CHAPTER 2

"W-What? Are you serious, Mom?" she exclaimed in shock.

She didn’t say anything else and poured wine into her own glass.

Zelena’s heart raced quickly from the surprise and pressure she felt.

"You know he won’t agree, Mom. He can’t even hold me, let alone get me pregnant. I—I don’t want to, Mommy. What if something happens—"

Her mother looked at her seriously, making her swallow hard.

"I'm not asking whether you want to or not. You’re going to do it, whether you like it or not. Did I ever ask for your opinion?"

Zelena bit the inside of her cheek.

"M-Mommy, I don’t know how I’m going to do it, and I told you before I’m scared to have—"

"Stop making excuses, Zelena! Dylan is a womanizer; it’s easy for him to be attracted to you if you want him to be!"

She looked away in shock at her mother’s words. Her palms were sweaty, and she couldn’t sit still.

She fought back tears because her mother didn’t even listen to her.

"You can’t defy me, because even if you already have your own business, I can take back everything you have," Arlene threatened.

She swallowed and nodded weakly.

"Go home and think about what you’re going to do. Get him drunk, or do whatever it takes to win him over," her mother added.

‘I want him to notice me, but I don’t want it to get to the point where I feel like I’ll be forcing myself on him.’

She said nothing more and left.

Just like her mother said, she went home and didn’t go to her coffee shop.

Even though her head still hurt, she thought about what she was going to do.

"This is harder than my exams before," she groaned, holding her head.

"Should I ask Nanay?" she asked herself before lying down on her bed.

She shook her head.

"No. I’m too low to even ask that."

She stood up and went to her mirror.

"In our situation, he won’t get me pregnant, I’m sure. I really need to attract him so he falls for me. He needs to be in love with me first before he does anything to me, but Mommy wants me to do it," she whispered weakly.

She bit her lip and swallowed hard.

"Am I ready to be a mother? And am I ready to have sex after..."

She didn’t finish her sentence and just stared blankly at the mirror.

"It's Saturday today; you don’t have work, right?" Zelena quickly asked when she noticed Dylan just coming out of his room since their rooms were facing each other.

He didn’t answer and just kept walking.

She walked ahead and stood in front of him.

She deliberately swayed her hips while wearing short shorts and a tight tank top.

They both arrived at the dining area, and she heard Dylan sigh as she sat across from him.

When they started eating, Zelena purposely tried to act cute in front of her husband. She usually ate modestly, but this time she accompanied it by brushing her hair back and licking her lips.

After a few minutes, Dylan stood up, surprising her.

"You’re done already?"

He took a sip of water.

"You’re such an unappetizing dining companion."

He left immediately, leaving Zelena with her mouth agape.

"Please bring me some pineapple juice to my office, ‘Nay," Dylan said when he bumped into Tina.

Zelena and Tina exchanged glances as she entered.

"Did you eat together?" Tina asked her with a smile.

"Yes. But I don’t think he ate for more than five minutes," she answered, wincing slightly.

Tina nodded.

Zelena finished her meal and watched as Tina prepared Dylan’s juice.

She smiled when she recalled what their college classmates used to do.

They used to put gin in their juice.

When Tina looked away, Zelena quickly grabbed the gin she had hidden in the cabinet.

"I won’t light it anymore; my skin might get burned. What could go wrong?"

She quickly opened the bottle and poured it all into the pitcher.

When Tina came back, she saw Zelena mixing the juice.

"Did you add more juice, dear?" she asked.

Zelena smiled.

"Yes. He might get thirsty once he finishes it, ‘Nay."

She took the pitcher, and together they went upstairs. She didn’t follow Dylan to his office but spent a few hours in her room first.

Zelena laughed softly while combing her hair, thinking that her husband might already be drunk and that she could now carry out her plan.

She sprayed perfume on herself before leaving her room and headed to Dylan’s door.

She knocked and called out, but there was no answer.

"Maybe he’s still in the office."

She slowly opened the door and glanced inside.

He wasn’t in his room, so she went to the office.

"Dylan? Are you here?" she called out flirtatiously with a smile.

The lights were off, with only the lampshade beside Dylan’s desk turned on.

She saw Dylan slumped over his chair, back facing her. She felt a slight nervousness.

"Do you want something?" Zelena asked again as she approached him.

He didn’t respond, so she stood in front of him.

She frowned when she saw him unresponsive. She tried touching his arm and gently shook him.

"Hey. Are you okay?"

His eyes didn’t open.

She pulled him to wake him up and gasped as Dylan fell to the floor.

"Shit, shit."

She covered her mouth as his eyes finally opened.

Dylan held his head and squeezed his eyes shut.

"F-Fuck. My head hurts."

Zelena swallowed hard when he looked at her.

"What are you doing here? Get out!" he shouted.

Her hands trembled as she helped him stand, but he pushed her away.

"Don’t touch me."

Zelena stepped back and followed him as he went to his room.

She was startled when he collapsed onto the bed.

"J-Just get out. My head feels so heavy. I don’t want to argue with you," Dylan said with his eyes closed, signaling for her to leave.

"You might need me," Zelena insisted and moved closer to the bed.

"Get out!" he yelled, causing her to jump back.

Zelena stepped aside, glanced at her husband, and then left the room.

"Can’t even get a kiss," she muttered, slamming the door shut.

"Be prepared for me when I come up with my next plan," she said, pointing at Dylan’s bedroom door.

Zelena frowned as she stared at a medicine bottle in front of her. She had even bought it online.

"You need to be effective so everything will be easier," she said, picking up the sildenafil—Viagra—and putting it in her pocket.

It was Sunday morning, so she expected Dylan to still be around.

He had come downstairs before her and had already made his own coffee.

Zelena smiled when she saw him sitting.

"Good morning!" she greeted. He didn’t bother to look her way.

She shrugged and prepared a chocolate drink.

Suddenly, Dylan’s phone rang, and he quickly answered and stepped outside.

Zelena immediately took out the pills from her pocket.

"Is one enough? Or maybe two, just to be sure?" she wondered aloud, staring at the two tablets in her hand.

"Okay, sir. I'll send it right away," Dylan said as he turned back.

In her flustered state, she dropped the two pills into his coffee.

She quickly returned to her seat, pretending nothing had happened. She waited until Dylan finished his coffee, then secretly smiled.

‘The timer starts now.’

He stayed in front of her for a few more minutes before heading upstairs. That was Zelena’s signal to freshen up.

She didn’t bother knocking and went straight into Dylan’s room.

She jumped when she saw him standing topless, facing away by the side of the bed.

He turned to look at her.

"What are you doing here?" he asked softly.

Zelena swallowed hard at the sight of his body. He had abs and no tattoos.

"I-I'm just checking on you," she replied.

"Go away. It’s kind of hot right now, and I don’t want to see you," he said.

She held back a smile.

Being persistent, she moved closer to Dylan. He stepped back, clearly out of sorts, his face flushing red.

"I mean, you always look hot," Zelena said, reaching out to touch his left arm.

She could feel the heat radiating from him.

She pulled her hand away when she noticed what was standing in front of him.

She cursed in her mind several times.

"N-No, no. Get out. Don’t touch me. I don’t want to feel this right now."

She held her head and closed her eyes.

"Why? What’s wrong?" Zelena asked teasingly, moving closer.

"Get out! Just go—"

Dylan stopped speaking when he grabbed Zelena’s chest, motioning for her to leave.

Zelena’s mouth fell open.

She saw Dylan swallow hard.

Not letting it pass, she lowered her tank top to show more cleavage.

"F-Fuck. Just leave," Dylan said, looking away.

"Why don’t you want to look at me?" she asked with a smile.

"Leave. I’m not feeling well," he answered, holding his head again and closing his eyes.

"I’ll help you feel better."

Zelena stepped closer, eyes wide as Dylan collapsed against her. She quickly tried to support him, but he was bigger than her.

She managed to lay him down on the bed.

She touched his forehead, feeling it burning hot. His obvious arousal hadn’t gone down.

"Should I do it?" Zelena whispered to herself, looking over Dylan’s entire body.

She closed her eyes, trembling as she sat beside her husband.

She held Dylan’s cheek and gently brought her face closer.

His eyes widened when he took her hand and suddenly opened his eyes wide.

She winced when he pushed her hard, causing her to fall back onto the bed and hit her back on the side table.

"I told you to leave earlier! I know I’m not feeling normal right now, but I can control myself when it comes to you," he said, frowning as he slowly sat up.

Zelena immediately stood up, holding her back.

"W-What are you talking about?"

"Don’t wait for me to get up and come to you. Who knows what I might say or do to you that’s not good?" he said, his eyes flashing.

She swallowed nervously and quickly left the room.

Once inside her own room, she sat down on her bed.

"Mommy’s wishes won’t really happen. I’ve lost myself, and I tried my best, but I still wasn’t successful," she said, taking a deep breath.

"She’s going to kill me."

She shook her head, remembering how her mother punished her whenever she didn’t comply. Tears threatened to fall.

She looked at her own reflection in the mirror.

She met Dylan back in college. He was handsome in her eyes, and she fell for him when he once saved her from some lecherous students while she was walking home at night. Even though Dylan never noticed her face, his image stayed in her mind. She felt his womanizing ways couldn’t overshadow the kindness he showed that one time.

"I need to go back to who I used to be, and I have to talk to Mommy. There has to be another way," Zelena said, standing up and heading to take a shower.

Zelena sat in the living room, smiling as she held an invitation card. It was an invite to their upcoming high school reunion.

"I guess it’s time for Dylan to see me as one of the most beautiful among our classmates back in high school. Maybe he prefers a modest woman. I’m not ready to give up yet."

She glanced toward the door just as it opened.

She swallowed hard when she saw Dylan. She quickly looked away when he caught her staring.

"How are you feeling, hijo?" asked Tina, who had just come in from the garden.

['Hijo' means son. 'Hija' means daughter.]

"I’m feeling better now. Maybe I just ate or drank something bad."

Zelena stood and, smiling, handed the invitation to Dylan.

He frowned and looked at it but didn’t take it.

"We’re having a reunion with my high school classmates. I want you to come," Zelena said cheerfully.

He didn’t answer, just brushed past her toward the stairs.

"Please? Even if you don’t talk to them, just come," she insisted, following behind him.

His steps were long as he tried to avoid her.

Dylan stopped when Zelena touched his back.

"Just once. I won’t bother you again," she pleaded.

Dylan roughly removed her hand from his shirt and didn’t even look back.

"Please? I hope you can come. I’ll even talk to Mom to reduce the debt you have to pay. I’m begging you," she said hesitantly.

He stopped walking, and she bumped into his back.

Suddenly, he faced her, making her swallow nervously.

"Fine. I’ll stay there for only 30 minutes," he replied.

Zelena couldn’t help but smile.

"Thank you! This means a lot to me! Don’t worry, I’ll take care of what you’ll wear."

He just nodded and went into his room.

Smiling, Zelena entered her room and immediately grabbed her phone to order their outfits.

"I’ll just ask for his measurements, and everything will be perfect," she said, covering her face with a pillow to keep from getting too giddy.

After two weeks of waiting for their reunion, Zelena was now entering an event venue owned by one of her former classmates.

She and Dylan hadn’t arrived together because he had something to fix at his office.

She wore a sky-blue silk dress with a slit on the right side. She left a matching long-sleeved top in Dylan’s room before leaving.

Their former room escort greeted her immediately and showed her to a seat.

"Wow! You never fail to impress!" said Joanna, their former vice president.

Zelena brushed her wavy hair behind her back and settled into her seat.

"So, how have you all been?" she asked.

"I’ve been promoted at work, and I’m engaged too," replied Charmee, their president, smiling.

Zelena nodded.

"You work at a hotel, right?"

"Yes. I know that’s nothing to you," Charmee said sarcastically.

Zelena grinned.

"You didn’t have to say that."

Charmee laughed.

"How about you? How have you been after all these years?" asked another classmate.

Zelena took a sip of wine before answering.

"You won’t believe it, but I’m married."

They looked surprised.

"Really? We didn’t get an invitation," said Joanna.

"It was an intimate wedding. Just us and our relatives," she replied.

"Who is he? Why isn’t he with you?" Charmee asked, taking a sip.

"He had to finish something at his office earlier, so I came ahead, but he’ll be here later," Zelena answered with a smile.

"What’s his status in life? He’s probably rich too, right? Do we know him?" one classmate asked.

Zelena just smiled.

"Is he in politics? What kind of family does he come from?" Joanna asked.

Zelena shook her head.

"He’s a businessman."

"What's his name? Or do you not even want to say his name?" Charmee asked with a laugh.

Zelena didn’t like that.

"Why is it so important to you who he is? Did you invite me here just to make me your topic?" she said, forcing a smile.

Charmee laughed.

"Zelena, we’re just trying to see if you’ve changed or if you’re still the same stubborn Zelena who refuses to back down or be seen as less than us."

"I didn’t realize wanting privacy was so degrading," Zelena said sarcastically.

Everyone else avoided eye contact except Joanna and Charmee.

The topic shifted after Zelena fell silent.

Hours passed with only wine touching Zelena’s lips. She grew restless because Dylan still hadn’t arrived.

She rubbed her temple, hungry and sleepy, and she was starting to feel nauseous.

"Is your husband still coming, Zelena?" asked the man sitting next to her.

She glanced over and nodded.

"Zelena, you’ve been waiting for two hours—actually almost three. Are you really waiting for someone?" Charmee asked.

Zelena just looked at Charmee, unable to answer.

"You’re still delusional, Zelena. Where’s the husband you keep bragging about?" Charmee added with a laugh.

Zelena took a deep breath.

"M-maybe he’s just running late—"

"Does he even exist? Because it doesn’t seem like it," Joanna teased.

Everyone at their table laughed.

"Of course I’m married! See?" she said happily, showing the wedding ring on her finger.

"You can afford to buy a ring like that," someone commented.

"Yeah, but you can’t afford to keep a husband. Aww," Charmee said with a smirk and moved aside.

Zelena lowered her hand to her lap and couldn’t help clenching her fist.

"You don’t even use your imaginary husband’s last name," Joanna said, taking a sip of her wine.

Zelena forced a smile.

"You guys are so obsessed with my life. Even if he can’t come today, you’ll meet him next time. And Charmee," she looked at her.

"Yes?" Charmee asked, laughing.

"Don’t be disappointed you won’t meet my husband. You should be disappointed in your own fiancé."

Charmee’s big smile faded, but her teasing grin remained.

"Why’s that?"

"I saw your posts about the proposal ring he gave you—it came from our jewelry shop, and it was the cheapest one. Also, I remember he messaged me before I got married. So..." Zelena shrugged.

Charmee gave her a serious look while Zelena just sipped her wine.

The others fell silent, then suddenly stood up when the DJ started playing a party song.

Zelena smiled as Charmee walked away.

She took a deep breath when she was left alone at the table. She grabbed her bag and left.

She didn’t bother eating, biting her lip to hold back tears.

Suddenly, she broke out in a cold sweat and clutched her stomach.

"Now my acid reflux decides to act up. Damn it!"

She quickly started her car and glanced back at the event hall.

"You still have a bad attitude, Charmee. You still look like a napkin," she muttered.

She sighed and drove off, Dylan’s absence and her embarrassment still weighing on her mind.

On the way home, she stopped at a pharmacy to buy her medication.

Outside the pharmacy, two women were sitting nearby.

"I bought a pregnancy test. I need to be sure if I’m really pregnant," one said.

‘Lucky you, you can get pregnant if you want,’ Zelena thought.

She paused to take her medicine while the women talked nearby.

"I still haven’t started my period. It’s been a month," one added.

Zelena clutched her stomach as her acid reflux flared again while listening to them.

"A month ago? Do you remember when we went to the bar and you met someone six weeks ago? Didn’t you have a one-night stand with Dylan? Dylan Romano. Maybe that’s it?" the other woman asked.

Zelena felt a chill and froze, then glanced at them.

"D-Dylan?" she whispered.