The Memories
LOPEZ MANSION...
"Ellah hija, I’m asking you, did you and your bodyguard talk about his departure?”
Although she felt sad about it, she chose to raise her voice and sound cheerful for she knew that it was right for him to leave.
"Ah, yes grandpa, we already talked about it. I just didn’t know that he resigned last night.”
"Oh, yeah? That’s good then.”
"Let’s just let him, grandpa. Maybe he’s not happy anymore.”
Don Jaime nodded.
A few moments later, someone arrived.
"They’re here, hija. "
She turned to see three men hopping off a vehicle.
They were brawny men with a sense of braveness in their aura. Their faces looked serious. They were wearing black body-fitted shirts that shape their chiseled chest, paired with fatigue pants and combat boots. Their weapons were slung over their shoulders, making them look like soldiers ready for a war.
She shakes her head.
It was scary.
"Greet your boss," Don Jaime ordered them. They turned to Ellah to greet her.
"Good morning madam!" They said in unison.
"Good morning boys. You can address me as Ms."
"How are you, Ms. Ellah?" They asked again in unison.
She pursed her lip to force herself not to laugh. They seem like robots.
She giggled softly. She didn’t expect that these brawny strong-looking men look like minions whose heights are just the same.
"I'm fine."
"Boys, introduce yourself to your boss."
"Ms. Ellah, I’m Bert.”
"I’m Manuel."
"And my name’s Dan."
She nodded as she kept their faces in mind.
"We’re glad to meet you, Ms. Ellah," They said altogether.
It seemed like they memorized their lines before they got here.
"Did you guys rehearse?"
They burst out laughing.
“Alright, boys," Don Jaime turned to them. "Take care of my granddaughter. I am entrusting my only granddaughter’s life into your hands. I hope that she’s always safe. Do you understand?”
"Yes, don Jaime!" They said in unison as they turned to him.
"Alright then. You can leave."
"Thanks, grandpa," Ellah said before planting a kiss on his cheek.
Right then, a vehicle stopped in front of them. The bodyguards opened the door for Ellah as she hopped inside the car.
Dan was sitting in front while the two were seated at the back.
The vehicle has been bulletproofed ever since the incident.
Silence embraces them while on travel.
Ellah stared outside the window. She couldn’t help but think about Gian and his whereabouts.
She shakes her head. Everything is over now and she must forget him.
He’s right after all. He has set her free and chose not to befriend her because he knew that when the time comes, he has to leave her.
And that time is right now.
---
MEDC OFFICE...
When they arrived, they opened the door for Ellah as she hopped off the car.
The three were following her as she went inside.
The employees were watching them as they went in.
"Good morning Ms. Ellah," Her employees greeted in unison.
Ellah stopped in front of the employees and turned to them.
"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, my new bodyguards," She said, pointing at them.
"Good morning everyone," they said in unison.
"Good morning," The employees greeted in return.
As she continued to walk, she could hear indistinct voices mumbling.
"Where’s Gian then? Did he leave?"
"Yeah, I think so."
"Isn’t it too sudden?"
She stopped walking and the whispering stopped as well.
"Listen, everyone! Gian Villareal resigned last night. So stop talking about him!"
Everyone fell silent as Ellah turned to walk towards the elevator.
They arrived at her office then.
"Good morning Ms. E...llah"
Jen turned to the bodyguards behind her.
"Jen, I have new bodyguards."
"Oh, yeah?” She looked at them and smiled. “Hello.”
"Hello." They greeted her.
Ellah turned to them again.
"Boys, you can just stay outside."
"Alright, Ms. Ellah, " They replied.
Her secretary followed her as she walked inside.
"Ms. it’s not that I’m interfering, but where’s Gian?"
“He resigned last night." She said as she sat down in her swivel chair.
"Really? Isn’t it too sudden?"
"He wanted to. It’s not like I can stop him, right?"
"Oh, I thought he’ll last.”
Ellah turned to her.
"Jen, he’s not around anymore so let’s not talk about him. He left after all.”
"Yes, I u-understand. I’m sorry.”
"It's fine. Just get to work."
"Yes Ms." She said before walking away.
Ellah breathed a sigh.
Right then, she looked around, she inadvertently turned her attention to the cabinet where Gian had seduced her for the first time.
She looked at the seat on the sofa that was facing her. She could clearly see that he was there staring at her with a smile on his face.
She turned to the glass wall where he stood.
She could see him from afar with his hands pocketed in his pants. His glimpse was crystal clear.
She stood up.
"Ah, come on Ellah, this is not you!"
Every nook and cranny of her office, all she could see and think of is him and their memories.
She has not even held a single document yet but she's so occupied with the thoughts of him.
Will she think about him all day?
She sat down and grabbed a document and right then, she heard Gian's voice lingering in her mind.
"Just tell me if there’s something that I can help you with."
"Ahhhhh! Bullshit!" She yelled.
Jen scurried over her office to hear her exclaim.
"Ms. what happened?"
She shakes her head and waves her hand as a gesture that nothing’s wrong.
"It’s nothing. Don’t mind me, Jen. Just go back to work.”
"Okay Ms." She said as she closed the door.
She slumped back on her chair.
What is it about that man that has such an effect on her?
In fact, they don't even have a relationship, but why does it feel as if her husband divorced her?
---
PHOENIX AGENCY...
"You want a leave, ” Chief Romero confirmed.
"Yes, sir." Gian replied and sat straight inside the boss's office.
"I'll give you another mission if you..."
"Please, sir. I just needed it to restore myself.”
Chief Romero silently nodded.
His best asset is not always asking some favor on him.
"Alright then but you can just leave strictly for a week. I expect you to come back right after.”
"Thank you, sir," he saluted and left.
Vince stood up from his seat to see Gian inside his office.
"Captain Gian!" He approached his friend and gave him a quick hug. He tapped his shoulder before moving away. “Are you okay?”
He nodded before sitting on a stool. He had already told Vince earlier that he already resigned as a bodyguard.
"I’m fine."
"Hold on. What about your love story then?”
"You fool!"
He shakes his head. The intense regret is obvious in his face.
"Why does it have to be so sudden, bro? I even thought that there might be something between you.”
"The contract has ended and Ellah doesn’t want it anymore."
"Well, it's good that you left. It looks like she has no intention of you anyway."
"Yeah, and I don't want to push myself more. It makes me look like a fool."
"At least you’re handsome. Handsome fool."
Gian shakes his head at his remark.
"What did she say about your resignation then?"
"She didn’t know. Only don Jaime knew.”
Vince was surprised to hear it. "You must’ve surprised her. Maybe she’ll suddenly come here to see you!”
He was obviously worried but just like anyone else, he couldn’t do anything about it.
"She’ll never do that. She knows that this is still my downfall.”
"So it’s over? That's it? Can you even forget her?”
He sighed heavily.
"I’ll do my best."
"What a shame, man! You even got drunk before thinking that she’ll leave but in the end, it’s you who left her.”
"Let’s just ignore it. That’s how it really is.”
"What will happen then? You’ll take on a new mission?”
"I don’t have a plan for now except that I want to take a leave for just a week.”
"Really? Where are you going then? I mean, what will you do? Will you cry in a corner and drown in alcohol just so you could forget her?”
He turned to him.
"Is that what you did with your ex?"
"No!" Vince said defensively.
"Really?"
"Y–yeah." He looked away.
"If you say so then. But just to tell you, I won’t do that so don’t worry.”
"Just make sure!"
He chuckled.
"Alright then, I’ll leave you here for now. I’ll just go to the head.”
"Okay, be careful."
"Will do!" He yelled as he left.
"Want some shots tonight?"
Gian dismissed his hand waiving. "Nah, no need. "
He went to their head’s office.
His colleague greeted him as they crossed paths.
"Welcome back, sir Gian."
"Thank you."
He knocked on the door before getting in.
"Come in. "
"Good morning sir. "
The chief looked up to see Gian.
It should only take a week for him to be sentimental and it shouldn't exceed that anymore.
Just one week, Ellah. I promise I’ll forget you by then! He thought to himself.
Gian came home with empty thoughts and a tired soul.
It seemed hard for him to accept that he can no longer protect her.
He breathed out a deep sigh.
Maybe it’s a good thing that he resigned. It allowed him to take a rest.
He grabbed his phone and looked at Ellah’s picture on his contact list.
It was a picture of them where they are together in the same bed and Ellah was sleeping.
Memories of Ellah started to flash in his eyes.
He stood up to grab a bottle of alcohol. He poured one in his glass.
He needed something to make him sleep, but the memories of that woman lingered on his mind.
"I want to bring everything back to normal, when we first met, where I'm your boss and you're my subject."
He gulped the glass of alcohol.
It was a striking afternoon and here he was drinking black label liquor.
"You will not die nor you will not leave me. I will tell you when you leave this world."
He kept drinking as he remembered the past that only memories of Ellah were included.
"Just one week Ellah. I’ll forget you by then.”
He said before closing his eyes.