“Okay, be honest.”
I didn’t bother looking up from my tray. “That sentence already sounds dangerous.”
Trisha ignored me and leaned closer across the cafeteria table.
“How scary is he?” I sighed quietly.
It was lunch break. Instead na tahimik akong kumakain ay heto… Napapalibutan na naman ako ng mga tsismosang gutom sa impormasyon.
Karen nodded eagerly beside her. “Oo nga. Totoo bang sobrang intimidating niya?”
“And cruel?” dagdag ng isa naming ka-department. “May umiiyak daw before and after meeting with him.”
I took a calm sip of water before answering.
“He’s not cruel.”
Tatlong pares ng mata ngayon ang hindi makapaniwalang nakatingin sa akin.
“That fast?” sabi ni Trisha. “Parang pinag-isipan mo talaga.”
“Because you asked a simple question.” saad ko saka uminom sa baso.
“So… hindi siya terror boss?”
I shrugged lightly. “He’s strict.”
“Pero?”
“But he’s professional.”
“Professional lang ba?” singit agad ni Karen na may mapang-asar na ngiti.
I narrowed my eyes at her. “Ano gusto mong marinig?”
“That he secretly likes you.”
“Karen.” may pagbabanta sa boses ko. 
I don't understand them. Simple things make them overact.
“What? Buong office napapansin na.”
Napabuntong-hininga ako habang ibinababa ang tinidor ko. That was exactly the problem.
For the past few days, masyado nang maraming tao ang nagiging interesado sa interaction namin ni Jackson.
It started with small glances. Whispers kapag sabay kaming lumalabas ng meeting room.
Curious looks kapag direkta niya akong kinakausap instead of going through department heads.
People noticed everything. And offices loved gossip more than actual work.
“Wala namang meron,” sabi ko nang diretso.
“Sure ka?”
“Yes.”
“Pero bakit parang mas comfortable siya sa’yo compared sa iba?” tanong ni Trisha.
I paused briefly. Because honestly?
Hindi ko rin alam.
Jackson was calm with everyone, but there were moments. A small moment… where he felt different around me.
“Maybe because I work directly under him now,” simpleng sagot ko.
“Mhm.” Halatang hindi convinced si Trisha.
Before I could defend myself further, may dumaan na dalawang babae mula sa marketing department sa likod namin.
“Siya ba ’yon?”
“I think so.”
“Close daw sila ni Mr. Villareal.”
“Ang bilis naman.” I stiffened slightly. Narinig din iyon nina Trisha at Karen.
“Grabe,” bulong ni Karen. “Office fame.”
“Office nonsense,” malamig kong sagot.
Pero kahit sabihin kong wala akong pakialam, nakakairita pa rin. People always created stories out of nothing. A man simply treating a woman decently somehow became an issue.
“Honestly?” sabi ni Trisha habang kumakain ng fries. “I don’t think he’s the problem.”
“Ano ibig mong sabihin?”
“People are just shocked because he actually notices you.”
“Notice” was a dangerous word.
“He notices everyone. Hindi niyo lang napapansin.”
“Hindi.” Napatingin ako kay Trisha.
She lowered her voice slightly. “Serene, I’ve worked here longer than you. Mr. Villareal is respectful, yes, but he usually keeps people at a distance.”
That made me quiet.
“Baka type ka nga,” biro ni Karen.
I gave her a flat look. “Pakisubo na lang ’yang fries mo.”
Tumawa sila pareho habang ako naman ay muling tumingin sa pagkain ko. Before I could eat again, napansin kong biglang tumahimik ang ibang tables sa cafeteria. Curious murmurs spread quietly across the room.
Then someone walked in.
A woman.
She's tall and elegant. Confident enough to own every stare directed at her. She wore a fitted white dress paired with expensive heels, her long dark hair perfectly styled as if she stepped out of a magazine shoot.
But what stood out most… was the way people reacted to her.
“She’s here.”
“That’s Clarisse Monteverde, right?”
“Grabe, bagay talaga sila.”  
My brows narrowed because I heard that name before. That name sounds familiar. Then, I remembered.
She's the socialite and the business heiress.
Frequently connected to the Villareal family in articles online. Someone's important enough to silence an entire cafeteria just by entering.
“She visits often?” tanong ko sa mga kasama ko sa table..
“Not often.”
“What does that mean?”
Karen leaned closer dramatically. “Rumor is… their families want her and Mr. Villareal together.”
Ah. There it was. Of course there was a woman like her in his life.
The woman who's perfect for his world.
Still… something uncomfortable settled quietly in my chest.
I barely knew the man. So why did the idea bother me even a little?
“Honestly, they look good together,” dagdag pa ni Karen.
“Power couple vibes.” I forced myself to stay indifferent.
“Good for them.”
Clarisse stopped walking, and looked directly toward our table. Should I say she's looking at me?
Her expression remained pleasant, but there was something sharp behind her eyes. The kind of look women gave when silently assessing another woman.
Then she smiled lightly before continuing toward the executive elevators. The atmosphere slowly returned after she left.
“Okay…” bulong ni Trisha. “That was weird.”
“What?”
“She looked at you.”
“Maybe because ang ingay niyo.”
“No, seriously.”
I ignored the comment and grabbed my water bottle. But deep inside, a strange tension lingered.
Later that afternoon, habang nag-aayos ako ng files sa executive floor, napansin kong unusually tahimik ang paligid.
Most of the staff were inside conference rooms.
Even Ethan was gone. I was reviewing a printed report when a voice suddenly spoke behind me.
“You should be careful.” Napalingon ako agad.
It was one of the senior employees from operations. Older than me by a few years. I vaguely remembered her name was Bianca.
“Sorry?”
She glanced briefly toward Jackson’s closed office before looking back at me.
“People are talking.”
I almost laughed softly. “People always talk.”
“This one’s different.”
I leaned slightly against the desk. “About me and Mr. Villareal?”
She didn’t answer immediately, which was enough. I sighed quietly. “There’s nothing going on.”
“I know.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
Bianca hesitated for a moment before speaking again.
“Mr. Villareal may seem kind, but people around powerful men are rarely treated kindly for long.”
That caught my attention.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Her expression softened slightly.
“Just don’t get attached to the attention.”
Attached?
People kept acting like I was emotionally invested already.
I wasn’t. Right?
“I’m here to work,” sabi ko nang diretso.
Bianca gave a small nod. “Good. Keep it that way.”
Then she walked away. I stared after her quietly.
I don't know why her warning stayed in
my mind longer than I wanted. Not because I believed there was something happening between me and Jackson.
But because a part of me suddenly wondered why did everyone act like his kindness toward me meant something?