Chapter 7: Benefits

Chapter 7

Benefits

MULING umawang ang bibig ko sa pangalawang pagkakataon. It's like I did not expect that the man I encountered at the highway a while ago is also the man that I will meet that day.

Tumikhim ang matandang Harrison na katabi nito. Ipinilig ko rin ang aking ulo at ganoon rin ito.

"Damien, meet the daughter of your uncle Raul, Aurora Torres... Your soon-to-be wife."

Nangunot ang noo nitong sumulyap sa ama... "Dad—"

"Oh, Damien, I don't want to hear some objection. Napagusapan na natin ito."

Tumikhim ako to cut their conversation. "Nice meeting you, Mr. Damien Harrison." Inilahad ko ang aking palad without thinking dahil kusang nagkaroon ng isip ang palad ko.

Tinignan nito ang nakalahad kong palad saka tumingin sa aking mga mata. "Dad, will you leave us alone?" Wika nito sa ama. "Let me talk to her alone."

"But—"

"Do not worry about us. We are old enough to settle this conversation just between us."

I feel a little bit of embarrassment dahil hindi man lang nito inabot ang pakikipagkamay ko rito. Unti-unti kong binawi ang aking palad at itinago iyon sa likod ng aking beywang.

"Okay, I will trust your words, Hijo." Saka ito tumingin sa aking dereksyon. "Hija, I had your words also. Ngayong nakaharap mo na ang anak ko, I assumed you already decided about the marriage plan. Now, I will leave with total confidence na matutuloy na ang naudlot na kasal noon. You two informed me when is the wedding, okay?"

Pareho namin itong hindi sinagot. He just smiled and walked while carrying his suitcase.

"Sit down, Aurora..."

I sighed when I heard he mentioned my name. Tumingin ako rito ng nakataas-noo. Tumango ako at umupo muli sa upuan ko. He also sits down and occupied where his father sat a while ago.

Nagkatitigan kaming dalawa, naputol lang iyon ng dumating ang crew dala-dala ang pagkaing in-order ng ama nito. I wait until they finished arranging it to our table.

Tumikhim ako ng umalis na ang dalawang waiter. "So you are also against with their crazy plans?"

"So much."

"Then, bakit hindi ka gumawa ng paraan upang hindi ipilit ng ama mo?"

He frowned. "In what ways? Like what you did to your parents, runaway?"

Nabigla ako sa isinagot nito sa akin. "Kung ayaw mo talaga, maraming paraan."

"Then, give me some idea. How?"

"Marry someone else— how about your girlfriend?"

"You are not thinking. How can I marry other woman kung alam ko kung ano ang mangyayari?"

"Why, are you afraid to lose your power as an heir of your family? Takot kang maghirap kaya mas gusto mo na rin ang magsunod-sunuran?"

"I am not afraid,"

I awed. "Really?"

"What I am afraid of— is our company. I learned that my father will give it away to our foundations. Ihahati niya ito sa lahat, then what, ano na nag mangyayari sa mga manggagawa namin na ang inaasahan lang ay ang kompanyang ito. Before I decided to myself, iniisip ko muna ang ibang mgs tao. Not like you, ang tanging inisip mo ay ang pansarili mo lang."

"What?"

"You run away just to free yourself. You came back because of your Dad's situation. And now, what? Bakit hindi mo pinanindigan ang pagsuway mo sa mga magulang mo?"

Mas kumunot ang noo ko ng tumingin rito. "I think, hindi ko kailangang sagutin ang mga tanong mo. It's my decision, so, why do you care?"

He smirked. "Now you came back, I guess, pumapayag kana na ikasal sa akin?"

"Yes," my direct answered.

"Hm... From what I think,"

"Think of?"

"What is your reason why you will accept rather be declined it?"

"Dahil gusto kong ibalik ninyo ang karapatan namin ni Mommy sa ari-arian na iniwan ni Daddy sa amin."

"But you have nothing to left,"

Umawang ang bibig ko. "Nothing, what do you mean?"

"You haven't any idea na nalulong muli sa sugal ang Daddy mo."

"M-muli? S-sugal?" mas kumunot ang noo ko sa binanggit nito.

"Of course, your mother know that,"

"Gumagawa ka ng kwento!" Galit kong sagot rito.

"I'm not. My father tell me about it, and I also witnessed it in my own eyes. Kay bumagsak noon ang kompanya n'yo dahil iyon sa natalo ng malaking halaga ang Daddy mo. It caused millions. My father helped him to build up his company. Malaking pagbabago nang matalo ito noon ng malaking halaga. Years pass, akala ni Dad noon ay hindi na ito babalik sa pagsusugal. Before you run away, he planned to pursue Business Marriage. Well, that's because natalo siyang muli sa paminsan-minsan na pagpasok niya sa casino. My father rescues him again for the second time around. And then he was depressed the time you leave. Nagsugal siya ng nagsugal, so my father confiscates his all property, even your house."

"W-wala akong alam diyan. They not telling me about this, wala ring sinasabi sa akin si mommy."

"Because your mother keeps her mouth shut dahil ayaw niyang magalit ka sa Daddy mo ng tuloyan."

Hindi ako nakasagot sa sinabi nito. I just stared at him.

"Kaya hinigpitan ni Dad ang Dad mo, dahil 'yon sa ayaw niyang malulong at mas maubos ang natirang yaman ninyo, but it seems halos wala na ring natira."

"Then let me have my parent's house, bibilhin ko maging amin lang muli ni mommy 'yon."

"Why did you not tell it to my father? Go, convinced him."

"Ikaw dapat ang magkombinsin sa kanya. It's your father,"

"I'm out of that issue. Like you, I am also against that bullshit Arranged Marriage but I have no choice. Ayaw kong isaalang-alang ang mga trabahante na umaasa sa Harrison's company."

"Why did he wants to manipulate our lives? Our decisions?"

"I don't know."

Bumuntong hininga ako. "P-paano kung ayaw ko?"

"Accept that you have no right to any of your father's property. Even the house where you and your mother are living. Now, think twice, moman."

"Palibhasa sa 'yo walang mawawala!"

He shakes his head. "There is, I can not totally manage the whole operation of our company. For me, we better engage in this arranged marriage where you and I will benefit from what we wanted."

Hindi ako makasagot. I'm still against arranged marriage.

"Accept it, Aurora. And let's have acted like a real couple in the eyes of our family. After all, this is only a— business marriage."