CHAPTER ONE: THE CHALLENGE OF THE DEVIL WHO WEARS READ

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“Oh! You must be Mr. Luis Manalo, am I right?”

Luis smiles at the new nurse and nods. “Is mom ready to see me?”

The nurse smiles sweetly and asks him to follow her. “She’s a very sweet lady, Mr. Manalo, and my favorite patient yet. She is always calm and we all love hearing her sing.”

It’s Luis’ first visit to his mom in two weeks and he loves hearing everything about her that he has missed. He missed his chance to visit her last week because of his work that required him to go to Japan.

As much as possible, he doesn’t want to accept works that require him to leave the country—if not, town—and have to spend long weeks away for it but sometimes, he really doesn’t have a choice. He’s a writer slash journalist in one of the most sought-after showbiz magazines—Exposé, and being part of it takes a lot of his time and effort. Good thing that he really loves his job so it doesn’t really seem he’s working… except for when he really has to leave and he couldn’t visit his mom because of it.

“How’s your flight, by the way, sir? I heard you just came from Japan when you called in for your visitation appointment.”

“Tiring, but knowing I’ll see mom again has washed my tiredness away. Japan is also a beautiful country.”

“That’s great to hear, sir! By the way, we're here. Miss Louisa is on the bench in front of the fountain. Have fun, sir, and please don’t forget to push the alarm if anything happens.” The nurse reminds him before leaving.

The garden is one of his mom’s favorite place inside this institution for people with mental disabilities. It could be considered as a mental hospital but not every patient here could be generalized as “crazy” like what most people think about when they hear “mental hospital”. Some are of age and have dementia, Alzheimer’s, and other mental disorders. As for his mom, it’s been almost ten years since she got in here for the mental trauma she has gone through since his bastard of a father left them. It’s a long story for another time, and to be honest, he tries his best to forget about it and focus on his mom, and their present and future together.

“Mr. Writer! You’re here! I thought you wouldn’t come again.”

Luis smiles widely for his mom’s enthusiastic greeting to him. “Hello, mom. How can I not come? I miss you.”

Louisa giggles and slaps his arm when he sits down beside her. “Goodness! You always call me mom and it flatters me! I kinda miss hearing your stories, too, and you know what, if my son Luis would just visit me, my day will be complete when he finally calls me “mom” again. Good for you because you always make time to visit me. Don’t you have your own mom to visit? How’s your work, by the way? Last time you told me you went to Japan? So, how did that actor’s scandal go?”

Luis, always overwhelmed with his mom’s excited burst of questions, chuckles. Like always, he’ll patiently answer every question she has like right now. “I’m always here, mom, and I’ll never get tired of visiting you. Work has been busy as always but I promise I’m always enjoying myself because I know this is for you and I’ll always come to you after work. Japan is a beautiful country, much better experiencing it in person rather in photos and videos. The article will be published tonight, mom. Should I give you a copy?”

“Oh, please do!” His mom giggles again and sighs heavenly. “Today’s a great day, Mr. Writer. I can feel it that my son will visit me today. If not, I know something big will happen to him. Like a big break, you know? Have you had yours yet, Mr. Writer? Your big break, I mean.”

Staring at his mom like this makes him miss her more. She’s so close yet so far. But he immediately wipes all the sad thoughts away and smiles again. “I haven’t had my big break, mom. But if I did, I’ll make sure we can live together again so you wouldn’t need to stay here.”

His mom asks more things about Japan and after answering all of them, he gets to listen to his mom singing.

Luis’ phone rings and that means his visitation hour has ended. He cannot stay for much longer today because he has to report back to their office as soon as possible.

“You’re leaving already? Good luck with your work, Mr. Writer!”

“Thanks, mom, I’ll visit you again soon.”

Someday really, he'll be home with his mom again and not in here. Someday.

But first, work calls.

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“You’re three minutes late, Luis Ashley!”

Luis smiles, holding his hands up as if in surrender, then awkwardly scratches his nape. “Hello, Ma’am Tin. I love your look today.”

Christine Go, aka their company’s evil boss Ma’am Tin, is wearing a red fitted, strapless, dress with a white blazer on and a very high pair of Louboutin stilettos. A very typical Monday for their lady boss and it's one thing that they've grown accustomed to.

Speaking of which, she gives him the you’re-late-and-you’re-dead look. “I love my look, too, but you’re not going away with that compliment of yours. You’re still three minutes late and because of that, you’re going to be in the meeting with me.”

He scratches his nape again and salutes to his boss. Of all the things he and all the other writers want to do in a Monday morning, being stuck in a meeting is the least in his, their, list, but that’s his fate for today and might us as well be prepared for it. Maybe Ma’am Tin will give his next project, too, in the meeting since he just finished his last one.

Typically, a writer gets his or her assignments on either personal meeting with the bosses or in their general meetings.

“How’s your travel, Luis?”

Finally, someone who loves them! It’s Ion Ferrer, the other boss of the company. If their Ma’am Tin is the evil, luckily for them, their Sir I would be the angel one. Someone has to balance their world, right?

“Tiring but successful, Sir I. Should I be nervous because I was asked to be in the meeting?”

Sir, I have this kind smile that they really don’t know if it’s just innocently kind or it's a smile that shows that he actually knows things that they don’t. Maybe both. It's really contrary to their Ma'am Tin's straight-forward glares.

Having both of these powerful people for their bosses are really tricky because they love playing mind games with them.

“Hmmm. Let’s just say prepare for it because all I know is that it's a challenge you wouldn’t want to turn down.”

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“I don’t really know how you handle the stress, Sir Luis.”

Luis laughs with his newest officemate and cubicle partner, Erika, who’s now pouting and sulking like a kid. “You’ll get used to Ma’am Tin in no time, trust me, and everyone starts like that. I remember asking Sir I how she handles Ma’am Tin during my first months, too.”

The lady writer giggles at that. “It seems like Ma’am Tin is really the only person who stresses everyone in all the good and bad ways possible. Oh! Speaking of Ma’am Tin, I only knew that Sir I is not her assistant! Sir, I am actually our “other” boss!”

It’s always fun for Luis seeing everyone have the same mistake he almost had when it was his first time in the company. The good thing is he accidentally hears that Sir I is actually the son of the real company CEO and is the co-acting president with Ma’am Tin. The only difference between their two bosses is that Ma’am Tin handles the production department, involving the assignment of articles and the whole marketing; while Sir I handles the editorial department, from writing to editing to publishing.

Luis is just about to explain that when his phone rings indicating that he has to go to the meeting already. He excuses himself and makes a mental note to explain everything to Erika some other time.

- - - - - - - - - -

“Congratulations everyone for the latest issue, but before the real celebration happens, let’s not forget that in three months’ time, it will be our company’s fifth anniversary.”

Everyone applauds with the news and murmurs of excitement already start. Luis becomes relieved that this meeting involves every senior writer of the company and is not the type of long, boring meeting they all dreaded to be in. But the thing is, he still feels uneasy. He doesn’t know if it’s because of Ma’am Tin’s evil grin or Sir I’s a kind smile. Either of two, he’s having gut feelings that something is really about to happen to him.

“Another thing to celebrate about is that Exposé magazine remains to be the top one magazine for this year’s third quarter, which also poses great challenges for everyone.” Ma’am Tin smiles, showing her fangs, like a real game master. “Everyone please, open your envelopes because that would contain your challenge for the next issue.”

That causes Luis to have more internal panicking because he doesn’t have an envelope in front of him. When he looks at Sir I, he’s now grinning but still in a very warm way. He doesn’t really know when Sir I will ever talk in meetings, but for him, having Sir I just smiling there and knowing everything everyone doesn’t know about is scarier than their Ma’am Tin’s verbal challenges.

“We’re aiming for two things—one is for maintaining our first spot, and second is for our anniversary special. I have faith in you guys that you can deliver both at your best capacities.”

Ma’am Tin removes her white blazer and without it, her blood-red dress and lips are highlighted even better. She now looks like a real she-devil. Things are just about to get more serious.

“As for anyone who doesn’t have an envelope, AKA Luis, you’re coming into the office with me now.”

- - - - - - - - - -

“We’ve tried countless of times—countless efforts, plans, appointments. Name it, we’ve all tried everyone can think of just to meet the man behind the House of Kings. Now, if your thinking that all of those tries failed, you’re right. It was harder than the impossible.”

The House of Kings.

That wakes up every single goosebump Luis has. He’s gut feelings are never wrong and this is one of the things he wishes he is wrong. So, this is the reason why he has never felt at ease with his bosses’ looks.

Ma’am Tin sighs and accepts the iced coffee Sir I offers her. “I’m getting stressed as hell because the board is pressuring us to include that man in our anniversary special and like what I said, we only have three months’ time for this.”

He gulps. Out of all the challenges he has taken for this company, this is the first time he’s having second thoughts already without even knowing what the whole challenge is about.

The lady boss grins and starts describing the man as if he was sent from above—which he would agree to because that would be the real definition of whom they are talking about. He sensed deep trouble when he starts thinking about the things he has worked so hard to forget about.

'Stop it, Luis Ashley! This is no time to have major throwbacks!' He mentally scolds himself.

“I’m giving you this project because I know you can do this. I know you wouldn’t turn down such a challenge no one has ever accomplished before. Imagine being the one who seals this deal done—you’re about to prove you can do even the impossible…” Ma’am Tin stood up to hand an envelope to him. “…and our perfect opportunity has come. They are looking for the new social media manager of the ‘The House of Kings’.”

Luis's eyes have never left the envelope. He is more surprised when the other thing handed over to him is a blank cheque.

“Name your price, Manalo, because he is Juan Miguel King—the most sought out bachelor everyone wants a piece of—and all you need to do is to court this King.”