“WOW.”
Iyon ang unang salita na narinig niya mula kay Arch. Aguas nang makita siya nito doon sa lobby. Sahara just smiled at him. Architect Aguas looked good himself. He’s wearing a well-fitted blue suit, which makes him look sharp. His presence actually made her a bit tense, especially because of the way he stares at her.
“Wow,” ulit nito. Titig na titig ito sa kanya. “Miss Smith…you are stunning.”
“Thank you po, sir.”
“Shall we?” Para itong nakakita ng multo at saglit na hindi nakagalaw. He was just looking at her, as if it was the first time he laid his eyes on her.
It was a 15-minute drive. Ang bagong tayo’ng hotel na iyon ay pagmamay-ari ng kaibigan ni Arch. Aguas na kilala rin ang pangalan sa mundo ng pagnenegosyo sa bansa. Marami nang tao nang makarating sila sa Event Hall, at sa isang tingin pa lamang ay alam na ni Sahara na ang lugar na iyon ay para lamang sa mga ‘elite’. Naka-amerikana ang halos lahat ng mga kalalakihan, at napaka-elegante ng mga kababaihan. The occasion reminded her of the many company parties she had attended as a singer. Nasa tabi lamang siya ni Aguas habang papasok sila sa hall. Pilit siyang ngumingiti sa mga tao’ng bumabati sa kanyang kasama, at maging sa mga lalaking tumitingin sa kanya.
“Good evening, Architect Aguas. It’s nice to see you here,” bati ng isang lalaki. Kasing tangkad niya ito, pero may katabaan. Habang kausap nito si Aguas ay sa kanya ito nakatingin.
“Good to see you too, Architect Antonino,” bati ni Aguas, sabay pakikipagkamay rito.
“And who’s this lovely lady with you?”
“Ah, this is Miss Smith, my...personal assistant,” pakilala nito sa kanya. “Miss Smith, this is Mr. Antonino, one of the finest and talented architects here in Dumaguete.”
Iniabot ni Sahara ang kamay sa lalaki at pilit na ngumiti. Saglit pa nito iyong pinisil. Pilit na ngiti ang itinugon niya.
“Well, Mr. Antonino, we’ll see you around. I have to talk to my colleagues over there,” paalam ni Aguas. Agad siya nitong hinawakan sa kamay at iginiya palayo kay Antonino. Nang makarating sila sa may garden ay tsaka lamang nito binitiwan ang kanyang kamay. “I shouldn’t have brought you here,” nangingiti nitong sabi. “Did you notice those men…how they stare at you?”
“Sorry po, sir,” nahihiya namang sabi ni Sahara.
“No, no. Don’t apologize. I was just kidding.” He reached for her hand. “You shouldn’t feel sorry for being too beautiful, Miss Smith. Well, I feel sorry for those men because I get to be with you the entire night.”
Inilagay ni Aguas ang kanyang kamay sa braso nito at magkasabay silang bumalik sa kasiyahan. Muling nagsimulang lumapit ang mga tao sa kanila, karamihan ay kilala ni Aguas – mga dating ka-eskuwela, dating ka-trabaho at ka-negosyo.
“That’s Mr. Ignacio, a restaurateur. He owns a chain of seafood restaurants in the city.” Itinuro ni Aguas ang tinutukoy nito sa hindi kalayuan. Maliit itong lalaki, payat, nakasalamin at may katabing magandang babae. Tumangu-tango lamang siya. “And the guy in Barong, that’s the Mayor. A businessman as well…and that man over there,” itinuro nito ang lalaking nakatayo sa tabi ng malaking entrada, may hawak na isang baso ng red wine. Mag-isa ito, nakatanaw sa malayo. “That’s the owner of this very hotel. Mr. Armando Tantoco. Come on, I have to congratulate him and let him know that I was able to come to his opening.”
Armando Tantoco. Why does that name sound so familiar?
Inalalayan siya ni Arch Aguas sa kanyang siko at nilapitan nila ang lalaking tinukoy nito.
“Good evening, Sir. Congratulations on the opening.”
The guy turned around and smiled at Aguas. And when his eyes met hers, his smile vanished.
“Thank you, Architect Aguas. Thank you for coming,” sabi nito na sa kanya pa rin nakatingin, as if she’s a gate crasher.
Tila napansin naman ni Aguas ang kakaibang paraan ng pagtingin ni Mr. Tantaco kay Sahara kaya ito na mismo ang nagpakilala sa kanya. “She’s Miss Smith…Sahara Smith. My personal assistant.”
Tantoco furrowed his brow and looked at her again. Inilahad nito ang kamay sa kanya, na atubili naman niyang inabot. “Good evening, Miss…Smith. Have we met before?” Mabilis nitong binitiwan ang kamay niya. “Oh, yeah, I remember. You are the singer…in one of my company parties.”
Oh, yes. HE is the Tantoco that Karen has talked about. The Tantoco who owned 15% of the hotel industry in the country - private resorts in Boracay, Palawan and everywhere you could think of. HE is the Tantoco who’s got his own private jet and who drives a Ferrari. At naalala pa niya ang sinabi niya kay Karen noon – that she’s gonna marry him whatever he looked like, na kahit mukhang paa pa iyon ay pakakasalan niya ito.
Good news, he doesn’t look like feet at all. Hindi ito pahuhuli sa pagkagandang lalaki kay Architect Aguas. Nga lamang, mas maliit ito ng ilang pulgada, mas maputi. Tantoco was probably a mixture of Spanish and Filipino blood. Matangos ang ilong nito, mapungay ang mga mata, manipis ang mga labi. And even with his tailored navy blue suit, she could see that he’s muscular underneath.
Yeah, she could marry him in an instant. Pero mukha itong galit sa mundo.
“Miss Smith, are you okay?” may pag-aalalang tanong ni Aguas sa kanya nang hindi na siya nakakibo. “Is that true, that you are a singer?”
“Ahm…yes, sir. Pero matagal na po akong hindi kumakanta.”
“Wow, interesting,” nakangiting sabi ni Aguas, na halatang humanga sa nalamang iyon.
“Well, I better get going, Arch. Aguas. Thank you for coming.”
And then Mr. Armando Tantoco was gone.