Prologue

I can't help but to be curious with what was going on and how did everything happened all of the sudden but there's one thing I am sure about and that is I am marrying that woman either she likes it or not.

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Kapag ba nag mamahal ka ulit and willing ka na buksan muli ang puso mo, makakaya mo kaya ito? Kaya ko kaya 'yon? Sobrang daling sabihin na pwede at oo pero sobrang hirap din lalo na at may napag daanan kana sa maling tao.

Nagpaka t*nga ako noon, nagpa-loko, ginawang alipin at lahat lahat na.

Wala eh, wala naman akong magagawa dahil mahal ko pero dati pa naman 'yon.

Nakakapag taka dahil matapos kang ipag tabuyan na para bang wala kayong pinagsamahan ay babalik sa'yo at mang hihingi pa ng pagkakataon pero ikaw, nakausad kana. Wala ng babalikan at hinding-hindi na muling babalik pa.

Matapos din akong lokohin ng dati kong girlfriend ay hindi na ako umulit at hindi na'ko nag mahal pa ng iba dahil nakakatakot na sa panahon ngayon. Mapa babae man o lalaki ay bihira nalang kung makakahanap ka talaga ng matino.

Pero kung hindi siguro nangyari 'yon baka hindi ako maging ganito ngayon.

I was the one and only Engineer Rydell Fery Evancia. A cold hearted CEO of Evancia's corporation, madalas kong naririnig 'yon sa mga tauhan ko but it doesn't bother me at all, I got used to it and plus only my family and I should know who I really am deep inside.

Despite of everything that I've been thinking right now, I still have a meeting with another company kaso hinihintay ko pa yung go signal ng papa ko.

"Sir Ryfer? Kailangan na daw po kayo ng father niyo." bigla akong bumalik sa reyalidad nang biglang magsalita si gret, si gret ay assistant ko dito sa company at mukhang kailangan ko ng umalis dahil oras na rin.

Hindi ko alam kung bakit pero kailangan ako ni papa sa kumpanya ng kumpare niya. Mukhang may mahalaga kaming pag uusapan kaya hindi na ako nag sayang ng oras at nag ayos na muna ako, kinuha ang susi ko at agad na pumunta sa parking lot para naman maka alis na ako.

Once I arrived at the building tinawagan ko naman agad si papa para naman malaman ko kung saan ko siya kikitain.

"Nasa baba na ako Ryfer, meet me at the lobby." sagot naman agad sa'kin ni papa at agad ko namang ni-lock ang kotse ko at lumakad na.

When I approached him, my dad welcomed me with a hug and sinundan ko na lamang siya kung saan siya pupunta since this is my first time stepping on this company.

Nang paliko na kami, I noticed a model. She looked very familiar to me but I don't know where or how but she really looked so gorgeous and her beauty was overwhelming, her looks were intimidating and fierce but in a good way.

"Ryfer? Anak?" my dad called.

Napansin niya siguro na napatulala ako but then I shook my head and continued to walk in his direction.

"I was just familiarizing something about this woman, she looked familiar to me." saad ko.

"Have you met her?" my dad asked.

"Maybe? Hindi ko alam kung saan eh."

"You'll meet her soon." I was confused with what my dad answered.

Napapa isip tuloy ako ng malalim habang nasa loob na kami ng elevator but I need to keep myself up.

Once the elevator opened, lumabas naman kami agad and we quickly went at an office and once we entered a gentleman approached us.

"Pare, anak ko." bungad naman ni papa sakanya.

"Hello hijo, you must be Engr. Ryfer am I right?" he asked and we shaked hands.

"Yes sir and you are?"

"Mr. Rodellio, CEO of Rodellio corp but call me tito Rob nalang in short okay?" tumango naman ako. "Please feel comfortable here, atsaka maupo na muna kayo." dag-dag niya naman.

Naupo naman kami sa may waiting area sa office niya and I wondered my eyes around the place, the place was really quiet and my dad was busy with his phone so nag o-observe nalang ako sa gilid, to keep my mind busy and that's when I saw a family picture with that girl again and it was confirmed na anak siya ni tito Rob.

I guess hindi naman pala siya masungit after all from what I've seen earlier and she looked very sweet from their family picture. I've also noticed na tatlo pala silang magkakapatid and she was the only unica hija in their family which means they were very protective of her.

"Mukhang nahuhumaling ka ata sa family picture namin hijo ah." nagulat naman ako sa sinabi ni tito, may dala siyang tsaa at mga cookies and he placed it at the table.

"Can I ask something tito? That girl is your daughter right?" I pointed at their family picture at tumingin naman si tito dito.

"She is my daughter." he confirmed.

"She's kind of familiar to me, ano pong name niya?" I asked directly.

Baka kasi kapag nalaman ko yung name ay mag re-call sa utak ko lahat and we'll never know naman if hindi ako mag tatanong right?

"Does Shantelle Yksa Rodellio ring a bell?" he asked.

Yes, her name sounds very familiar too pero hindi ko pa rin alam kung saan, paano at bakit parang familiar yung mukha at pangalan niya sa'kin.

"Familiar but not quite." sagot ko nalang sakanya.

"Baka naman anak, nakikita mo siya somewhere before or kaklase before ganun?" my dad initiated.

Maybe, ayun nga naiisip ko na baka dati nakikita ko na siya but I didn't notice her.

"Baka nga naman pero what a coincidence ano?" sambit naman ni tito.

"Hey everyone." then suddenly that sweet little voice that echoes the quiet room filled my ears. Napalingon ako sa pinto and she entered the room with that sweet smile and powerful energy that she brings. "Are you guys talking about me?" as she walked towards our direction I felt like the room was moving slowly, her sweet smile and her gorgeous eyes that just matches everything with her elegant bodycon navy blue dress that she was wearing, that shows her curves more.

For the very first time in my life na akala ko sa mga novels, pelikula lang nangyayari ang pag bagal ng mundo. Mayroon na rin pala sa tunay na buhay.

How come I became too distracted?

"Gentleman this is my daughter Shantelle, shanty, this is Engr Ryfer and Mr. Evancia the owner of Evancia Corp, one of our allies."

"Hello po." nag bless siya sa papa ko and we shaked hands. Gosh her hands felt like soft cottons and the smell of it was like sweet tea sanitizer.

"Ahm are you okay??" napatanong siya sa'kin and she looked directly in my eyes and I felt fireworks inside my head. I didn't noticed na kanina pa akong nakatulala sakanya and I can't just let go of her hands.

I mean just look at this woman, she was a unique solution in my different equation.

Well, ayuko naman mapahiya so when I came to my senses again ay hinalikan ko na lamang ang kamay niya and smiled at her, she smiled back and gosh I could melt away for any second.

"Don't get me wrong you looked really familiar, have we met before?" she asked me with her sweet voice.

"Maybe you guys should catch up and familiarize each other, mag fi-finalize lang kami ng papers and have a small talk about you guys okay?" tito rob said and tumango na lamang ako at iniwan na nila kaming dalawa sa room.

"You looked familiar too."

Could this be wrong? I was talking to her while daydreaming of her in our big mansion, with two boys and one girl and she was my beautiful wife welcoming me????

"Earth to kuya ryfer!" I came back to my senses and I noticed that she was so cute while getting my attention.

Pero bakit niya naman akong tinawag na kuya?! Hindi naman ako ganun katanda sakanya.

I mean she got all my attention.

"Yess? What happened?"

"I was asking if are you okay?"

"Ye-yes ofcourse I am." I fixed myself para naman nasa sarili ako kapag kausap ko siya and I really needed to stop with this delusions.

"I think I re-call something about you." she stated.

As much as I wanted to be serious I just can't help but to be distracted by her presence, yet I still need to keep my cool even though nababaliw na'ko sakanya.

"Nag aral kana ba dati sa faith school? Feeling ko doon kita nakilala." and that ring a bell in my memory.

I do remember her now. She was the girl that I had a crush on before, madalas ko siyang nakikita sa canteen and magkatabi lang kami ng room kaya nakikita ko siya ng madalas.

Dati cute lang siya and simple but now, she was even more upgraded.

"It's you! I finally recall it too, it's nice seeing you again." sambit ko naman sakanya.

Based on her reaction I think she was also thinking the same thing.

"Me too, can you tell me bakit pati ako pinapatawag nila dito?" she was really cute when she gets confused and yet kapag seryoso na yung usapan she looked drop dead gorgeous when she's serious.

I don't know but everything about her is what I wanna learn. I love reading her like an open book.

"Tapos na ba kayo mag-usap?" tito rob interfered.

"Ahh yes, can we please proceed?" shanty said.

We all formally seated on our seats and may hawak na envelop si tito rob at nang buksan niya ito, binasa niya naman agad saamin ang nilalaman ng kasulatan.

"Alam kong mabibigla kayo sa sasabihin namin but we decided to collaborate with each other and to legalized and to strengthen our company’s relationship, we need you two to be in a arranged marriage." I was so shocked and stunned at the same time.

Pero atleast diba? Hindi ako ikakasal sa matanda na, spoiled brat or even worse! Gold diggers! I just wanna lok at the bright side of it and plus, she would be a great fit to me if ever man na magka mabutihan kami right?

Shanty stole the papers from her dad and read the statement and based from her reaction ay nag papanic siya at mukhang hindi mapakali habang nanginginig ang kamay niya hawak-hawak ang papers.

I was out of words at the corner and hindi ko rin alam ang gagawin ko, she looked like she doesn't even wanna get married by someone like me..

"Dad, out of respect but is there any other way? Without the marriage thing?" shanty looked very off when she stated it.

"Anak it's for our business din naman, we just need to have a legal alliance between them para makapag process na rin tayo sa ibang bansa at mapalago yung business namin together. The contract will last in 2 years nd nasa inyo na ‘yon if ipag papatuloy niyo pa or hindi na." tito rob assured

"Hija don’t worry, my son isn’t a bad man and I can assure you that.” my dad assured shanty.

Kahit ako nagulat din naman sa statement nila but what can go wrong right? I was scared at the same time. Me getting married? I didn’t really planned that but I think we can both get along just fine right?

"Hey, it’s okay.” I comforted her. “You don’t need to feel pressured and rushed okay? Atsaka we needed this for the family’s business." sambit ko naman.

"I don’t have any choice, don’t I? Ayuko rin naman patagalin yung paghihintay niyo sa’kin so don’t worry at pipirma na ako.”

She immediately grab a pen and signed it right away. I was very imressed with her bravery bu there’s something in her eyes that doesn’t feel right. Hindi na rin ako nagpa tumpik-tumpik pa at pinirmahan ko na rin yung deal so it can be sealed.

“I’m done here aren’t I? I’ll be in my office lang. Excuse me.” she left immediately.

“Teka lang po tito ah, may kailangan din po kasi kaming i-disscuss. Excuse me po.” I excused myself and pagka labas ko ay wala na siya.

Ang laki pa naman ng lugar nila, how am I able to locate her? Hindi naman pwedeng ganun-ganun nalang conversation naming dalawa noh! Atsaka I can sense that she doesn’t like the idea of us getting married so I just wanted to comfort her. Sakto rin at may padaan na mga employees sa gilid ko kaya agad naman akong napatanong.

“Excuse me ma’am and sir, can you please tell me the directions kung saan yung office ni Ms. Rodellio? I needed to talk to her urgently.”

“7th floor at the left po, makikita niyo na po agad office niya.” sumagot naman yung babae.

“Thank you.” i rushed myself at the elevator and agad naman akong nag tungo sa 7th floor ng building and once I arrived, hinanap ko naman agad yung office niya.

It’s not hard to find since halos bungad lang naman yung office niya and I can see her occupying herself. I knocked in her door and she signed her hands to come in so I let myself in.

“Do you ned anything else Mr. Evancia?” she asked.

“I just want to talk to you, are you okay?”

She released a deep sigh.

“Yes I am, you don’t have to worry about me atsaka about sa marriage can we talk about it another day? I was tons of errands kasi and I know naman as soon as possible they want us to get married na.” she fake a smile.

“Look, it’s really f*cked up but I think we can work things out right?” i just wanted peace with her, ayuko naman isipin niya na just because I agreed into it, I planned it.

“Maybe.” sungit pala neto. She looked so burried at her work that she can’t even look at me.

A part of me wanna leave her alone and yet a part of me couldn’t walk away, what are you doing to me Ms. Rodellio?