CHAPTER 1

HIS DARKEST PLEDGE

WRITTEN BY: TATTERDEMALION

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

No part of this story may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the author's permission.

Also, I want to remind you that this story is unedited. I'm always updating typographical, grammatical, and spelling errors in my chapters, so please bear with me.

Before you read this story, I just want to say thank you. I hope you'll stay with me until the very end...

CHAPTER 1

Maraming bagay sa mundo na hindi mo dapat itapon, kalimutan, lalong-lalo na ang takasan. Dahil kapag ginawa mo? Hahabulin ka ng konsensya. Hanggang sa hindi ka makatulog sa gabi, hanggang sa maging dominant iyon sa isip mo, hanggang sa isang araw—magsisisi ka na lang kung bakit mo iyon iniwan sa daan, tinapon sa basura, o sinadyang kalimutan.

Striving for life was my ultimate goal. Reaching my dreams was the only way for me to prove that I could escape things without guilt chasing me down.

I didn't have a perfect family or perfect parents. Hindi naman siguro ako hahabulin ng konsensya kung isang araw ay kalimutan ko sila at iwanan?

"Sumunod ka na lang sa akin, Xianny! You're the heir of my business! It needs to be safe! You need to save it from going bankrupt!"

My tears began falling hard. Nasa backseat ako, habang si Dad ay nagmamaneho. May kasama rin siyang lalaki na panay ang tutok sa akin ng baril kahit wala naman akong balak na manlaban.

"Hindi naman sapat na dahilan 'yon para kidnapin mo 'ko, Dad! You don't need to escape the prison because of that!"

"I know you'll never save my business! Kaya hindi kita pinag-aral pero nagpumilit ka lang sa nursing!"

"Then, I'll study business ad instead! You don't have to do this! You'll just spend more time in prison because of this!" My voice cracked on the last word, splintering like glass.

My dad, Mariano Garcia, was a murderer. He killed Leandro Hermes, his friend and the former Vice Mayor of Dapo Randa. He was imprisoned and didn't even try to defend himself because the evidence against him was too strong.

And now he'd escaped from prison. He was at the event we attended, and he kidnapped Tita Nessia, Ate Cherry, and me. The memory of their screams still rang in my ears, sharp and terrifying.

Tita Nessia was the wife of Leandro while their daughters were Ate Cherry and Julie. Malaki ang galit ni Dad sa kanila, kaya gusto niyang maghiganti. And who the hell does he think he is, dragging me into this?!

"Sa tingin mo mahuhuli ako ng mga pulis na 'yon? Ikaw ang sasalba sa akin, Xianny."

We headed to a house somewhere on the outskirts. I couldn't tell where exactly. Malaki iyon at automatic pang nagbukas ang gate para sa amin.

We got out, and he dragged me inside, his fingers digging into my upper arm hard enough to leave bruises.

The house looked like it wasn't the main residence. Kami lang ni Dad ang nakikita ko.

It seemed more like a vacation home... or a hideout. The furniture looked expensive but unused. Everything was too clean, too perfect, too empty of life.

Pero nagkamali ako dahil noong pumasok kami sa living area, may nakapulang lalaki roon, nakatayo at matayog kaming tinitingnan.

My eyes darted to his face. He looked clean and proper. And his expression was dark and unyielding, na kahit yata magpatawa ka sa harapan niya ay hindi magbabago ang mukha. There was something predatory in the way he held himself, like a panther waiting to strike.

Humarap kami ni Dad. Mas mataas siya kay Dad, at syempre sa akin. His shoulders were broad, his stance confident. This was a man who was used to getting what he wanted.

Hindi ko alam kung ano ang plano ngayon ni Dad! Damn it, I should shout! I should ask for help but I think there are high-tech guns everywhere that will shoot me if I scream!

"This is Lance... The next CEO of Kingsland," si Dad.

Dad released my hand, which he'd been gripping tightly this whole time. Hinawakan ko ang aking braso dahil mahapdi iyon.

"Lance, this is Xianny. My daughter."

That guy's eyes bore into me. He put his hand in the air. I just stared at it.

"Nice to meet you, Xianny."

His voice was deep, smooth like aged whiskey, with an accent I couldn't quite place. There was no warmth in it, no inflection that suggested he actually meant what he said.

Really. It was all made up!

Alangan namang in love na siya sa akin sa unang tingin pa lang?!

I heard Dad scoff. Sa sofa ay may suitcase at kinuha niya iyon. Akala ko nga baril, pero papel ang nilabas niya. He showed it to me and shook it as if it was a toy and I was a kid happy to see it.

I made a face. "Dad, what's the meaning of this?"

"You're going to marry him. He'll help you save my nearly drowning business," he answered, as casually as if he were discussing the weather.

My eyes went to his hand again, and they kept growing wide until they reached his face. Kulang na lang ay lumuwa ang mga mata ko sa gulat!

"Dad! I can do it on my own! Hindi mo kailangan na ipagkanulo ako sa iba!"

"I know you, Xianny! You'll pursue nursing! Wala kang pakialam sa negosyo ko! Just like Limuel—neither of you cares!"

His words hit like a slap. Maybe because there was truth in them. I had chosen nursing specifically because I didn't want anything to do with his shady business dealings.

Tiningnan ko ulit ang lalaking animo'y robot lang na nakatayo sa harapan ko.

"Y-You're okay with this?" I asked. "You're just going to stand there and let him do this?"

Lance's expression didn't change. He might as well have been carved from stone.

"Please, Xianny. I don't want to do this but... my business is our only chance," si Dad.

I knew we were struggling with what was left of Dad's business. Those investors wanted refunds for their stocks, banging on our door at all hours, sending threatening letters that Mom tried to hide from me. But we didn't have enough money for it!

Si Mom ang nahihirapan at isa iyon sa mga gusto kong makamit sa buhay—ang makaahon kami!

But is this the only way? Wala na bang iba? Ito na lang ba talaga?!

I had a boyfriend once, during my high school days... But it was all puppy love! Ni hindi sinagot ko nga lang 'yon nang hindi man lang ako nililigawan! Because it's trending and I do it for clout, until I broke up with him because he's bored. And after that, wala na, hindi na ako nagka-boyfriend dahil naaawa rin ako kay Kuya Limuel na wala nang time magka-jowa dahil siya ang nagpapaaral sa akin sa school.

I'd never felt romantic feelings for anyone. Maybe because I was too busy with my studies, buried in textbooks and clinical rotations. I didn't want to disappoint the person paying for my education... my older brother, Kuya Limuel, who'd worked so hard to give me opportunities Dad never cared about.

But I couldn't imagine entering a relationship for the first time and getting married right away! To a complete stranger who looked at me like I was a business transaction!

Hindi ko man lang ba mararanasan na ligawan ako? Iyong breakups?! Cool-offs?! Iyong sagutin ko ang manliligaw ko?! Iyong haharap kami sa screen ng sine at hindi sa altar?!

I should have listened to my friends! We used to be so rich, before Dad's crimes came to light, before everything fell apart. They said it might be possible to get tied into an arranged marriage, so I should enjoy life and date guys while I still could. But I didn't believe them! I thought arranged marriages were something from history books and old movies.

But now... Right now...

"I can't believe this," I uttered.

"Just sign this paper, Xianny."

Umiling ako kay Dad at naluluha na.

"Xianny, please? I'll be the one—y-your Mom will be the one suffering if we drown in debt. Vetara will help us," he said, using what must be Lance's surname.

Okay lang naman sa akin ito. I like seeing Mom being free from stressing herself.

Dad abused my Mom before. He hurt her physically and verbally. Dad was a murderer and I saw that he wanted to run away and be free from all his sins. Hindi na niya masasaktan si Mom, hindi na iiyak si Mommy sa mga sugat niya sa katawan.

Napapikit ako nang mariin. Nasa bingit din ng kamatayan sina Ate Cherry at Tita Nessia. There's already a demon living inside Dad's body. Hindi naman ako masasaktan sa sakripisyong ito.

I opened my eyes and they darted to the paper that my Dad was holding.

The words blurred together, legal jargon I didn't understand, but I saw enough.

Marriage contract.

Merger agreement.

My name is typed in black and white.

"Magpapakasal ako pero huwag ka nang magpapakita sa amin, Dad."

"Of course!" he chuckled as if I were crazy. "I'll escape the Philippines tonight! Together with Lance! Just sign this damn paper."

So Lance was leaving too. Leaving me here with a ring on my finger and a name I barely knew.

"Pakakawalan mo rin sina Ate Cherry at Tita Nessia," dugtong ko.

Hindi siya nakasagot. Pero alam kong wala siyang choice. He knew I would say that. He needed my signature more than he needed his revenge.

"I'll take the NLE before marrying him."

Hindi ulit siya nakasagot. He didn't even know that I had just graduated from college. Because he's in prison and no one's visiting him there except his lawyer!

I gritted my teeth in frustration.

I didn't know anything about marriage. But I'd seen movies where arranged marriages weren't romantic at all. Some couples had open relationships and could cheat freely. It was just made for the sake of business and money, a contract like any other. And I thought, that's fine with me. I could live with that. I could build a life around the empty spaces.

It was fine for Lance who was standing like a... robot, again.

Tsk. What kind of man agrees to marry a stranger without even a conversation?

"Iyon lang ba?" si Dad.

I nodded, my hand shaking as I reached for the pen he offered.