Chapter 1: Meeting

"So.... anong oras ba ang dating niya? He's twenty minutes late," reklamo ni Clara sa kanyang mga magulang. Hindi niya pa nakikilala ang 'businessman' na 'yon pero mukhang hindi niya na gusto ito.

"He's coming..."

Ngumiwi siya sa sinagot ng kanyang ama. Hindi na siya nagtataka kung ito-tolerate ng kanyang mga magulang ang pagiging late nito dahil kailangan nila ng tulong.

Damon Barreto is the youngest ace of Barreto's prodigy. He is the legacy. Kilala na siya bilang magaling sa industriya ng negosyo dahil sa kanyang talino at husay sa pagpapatakbo ng kompanya. Kahit nga ang sarili nitong kadugo, walang sinasanto pagdating sa negosyo. Marami na rin ari-arian at haciendero pa. May agricultural wealth kaya alam niyang kahit malugi ang isang kompanya, hindi pa rin siya maghihirap.

"Hija, yung pinag-usapan natin tungkol kay Damon. He's a busy person kaya kung pinaunlakan niya ang imbitasyon natin, malaking pabor 'yun."

Clara raised her brow. Tama nga naman. Base sa mga nabasa niya, iilang business meeting na rin ang tinaggihan ni Damon dahil gusto ng lahat na maging business partner siya."

Even the girls wanted to marry him badly.

Just like her. For business, obviously.

Clara pursed her lips as she noticed a black Aston Martin parked near the entrance area. Umayos siya sa pagkaka-upo nang matanaw kung sino 'yon.

Damon with his usual suit and stoic face, he ruthlessly walked towards the Ardiente's table. Halatang kilala rin siya ng restaurant dahil agad na lumabas ang manager para lang paunlakan siya. He just raised his one hand to stop him.

"May I?" diretsong tanong ni Damon sa mga Ardiente.

Agad na tumayo ang mag-asawang Ardiente. Clara saw the smirk on Damon's face kaya alam niyang kailangan niyang magbaon ng pasensya. She is desperate enough not to drag her name to the mud.

"Mr. Barreto," Clara smiled a bit.

"Hi, fiancee."

Mr. Ardiente chuckled. Tuwang-tuwa sa nakikita. Ganoon din ang asawa nito na hindi rin maalis ang malaking ngiti sa labi. On Clara's mind, masyadong wiling-wili ang mga magulang niya sa aroganteng kaharap.

Paano niya nasabing arogante? Dahil 'yon sa mga kakilala niya na minsan na siyang pinag-usapan. When Clara attended a ball of socialite, she heard about Damon being the talk from the girls. Hindi raw talaga mabait at puro negosyo ang inaatupag. And he's totally arrogant, jerk and notorious play bachelor.

"Pleasure to meet you," Damon smirked. "Sana ganoon ka rin?" may sarcasm ang boses nito kaya hindi mapigilan ni Clara na pekeng ngumiti.

"Of course! Who wouldn't? You are Damon Barreto!"

"Your soon to be husband," Damon cut her off.

Her lips parted. Nagulat siya nang sabihin iyon ni Damon pero hindi niya iyon pinahalata. Humalakhak naman si Mrs. Ardiente at agad na nagtawag ng waiter para sa order nila.

Then Damon started to do the business talk with Clara's parents.

Gwapo naman. Mayaman. Pero halatang mas matanda sa kanya ng ilang taon si Damon. Hindi naman issue 'yun kay Clara pero may ibang awra si Damon na hindi niya talaga gusto.

"So... you graduated Business Administration Major in Marketing?" Damon asked Clara. She bit her lip and slowly nodded.

"Yeah."

"Where did you finished your internship?"

She swallowed her food first before answering.

"Sa company," she said. Tumingin siya sa mga magulang niya na para bang... may mali sa sinabi niya. That's the truth! Sa company lang niya natapos ang internship niya pero hindi naman ibig sabihin no'n ay wala siyang natutunan. May alam naman siya.

"After the wedding, what is your plan?"

Halos hindi niya maiululon ang pagkain niya.

"What... is your plan?"

Damon chuckled. "You are asking me?" Natawa siya konti. "You should decide for yourself. Doesn't mean kasal na tayo, ako na ang magmamando sa gagawin mo." Damon looked at her straightly. "This is business. Dapat may plano ka."

Clara looked at her parents. Tahimik lang itong nakikinig sa kanila. Damon didn't bother to ask her parents about the plan. Ganito rin kaya siya kapag business na ang pinag-uusapan?

She sighed. "I don't have any plans yet. I-I just want to focus first.... uhm... sa wedding."

Damon looked at her.

"What about engagement party first?"

She nodded.

"Uh, yeah... engagement party."

"What do you want? You want to publicize it or you want it intimate?" he asked again.

"What do you want?"

"Well, I want to tell everyone about my soon to be wife," he reached for the table napkin. "But if you want to—"

"Then we'll do that! Let's public it!"

Mas masaya kapag nalaman ng lahat na magiging asawa niya ang isang Damon Barreto! But Damon looked at her, seemed like he didn't like Clara's answer. But he didn't say anything after that so Clara began eating uncomfortably.

Mas lalo lang naging awkward nang magdesisyon ang mga Ardiente na hayaan si Damon na kilalanin ang magiging asawa nito.

"Mom—"

"You can do it, hija." Mrs. Ardiente whispered and tapped her head. "Win him..." Her mother gave her a wink.

Damon raised his hand to order another bottle of wine. Despite of frowning, nagpaalam ang mga magulang niya na umalis. Nagustuhan naman iyon ni Damon para mas makilala ang mapapangasawa.

"Tell me about yourself."

"I already—"

"Without your parents." He cut her off again. "Yourself without your parents. Still the same Clara?"

May kahulugan iyon. Naisip ni Clara na masyado bang halata na hanggang ngayon, kahit na may panindigan siya at hindi nagpapadikta pero pagdating sa mga magulang niya ay umaasa pa rin siya?

Their empire is falling at konting kalabit nalang, tuluyang babagsak ang kompanya. Marrying Damon is her only choice.

Or did he research so much about her?

"Still the same Clara. I am doing this business with you... for my family."

Damon chuckled with sarcasm.

"And? What do you want? Shares?"

"I heard about... the holes. Dad told me about the offer."

"I don't want to talk about my business things with you."

"This is business, as you said."

This time, natawa na si Damon. He realize that... Clara is not a nosy wife.