Chapter 6

Celeste's POV

Hindi ako makahinga. Parang biglang huminto ang mundo ko matapos marinig ang sinabi ni Ninong Chester.

“We will raise that child and you need to marry me!”

It felt like a forceful command, an inescapable fate that he had already decided for me.

Bago ko pa maproseso ang lahat, bigla siyang lumapit. His towering presence made my legs weak, and before I knew it, his firm grip was on my wrist—hindi marahas, pero matigas, sapat para maramdaman kong wala akong kawala.

"P—Paano mo nalaman?" mahina kong tanong, pilit na nilalabanan ang kaba.

Tumigil siya sa paggalaw at tinitigan ako ng matalim. His cold, assessing eyes bore into mine, as if reading every thought inside my head. Damn it, Celeste. Bakit mo ba naisipang harapin siya ngayon?

“You think I wouldn’t know?” bumaba ang boses niya, bahagyang lumapit pa sa akin. “You’ve been avoiding me for weeks. I had someone follow you—siyempre hindi mo naisip ‘yon dahil masyado kang busy sa kakaiwas sa akin. Masyado kang masunuring bata.”

My blood ran cold.

“You… had me followed?”

Hindi siya nagsalita, pero sapat na ang tingin niya para kumpirmahin ang lahat.

Napakapit ako sa bag na hawak ko, feeling utterly trapped. I should’ve known—hindi ko dapat minaliit ang isang tulad ni Chester Villamor. Isang billionaire na doktor, may sariling ospital, may koneksyon kahit saan. A man like him? He always got what he wanted. At ngayon, ako ang gusto niyang makuha.

No, not me… our child.

Pero bakit ako ang nakakaramdam ng takot?

“Celeste,” he said my name with a tone that sent chills down my spine. “You’re pregnant. With my child. Do you think I’d let you handle this alone?”

Sinubukan kong hugutin ang kamay ko mula sa hawak niya, pero hindi siya bumitaw.

“I—It’s my body,” pilit kong depensa. “Ako ang magdedesisyon kung ano ang gagawin ko sa—”

“No,” putol niya sa akin, mas matigas na ngayon ang boses niya. “Walang kasalanan ang anak natin.”

Napapikit ako nang mariin, trying to steady my breathing. Anak natin. Ang bigat ng mga salitang iyon sa pandinig ko.

“You will not abort our child,” he continued, his voice unwavering. “We will raise that child together. And you need to marry me.”

His words slammed into me like a wrecking ball.

Biglang bumalik sa akin ang lahat ng iniwasan kong katotohanan—ang isang gabing hindi ko dapat maalala, ang kahihinatnan ng isang pagkakamali, at ang matinding implikasyon ng pagbubuntis ko.

At ngayon, gusto niya akong pakasalan.

I let out a hollow laugh. “Marriage? Ninong, are you serious? Inaanak mo ako. Ano na lang ang iisipin ng pamilya natin? Dudungisan mo ang mga pangalan at reputasyon natin dahil lang sa batang nasa sinapupunan ko?”

He didn’t even blink. “Do I look like I’m joking?”

Napailing ako. “We don’t even have feelings for each other! And now you’re telling me to marry you?”

“It’s not about feelings,” aniya, as if emotions were insignificant. “It’s about responsibility.”

Parang may humigpit na gapos sa dibdib ko. I stared at him in disbelief. “Responsibility?”

His gaze darkened. “I don’t take fatherhood lightly. At hindi ako papayag na lumaki ang anak ko nang walang ama.”

His child. Not mine. Not ours. His.

Sa mga sinabi niya, doon ako tuluyang naputol.

Napaatras ako. Hindi ko alam kung dahil sa kaba, takot, o galit. “So what, ikakasal tayo para lang magkaroon ang anak natin ng ‘buong pamilya’? Para lang masabing may tatay siya? Para lang sa panlabas na imahe mo?”

Nagtagilid ang ulo niya, studying me. “Isn’t that how it should be? Isn’t that better than raising a child alone?”

I let out a bitter chuckle. “Wow, ang simple para sa 'yo. Pero ako? Ako ang babae rito. Ako ang may katawan na nagdadala ng batang ‘to. At higit sa lahat, ako ang may karapatang magdesisyon kung paano ko haharapin ‘to.”

His jaw clenched. “You think kaya mong palakihin ‘yan nang mag-isa?”

“I will, if I have to,” sagot ko agad.

For the first time, nakakita ako ng bahagyang pagkagulat sa mukha niya. Pero agad ding nawala.

Napakuyom siya ng kamao at bumuntong-hininga. Then he straightened up, as if regaining his control. “We’re getting married, Celeste. Whether you like it or not.”

What the hell?

“Excuse me?”

“My lawyer will prepare the contract,” he continued, ignoring my furious reaction. “We’ll keep this between us for now. A secret marriage, if that’s what you prefer. Pero walang makakaalam na hindi totoo ‘to.”

Napahawak ako sa sentido ko. I felt like my world was spinning. “Ninong, I don’t want to marry you! Bakit ba ang dali para sa 'yo ang mga bagay na ‘to? This isn’t just some business transaction!”

His eyes flickered with something unreadable. “You don’t have a choice.”

Oh, I definitely had a choice. Pero ang problema…kaya ko bang ipaglaban ang pagpili sa sarili kong landas?

O matatalo ako sa laro ni Ninong Chester… at mapipilitang tanggapin ang buhay na siya ang nagdikta?

Tahimik akong nakatingin sa kanya, while my mind screamed in frustration.

Nasa loob kami ng kotse ko kasi biglang bumuhos ang malakas na ulan.

Ninong Chester was a man who never lost a battle. At kung papatulan ko ang laro niya, alam kong wala akong laban.

I swallowed hard. “And what if I say no?”

His eyes turned colder. Damn it. Hindi ko gusto ang titig niyang ‘yon.

“Then I’ll make sure you have no choice, but to say yes,” aniya. “And trust me, Celeste, I always get what I want.”

His words were a warning. A threat. A promise. At doon ko naramdaman ang mas matinding kaba.

I wasn’t just fighting for my freedom. I was fighting against a man who never accepted defeat.

Author's Note:

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