CHAPTER 6

Rhea did not know how to react to everything that was happening. She seemed frozen by Lucas’s words, her body hairs standing on end from the sheer madness of it all. Silently, she bit her lip as she watched him, clearly confused. Without hesitation, she reached out to touch Lucas’s forehead, wondering if he was still sane or had completely lost his mind.

“What are you doing, Rhea?” Lucas said irritably, pulling back from her hand. Rhea frowned at the way he brushed her off. Moments ago, he had asked for her hand in marriage, and now it was as if nothing had happened. Had she misheard? Perhaps she needed her ears cleaned because what she heard seemed impossible.

Lucas’s moods were unpredictable. Moments ago, he had been brusque, and now he was soft and mischievous again. Keeping up with him was exhausting. Yet Rhea preferred this Lucas because whenever he tried to act manly, it startled her. She could never get used to that side of him.

She tried to lighten the situation with humor. “Baks, maybe you’re sick or something. Can you not joke around for now? Look around. Do I look like I’m in the mood for your antics? Stop with the ‘marry me’ thing. We are not characters in a movie, especially not a rom-com.”

Lucas crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes. “I am serious. That favor I asked from you earlier is why I sought you out. Do you think I would waste my time if I were joking? I am serious. Just agree to marry me, and I will handle everything—both you and your mother,” he said firmly, trying to convince her.

Rhea stared at him, thinking he had truly lost his mind. Marry? Seriously? They barely knew each other. Yes, she had met his family, but that did not mean they were meant to get married.

“Are you crazy? Aren’t you part of the Federation of Queens? You do not even like women, and you want to marry me? We just met yesterday,” she argued. “Besides, who proposes in a hospital? You didn’t even prepare anything.”

Lucas shook his head. “Ah, I see. You want a grand proposal, right? You are so dramatic for someone not even that beautiful,” he teased, and she heard it even though it was muttered under his breath.

“That is not the point!” Rhea snapped. “Any woman would say no if you proposed like this, especially here in the hospital where my mother is confined. And you ask for a favor while disrespecting me. Why would I marry a gay man? I want a real man, someone like Timothée Chalamet, Orlando Bloom, or Lee Min Ho. Women and gay men want the same thing—men. There is no contest there.”

“Fine, sorry. I was joking because you were taking things too seriously,” Lucas said, slightly embarrassed. “But please, just agree. I will do everything you want. I will support you. Please, just marry me. Have mercy. If you do not, I will lose everything I have worked for, all my blood and sweat, everything I have given to the company. Please.”

Rhea sighed heavily. Her head ached under the weight of the situation. Her problems were already overwhelming, and now this. She did not know whether meeting Lucas was a blessing or a curse.

“Baks, what you are asking is not easy. For us, I mean, for women like me,” she corrected herself quickly, “marriage is important. We want to marry someone we love and who loves us back. Love is not a game. As the elders say—” She paused, trying to recall the saying, but quickly forgot it, frowning in frustration.

Suddenly, Lucas clapped his hands, startling her. “So, is that sermon going to end this year? What did the elders say again?” he asked sarcastically, still leaning casually.

Rhea gave him a sharp look. “I forgot! That is all there is to it,” she said, pretending to cough to change the subject. “What I am saying is that marriage is not a joke. It binds you to someone. You should love each other. If not, nothing will come of it. And in your case, we do not even like each other, so it is impossible. You are just making things harder for yourself.”

“You are so negative,” Lucas complained. “It is not permanent. It is only temporary. That is the favor I wanted to ask. You are the only one I can think of who can help.”

Rhea raised an eyebrow. “Marry but not say why. What do you mean by temporary? What problem does marriage solve? Since when did marriage become part of problem-solving?”

Lucas took a deep breath and gently guided her to sit down. “My grandfather will not hand the company to me unless I marry a woman. You are the only woman I know I can trust, even a little. Once the company is turned over to me, we can annul. It is only temporary.”

Before she could respond, her mother’s body trembled. Rhea jumped up, nearly weak with fear. “W-what is happening?” she shouted, trembling.

She looked at Lucas, who also appeared surprised. “Call the doctor! Hurry, please!” she begged, her voice shaking with panic.

Lucas ran out of the room, almost flying with speed, while Rhea’s tears finally fell freely down her cheeks. Her chest pounded, and she felt the world around her disappear.

Within moments, Dr. Mike arrived with the nurses. Lucas returned and immediately held her tightly, offering comfort. Rhea was surprised by the sudden embrace but did not resist; she needed support in the midst of her fear.

She buried her face in his chest, sobbing as if she could not breathe. “B-Baks… Mama is struggling. I do not want to lose her. I cannot bear it.”

“Shhh… everything will be okay,” Lucas whispered, stroking her back, trying to create a calm world for her.

“Rhea,” Dr. Mike called. Rhea wiped her tears and composed herself before approaching the doctor.

“This is her second attack today. I am sorry, but your mother’s condition is worsening. Her body is weak. For now, all you can do is pray and give her strength. Talk to her. She might hear you and find the courage to fight. Stay strong, child.”

Dr. Mike patted Rhea gently on the shoulder before leaving, leaving her in silence. She stood there trembling, her heart pounding with fear, feeling as though the world had vanished around her. She wondered if she could survive losing her mother, if her prayers would be enough, and how she would face every moment of fear. Each breath felt heavy, and the tears she had just wiped away returned instantly, weighed down by overwhelming emotion.

After the doctor left, Lucas quietly watched Rhea as she walked toward her mother and held her hand. He could not help feeling sadness for her. Rhea’s story was tragic, yet she was enduring it. He thought that if he were in her place, he might not survive. She was truly brave. Every step she took was filled with courage, even as Lucas felt the weight of what she was going through.

He rubbed his stomach, realizing he was hungry. Glancing at the clock, he nodded to himself as he saw it was nearly noon.

“What can I eat here? Maybe I should just order delivery,” he thought, trying to control himself so as not to disturb Rhea’s mood.

He was about to ask Rhea what she wanted to eat when his cellphone rang. The ringtone startled Rhea, and she looked at him. He pulled out the phone to see who was calling—Don Lucio, his grandfather.

“Oh crap, we were supposed to have a meeting. I forgot, which is probably why he’s calling,” he muttered to himself.

Lucas signaled to Rhea that he would step out to take the call. She nodded in response. He could not leave her alone after what had just happened. Besides, he had not received her answer to his proposal. Every minute felt like an eternity. He needed her answer, but understood that it would not be easy for her.

He took a deep breath to prepare himself before answering. “Ah… hello, Lo?” he greeted.

“Why did it take you so long to answer? What are you doing now? Make sure you are not up to anything! When I hear news from you, I tell you… I will castrate you!” Don Lucio said, half in threat, making Lucas instinctively cover himself.

He forced a smile and took a deep breath, feeling the blood freeze in his veins. “I-I’m not out boys-hunting right now, Lolo. Do not worry. I am at the hospital…”

“What hospital? What are you doing there? Did something happen without me knowing?” Don Lucio asked, concerned. Lucas moved the phone away slightly as the voice grew louder.

“Nothing happened, Lo. I am healthy, still pretty. Just joking! I mean, your grandson is still handsome and doing pretty well,” he teased himself. “My fiancée’s mother suddenly had an attack while in a coma, so we rushed here.”

Although Lucas did not like saying “fiancée,” he had no choice. He needed a reason to convince the wisest person he knew. Rhea had to agree, especially since he had already told Lolo that she was his fiancée.

Don Lucio fell silent.

“Y-you have a fiancée? Female or male? Are you kidding me?” came the rapid-fire questions.

“What kind of question is that, Lo! Of course, it’s a she. A woman, to be exact. I am changing my life as you wanted,” Lucas said. “I also want to have children. Life is hard alone,” he added softly to make it sound more genuine.

“Are you sure you are telling the truth? Lucas Villareal, are you lying to me? Remember, I am Don Lucio. If you lie, you will not get even a fraction of the company,” Lolo warned.

Lucas stayed silent for a moment before speaking carefully, to avoid stuttering and being caught in a lie.

“I am one hundred percent sure, Lolo. You are too cautious. I will introduce her to you when everything is settled. For now, there is a problem, so I cannot leave for the meeting. I need to stay with her at the hospital,” he explained, feeling the anxiety in every word.

“Alright, good job,” Lolo said, and Lucas exhaled in relief.

“Just bring her when her mother’s condition is okay. I want to see her as soon as possible, and for your grandmother and me to meet the woman who changed you. It is better to discuss the wedding early because we want to see our future grandchildren,” Lolo added, giving a long list of instructions that made Lucas almost nauseous with nerves.

“Yes, I understand. I need to hang up now, Lo. Take care of yourself and Lola. Love you,” Lucas said before ending the call.

He checked the clock again and felt relieved. Instead of returning to the room, he decided to buy food for himself and Rhea. He drove to a nearby McDonald’s, ordered a lunch meal with a sundae for dessert, and headed back to the hospital.

Upon returning to the room where Rhea’s mother was checked in, he found Rhea asleep, still holding her mother’s hand.

“Look at this woman, she managed to sleep without eating. Planning to starve herself, I suppose,” he muttered while placing the food on the small table before gently tapping Rhea’s shoulder.

Rhea opened her eyes immediately, blinking at Lucas in surprise. She pointed to the food before saying, “Let’s eat. It’s not good to skip meals.”

“Thanks, Baks. Sorry for the trouble,” she added. Lucas just nodded as he prepared the food.

“Baks,” Rhea called out loudly.

“Oh, why? Are you in pain?” Lucas asked while arranging the meal. Even as he worked, he could not stop thinking about how to convince Rhea to accept his favor, especially now that Lolo knew everything. He had to get her agreement, or he would be in serious trouble with Don Lucio.

Rhea shook her head and smiled slightly.

“What is she smiling at? She has not eaten yet. Is she trying to be cute? Not effective. I am still better,” Lucas thought.

“I am okay with it,” Rhea said, which further scrambled Lucas’s thoughts.

“What did you say?” Lucas muttered.

“What, okay? What are you talking about? Clarify,” he said, signaling Rhea to come closer.

“Come here so we can eat, not for anything else. You look really out of it from earlier,” he added.

“You are crazy. Asking for a favor, and now that I agree, you think I am out of my mind. I do not understand you. Looks like not only is your gender orientation off, your brain is too,” Rhea teased.

Lucas froze, feeling both nervous and happy at the same time.

“W-what did you say? You mean… You will marry me?”

Rhea sat in front of him.

“Yes, temporary, right? I contemplated it a while ago, and honestly, I have nothing left now. I’ll be shameless. I really need your help financially for my mother’s treatment. So, as I said, I agree. I am okay with marrying you for now,” Rhea carefully explained, making Lucas ecstatic. He punched the air in joy, feeling safe with his grandfather’s wrath and relieved about the inheritance.

“I will marry you, just fulfill your promise to help with my mother’s bills. You can ignore me otherwise; just focus on her medicine and the hospital. That is what matters,” Rhea added, looking down, shy.

Lucas slowly approached and hugged her gently. He knew she was slightly surprised, but he was overjoyed at her decision.

“Thank you very much, Rhea. I promise to do that. Don’t worry, I will cover your mother’s hospital bills. You will not regret your answer. I will take care of you for six months. Thank you so much!”

“Oh, let’s just eat. Enough with the thanks, it makes me shy,” Rhea said, laughing, and Lucas chuckled.

“You are not losing out. Even if you marry a gay man, I’m still handsome, right?” Lucas teased.

“Well…” Lucas paused before he sat down.

“It’s enough. My eyes can tolerate it,” Rhea commented, shocking Lucas.

He poutingly glanced at Rhea while thinking: What? My gorgeous face? Tolerate? Whoa, calm down. I am too gorgeous to stoop to Rhea’s level. For now, forget what she said and focus on the company’s future. Aigoo! I just need to eat. I have been hungry for so long.