"The key to victory lies more in manipulation and cooperation than in exceptional personal skills." - Yuval Noah Harari

I am having my usual hectic office day - reviewing documents and signing several papers that are already for approvals. I am currently reading the final guest list for the upcoming opening of the villa. My peaceful yet busy day at the office was interrupted when a certain someone barged in my office as if she had all the authority to do so.

"What are you doing here?" I started with a slight annoyance in my tone. She strode inside my office like a woman in her catwalk. This woman! What does she want right now?

"I need you to find me a boyfriend." She announced, no she commanded as if I am her paid servant. I am really startled by her presence, what more when she commanded that she needs me to find her a boyfriend. She must have gone crazy.

"Nababaliw kana ba?" I asked while still reviewing the papers that I've been reading earlier. Kung akala niya ay madadaan niya ako sa ganito para mapansin ko siya, but no I won't take the bait.

"No." Seryoso niyang sagot.

"Are you on drugs?"

"No."

"Drunk?"

"No! I am not."

"Good." Walang emosyon kong sagot. "Now, can you please get out? You've come to the wrong person. I don't have time to play your games so you better get going, as you can see I am busy. Please leave."

"Ah! My lovely Icy Sarah, now I love it when you are so damn angry because of me." She remarked like a sweet-naughty child as she advanced further, taking the chair in front of my desk.

"Ms. Lobete!" I call her out as I hand comb my hair due to a threatening headache. "I told you, stop playing games with me!" I repeated myself while glaring at her.

"Hey! You'll kill me with the way you look at me." She held her hands up like someone who just surrendered. "I'm not here for games. I just need your help, Sarah."

"What help?" I asked in annoyance.

She smiled a little bit. "I need you to find me a boyfriend.

"Get out, will you? You've lost your bloody mind."

She shrugs in resignation. "I'm serious here, Sarah. I need your help."

"Do you know what my job is?" I asked, I really don't understand why it's so difficult to have a conversation with her this time.

"Yes, the CEO of this company."

"Exactly, I'm a CEO. I am no match maker, Ms. Lobete! Go find somebody else to do the job for you." Pagtataboy ko sa kanya. Ang hirap niyang kausap! Why the hell is she insisting on something for me to do?

"Why so formal, Sarah? I have a given name you know."

"Ahh! Miss." I said in disagreement. "I only address someone by their given names if they're friends of mine and we are not." Mataray kong sagot sa kanya.

"We're friends, right? You told me before. Let me remind you, it was at the opening party..."

I cut her off immediately. "I don't remember. Sorry." As I don't want to be reminded of how her lies unfold.

"Whatever, still we are friends. Truly, Sarah, I won't bother you if I am not in this dilemma." Kunwari niyang pagmamakaawa.

"Why don't you get someone that is a matchmaker in the first place?" Pangangatwiran ko sa kanya. Hindi ko talaga siya maintindihan bakit ako ang pinapahanap niya ng boyfriend for herself. Sira ulo talaga tong babaeng to! Sweet Lord!

"Because you've got connections, you know several eligible bachelors in town and you can easily set for our introduction."

"Why don't you do it on your own, for god sake Miss Lobete, I implore you. Stop this!"

"Sarah, kung hindi ko lang kailangan ng lalaking galing sa mga mayayamang, decente, at marangal na pamilya ng mga negosyante. Hindi ako magmamakaawa sayo dito."

"Why do you suddenly need a boyfriend?" I can't believe I just asked her that. Sarah! Bakit ka biglang naging interesado about it?

She released a very deep sigh. "Because if I don't present my dad a boyfriend of his criteria at the end of this year, ipapatapon lang naman ako ni Dad sa Ethiopia, damn it! Kaya I really need your help, ikaw lang talaga ang pwede kong malapitan about this problem of mine."

"Very easy. Get moving now and start looking for one. Nangaabala ka pa ng ibang tao when you can do it yourself."

"Bakit ka ba ganyan? If ako ang maghahanap aabutin ako ng susunod na taon. Kung ganun ay hindi nalang din ako siguro maghahanap kasi sa Ethiopia pa rin ang bagsak ko."

"Still, no! Maghanap kang magisa mo!"

If ibang tao lang to iisipin ko talaga na seryoso siya sa paghingi ng tulong. But then, this is Tanchellie Lobete, cheater slash manipulator slash the devil herself.

"Babayaran kita."

"Kahit bayaran mo pa ako ng isang bilyon still No!"

"You're heartless!"

"Think whatever you like to think about me, it doesn't matter! Now, if wala ka ng sasabihin. Pwede ka ng umalis."

Ni hindi lang man gumalaw ang babaeng to. Wala talaga yatang plano itong umalis hanggat hindi niya ako napapayag. Well, manigas siya jan sa upuan wala siyang maasahang tulong sa akin. After ng lahat ng ginawa niya, tutulungan ko siya? Ang kapal talaga ng mukha!

Habang tahimik ko siyang sinusumbatan. Sumilay sa kanyang mga mukha ang isang nakakalokong mga ngiti. Bigla akong nakaramdam ng hindi maipaliwanag na kaba by just a mere sight of her mischievous smile.

Kahit kinakabahan man I manage to put up a strong upfront para ipakitang hindi ako naaapektuhan.

"Sarah, thank you." I heard her say.

"Thank you for what? I never agreed to help you. I won't find you a suitable boyfriend."

She winked at me. "Oh! But I thought so you will agree..."

"For the last time, I won't help you to find a boyfriend." Pilit kong kino control ang init ng ulo ko. Thank you so much for this woman, my day is officially a disaster.

"Ahuh?! Why? Don't you wanna see me happy with another man?"

I snorted. "You're deluding yourself."

"Ano? Ikaw lang ang pwede magka boyfriend, pwede rin akong magkaroon noh!" May diin niyang sabi.

Pinagsasabi nito?! Saan niya naman kaya napulot toh! She's unbelievable! I'm still mending my heart that she purposely broke tapos mag boboyfriend ako?

"Whatever! Just leave me out of all of this! I hope this will be the last time na magkikita tayo." Walang kabuhay buhay kong pahayag sa kanya.

She remained seated and even reclined the chair that she's been seating. "One way or another, my cold icy babe, you will find me a boyfriend at the end of this year. I will make sure of it."

"I won't be so sure if I were you Miss Lobete. I hate to disappoint you, my decision is final and irrevocable."

"Then the deal is off, there will be no more partnership between our wireless mobile company and your telecom."

"You're kidding me." Natatawa ko pang sagot. "You're not in the position to decide for that."

"Not yet, but you can see it for yourself."

"Help me or lose the partnership? It's for you to decide...Tik tok tik tok!" She said with satisfaction in her eyes.

"You should know by now that I don't succumb to threats, your Honor." I replied, mocking her.

"Don't your honor me, Sarah. When we both know that you mean it the other way around."

I smirked. "You can't do it, you're not in the authority."

"Try me, Sarah!!" She smiled. Teka bakit parang siguradong sigurado yata siya.

She suddenly stood up from the chair. "Anyway, this will be the start of our good friendship. We failed before but this time we won't, I promise you that. Goodbye my Sarah G. I will keep in touch."

Once she firmly shut the door of my office, I breathed deeply. I didn't realize I was holding my breath this long. I didn't know where I am more worried, the fact that she stubbornly wants me to find her a boyfriend or the fact that she promised that this will be the beginning of "our good friendship".

I shivered at the thought. Pray if you must Sarah, pray that you won't land yourself into trouble again!

*As promised. Short update only, I can't focus on my writing. I might rewrite this chapter, what do you think? Let me know if you're satisfied or not.

I'll be back Tuesday. Mahal ko kayo.