CHAPTER 2

Vera's Point of View 

"Mayor, uh, I mean Tito, does Madam Charlotte know about this?" I asked, referring to his wife.

"Just call her Tita too. Anyway, she doesn't know either. Only I and your colleagues at work, and now you, are aware of this," Tito Stan explained.

"Oh, I see. How did you tell Tita Charlotte about the fake wedding?" I asked curiously.

"At first, she was hesitant, but eventually agreed because she said Ares is getting older, and he needs to meet someone he can marry. So I told her that this day is when the woman I chose will come. I didn't mention a name because I thought it would be someone else. I only found out earlier that it was you, hija," Tito Stan said, nodding at me.

Tita Charlotte came out first, wearing casual home attire. As soon as she spotted me, she furrowed her brow, clearly wondering why she saw me here.

Well, she knows me too because we're friends with my parents, and her son Ares is also my friend.

"Verania? You're the one Stanley chose?" Tita Charlotte said, her eyes widening.

I forced a smile and quickly nodded. "Yes, Tita Charlotte," I replied, and she turned to her husband.

"Stanley, it's really Verania, huh?" I heard Tita Charlotte say.

"Why? Is there a problem?" Tito replied, and Tita Charlotte frowned, moving closer to him.

"There is, Stan. Verania is a soldier! Her life is in danger! What if Ares agrees to marry her? I thought you were trying to keep our son away from danger?" Tita said in a whisper, which I could barely hear.

As we waited, we moved to where the sofas were. We sat there to wait for their two children. Olivia, the youngest, and of course, the eldest, Ares, whom I would be guarding and taking care of due to his current condition.

While waiting, I suddenly remembered the last conversation I had with Ares before his accident. He mentioned he was courting a doctor! Do his parents know about it?

I hadn't thought about that! What if he's already in a relationship with the doctor he mentioned? What will that woman say to Ares? She might think I'm trying to steal him!

I shook my head at my own thoughts. It doesn't matter; everything is just fake, no one is taking anyone away.

Just as I heaved a sigh, Olivia and Ares came out of their rooms. Olivia was pushing Ares in a wheelchair. That must be why they took a bit longer; Olivia was waiting for Ares.

I've known Olivia for quite some time now since I've been friends with Ares for a long time. But Olivia and I didn't become close friends; I don't know why, maybe we just have different tastes. She prefers elegant and sophisticated women, while I'm just a bit cocky. Just kidding, I'm just an ordinary girl, not elegant or anything like that.

Most of my friends are guys, and I also often hang out with female colleagues at work. There's one close female friend with a similar style to Olivia's, my older sister Ate Mavis. She's actually one of the renowned designers under the Armendarez Apparel Company, a company well-known nationwide and internationally, so she rarely comes home.

Anyway, even with her busy life, we're still close because, of course, we're siblings.

"Verania?" Olivia said in surprise, glancing at Ares and their father, Tito Stanley.

"What is she doing here?" Ares asked coldly, making me blink a few times.

"You explain," Tita Charlotte said with a smile to her husband.

"Because of what happened to you, I thought of something that could really help you deal with that kind of thing," Tito Stan began, raising Olivia's eyebrows.

"I think you will need someone who can help or guide you anywhere. Verania will be your temporary driver and bodyguard," Tito Stan continued.

"Is that all?" Olivia said rudely, looking at her father, then immediately shifting her gaze to me, raising an eyebrow.

"Olivia, manners," her mother warned, causing her to sigh.

"Verania will also be your in-house nurse," Tito Stan said, glancing at Ares' injured foot.

"Nurse? I don't need her. I know someone, and she's actually a doctor. You can hire her," Ares straightforwardly rejected his father's suggestion.

"Be content with what's in front of you, Ares. Verania has almost everything you need right now, and one of the best things she has is my trust," Tito Stan calmly replied, making Ares furrow his brow and glare at me.

What the heck did I do? I can feel his resentment towards me. As far as I remember, we didn't argue the last time we talked, which was a week ago, before his accident.

"Is that all, Dad? I have loads of things to be busy with," Ares said softly, causing his father to sigh.

"There's another thing you need to know," Tito Stan added, glancing back at Ares.

"I want you and Verania to know more of each other and be also fond of each other, because I am arranging a marriage for the two of you," Tito Stan announced, causing silence to envelop the surroundings.

Ares turned his gaze towards me, his eyebrows furrowing in surprise and anger. I could feel his resentment towards the idea of being arranged in marriage, especially after having someone he was already pursuing, and then an accident happened, and now he's being told he's going to marry me.

"Marriage? Oh, funny. I think I don't need to be here," Olivia remarked, glaring at me before leaving. Tita Charlotte was about to call her back, but Tito Stan stopped her, telling her to let their daughter go for the moment.

"Dad, marriage? Since when did you agree to an arranged marriage? I thought you didn't like this? Why are you doing this to me?" Ares asked with frustration.

"Ares, this is for your own sake," Tita Charlotte calmly replied, and Ares closed his eyes, probably trying to contain his anger due to his mother's words.

When he opened his eyes, they immediately locked onto mine. "You agreed to this? I thought you didn't want to get married?" he questioned boldly, causing me to lower my gaze. There's nothing I can say; this is the plan, and it's temporary.

"Ares? Is that how you behave towards your friend, who is soon to be your wife?" Tita Charlotte asked calmly, but Ares seemed to ignore her.

"You never visited me even once in the hospital, and now you're saying we're getting married?" he snapped, causing me to raise my head.

"Wait, Ares, are you angry because I didn't visit you in the hospital?" I asked, but his eyebrows remained furrowed.

"Tsk, it's none of your business!" he grumbled, maneuvering his wheelchair on his own until a maid came to assist him, which he allowed.

"Vera, do you think you can make my son like this arrangement?" Tito Stan asked with concern. I shifted my gaze to Tita Charlotte, who looked at me seriously.

"I will try my best," I replied, and they both smiled at me before pointing towards Ares. I understood what they meant, so I quickly followed Ares.

Ares... I will do everything to make you like this arrangement, even if it's just a job.

I smiled as I thought about it. Let the game begin.

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