"P-Po??"
Bago pa man makarating ang pagkain sa nguso ni Bea, her jaw dropped as it bounced on the white tiled floor.
To the fact that Sir David unhesitantly said that, Bea's eyes fell towards Roschelle. Siya kasi ang unang pumasok sa isip niya. As she thought that Sir David didn't even think na nasa harap nila si Roschelle, na siya itong current na manager ng shop, mas lalo siyang binagabag ng hiya.
'Who am I para akuin ang isang puwestong mayroong pang nakaupo? Plus, do I have that credibility na maging manager?'
Nabagsak nalang ng nawalang lakas na kamay ni Bea ang tinidor na puno sana ng letchon dahil sa kanyang narinig. Knitting her eyebrows, kanyang naalala ang dahilan kung bakit nag-away dati sina Roschelle and Arvin.
'Maam Rose really loved our shop. To remove her from her position tapos ako pa ang ipalit, that is not even a promotion to me, but a double and major loss. Pano ko haharapin nito si Maam?' She continued to think habang hiyang hiya na tumingin ulit kay Roschelle.
Her anxious face suddenly vanished nang makita niyang super sweet na nakasmile sa kanya si Roschelle.
'Huh?' She was then left in a daze.
"Oh. Mukhang hindi ka ata nasiyahan sa sinabi ko ah." Looking at a blank face ni Bea, Sir David's glistening expression turned cold and freezing as he harrumphed.
Upon hearing what he said, Roschelle was pluck on to her smiles saka napabaling bigla kay Sir David.
"Oh no, hindi po. Masaya po yan. She was just shock. Tyaka baka nakonsensya lang po ata siya bigla. Baka po sa pagkakaalam niya, sinabik niyo po ako sa pwesto dahil sa kanya." Natatawang nagsalita si Roschelle saka panay sulyap sa nakatulalang si Bea.
Bea's eyebrows suddenly flinched.
"H-hindi po ba?" Na-stutter na tanong ni Bea.
"Oh see. Dad, haha namisunderstand niya lang po ata." Roschelle nodded with agreement sa naging reaction ng dalaga sa sinabi niya.
"Haha. Dad naman kasi. You blurted it out of nowhere, ni iexplain ang details hindi mo na nagawa." Sabi ni Cyrus saka tuwang tuwa na nakatingin sa kanyang ama.
A sudden ease on Sir David's heart ang bumalik nang marinig ang lahat na sinabi ng dalawa. He then looked at the young girl na nakatulala pa.
"Is that so?" An old coarse voice reverberate in the hall na dumirekta kay Bea as Sir David asked her.
Napapitik ng tingin ang dalaga dahil sa hindi niya inexpect ang mga nangyayari sa kanya.
"Uh.uhmm..." Bea slowly nodded na para bang nagdadalawang isip pa.
Yeah. She is indeed hesitant. Sino ba namang hindi mag-aalala nang bigla lang naimbitahan sa isang kainan with free clothes at accessories tapos free meal na nga, instant promotion pa. Not to mention, hindi pa naman siya katagalan sa shop kumpara kay Josh.
'Ganito ba talaga ang magiging resulta kung magiging jowa mo ang mayaman?' She bit lip slowly enough para hindi mahalata nina Sir David.
"Ahaha." A gruff laugh came sa pagtango ng dalaga.
"Bianca. You should not worry about Roschelle. I already made a certain position for her inside the company. Dahil ayaw niya namang maging secretary at ayaw niya rin na ibenta ang shop niyo..." Sir David paused nang sumubo ulit ng pagkain sa ngumuya.
"Tapos ito namang si Arvin... atat na atat na ipasok siya sa company..." He added saka ipinukol ang tingin kay Arvin. The young man suddenly furrowed his eyebrows na parang nagsasabi na - 'Dad, kailangan bang ipoint yan.'
But Sir David just ignored the stare of the young man.
"...kaya wala akong choice kundi i-hire si Roschelle but on a position na gusto niya lang. Tapos sakto namang ikinwento sakin nitong dalawang 'to na naging girlfriend ka ni Cody... I have never been so happy nang marinig ko yun." A white streaks immediately glistened nang naglabas ng full smile si Sir David dahil sa kanyang sinabi. Mukhang approve na aprrove siya na naging girlfriend ng anak niya si Bea.
Bea suddenly felt embarrassed because she knew for herself na wala sila ni Cody and that pinches her conscience lalo na na parang tuwa tuwa ang dad ni Cody.
"...kaya napagdesisyunan ko para hindi mabenta ang shop, ikaw na ang gagawin kong manager." Sir David finished off with a gulped of water.
After hearing what his dad said, agad na isinulyap ni Cody ang kanyang paningin kay Bea searching for disapproval. But instead of glancing, his gaze was glued on the young lady next to him, who felt really embarrassed. His deep eyes narrowed as he realized how vulnerable the young lady was. Her face was flustered on the extent of blushing pinkish glow on her cheeks together with her impeccable shielding of her face.
Biglang napataas ang isang kilay ni Arvin ng mapansin ang inasal ng kanyang bunsong kapatid. He gently leaned his elbow on the table and his back on his chair as he caressed his lips with his slender fingers. He slowly furrowed his eyebrows as his cold gaze stroke Cody's glued face.
'Fake? Fake your a*s.' He thought.
'Looks like you've already fallen deeper than I thought.'
He was not actually mad about Cody having feelings with Bea, he just hate the fact that his brother complicate things kung pwede namang magtapat nalang kay Bea like 'Hey, wanna be my girlfriend?'
But that's not really good to hear.
'May nalalaman pang pafake fake.' As he added.
"So...Bea." Roschelle suddenly said as she can't help curving the corner of her lips up.
"I mean... Manager Beatrice, congratulations on your promotion."