Chapter 11: Their Deal

Awkwardness envelops the atmosphere as their eyes meet, she could not look him straight in the eyes. Her gazes were shaking while his looks seemed stern. Rogue watches her as he examines her movements, probably trying to read her mind or predict what she is up to. "Do you have anything to say?" He asked and Keilah cleared her throat, averting her eyes and took a sip from the glass of wine in her grip.

"I have a favor to ask and I know it's a bit of a hassle for you," she began and bit her lower lip before looking back at him again. "Mamita wants to have dinner with us tonight, and I think it's not a good idea to begin with but I couldn't say no to her."

Rogue slightly raised his brow and smirked at her worried face, "Why does it bother you so much? Ano bang iniisip mo?" He seems to be so relaxed that his vibes could not go along with how concerned Keilah could get.

"You don't know her that much, Loki. There are possibilities that she might have caught us that we're lying, I can't let that happen." Mahahalata talaga sa boses ng dalaga na kinakabahan siya sa mga posibleng mangyari kapag pumunta sila sa nasabing family dinner. It wasn't enough to make Rogue feel anxious as her, he wants to grab the opportunity to make access to the Olivarez mansion and plan for his next move to be the CEO.

"Don't you trust me?" He suddenly asked, which made Keilah surprised and stunned in her seat. His question made her think twice, she knows that he is a stranger to her yet she still took the risk and that huge action from her already says it all, she trusts him.

"... I trust you," she whispered as her lips parted open. Her sighing could be heard yet Rogue remained cool, he held the glass of wine and drank from it. He loves the dark sweet taste that draws in his throat.

Rogue glanced at his wrist watch and figured out it's getting late, "We better get going." He stood up first and assisted her, Keilah seems a bit puzzled by his sudden behavior but Rogue wants to start pretending as her husband. He knows it's a hassle for him but it's his job, his father chooses him to do it and he wants to claim success in the end.

He gently held her hand and Keilah was surprised, she felt so stunned that she nearly held her breathing. "What are you doing?" She whispered and Rogue smirked.

"Don't you think it's time to act as a couple? It won't be as convincing as how we want it if we're too distant," he replied and she has no choice but to agree with him. Though, Keilah felt her cheeks burning because of embarrassment. She is not used to it, having somebody to hold her hand as they walk in the hall with everybody's eyes watching makes her feel uneasy but Rogue seems so relaxed as if he is used to it.

They drove by the Olivarez mansion and as they walked in the entrance of the house, Keilah felt nervous. She pauses from walking and breathes in, she is aware that if they figure out the truth, they will surely kill her.

"Are you really that afraid to face them?" Rogue suddenly asked when he noticed that Keilah seemed hesitant to open the door.

"You don't know the reason, okay?" She hissed.

"Then tell me," he insisted and walked closer to her. He gently grabbed her waist and pulled her even closer to him, when her skin darted onto him, she felt her cheeks turning red. "Let's go, just try to relax and everything will be fine. Come on, it's just a simple dinner."

She simply groaned in compliance and followed his lead, 'Tsk, you don't know that we're entering the dens of devils.'

When they arrived at the living room, the other siblings greeted them with a surprised look. "Mr. Hamsmith!" Kacie reacted as she looked at him with those eyes filled with admiration. Yet her gazes turned into glares when she saw that Rogue placed his hand on Keilah's waist.

"A nice evening to all of you," Rogue formally replied with a straight face.

"Hey, how's it going?" Karter greeted and gave Rogue a high five.

"Today's a bit exhausting but it's all good."

Khloe on the other hand kept silent and waited for them to get enough with the greetings. Meanwhile, Kamila Olivarez came and grabbed their attention. "You're finally here!" Excitement could be heard from her voice and that made the other members confused by her sudden reaction.

"Keil, mabuti at nandito ka ulit." Sumunod naman lumabas mula sa kusina ang ina nila, si Kassandra Olivarez. Niyakap nito ang anak at nakangiting sinamahan ang dalawa papuntang kusina.

"What just happened?" Karter asked and followed them.

"What's going on? Bakit naparito si Mr. Hamsmith?" Tanong naman ni Khloe sa kapatid na si Kacie, ngunit hindi siya sinagot nito. Tila hindi maitimpla ang mukha nito sa inis.

"Kace?" Tawag ulit ng kambal ngunit hindi na siya pinansin nito.

All of them went to the dining room and silence began to cover the entire place again. "Uh, Mamita? What's going on?" Khloe asked with confusion, hindi na niya mapigilan ang sarili niyang mag tanong.

"Ah, yes. We are inviting Mr. Hamsmith to have dinner with us to discuss some personal matters," bigla nalang nag iba ang mga tingin niya ng ibaling niya ito sa lalaking naka-upo sa tapat. "I just figured out that Keil is secretly married to him, as part of the family, it's a bit offensive to know that she is hiding it from us."

Hindi maka-imik ang lahat, gulat ang mga mukha nila ng tignan ang dalawang bisita. "Wait, what?" Khloe was the first one to react, Karter cussed and Kacie bitterly smirked. On the other hand, Kassandra their mother, felt surprised and happy at the same time.

"Kailan pa?" Tanong na naman ni Khloe.

"Isn't it suspicious? How come we never heard about you? Galing ka sa ibang bansa, how did you two meet?" Karter was the one to throw the questions.

Keilah felt the sudden pressure while Rogue laughed inside his head because of the thought that it's never such a simple dinner, it seems that he is agreeing with Keilah's statement earlier. "As you can see, my wife wanted to cut ties with her own family. That means, she has no intention of letting you all know about her personal life anymore," Rogue replied which made all of them turn their gazes at him.

"What are you saying?" Keilah whispered and tried to smack the man beside her. She was not expecting him to say that in front of her family, it was quite offensive for them.

"I'm sorry?" Karter sarcastically chuckled.

"I'm stating the facts, and we actually met at the cruise ship when I had my vacation alone. After a year, I connected with her again and realized that I've fallen. I didn't hesitate to propose, but she wants to keep it low-key." Halos mapairap nalang si Keilah nang marinig niya ang kwento ni Rogue, gawa-gawa lamang ito ng binata at hindi niya alam kung matatawa ba siya sa kwento.

"A good liar," she whispered behind her head.

Rogue smirks and feels proud of himself, "I'm a good storyteller, I know."

"How come?" Khloe still couldn't believe what she heard, it obviously didn't satisfy her hearing.

"Why do you want it to stay low-key? Anong pinag tataguan mo, Keil?" It's Kacie's turn to ask, and the bitterness inside her is still present in her expression and voice.

"I think you are aware that I want to keep my life private, I hate to be exposed in the spotlight." Kahit kabado ay nagawa niya pa rin umaktong kalmado, nakita naman ni Rogue na tila pinipigilan ni Keilah na huwag mautal.

Marami pa sana silang mga katanungan ngunit natahimik sila nang may ilabas na envelope si Rogue. "These are the documents as proof that we're married."

The old woman, Kamila, smirks. "Kung ganoon, mabuting alam ko na nasa kamay mo ang apo ko. I can't afford to see her being strangled by other man's ring, ayoko rin na nakikitang tinatago niyo ang relasyon niyo."

Rogue could read the old woman's smile, and he knows that she is being sarcastic of her words. "I love your granddaughter, ma'am. I won't risk working in the country just to see her if I'm not serious about her, I won't ask for a chance to prove myself worthy of her love because I assure you that I am already doing it." Their jaw dropped after hearing his answer, napatawa naman ang matanda at ngumisi.

"You're doing well with your job in the hospital, Mr. Hamsmith and I like you for my granddaughter, Keil. But that doesn't make me change my decision na si Canosa ang partner mo sa trabahong ipapagawa ko."

"I respect your decision ma'am."

Their dinner went well, after the little discussions they ate and made time as a family. When they decided to go home, Rogue drove the car and went into another route which made Keilah overthink. "Saan tayo pupunta?"

"I made sure no one's going to doubt us, I bought a unit for us so we could live as couples." Seryoso ang boses ni Rogue nang magsalita ito, nabigla naman ang dalaga ngunit ayaw niya rin umangal. Biglang tumahimik ang dalawa, ngunit ilang minuto ay naglakas loob rin si Keilah na mag salita.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For being with me tonight, tsaka pumayag ka rin sa contract marriage. I don't know what to say actually, nagulat ako kanina na may mga papeles ka. How did you do that?"

Rogue simply chuckled and focused on the road, "I have my own ways."

"I'm still curious about your real reason why you said yes to my offer, but of course I don't have the right to meddle with your business." Keilah breathes in before proceeding to speak, "But as for me, I want to get away from them because of their unfair treatment. They want to get rid of me, so I had to give way and cut ties with them."

"I admire you for that," Rogue asserted with a grin and glanced at her. Everything is just part of his task but it doesn't mean he needs to stay stern, he must guard his heart but he needs his emotions to assist him with all his pretending.

"We'll get to move our stuff to the new place and stay there until the contract is over."

"Sige."