crossed my arms on my chest and raised an eyebrow.

“Why are you always irate towards me? I feel hurt.”

I gaped at him again. Are we even close??

“Why would you feel hurt??”

“You forced me to go home last night even though I had an allergic attack. You did not even worry about me.”

He pouted again. And swear, he’s cute.

This guy is guilt-tripping me as if I made a very big sin. And it’s slightly effective because I am feeling guilty all of a sudden. Especially when his face looked really upset.

“And then I am just asking for your coffee now but you still wouldn’t give in.”

“Tell me the truth, are we still in the office?” I asked and rolled my eyes. He’s acting as if we are not in the office.

I went in front of his desk and picked up the cup of coffee I placed in front of him earlier.

“I’ll just drink this then, it’s a waste to throw it away. I will just make you your requested coffee.”

“Wait!” he stopped my hand.

“Why?”

“You’ll drink it?”

“I just said it!”

He smiled and then took the cup from my hand, taking it straight to his lips. My eyes went round in surprise. After taking a sip, he gave at back to me and leaned on his swivel chair contentedly as a naughty grin spread across his lips.

“You can drink it now,” he gestured for me to drink.

Is he flirting with me now? Well, he did not deny last night that he had me scouted to this position because he likes me. But it doesn’t make sense. Even though he is conceited and arrogant, the fact still remains that he is really handsome. And didn’t he see me as some woman past her prime who has a college student for a daughter? So why would he be interested in me?

“Don’t force yourself to think of a reason as to why I like you,” he suddenly said, interrupting my thoughts. “I assure you, you’re interesting enough. And it’s not like I’m proposing a marriage because that is so not my cup of coffee.”

Oh? So in short, he just wants to play with me? Tch. How low can he get? He would use the company for his philandering activities? This kind of man irritates me the most! My impression of him is correct, after all. He is such a shallow person, self-centered, vain and has no sense of responsibility. So indecent.

I gave him a sharp look and left his office carrying the cup of coffee. Still annoyed, I went back to my desk and did not bother to make him another cup of coffee. I just turned my attention to the files I needed to arrange.

“Hey!” he suddenly called. My boss is already standing at the doorway. “Where’s my coffee?”

“There’s no instant coffee in the pantry,” I said without looking at him.

“You can buy, right? Why are you even my secretary if you cannot do that for me?”

My blood is boiling! Grrrr!

I took a deep breath and dropped the folder on my table with a force, then stood up.

“Ms. Alcantara,” he said in a serious tone. Wow, now he’s acting formal. Convenient. “Look, I’m your boss here. I won’t tolerate insubordination.”

‘Power tripper!’ But of course I did not say that out loud. Instead, I opened the drawer to pull out some cash from the petty cash box.

“Excuse me, Sir. I’ll just buy your coffee,” I said sarcastically and left him before he can even answer.

When I am already in the hallway, I realized that maybe I was also being too much. No matter what, he’s still the boss. I dropped by the rest room and calmed my nerves before proceeding to go to the convenience store at the ground floor. But before I could even leave this floor, someone called me.

“Mheg!”

Ugh! Here’s another jerk.

I pretended I did not hear James but he quickly caught up to me and grabbed my arm. He pulled me to a less accessed aisle.

“What?!” I snapped. “Whatever you’re going to say, say it quick because I am in a hurry!”

“Look, I need the ring tomorrow. You have to return it to me no later than tomorrow.”

“Why are you rushing? Are you getting married that you need that engagement ring for your bride?” I asked sarcastically.

He smirked. “Why do you care? Are you affected?”

This one, too, knows how to infuriate me. He’s really shameless. Too shameless!

What’s with this day? My day started great but because of Harley and James, it’s totally ruined even though it’s still morning.

I am too furious to even make a retort. In my current mood right now, I really want to kill the bastard.

We stared at each other, no one wants to back down.

“Ms. Alcantara, I told you to but coffee. Not to flirt in the hallway.”

Both James and I turned to the voice in surprise. Few paces from us stands Harley. His face dark and furious.

I felt James gripped my arm tighter. When I looked at him, he is also already looking at me again. Then he let my arm go.

“I was just asking her something, Sir,” James said coldly and walked away.

I couldn’t move. Was it just my imagination? James was mad. He looked like he wanted to punch someone.

I know that look so well. I’ve known him for so long that even a simple twitch on his facial muscle could already tell me whether he’s mad or not.

I shook my head to brush that thought. No, that cannot be right. I just thought I know him, but didn’t he prove me that I don’t know him well enough when he made me wait in front of that altar many years ago?

Thankfully, there’s that sensible side of me who’s beating these facts in my head. Otherwise, I would have been fooled again. ‘My other self, good job. You are right, I don’t know James well. Maybe I never knew him at all.’

I thought that James was the most decent and dignified man in the whole world, that he’s the man who will never hurt me. But he proved that to be a wrong assumption.

They are all the same. Men are all the same.

“Can you come back to earth already?”

I flinched when Harley snapped his finger in front of me. I looked at him in confusion.

We are already in the convenience store at the ground floor of the building. Was I spacing out for that long that I didn’t realize that we are already here?

He shook his head while looking at me.

“Is this how Mr. Vicencio affects you?”

“Excuse me?”

“What else does he need from you?”

I did not answer him. I went to the shelf and took a pack of instant coffee, then I headed to the counter.

“Do you remember, we first met in a convenience store,” Harley said out of nowhere.

“Yeah. You were buying a condom,” I answered nonchalantly. The cashier looked at us in surprise. The other people behind me also looked shocked.

“Hey!” he protested. “Have a little tact!”

“Oh why? Are you perhaps embarrassed they found out that you bought a condom from a convenience store? What’s wrong with buying a neon pink condom?”

He looks amusing with his face blushing in embarrassment. I think he is probably wishing for the ground to take him.

Harley moved closer to me and hooked his arm in my neck.

“If you don’t quiet down, I will silence you with my lips,” he whispered to my ear.

“Tch! You know nothing but to threaten me-”

Everyone gasped while I dropped the coffee pack in shock.

Harley is kissing me in public!

===========

HARLEY.

I still cannot help but grin whenever I remember the sweetness of her lips. It’s addicting. She was shocked when I kissed her. I bet she never though I could do it in front of onlookers.

Huh. I am Harley Alvarez. There’s nothing that I can’t do.

Jewelle is still flustered by the kiss. And I’m satisfied that it’s like that. She was spacing out when we went to convenience store, and she’s spacing out again when we came back to the office.

The corners of my mouth rose again. I’d occupy your mind, Jewelle, you can depend on that. I won’t allow that stupid James to have you thinking about him.

I frowned as I recall the conversation history in Jewelle’s chatbox. Jewelle thought I didn’t see, but I did.

Why does he act like she’ll come running to him at his beck and call? It’s infuriating that he has that hold on her. Then I thought maybe it has something to do with the money they were talking about yesterday.

I pressed the intercom.

“Jewelle, come inside.”

I kept a serious face when she came in. She looks composed, too, as if what happened earlier did not happen at all.

“Why?” she asked.

“How much do you need?”

“What do you mean how much do I need?”

I looked at her in the eye.

“How much do you need for that jerk to stop bothering you?”

Jewelle looked stunned. Her expression shows her reluctance to answer my question.

“Don’t try to hide it. He is asking you about that, that’s why he keeps bothering you.” She looked surprise. “You didn’t think my perception is this sharp, huh? Tell me, how much do you need.”

“Fifty thousand.”

“That’s all?! Just fifty thousand, and you cannot even give him that??”

“Well, excuse me if I don’t have that much savings!” she raised her chin and scowled at me.

I cleared my throat. Okay, that was a wrong move on my part.

Again. “So, why do you owe him that much?”

“I don’t owe him. He is taking back the engagement ring he gave me before.”

“Why wouldn’t you just give it back?!” I stood up suddenly in irritation. So that’s what it was. She didn’t want to let go of that damned ring!

She glared at me.

“I pawned it.”

Wha-?

Slowly, I started laughing. Really, this girl did that??

“Well, I needed money for my sister then. He should be thankful that I did not sell it!” she said defensively. I grinned wider.

“Then, let’s.”

“Let’s what?”

“Let’s sell it. It’s not important to you anymore, is it?”

“Who would be so stupid to still value a meaningless ring?” she answered. “Except that, it has monetary value. And right now, what I need to do is get it back from the pawnshop, because he will not stop pestering me until I return that ring.”

“Okay, I get it. Let’s pick it up tonight.”

“Are you serious?”

“Do I look like I am joking?”

She went silent and stared at me.

“Why are you doing this?” she asked suddenly.

“Isn’t it because I want you for my self? So I will help you cut your connection with your ex.”

“You want me to be indebted to you?”

I smirked. “Do we have to spell that out?”

She looked at me, disgusted, and stormed out of my office.