Scripted Relationship

Chapter 32

"Who's food is that?"

"For the visitor, sir," the maid politely replied. I simply nodded as she left the room. The visitor might be a vegetarian, I thought.

I waited for Lola to arrive. After a few minutes, I heard Lola came in. I stood up.

"Erik, I think you already know her," Lola said to me as she entered to room. The visitor's a girl then, I thought. Then, the visitor came in.

Much to my shock, I felt my stomach squeezed itself as the girl entered in the room. She was wearing a red dress as if going to debut or a formal party. Her hair was still the same pixie cut style. Her figure has not changed either, still the same Angelina Jolie physique. She looked at me and I saw her ocean blue chinky eyes. She smiled at me. My jaw might have dropped unconciously that I didn't notice that I left it half-open.

"I didn't know that Andrea still surprise you this much," Lola said to me as a joke while Andrea giggled at her side.

I came back to my senses and immediately helped Lola take her seat. I didn't bother helping Andrea. She can manage herself for sure. But Lola had something else in mind.

"Wouldn't you help Andrea as well?" Lola asked me. "I'm sure she is still a lady who needs your gentlemanly ways."

With hesitation and irritation, I helped Andrea took a seat.

"Thanks," Andrea said to me with a smile. I forced a smile and immediately went back to my seat.

We started to pray for the food before eating. Since we are all Filipinos here, there is a bowl of rice of which I took a cup and proceeded to eating without a word. It was only when Lola started talking that the awkward silence ended.

"Erik, you might be wondering why Andrea is here?" Lola asked me. I didn't reply but I looked at her. "Andrea will be our endorser for the next two year. Your Mom already mentioned that she signed a contract with our company ."

What? Endorser? She will be working for the company? Why suddenly I found myself in a series of bewilderment?

"Yes, Lola. She told me during her birthday that we will be having a new endorser," I replied. "But she never told me that it would be 'her'." There was an emphasis on the word 'her'. I saw Lola looked at me pryingly. She might took it as sarcasm. It was, actually.

"Well," Andrea suddenly interjected smilingly. "I am here and I hope we can be good partners in this endeavor. Now that you are the Senior Vice President."

"Not yet," I quickly said. "I will be appointed as S.V.P. when I get back in Manila." I looked at her rather blankly. Maybe even coldly. Andrea just smiled back at me. I thought of pissing her off instead, but I was more pissed off than ever.

"Good partners, you say?" I asked her afterwards. Why did we not do that when we were together? Or should I thought, why did she not do good when we were together?

"Yeah," Andrea answered (again smiling). Wow! She answered my rhetorical question, I thought.

"I have a lot of ideas to—" I interrupted her.

"First, it was rhetorical question so you need not answer," I said to her with a sarcastic smile. "Second, you have lots of ideas. What do you need me then?"

I looked at Lola who I knew she already felt that I was mocking Andrea because she was gazing at me sternly.

"I need you to work with her," Lola said to me.