Chapter 3

"MISS Ysabelle?" tawag ng kasambahay, mukhang pinabuksan na naman ni Mama ang kuwarto ko kahit na nakalock ito.

I rolled my eyes. My head is still aching from the hang over. I excpected Mama to scold me today for what I did. Halos naramdaman ko na nga na nariyan siya kasama ni Manang pero nagkamali ako.

"Pinapaalala lang ng Mama mo na may bisita kayo mamaya. Tanghali na at baka mas magandang nagaayos ka na ngayon."

Hindi ako sumagot. I still want to sleep. Hindi na rin nagsalita si Manang. I slept and woke up again the next hour feeling a little bit better.

Wala sa sarili akong bumangon at pumunta sa banyo. I'm glad I had the strength to wash up last night before really going to bed. It's bad enough that I can still feel that man's... I sighed and just started my routine on the bathroom, trying hard to ignore the feeling.

Nag-aayos na ako ng buhok nang padabog kong binitiwan ang brush sa dresser. I really can't believe that this is happening! A part of me still hoped that my father would never do that to me but as this day pass by, lalo lang akong kinakabahan.

Hapon pa nang bumaba ako para sana kausapin na ulit si Mama at Papa. I will try to negotiate. In my head, I tried to enumerate the things that I will do so they will see my sincerity. Magso-sorry ako sa pag-alis ko kagabi, magso-sorry ako sa mga nagawa ko sa Cebu, aaminin ko na may pagka bad influence nga ang mga kaibigan ko, at mangangako ako na susubukan kong magtrabaho sa kompanya. Siguro naman sapat na iyon para baguhin ang isipan ni Papa.

”Isay...” I heard Mama's energetic voice as I descend on our grand staircase.

Napabaling ako sa open patio namin, kung saan nanggaling ang boses at natanaw si Papa at Mama na naroon, may iba silang kasamang kilala ko bilang matatandang board of directors, at isang nakatalikod na mas bata.

The younger man stood up. Sinundan ng dalawang board na unang binati ko dahil kilala naman.

Nangingiting lumapit si Mama sa akin, isang bagay na kapani-panibago dahil tuwing may kasalanan ako, you will see her raising hell, and not greeting me. Seryoso lang si Papa habang kinakausap ang mas batang makisig na tumayo.

I kissed my Mom on the cheek as I greeted the old bosses again before my eyes got a closer look of the man beside my father. In a split second, my jaw dropped when I realized it was a familiar face. Hindi lang basta-bastang pamilyar! Kundi...

"Isabella, this is Damon Montero. He is the new head of the Montero's Resorts International," si Papa.

The man's lips was also slight open as he looked at me. Kita rin sa mata niya ang gulat pero unti-unti ring nagrelax. His lips slowly pursed with a small smirk, as he held out his hand.

"Nice to meet you, Miss Morata."

Napakurap-kurap ako, hindi pa makapaniwala.

Pakiramdam ko tulog pa ako at binabangungot pal Is this serious?!

"Be polite," Mom's voice echoed as a whisper.

Hindi ko matanggap-tanggap ang kamay ng lalaki. My face heated and my heart feels like running a marathon.

The man in front of me, Damon Montero, is the stranger last night! Isang tango lang ni Papa at iginiya ang matatanda ng kanyang sekretarya patungo siguro sa conference room ng mansiyon. We are left there with the man and I think I know why he did that! This is something serious and it involves his plan!

Tahimik kong inabot ang nakalahad ng kamay ng lalaki, ayaw nang dagdagan pa ang galit ng mga magulang sa akin. Damon looked at me with a smug look in his face.

"Come, Isabella," si Mama at iginiya ako sa tapat na upuan sa lalaki bago siya umupo sa tabi ko.

Tahimik lang ako pero naghuhuramentado na ang puso ko. I am so confused! Gusto kong sumbatan si Mama at Papa sa gusto nilang mangyari pero hindi ko magawa dahil masyado pa akong gulat na ang lalaki kagabi... ay ang lalaki ring pakakasalan kol

Papa cleared his throat. Tuluyan nang nakaalis sa hapag ang mga matatanda at medyo narinig ko na naroon din ang ilang board sa conference room. Siguro may meeting sila ngayon, kaya narito rin si Damon. I want to think that way but I know exactly why he's here and why... he's still with us right now!

"Papa-"

"Let me talk first, Ysabelle ," si Papa agap sa akin.

Biting my lower lip, I almost pleaded for another chance but he continued.

"This is Damon, the man I'm talking about. I know you just met him but I am very positive that you'll get along with him well-"

"Papa!" putol ko, nawala na ang kahihiyan at pagkakagulat sa lalaki.

I don't care now if he's here. I will assert what's on my mind.

"l w-won't do it again. I will... work! I promise! Please-

Papa smiled a bit on Damon before he looked at me. "Sure you will, sweetheart. You don't have to but if yo really want to, then alright. But for that, you have to talk to Damon about your arrangement at work.

Damon..."

He smiled at my father. "Hindi naman po problema sa akin 'yon, Sir."

Kunot-noo at hindi makapaniwala, papalit palit ang titig ko sa dalawa. Is this serious?!

Napansin ni Papa ang tingin ko. "Isay, we have arranged things for you. By the end of this week, you are bound to marry Damon so-"

" Papa, are you really serious?!" tumaas na ang boses ko.

"Isabella..." marahang tawag ni Mama kaya nilingon ko siya. Hindi talaga ako makapaniwala sa kanila.

Damon was silent and serious as he looked at me panicking in front of him. How is this okay with him?! Besides that... kagabi ba alam niya na ako ang ipinangako ni Papa na mapapangasawa niya?! How dare him! Did he play with me?! What the hell?!

"Ma!" pagmamakaawa ko.

"You don't have to look pitiful, Ysabelle. Damon is a good man, better than your friends-"

" But I don't like him!" napasulyap ako kay Damon pero wala na akong pakialam.

Mukha rin namang hindi niya pinersonal iyon. In face, I even saw him smirk but I am too busy panicking to make a big deal about it!

"You will like him eventually, Damon." Hindi ako makapaniwala talaga na galing iyon kay Papa.

Galit ko siyang binalingan.

" How can you say that?! You took away my freedom to choose who I want to marry, Papa! Dahil lang sa mga nagawa ko, pangungunahan n'yo na ang buhay ko ng ganito?!" I said with tears forming in my eyes.

I am waiting for Damon to butt in and say I'm right, after all, it's just not me! Siya rin naman, ganoon.

Pareho kami ng sitwasyon pero wala siyang ginawa! The asshole only looked at me with his smug look, greed and arrogance reeking in his expression.

I am a catch. I am the daughter of Diego Morata, so why would he say no? Even if he doesn't love me, he'd marry me. At isa pa, ang mga kagaya niyang lalaki, naniniwala ba sa pag-ibig?

"Please, Ysabelle. We have talked about this over and over again. Damon is here-"

" l don't care, Papa! Can't you see? You're taking away my freedom so how can I stop myself from talking about this! This is a life-changing decision!"

Napapikit saglit si Papa, nakikinig sa mga sinabi ko.

"This is something that I should be the one deciding because it's my life! I am going to be wedded to the person! I am going to live with him... and yet you didn't even consider my opinion?! Talagang kayo lang ni Mama ang namili?"

"At bakit, Ysabelle?" Father's voice was dead cold, something he only uses when he's utterly irritated and angry. "If I make you choose, who would it be?"

Hindi ako nakapagsalita, nanginginig ang labi ko.

"Do you have someone else in mind?"

If this was yesterday, I could easily say Luis. Pero kung iisiping mabuti, tama naman kaya ang magiging desisyon ko kay Luis? Ni hindi ko nga siya masagot bilang boyfriend dahil sa mga pagdududa ko sa kanya. At ang pinaka importante, alam kong hinihintay ni Papa na iyon ang sasagutin ko. Pakiramdam ko may nakahanda na siyang pambara sa akin sa oras na banggitin ko ang pangalan niya. He's daring me to say Luis's name.

I remained silent, scared to say anything. I feel like he had it all figured out. Whether I like it or not, his decision is final.

"Damon is a good man. Do you really think I'll marry you off by just anybody?"

Hindi pa rin ako sumagot, nangingilid na ang mga luha ko.

"He's successful, career-driven, and honorable. Sino ba ang gusto mo? lyong kaibigan mo'ng nitong nakaraan lang ay nahulihan ng droga?"

Pumikit ako ng mariin. "Hindi naman, Pa. Marami pang p-paraan para..."

"l don't think so. Damon is even concerned that your name has been dragged in so many controversies that there is no turning back for you. Drugs, party, and all the other scandals. I've had enough of it!"

Umiling ako, bumuhos na ang luha sa mga pisngi. Hinawakan ni Mama ang kamay ko.

"The only solution to save our very stained name right now at para maisalba ang negosyo natin is for you to marry an honorable man."

Hindi ako makapanaiwala na nangyayari lahat ng ito. At sa kabila ng lahat ng ito... Luhaang tiningnan ko ang lalaking nasa harap ko na tila napakaseryoso, with that five o'clock shadow in his face.

"Pwedeng siya ang kasama mo. Pwede mong piliin na mag-file ng divorce pagkatapos ng isang taon o kahit kailan mo naisin, basta naiintindihan mo kung bakit gusto kong gawin ito."

Siya'y nagbuntong-hininga.

"Mahirap din ito para sa akin, Ysabelle. Hindi ito ang plano ko na ipakasal ka ng ganito, pero mas pipiliin ko ito, kahit na hindi mo ako gusto, kaysa hayaan kang umalis at makita kitang sirain ang iyong pangalan at pati na rin ang sarili mo."