Chapter 4

The Paper

The dance ended, pero hindi pa rin humihinto yung kaba sa dibdib ko.

Tahimik yung paligid ng ilang sandali at nakakabingi ang katahimikang iyon. Biglang bumalik ang kanta. Naramdaman ko pa rin yung kamay ni Killian sa bewang ko hindi niya parin ito inaalis. Pero yung mata niya, wala na sa akin. Nasa iba ito naka tuon. Sinundan ko iyon at nakita kong nakatingin ito sa kaniya.

Kay Sabrina.

She's standing ten feet away from us, she was smiling and holding something small and folded between her fingers. Pinaglalaruan niya iyon. Tinatapik-tapik sa palad niya, slowly, deliberately. Mas lalo lang lumawak ang ngisi niya ng makita niyang nakatingin ako.

"What is that?" bulong ko, halos hindi ko na narinig yung sarili kong boses.

Killian didn't answer immediately. Tumingin siya sa akin, then back to Sabrina. At nakita ko kung paano umigting ang panga niya.

"Julianna," sabi niya, in a low voice, only for me to hear. "Whatever happens, you don't look down. You understand me?"

Tumango ako. Kinakabahan sa maaaring mangyari ngayong gabi. Hindi ko pinahalata sa kaniya na kinakabahan ako pero nanlamig na yung mga kamay ko. Parang bumalik ako sa red carpet scene kanina - yung feeling na lahat nakatingin.

Sabrina started walking towards us. Dahan-dahan, swaying her hips, every step confident. Like she owned the ballroom. Like she owned everything.

"Well," sabi niya, nung nasa harap na namin siya. Maganda siya, oo, masarap sa tenga ang boses niya. Pero nakaka irita siya. "You dance beautifully together. Almost like you've been doing this for years. Almost like it's real." Humigpit ang pagkakahawak ko sa kamay ni Killian ng sabihin iyon ni Sabrina, inaasahan ko na iyon sa uri palang ng mga tingin niya kanina alam kung may binabalak siya.

" Sabrina," sabi ni Killian. Kalmado. Pero yung kalmado na nakakatakot. "We were leaving."

"Oh, I know. Pero I had to come over," sabi niya, and then she lifted the small folded paper she was holding. "I found this near the entrance kanina. Someone dropped it. And I saw a name... your name, Julianna." And then, she looked at me. "Kaya naisip ko, ibigay ko sayo. Baka importante."

Inabot niya sa akin.

I hesitated. Ayokong kunin. Parang may bumubulong sa utak ko na huwag. But Killian nodded once, imperceptible, and I reached out.

Pagbukas ko, parang huminto yung paligid. Parang binuhusan ako ng malamig na tubig na maraming yelo.

Photocopy siya. Hindi malinaw yung buong pahina, pero malinaw yung header. Malinaw yung mga pirma sa baba.

MARRIAGE CONTRACT - CONFIDENTIAL

Between Killian Blackwood and Julianna Vance.

Nandoon yung amount. Nandoon yung term. Twelve months. Nandoon yung clause na pilit kong kinalimutan. Nandoon lahat ng informations at kasunduan namin.

Clause III: This marriage is for business and publicly image purposes only. No emotional or physical obligations. No romantic or intimate involvement shall be expected outside the terms of this agreement

Parang sinampal ako nang paulit-ulit kahit wala namang kamay na dumadampi sa mukha ko.

"Oh," Sabrina said softly, kunwari nagulat. "Is that... a contract?"

Lumakas yung bulungan sa paligid namin. Hindi na nila tinatago. People were looking at the paper in my hands, then at me, then at Killian.

"Magkano?" Sabrina continued, voice dropping into that silky whisper na para lang sa aming tatlo pero sapat para marinig ng mga taong malapit sa amin. "Magkano ang binayad sayo para maging Blackwood, Julianna? Para maging asawa niya? Kasi as far as I know, Killian doesn't fall in love. He makes deals. Right, darling?"

Hindi ako makasagot. Yung kamay ko nanginginig habang hawak yung papel. Gusto kong itupi ulit, itago, sunugin, pero nakatingin silang lahat. I keep holding my tears. Pero may nakatakas.

Then I felt Killian move.

Hindi niya hinablot yung papel. He took it from my hands, gently, like he was taking something that was hurting me. Tinitigan niya sandali.

Then he looked at Sabrina.

"Where did you get this?" tanong niya Mahina lang ito pero yung buong terrace kung saan madami ding tao na malapit sa amin ay biglang tumahimik.

"I told you," sabi ni Sabrina, nakangiti parin siya pero halatang medyo nanginginig na rin ito sa uri ng titig ni Killian. "I found it-"

"This is fake," putol ni Killian.

Tumingin ako sa kanya. May halong pagtataka pero alam kung sinabi niya lang iyon para ilihis ang atensiyon ng mga tao.

He held up the paper, pinakita niya sa mga taong nasa amin na ang buong atensiyon. "This is fake! Sabrina, my lawyers don't use this paper. They don't use this font. And my wife's name hasn't been Vance since the day she signed my name beside hers."

And before she could say another word, pinunit niya ito.

One tear. Malinis. Direkta sa gitna ng pirma ko at ng pirma niya.

Kita ko ang gulat sa mukha ni Sabrina, nang pag pipiraso-purasohin ito ni Killian at hinayaang magkalat sa sahig.

Sabrina's eyes widened. "Killian-"

"My wife," Killian said, voice finally rising enough for the people near us to hear clearly, "is tired. She has been smiling at people who have been waiting for her to fail all night. So if you have something to say about my marriage, Sabrina, you say it to me. Not to her. Not ever."

He held my hands and look at directly into my eyes.

"Let's go," bulong niya sa akin. And I let him lead the way.

Tumango ako. Hindi ko na kayang magsalita. Parang nawala ang boses ko.

As we walked away, iniwan namin si Sabrina na nakatayo doon, nakatingin sa punit na papel na nasa sahig. I saw from the corner of my eye, si Andrei, nakatayo pa rin sa may bar, and our eyes met for a second. Agad akong nag iwas nag tingin dahil galit ang nakikita ko sa mga mata niya.

Dinala ako ni Killian sa may garden area, kung saan walang tao, kung saan malamig yung hangin.

Doon lang ako nakahinga ulit.

"Jules," tawag niya.

"That was real," sabi ko, at hinayaan ng tumulo ang mga luha ko. My voice broke. "Killian, totoo yun. Paano niya - paano kung may kopya pa siya? Paano kung-"

"I know it was real," sabi niya, sabay angat ng mukha ko sa kaniya. Tumulo yung luha ko at hindi ko na ito napigilan. "I know. But tonight, it is fake. Do you understand? In this room, what I say is real, it becomes real. No one will believe her over me. No one will dare."

"Pero natatakot ako," bulong ko. "Akala ko... akala ko doon na matatapos lahat. Akala ko malalaman na nila na hindi mo talaga ako asawa. Akala ko doon na matatapos ang lahat. Akala ko hindi ko na matutulungan si Daddy..."

Tinitigan niya ako nang matagal. His eyes were full of anger. And I know it wasn't for me. He then leaned in and claimed my lips. But before I could even respond, he pulled away and smiled at me.

"You are my wife," He spoke slowly, enunciating every word clearly. "Contract man yan o hindi. Tonight, you are Julianna Blackwood. And I don't let anyone make my wife cry on her debut. Not even her."

Pinunasan niya yung luha ko gamit ang hinlalaki niya. I turned towards him and gave him a quick peck on the lips.

"Thank you." I smiled at him.

"We can leave," sabi niya. Inirapan ko siya ng ma gets ko ang ibig niyang sabihin. " Pwede namang sa bahay nalang din tayo sumayaw, habang nakapatong-" Hinampas ko ang dibdib niya at nauna ng mag lakad pabalik sa loob.

"No," sabi ko. "You said I should wear it like armor."

Ngumiti siya. A proud smile at what I said.

"Good," sabi niya. "Then let's go back inside. No one will stop us. But if you change your mind," inabot niya yung kamay ko. " We can leave and make this night memorable."

"Pero ayaw mo talaga ng suggestion ko?"

"Killian!" Natatawa kung saway sa kaniya.

He clasped our hands together before we finally went inside.

Pagbalik namin sa ballroom, wala na doon si Sabrina pati yung papel na nakakalat kanina ay nilinis na din. And Killian pulled me to the center, his hand on my back, firm and steady.

"They are watching again," bulong ko, habang sumasayaw kami.

"Let them," bulong niya pabalik, his lips near my ear. "Let them watch how a Blackwood protects what is his."

And as we danced, I saw her in the couch. Cold. Calculating. Promising that we're not yet end.

And with that I held Killian's neck and positioned my lips to him. He wasn't even surprised by what I did. Instead, he responded and deepened the kiss I had started.

I closed my eyes and savored every kiss and caress Killian bestowed upon me. Sa gabing ito wala akong ibang inisip kundi kaming dalawa lang. And my body is gradually feeling a strange electric sensation; my body wants more than this kiss.

Tila nakalimutan kong kontrata lang ang lahat.

Ako na ang bumitaw sa halikan naming dalawa dahil nakakaramdam na ako ng kakaiba. Hindi na ako kumportable at nag iinit na ang katawan ko.

"You like that, ha?" He teases me.

"Ano ba, tumahimik ka nga." Inirapan ko siya.

Nagulat ako ng bigla niya akong buhatin at naglakad siya palabas.

"Huy! ano ba. Ibabanga mo nga ako."

"I will, but not right now - not here."

Nang maipasok niya ako sa kotse ay bigla niyang pinaandar ang sasakyan patungo sa bahay. Habang papalapit kami ng papalapit, pabilis naman ng pabilis ang tibok ng puso ko.

I know it's part of being married, but I'm just a contract wife. Nothing ng more, nothing less.

"We're here." Kitang-kita ko ang naglalakihang mga pawis na tumutulo sa mukha niya. I am not that to innocent para hindi maintindihan ang nangyayari sa kaniya.