1 Suprise

Ngayong araw ang schedule nang uwi ko. Kaya naman nag impake na ko at namaalam sa mga kaibigan ko dito sa Madrid.

"Señorita Astrid, su mayordomo ha llegado."

*translation* "Miss Astrid, your butler has arrived."

I looked at our maid.

"Okay."

Speaking spanish is quite hard for me its not easy. Nothing is but I managed to understand a few. Living here for 6 years of my life and still not knowing how to straight up spanish. Kasi naman I have filipino friends here to help me translate things.

Im gonna miss this ambiance, Madrid is wild and amazing for me. Some other times siguro ay makakabalik din ako dahil may itinayo din si Daddy na powerhouse dito. Since Luarix G. Power Plantations immerse in spain, my tito's came here to lead the company.

Yes my father associated my uncles and not his daughter well, ako naman ang tagapag mana.

Thankfully I got home safe, pero pag baba ko ay isang kotse ang nakaparada sa tapat nang pintuan. A guy is leaning against his car.

Bumaba na ako kaya napabaling sya sa akin. His eyes smiled too when he smiled. How adorable diba. He is weiring his usual button down shirt and a short shorts. Dinaig pa nya ang short ko sa sobrang iksi. Walang pagbabago dala nya pa din ang aura nang isang Gonzalves. Lalo pang gumwapo.

"Look who decided to come home."

Nang magtama ang mga mata namin ay napangiti ako at agad tumakbo sa direksyon nya. He gladly opened his arms and welcomed me.

"Akala ko ba hindi ka na uuwi?" Agad na sabi ko sakanya.

"I came home for you." He slightly laugh.

"Ang daya, pagala gala ka lang sa ibang bansa. Hindi mo man lang ako sinabihan na uuwi ka ngayon I was so stuck at Madrid deciding if uuwi ako o hindi. You selfish ogre."

He just laugh at me. How I miss my brother, yes my brother na hindi man lang umuuwi dito sa bahay o kahit sa Madrid for so many years.

No other than Mr. Shane Frederick Gonzalves himself. Like other families, ours always like a Family Fued and nagsimula iyan nang hindi tanggapin ni Shane ang pagiging pinuno nang kumpanya then Mom had a dreadful death that day.

"Let's go, nathithrilled na kong makita si Dad." He sarcastically said.

"Ofcourse, Sa sobrang thrilled non for sure sa hotel ka matutulog."

"You'll never know."

Inirapan ko siya, katumbas kasi nang pagtanggi nya ay ang pagpapalayas sakanya ni Daddy. He can't just abandoned his son kaya pinalayas nya lang ito.

"Miss Shaznae, Mister Shane tha table is ready for the both of you—" I cut off Greg.

"It's Astrid, Where's daddy?"

Since Mom died I did everything to forget her memories in me including the name Shaznae that she gave me. It's my way to cope up in her death.

"Nasa Study Room siya at hindi pwedeng istorbohin."

Napaismid naman ako sa sinabi nya. Really Greg? Like you don't know us.

"Oh well, Let's Surprise our dear old Daddy." I smiled at Shane.

Inakbayan nya ako at pumanhik sa direksyon nang opisina ni Dad.

"But—" we heared Greg declined pero ano pang magagawa nya.

"You know next time you should come with me in Madrid, you know visit our land, our company." He held me.

"Yah that's great. Like almost how many years. What a great show—"

"What the fuck!"

What a great show is this? Agad na napatingin ako kay Shane. We just opened the door and—

"It's not everyday that you see your father banging someone on his desk." I naughtily said and smirked.

Yep. The girl was so shocked na aligaga syang nagbihis. Dad on the other side looked at us so disappointed.

"Daddy, what a pleasant welcome party." Sabi ko pa sakanya.

"This is not what I want you to meet each other." He said and accompanied the lady he was banging. Not even surprised that Shane is home, that I am home.

"Who is she Dad?" Shane asked.

He looked at the girl and smile. Wow, never seen that smile before. Believe me or not this is not my father. Sobrang iba ang dating nya. Its weird that Shane's here tapos there's this girl who made it more weirder.

"Oh no." Dismayang sabi ko nang makaisip ako nang isang dahilan.

"Whatever you're thinking is please let me introduce her to the both of you." He explained.

He called Greg and gathered us in the living room. Shane is giving me a benefit of the doubt look na parang mali ang hinala ko. The way he holds her and treat her seems like it.

"Okay kids, as much as Im happy na andito kayong dalawa. I am not expecting na makita nyo kami sa ganong sitwasyon." Pagsisimula nya.

"Well, surprise surprise." I said and rolled my eyes.

Dad is always a respectful person, so bad that my Mom had to experience a Cardiac Arrest after her beloved son run away. Dad controls everything and that made him who he is just like my Grandpa.

Ang sabi nila ay carbon copy daw ako ni Dad, from my attitude to my face. And what can I say, they are right.

"Wait, paano na ang Party ko? For my title of being the CEO?" I asked.

Parang nagulat pa si Dad at nagkatingin pa sila nang katabi nya.

"Who told you that?"

I raised my eyebrows at my Father.

"Dad, Greg told me that there will be a party in here that I needed to come home. So inexpect ko na this will be MY PARTY to celebrate being the new CEO of LGC, what happened?"

Since Greg is with us I looked at him confused. Napaismid sya at napalunok.

"Miss Astrid, I told you that we're going to held a party and your presence is needed. I think it's not my fault you misunderstood my words." He formally said.

"Oh I so Damned I misunderstood it. And now here we are, Daddy is now presenting his Honorable Second Wife infront of us." I bitterly said.

This can't be happening, Akala ko eto na ang oras na magkakaroon na ako nang pagkakataon para ihandle ang Laurix G. Corporation. Pinapahiya ko pa yung sarili ko. I expected so much and this is what I get. A step-mother?!

"And why are you here? Is this the reason too?" Tumingin ako kay Shane at sya naman ang tinanong ko.

"I called him." Dad said.

I was so shocked I cannot even comprehend what's happening.

"Wow, you're reconciled already? What did I missed?" I was so full of myself na akala ko mapupunta na sakin ang kumpanya.

"Set aside your drama Astrid. Please."

I scoffed and crossed my arms. Silently cursing everyone.

"This is Gabrielle, Gabrielle this is my children, Shaznae Astrid and Shane."

I put up an disgusting face to mock her but her smile is so angelic that even my brother look so hypnotized.

"There will be a party and it's our engagement party. So Astrid if gustong gusto mong mag tapon nang tantrums mo please do it somewhere else. And for Shane, I want you to come back ofcourse to this family where you always belong. It's time for second chances."

Napairap naman ako.

"Yeah right, big word from the Man himself." I whispered.

"Im happy to meet the both of you." She smiled.

So sad he doesn't even have an Idea who's she dealing with. A family like a Gonzalves. Good luck with that.

"And Astrid as for you, you can throw your tantrums when our wedding is over."

"But Dad, it's not fair. Grandpa handed this to you when you're just 22 and I'm 23 dapat pinapamana mo na saakin ito."

He just eyed me bloodshot.

"Your expectations are so high dear."

I frowned and disappointed at myself sana di nalang pala ako umuwi.

"We'll talk about this over dinner. Greg please do the honors." He aid turning his back on me.

"It's still yours Astrid, dinedelay lang ni Dad. Stop being so stubborn."

"But Shane.. I trained myself to prepare me to this things."

Sumandal ako kay Shane. My brother, my bestfriend. He is always there for me. Not until he vanished somewhere.

Mom always said, everything does not come easy kaya habang nasa Madrid ako I worked hard getting my business degree and being an intern in our company there. Tapos may aagaw nang spotlight ko.

"That was supposed to be my party." I said like a baby who got a candy stolen from her.

"Alam ko. You should chill, andito naman ako. So ano? Party?" He suggested.

Agad nabuhay ang sistema ko. Who doesn't want a party. Or a Bar yah whatever.

"I'll call Divine."

"Good, what a reunion."

Surprised at everything, I'll make sure na nasa akin pa din ang spotlight. We'll see what that Gabrielle has to bring in the table for this family.

I have my clear visions why I came home and this is not included in my plans.

~

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