Chapter 1

Cadence

*typing...*

*typing... click!*

*typing.....*

In my 3 years of being a CEO laging ganito ang set up ko. You may find boring, but for me? nope.. never.. I'm always passionate about everything that I love and this includes my work.

Work here. Work there. Even when holidays I still bring my work at home. Sounds stressful huh? Tbh.. yes it's stressful. super.. But! I'm not complaining about it coz this is what I love to do. If Dad and Mom were still alive for sure there will be non stop scolding. They also nagging me about to get married already and have my own family. But nope.. I don't have time for that lalo na ngayon.

Speaking of my parents, they already passed away 3 years ago. The Police told me their caused of death is accident. Pfft! as if I'm gonna believe that. Owning a big company for sure you have a lot of enemies trying to take you down. What I meant is my parents were murdered. Scary right?

Should I be afraid? now that I'm the CEO of this company. I'm their next target for sure. But why should I be afraid? tsk! They should be the one who will be afraid of me. I made promised to my parents anyway that I'll do justice to them.

I clear my mind by typing again. I should not let my past taken away my work.

*knock! knock! *

"come in" I said.

I hear someone closed the door and walk towards me. I raised my face then I saw a tall man with fair toned skin, brown wavy hair with parted bangs, has gray eyes looking directly at me, has pointed nose, pinkish lips smirking at me ok seriously though is this man applying lip gloss? coz I swear his lips way more good looking than my lips.

He's wearing white blazer, light blue long sleeves polo paired with his white slacks and his khaki loafers. Of course, he came to work fashionably and late. *sigh*

Who's man I'm talking about? welp. My bestfriend, Isaac Lee, a.k.a. "ice"

Oh and btw he's also my great secretary. I swear I'm not being sarcastic if you think I'm now. coz this guy we're talking about is a whole package. *sigh* If he's not my bestfriend and I meet him in a club? for sure I'm gonna take him home lol but unfortunately it's impossible. So the girls out there wag na kayong umasa sa mokong na toh dahil asexual sya. meaning? never sya maaattract sexually sa mga tao. Wala kayong sex life mga sis! kaya kung ayaw niyong maging forever virgin at kating kati kayo. wag kayo dito binalaan ko na kayo para less sakit.

Oh I almost forgot he's also secretly a hacker. In a big company like this and take note a Video Game Company it really needs a hacker coz we don't know when our developed games being hacked or worse, give them dangerous virus. Enough on introducing this punk let's get into the story.

Tumigil ako sa pag tatype at humarap sa lalakeng nasa harap ko ngayon with matching cross arms pa habang nakangiti na nakakapangasar.

"you were late... again." diniinan ko talaga ang huli kong sinabi para naman matauhan tong mokong na toh. inaaraw arawan nga naman ang pagiging late niya. estudyante lang ampeg ah.

"well at least fashionably late" pagmamayabang niya idagdag mo pa ang kindat niya.

Ipinaikot ko lang ang aking mata at nagsimula ulit mag type.

"hayyy trabaho na naman inaatupag mo. kelan ko kaya makikita ang isang Cadence na hindi nagtatype sa kaniyang mamahaling laptop." wika niya habang nakaupo sa armchair na malapit sa desk ko. Nag cross legs ito at kinuha ang kaniyang phone.

I looked at him and gave him some lecture.

" Kung kaya tulungan mo ko dito. Kaysa nakaupo ka lang jan nagseselpon." I tried my best to put my beautiful smile on my face and hoping my wonderful charm will work.

As soon as he heard me, he glanced at me and back to his phone again. welp I guess my charm didn't work *sigh*

I glared at him and muttered "jerk" and back on typing again.

"Ms. CEO alam mo naman puro trabaho lang ng secretary ang alam ko and if I helped again for sure mangyayari ulit ang nangyari a  year ago hahaha". sambit niya with his nakakaasar na tawa.

Well if you wondering what happened a year ago. I ordered him naman na i sort out lahat ng kailangan na files and delete yung mga unwanted files for preparing on my presentation about on our latest developed game. Unfortunately pati ang kailangan ko sa presentation ay na delete. Ayon napagalitan ako sa magaling kong uncle which is now the new chairman of the board na pumalit kay dad.

*sigh* Kung hindi ko lang toh bestfriend at magaling na hacker matagal ng nasisante toh.

Maya't maya'y bumubulong ito habang tumitingin sa kanyang phone. Nagtataka  akong bumaling sa direksyon niya.

"oh ano na naman binubulong mo jan?" sambit ko at sumandal sa upuan habang naka cross arms.

Nakuha ko naman atensyon niya with matching ngiti. Hindi kaya ito nangangawit sa kakangiti niya?

"ah may nakita kasi akong coffee shop sa yelp nasa McArthur Avenue. patok na patok sa mga tao. tignan mo nga naman mga product nila pang insta hahaha" excited na wika niya.

"wag mong sabihin pupunta ka don para lang may maipost ka sa insta mo" I gave him a bored look.

He gave me a knowing look and smile. Tumayo ito at itinago sa kaniyang bulsa na nasa loob ng kanyang blazer ang kaniyang mamahaling phone.

"hayy nakakatouch ka naman cade. kilalang kilala mo talaga ako." sambit niya habang papalakad sa direksyon ko at bigla akong niyakap. pervert tch!

kumalas ako sa pagkayakap niya sabay batok sa kanya.

"last na yakap mo na toh. pag inulit mo ulit, hindi lang batok matatanggap mo" balaan ko habang nakatutok sa kanya ang aking ballpen.

Nabigla ito sa turan ko sa kanya at unti unting binababa ang kamay kong may hawak na ballpen habang kinakabahang ngumingiti.

"ano ka ba cade alam mo naman asexual ako tsaka wala naman meaning sakin iyon and I'm sure sayo rin. unless... may gusto ka sak-"

His starting to lose my patience. I shut his ass off by covering his mouth using my hand.

"masyado kang madaldal. tara na nga!" sabay hila sa kanya palabas sa office ko.

several minutes later...

muntik na akong makatulog sa tagal ng biyahe namin. I gave death glare at him when he started talking.

"*phew* ang layo pla nito pero I think worth it naman hahaha" wika niya habang ako'y masamang tumitingin sa kanya.

"what?" he gave me an innocent look.

after minutes of lecturing him. pumasok na kami sa shop called Oasis Blends. this better be worth it coz if not- (I glared again at him which seems doesn't have any balls left to look directly at me) Ice will gonna pay. insert evil laugh char!

agad na akong humanap ng mauupuan namin. sakto may nakita akong sa may dulo na walang masyadong tao at nauna ng umupo don. si Ice na nag order para sakin alam na rin naman niya ang paborito ko. siya na rin daw magbabayad to make it up with me on what happened earlier.

inilabas ko ang aking phone at ipinagpatuloy ang trabaho ko. no one gonna stop me! ramdam kong papalapit si Ice at umupo sa harapan ko.

" *sigh* you're working again, don't you?" maktol niya.

hindi ko siya pinapansin, patuloy lang ako sa ginagawa ko.

narinig ko siyang pumapalatok while shaking his head. then of course he took out his phone and for sure browsing again on his social medias. hanggang sa may kumuha sa kaniyang pansin.

"wow.. trending na naman tong coffee shop na toh. I wonder why it's so popular these days." ipinag walang bahala ko ulit ito.

"huh? may ginawa rin silang poll. hmm... let's see..." wika niya habang binabasa niya ang nakakuha sa atensyon niya.

well tbh naiintriga ako sa nakita niya. ano naman poll pinagsasabi nito? nagtataka nga rin ako kung bkt sikat na sikat ito it's just simple coffee shop for fuck sake and it also has corny and cheesy or whatever name geez. ibinaling ko ulit ang atensyon ko sa trabaho and thank God malapit na matapos.

" sino mas maganda sa kanilang dalawa?" basa niya dito. nakuha na naman niya ulit atensyon ko pero nang narinig ko ang binasa niya nawalan ulit. seriously? what kind of question is that? pang grade school lang amputa.

" Jaime Martinez or Riley moore?"  basa ulit niya.

" oh? may picture pa silang dalawa. Riley Moore? ahh so siya yung kanina nung nag order ako. too bad mas maganda yung isa." he muttered.

ok I'm starting to get intrigue right now as soon as he spills their name. they are sound interesting. maybe they are the reason why this place so popular. *sigh*  our society nga naman.

" what about you cade? sa tingin mo sino sa kanila ang mas maganda?" I glanced at him and typing again at my phone.

"Ice pls wag mo kong isali sa mga katarantaduhan mo" maktol ko.

"what? I'm just asking a question. KJ *sigh*"  sambit niya.

ramdam kong may papalapit samin at inilapag ang dalawang tasa ung isa kulay berdeng laman na may disensyo na dahon at ung isa naman kulay brown may disenyo rin na dahon.

"here's your order sir and maam" wika ng waitress.

"thank you" sambit ni Ice giving her  sweet smile. mukhang kinilig naman ang waitress pfft.

"you're so a flirt" asar ko sa kanya. ayaw niya kasing nasasabihan ng malandi lalo na't asexual sya.

he glared at me and a few seconds he gave me a teasing smirk.

"why? you're jealous?" he smirked at me. I just rolled my eyes and start drinking my matcha coffee latte.

WTF! IT'S TOO SWEET! I angrily put down the cup and glared at Ice who's giving me questioning look.

"w-what's the matter?" he asked.

"ICE! masyadong matamis! hindi ba't laging 25% sugar lang ang pinapalagay ko!" maktol ko. I sound overacting right now but if they don't give what I exactly I want. oh for sure I will gonna make a scene in public or not I don't give a damn.

"si-sinabi ko naman sa barista yon ah" he innocently said.

"then what the hell happened?! bingi ba mga barista dito?!" pinakalakas ko ang boses para naman marinig ng mga barista na simpleng order lang di nila magawa gawa.

"Cade geez calm down. gumagawa ka na naman ng scandal" he muttered but I heard him enough.

"well that's why I've got my nickname scandalous CEO. so where the owner of this place!" I stood up and wondering around the place, finding the fucking owner.

"what's happening in here?" a sweet innocent voice came out of nowhere. I'm glancing around to locate that voice... it's came from my behind. humarap ako sa likuran ko and saw an average tall lady with fair rosy toned skin, light black long wavy hair, has gorgeous pale brown eyes, cute pointed nose and last but not least her rosy soft looking lips. damn d-did I just compliment a woman?! I swear I never compliment a woman before coz I know I'm the gorgeous woman duh!

she walks towards me like a model. then stopped in front of me and cross arms.

"what's the matter maam?" she asked.

"are you the owner of this place?" I scowled.

she nods and giving me a questioning look.

"well hindi lang naman sinunod ang magagaling mong barista ang pinaka simpleng utos na kahit ang gradeschool ay magagawa nito." I scowled.

then suddenly someone walks towards me with an apologizing look.

"I-I'm sorry maam. hindi ko po alam na pwede po pala bawasan ang sugar sinusundan ko lang po yung binigay na recipe. " nangingig ang boses ng barista habang nakatingin sa ibaba.

"hey.. don't be sorry. hindi lang talaga natin maiiwasan mga taong maarte. sila na nga ang sineserban sila pa ang daming satsat." she glared at me. and what? maarte? so ako pa tlga mali ngayon? what a bitch!

" bitch! what did you just say?anyway  I always believed that customer is always right. but in this situation parang hindi?"I scowled. inaawat ako ni Ice na nasa likuran ko. as if papatalo ako sa babaeng toh! nararamdaman ko rin na may nag pipicture at nag vivideo samin for sure trending na naman ako nito. well I'm not complaining I'm attention seeker after all.

" totoo naman iyon pero it doesn't mean na magsisiwalang kibo lang kami. we're also a human after all. and this lady over here. part time lang sya dito and kakasimula pa lang niya. even if she has no experience I hired her coz of her family financial issues. kaya pls pwede bang bago kang magreklamo at satsat ka ng satsat diyan alamin mo muna ang side niya" maktol niya.

natahimik na lang ako hayy masyado na akong pagod para makipagtalo sa kanya. hindi na rin ako babalik sa lugar na toh as in never.

pinatago na rin ni Ice mga phone ng mga chismosa at chismoso dito sa shop. let's wait a few minutes for sure makikita niyo na ang pangalan ko nag tetrending sa lahat na social medias. bumalik na rin sa mga kaniya kaniyang ginagawa ang mga barista at waitress parang wala man naganap. hayy nakakahiya tuloy first time akong tinalo sa trash talkan. kagigil!

"Ice! tara na sa kompanya may tatapusin pa akong paper works para bukas" inis kong sambit.

We walk towards the door and we happen to bump someone who makes my blood boiled! oh let's just say we bump the CEO of one of our notorious rival company, Insperon.

"Dominic... Martin..." I glared at him at ngumiti ng pilit.

He seems surprised then suddenly someone called him and walks towards to him embraced him. Me and Ice surprised on how the owner acts towards to Dom.

"kilala mo sila?" she asked him pointing towards us.

"uhm.. yeah. sort of." he uneasily looked at me. then the lady also looked at us with her questioning look.

ugh! enough with this awkwardness. I dragged Ice out of this place and got inside his car.

while his driving he keeps glancing at me.

" *sigh* wag na tayo bumalik sa lugar na yon lalo lang ako na stress" habang hinihilot ko ang sentido ko.

kilalang kilala ako ni Ice pag pagod na pagod na tlga ako kaya nanatili na lang tahimik hanggang sa nakarating na kami sa kompanya.