Zach and Haze started in the company as machine operators but work on separate divisions: Zach in the candy-making section while Haze works in the syrup-making section.
Like everyone else in the company, they underwent seminars, trainings, and interviews to get a promotion.
So after three years, Haze got promoted to supervisor. Pero hindi pinalad si Zach.
At first Zach felt proud for his wife’s achievement dahil naabot ni Haze ang isang goal niya sa buhay.
But another opportunity came. After two years, the company offered executive positions because the company was growing and it needed new personnel on the executive level.
As usual, pareho dumaan ang mag-asawa sa proseso at naipasa uli lahat ito at nakuha ang supervisor position ni Haze but Zach didn’t reach the cut.
Kahit noong nag-aaral pa sila ay mas nakakaangat si Haze kaysa Zach in academic performance.
Bukod pa rito, may taglay ding charisma at kagandahan si Haze; though she never won a major award in the beauty contests where she joined but was a regular fixture there aside from being a varsity member of a volleyball team.
Beauty and Brains. Sabi nga ng mga kaibigan at kaklase ni Haze sa kolehiyo, maswerte talaga si Zach dahil napasagot siya ito dahil kung tutuusin, para daw silang magnetic poles: opposites attract.
Bagamat mahirap lang ang pamilya ni Haze ay nag-aral siya nang mabuti para magkaroon ng scholarship sa kolehiyo habang si Zach ay nakakapag-aral dahil mayaman at may impluwensiya ang kaniyang pamilya sa lipunan at ang pagkuha kay Mr. Masso bilang ninong nila ang patunay.
At dahil tumaas na naman ang posisyon ni Haze sa kumpanya, nagsimulang magkaroon ng lamat ang samahan nilang mag-asawa.
Zach became irritable, demanding, and unreasonable. Ang mga maliliit na bagay ay gusto niyang simulan ng diskusyon nilang mag-asawa hanggang sa mauwi ito sa away.
Haze loves her husband but whenever this happens, she feels guilty as if ang mga efforts niya ang dahilan bakit sila nagkakaganito ng mister niya ngayon.
Haze feels Zach’s self-pity. He may be openly obnoxious and bitter, but she could see na apektado ang asawa sa achievement ng babae. And his behavior has troubled her for over a month now.
Haze decided to do something about this. She knows it is not the usual practice in a business organization but she is pressured to do something for their marriage’s sake. She loves Zach and she is willng to do anything for him at this point.
Inilihim ni Haze kay Zach ang pagbisita niya kay Mr. Masso sa Ayala Alabang after setting an appointment with him. After an hour’s wait, Haze was called in by the secretary.
Haze was really impressed with Mr. Masso’s fortune. Sa mansion pa lang ay makikita na ang tagumpay niya bilang isang negosyante. Patunay dito ang mga mamahaling muwebles na yari sa narra at kamagong at mga dekorasyon na ang iba ay yari pa sa ginto.
Pagpasok ni Haze sa loob ng opisina ay nakaupo si Mr. Masso sa harapan ng lamesa niya at may binabasang dokumento.
“Good afternoon Sir.”
“Call me Ninong, Haze! How’s office work, iha? Congratulations by the way on your promotion. How are you and Zach?” tanong ni Mr. Masso sabay nakipagbeso kay Haze.
“I’m managing, ninong but…I worry about Zach.”
“Why?”
“Pareho po kasi kaming nag-undergo ng process for promotion. I passed it twice but it’s not the same with Zach.”
“I was aware iha. Am sad to say this to you but Zach failed in all the tests he took. I was said when I read the report about Zach saying that he doesn’t need this to get promoted. Kahit ninong ninyo sa kasal, I would be embarrassed and disappointed by Zach’s behavior. Thus It would be unethical for me to endorse him for a promotion kung ang mga basic requirements lang eh, hindi na niya kayang ipasa.”
“N-naiintindihan ko po ang sentimyento niyo sir, uh…ninong. Pero sa kalagayan namin ni Zach ngayon, I don’t know what to do. Ayaw ko naman pong masira nang tuluyan ang pagsasama namin dahil lang sa trabaho…” nagsimulang tumulo ang luha ni Haze sa sama ng loob.
“You want me to promote Zach on a favor.”
Gusto mang sagutin ni Haze ang tanong ng ninong niya ay hindi niya magawa because she knew it is unethical.
Ilang minuto ring hindi kumibo si Mr. Masso. Malalim na nag-iisip sa kanyang kinauupuan, habang masusing nakatingin sa kanyang inaanak, tikom ang mga labi .
“Sige iha, leave it to me. Huwag ka nang mag-alala, I’ll take care of it..”
Lumabas sa opisina si Haze na mataas ang expectation. She needed it for a change because once she gets home, it’s all bitterness, sarcasm, and other negativity from Zach.
As expected, naunang makauwi sa bahay si Haze to eat dinner and have a quick shower.
After watching the evening news, Haze realized that Zach hasn’t come home yet kaya malamang ay dumaan na naman ang kaniyang asawa sa paborito niyang bar sa Ortigas kaya she took her pills after watching and went to sleep.
Haze was beginning to go into deep sleep when she felt somebody kissing her roughly. Pinilit niyang magising at kumprontahin ang asawa but her body was dulled by the effects of the pills. Even her eyesight was hazy.
“Hmmm….ambango talaga ng misis ko…”
Itinaas ni Zach ang sleeping dress ni Haze hanggang leeg para lamasin ang mga maliliit ngunit mapipintog niyang mga suso. Then he began sucking and biting her hardened nipples.
Though Haze tried to wake up due to the soreness in her nipples, she still lay there like a corpse, her body being ravagely molested by her husband.
Walang kaanu-ano at pumuwesto na si Zach sa pagitan ng mga hita ni Haze at walang sabi-sabing ipinasok ang kanyang matigas na ari kahit hindi pa handa ang katawan ng babae kaya kahit pigilan niya ito ay wala siyang magawa.
Zach held Haze’s quivering legs as he knelt in front of her and fucked her ravagely until he shot gobs of cum inside her pussy.
“Fuck! I shot gallons of jizz inside you and still nothing? Hmp! Kung sabagay mabuti na ang ganito para wala ka nang masabi kapag mabuntis kita…”
Pagkatapos gamitin ni Zach ang asawa ay tumahimik na ang kwarto, tanda na nakatulog na ang lalaki. Ilang minuto pa ang dumaan at tuluyan nang tumalab ang gamot na pampatulog na ininom ni Haze.
And this went on for a month, almost every other day. Ayaw mang aminin ni Haze pero unti unti nang namumuo ang pagkamuhi niya kay Zach dahil sa ginagawa niya. Wala na ang respeto, ang pagmamahal everytime he sex his wife.
Pati trabaho ni Haze ay naaapektuhan. She became cranky and grouchy to her co-workers. And her behavior didn’t go unnoticed.
One day Mr. Masso conducted visited the company where Haze was assigned unannounced kaya nataranta lahat ng personnel nang makita ang CEO na walang kaanu-anong naglakad papunta sa opisina ni Haze na ikinabigla din ng batang ginang.
“Ms. Nem, I don’t like these reports stating your department is lagging behind in products and sales. I’m expecting better from this department…from you!”
Surprised and stressed by the boss’ arrival, Haze broke down so she told Mr.Masso everything that happened the past weeks but she left out the part where Zach have sex with her under sedative.
“I see. I wasn’t expecting Zach would go this far in mistreating you. Hold on for a second.”
Tinawagan ni Mr. Masso sa telepono ang kanyang staff at may ibinigay na instructions dito.
“I set up a meeting with Zach tomorrow to discuss his career in my company, iha. In the meantime focus more on your job,” ani Mr. Masso na agad ding umalis sa gusaling iyon, leaving Haze speechless and confused.
“Honey, I have good news! Tinawagan ako ng staff ni Ninong yesterday, that he wanted me to talk to me , so the meeting.
“Oh? Anong sabi ni ninong?”
“He offered me a six-month seminar and training in one of his companies in Thailand. Once I complete it, ipo-promote niya ako as supervisor in the candy-making department there.,” ani Zach habang umiinom ng kape.
“W-well that’s good news nga. Ano sabi mo?” tanong niya as if she was not expecting it.
“Are you kidding? Siyempre tinanggap ko. What I like about the offer is that I can go home once a month for one week. I’ll start my training on Monday but my flight’s on Thursday so…”
“Okay…ambilis naman.”
“Ninong rarely gives this kind of offer to anybody. Siguro imbes ibigay niya ito sa iba, eh di sa pwede niyang pagkatiwalaan.Besides, he and my father are best friends…”
“That’s good to hear hon…”
“I promise I will make this happen, for both of us…” sabay halik ni Zach sa asawa niya.
Zach was on the way to Thailand on Thursday to start his training while Haze went on her daily task in the office.
Haze was about to ride on her car when her phone rang. It was Mr. Masso.
“Yes sir, Good evening.”
“Oh come on iha, it’s ninong! How are you now?”
“Okey lang po. Zach went abroad last week…”
“So I heard. Listen, I’m going to have a private party in my house this Friday evening, 7pm to celebrate the company’s excellent performance in the products and sales for the first quarter of the year, and my way to say thank you for making this happen.”
“Oh. I’m just doing my job sir…”
“Remember, you are required to attend iha. So wear your best dress, I mean your swimming gear,” sabay turn-off ni Mr. Masso ng cellphone niya.
Friday night. Haze arrived 15 minutes early to settle in as much as possible. Upon entering, she was ushered by an elderly staff who told her to change to her swimming dress in the guest room where she was billeted for the night.
Sinuot niya ang bagong tank top suit saka sinipat ang sarili sa salamin.
Haze just can’ thelp but to admire herself in the mirror because she feels more comfortable with her 35-26-36 figure despite gaining weight these past years after she got married pero nag-aalala din siya dahil baka mahalata ang bilbil sa paligid ng kanyang tyan.
Pagpasok ni Haze sa hallway papunta sa pool, medyo nabigla siya dahil wala pa ni isang bisitang dumating kasi inaasahan niya na mayroon nang nauna sa kanya.
Walking briskly, Haze was surprised when she saw Mr. Masso taking a dip in his outdoor bathtub that can occupy six people. He was holding a glass of champagne in his hand.
“Good evening iha! Why don’t you join me? We ha…