Chapter 2

“Ano itong malalaman kong ikakasal ka na?” bungad na tanong sa akin ni Anabelle.

“Me? Ikakasal? Where did you get that information? Kagigising ko pa lang tapos iyan na agad ang itatanong mo?” naguguluhan kong tanong sa kaniya. Inayos ko ang buhok ko gamit camera ng phone.

I rolled my eyes when I noticed na hindi niya kwarto ang nakikita ko. Saan na naman kaya natulog ang babaeng ito? I am sure na wala ring damit ang babaeng ito dahil tinatago niya ang sarili niya sa kumot.

“It’s all over the news! Ano? Pagkatapos mo akong iwan kagabi, gugulatin mo ako sa balitang ‘yan? Mahilig ka talaga sa mga lalaking babaero.”

What? Bakit hindi ko man lang alam na ikakasal na ako? Bakit mas nauna pa nilang malaman iyan kaysa sa akin? Pinatay ko na lang ang tawag at mabilis na kinuha ang iPad sa gilid ng kama ko. Napaawang ang labi ko sa nakita kong headline.

It is still him pero bakit kasama na ako?!

“Mr. Gregorio announced engagement with Ms. Cindy Matt, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Matt. Mr. Gregorio bombed us the surprise last night during his held private birthday. It was seen that Mr. and Mrs. Matt was there along with their daughter, Ms. Cindy. The date is still yet to confirm but Mr. Gregorio said he would like it to be done as soon as possible. What a surprise from this couple!”

Halos mawalan ako nang hininga habang binabasa ang nakasulat sa news. What the f? Fck! Bakit ko ba kasi iyon nasabi kagabi? That fucking drink made me do it! Surely! Hindi niya ba pansin na lasing ako noon at talagang tinotoo niya ang kagagahan ko?

Fck!

He is not a bad choice. I mean he is a perfect choice pero bakit naman naging ganoon? I won’t deny na gusto ko siya dahil sa sipag niya sa trabaho and of course, I know my parents would like him and that would benefit me. I can achieve my dream while he will be the one who will achieve my parents dream for me. He will be the one to take care of the company pero bakit kasalan na agad?

I find him fit for the role as my boyfriend! Bakit asawa na agad? Fiancé? Fck! He must be kidding me. Umalis nga ako pagkatapos kong sabihin iyon sa kaniya dahil sa sobrang hiya ko tapos ito ang bubungad sa umaga ko?

Ano na lang ang sasabihin ng mga magulang ko? And what? He publicized it! Nang nandoon ang mga magulang ko? He must be kidding me! Anong pumasok sa utak niya para gawin iyon? 

Tamad kong tiningnan ang phone nang may tumawag. Dumagdag pa ang isang ito. Akala ko ba tapos na kami tapos ngayon magpaparamdam na naman? Pinabayaan ko lang na mag-ring iyon. Mamatay siya katatawag kung gusto niya. Hindi naman siya kawalan. May malaking problema pa akong hinaharap kaysa sa kaniya.

"Ma'am Cindy, baba na raw po kayo at kakain na. Utos po ng mommy niyo," sabi niya ni yaya galing sa intercom. 

Heto na nga ang sinasabi ko. Hindi ko na alam kung anong mukha ang ihaharap ko sa magulang ko. Galit na nga iyon sa akin kagabi tapos gulat na lang siya nang malamang ikakasal na ako. I don't know what they would say. 

They always praise Mr. Gregorio for making it to the top nang walang tulog kahit kanino man. He made himself a tycoon tapos ngayon malalaman na lang nila na ako ang mapapangasawa ni Mr. Gregorio?

Hindi ko na alam ang gagawin ko!

Hindi na ako nagbihis nang lumabas ako ng kwarto na agad ko namang pinagsisihan. "What are you doing here?" may galit kong tanong. Siya agad ang bumungad pagkalabas ko ng kwarto. Fck! Hindi pa nga ako nakapagbihis at wala man lang nagsabi na nandito ang lalaking ito?

Hindi siya sumagot at bigla na lang akong hinila pabalik sa kwarto ko. Mabilis niya iyong sinarado at ni-lock. Anong gagawin ng lalaking ito? Mabilis kong tinakip sa dibdib ko ang mahaba kong buhok. 

"Let's talk," malamig na sabi niya.

"Sorry, please. Nadala lang ako ng kalasingan kagabi. I didn't know what was I saying kaya sorry." Tiningnan niya lang ako. "Pero bakit mo sinabi iyon?" bigla kong tanong nang maalalang siya ang may kasalanan ng lahat kung bakit iyon lumaki.

"I know what you've always wanted, Ms. Cindy. That's why I agreed. I wanted to help you and I want you to help me as well."

I know kung ano ang ibig niyang sabihin. I have always wanted to become a model pero hindi ko lang magawa kasi ayaw ng parents ko. They wanted me to focus on our business. That's why I am crawling for the program they wanted me to finish. Kaya gusto kong makahanap ng lalaking may magaling mag-manage ng business because I know my parents would be happy na hindi masasayang ang pinaghirapan nila. That's why I have been eyeing Mr. Gregorio.

I won't deny the fact na hindi ko talaga minahal si Chris. I was just using him, nagbabasakali lang akong makapasok sa modeling agency ng family nila but anyway, we are done kaya tapos na ang lahat. I don't really believe in love.

You just love because you want to have a benefit from it. You love because you want to be loved. You love because you are craving for something. You love because that's a trend and you think you'll be left behind if you won't experience love at all. 

Love for me is too deep. It shouldn't just be a just.

"And you want me because of my family's business," pranka kong sabi sa kaniya. Patterns have it na lahat ng babaeng kasama niya ay may mga family na high profile when it comes to business. I just observed it kaya alam ko.

"Yeah, you are right. You can use me and I will wholeheartedly let you do it. I will let you do anything you want. Get you anything you want, Ms. Cindy."

I chuckled. How ironic. This is what I have been telling to myself. "What did you tell to my parents? At bakit ka nandito?" pag-iiba ko ng topic. Of course, I would agree easily but ayaw ko namang isipin niya na ganoon ako ka-desperada talaga.

"I talked to them after you left. They were shocked at first but later on they understand it. I told them we were on a secret relationship for months---"

"What? Gago ka ba?" gulat kong tanong. He told them a lie? No, my parents won't be convinced that easily.

"I did tell them that. What do you want me to say? Tell them I would marry you for my own benefit, because of your family's company? You would marry me so you can get out from their cage and have a freedom to do whatever you want?"

Hindi na lang ako umimik. He has a point kaya hindi na ako nagsalita pa. Tapos ngayon nandito siya sa kwarto ko? To make it more believable? 

"Then it's a deal, Mr. Gregorio basta huwag ka lang makialam sa buhay ko. You will let me do whatever I want. When I say huwag mo akong pakialaman, it means don't question me kung anong mga ginagawa ko o kung saan man ako galing o kahit ano," sabi ko sa kaniya. I don't want anyone to mingle with my life.

Tumango siya at ngumisi. "Don't worry, you can have your freedom just like how you wanted it but you should do your job as my wife. I am sure you are not that clueless kung ano ang dapat gawin ng isang asawang babae sa asawa nilang lalaki, right?"

"I can provide you that but you are sexually active, Mr. Gregorio. Baka gusto mong magpa-check up muna. I don't want to have a disease from your woman."

Mas lalo siyang ngumisi sa sinabi ko. "Don't worry. I am clean and I used condom always," sagot niya sa akin. Napailing na lang ako sa usapan namin. 

But are we really going to do it? Magpakasal? Marriage is a bit scary for me but oh well, at least I will have my freedom. "Then, it's a deal," sabi ko sa kaniya kahit na sinabi ko na iyon kanina.

"Yes. It's a deal, Ms. Cindy."