CHAPTER 5

Third Person's POV

Clyde: “Tomorrow, I’ll call my lawyer. Then we’ll see the earliest schedule.”

“Pangalawa,” dugtong ni Athena, “you pay the debt. Not… lavish lifestyle. Just enough para matigil yung forced marriage plan.”

Clyde tumango. “Okay.”

“Pangatlo,” Athena’s voice softened, “no humiliation. Kahit contract ‘to, I don’t want to be treated like… transaction.”

Clyde tinitigan siya. “You won’t.”

May katahimikan ulit, pero this time, iba—parang may nabubuong desisyon.

Tumayo si Clyde at lumapit ng dalawang hakbang, pero huminto para respetuhin ang space niya.

“Listen,” sabi niya. “I’m not going to take advantage of you tonight. You’re still not okay.”

Athena napatigil. “I’m okay.”

“No,” firm ni Clyde. “You’re not. We will talk again in the morning when you’re sober. If you still want this… then we proceed.”

Athena’s eyes searched his face. He can see a man with sense of responsibility and respect, hindi ang lalaking nasa chismis na playboy daw.

“Okay,” mahina niyang sagot. “Tomrrow morning.”

Tumango si Clyde. “Good. Now, sleep.”

“Ano’ng suot ko?” reklamo ni Athena, sabay tingin sa damit niyang gusot.

Naglakad si Clyde patungo sa closet, kinuha ang isang plain white shirt at ibinigay sa kanya, hindi tumitingin nang direkta.

“Wear this,” sabi niya. “Bathroom’s there. I’ll turn around.”

Athena natigilan. “You’re… really not gonna—”

“Stop,” putol ni Clyde, halos naiinis. “I said I won’t.”

Tahimik na tumango si Athena, tapos pumasok sa banyo.

Ilang minuto lang, lumabas siyang suot ang shirt ni Clyde na halos umabot na sa tuhod niya. Nakabalot pa rin ang kumot sa balikat, parang shield.

“Okay na,” bulong niya.

Tumayo si Clyde mula sa couch. “Good. You take the bed. I’ll take the couch.”

“Ha?” Athena blinked. “Sa couch ka?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m not a creep,” sagot ni Clyde, flat. “And because you’re not in the right state to decide anything tonight.”

Napatingin sa kanya si Athena, parang gusto niyang magtalo pero… pagod na pagod na siya.

“Thank you,” bigla niyang sabi, mahina.

Bahagyang natigilan si Clyde, parang hindi sanay marinig ‘yon. “Don’t thank me. Just sleep.”

Humiga si Athena. Saglit lang, naramdaman niyang umiikot pa rin ang mundo, pero mas magaan na. Bago tuluyang pumikit, bumulong siya—

“Clyde…”

“Yeah?”

“Kung magising ako bukas… at sabihin kong gusto ko pa rin yung deal…”

“…Then we’ll do it,” sagot niya. “Properly.”

Napangiti si Athena nang konti. “Promise?”

“Promise,” sagot ni Clyde.

At sa gabing iyon, habang natutulog si Athena sa kama at si Clyde sa couch, pareho silang may iisang iniisip—isang bagay na hindi nila kayang aminin pa:

Na ang “kontrata” na ’to… pwedeng maging simula ng gulong hindi na nila makokontrol.

R18+

Nagising si Athena sa lamig ng aircon at sa mahinang hum ng hotel room—yung klase ng katahimikan na parang binabalot ka, pero hindi ka pinapakalma.

Unang pumasok sa isip niya: Nasaan ako?

Pangalawa: Bakit parang ang bigat ng dibdib ko?

Pangatlo: yung suot niya… sobrang laki.

Pagtingin niya, naka-oversized white shirt siya. Panglalaki. Amoy malinis. Amoy… lalaki.

Napalingon siya sa couch.

Nandoon si Clyde—nakahiga nang patagilid, isang braso ang nasa ulo, parang hindi natulog kundi bumagsak sa pagod.

Athena swallowed hard.

Okay. Calm. Breathe. Remember.

Naalala niya ang bar. Ang stage. Ang mga kamay. Ang takot. At yung isang lalaking biglang humila sa kanya palayo.

“Morning…” paos na boses ni Clyde, sabay upo. Kinuskos niya ang mukha niya, buhok magulo pero mukha pa rin siyang… annoyingly composed.

Athena umupo rin sa kama, hinila ang kumot sa dibdib niya kahit fully covered naman siya. Reflex.

“Morning,” sagot niya, maingat.

Tumahimik sila. Awkward. Yung tipong parehong may gustong sabihin, pero parehong ayaw mauna.

“Are you okay?” tanong ni Clyde, mas straight, mas serious.

Huminga ng malalim si Athena, “I’m sober. Headache. Pride? Wounded. Pero… okay.”

Clyde’s lips twitched. “Good. I mean—good that you’re sober.”

Athena tumingin sa kanya. “You slept there?”

“Yeah,” sagot niya, pointing at the couch. “Like I said. I’m not that kind of guy.”

Athena’s shoulders eased a little. “Thanks.”

“Don’t thank me,” sabi niya. “It’s the bare minimum.”

“Still,” Athena insisted, “thank you.”

Nagkatinginan sila. Sandali lang, pero may kung anong biglang dumaan—parang isang tanong na hindi nila binibigkas.

Clyde cleared his throat first, parang nagising sa sarili. “Breakfast?”

Athena’s stomach growled at the exact wrong time.

“…Maybe.”

Clyde smirked. “Noted.”

Tinawagan niya ang room service. “Two breakfast sets. Light. Coffee.”

Athena umangat ang kilay. “Uy— I can pay—”

“Stop,” putol ni Clyde, calm pero firm. “Not today. One less thing for you to worry about.”

Athena napapikit saglit. One less thing. Sana ganun lang kadali ang lahat.

Pagkababa ni Clyde ng telepono, umupo siya sa armchair sa tapat niya—hindi masyadong malapit, hindi masyadong malayo.

“So,” sabi niya. “Last night… you said you want a deal.”

Athena’s spine straightened. “Yes.”

Clyde’s gaze sharpened. “Still?”

“Still.”

“Even now?” he pressed. “Na clear na yung utak mo?”

Athena tumitig sa kanya nang matagal. “Yes. Kasi kung hindi… I’ll lose my life.”

Clyde’s brows knitted. “Explain.”

Athena’s jaw tightened. “As I said last night, my parents are forcing me to marry someone. An old businessman. For their debt.”

Clyde’s face changed—yung tipong hindi na playboy energy. Cold. Protective. Dangerous.

“Name.”

“Mr. Sarmiento,” sagot ni Athena, bitter.

Clyde muttered, “Damn.”

Athena laughed without humor. “Exactly.”

Tahimik si Clyde for a second, then: “You’re twenty-two. Adult ka na. They can’t legally force you.”

Athena’s eyes flashed. “Legally? No. But emotionally? Financially? Socially? They can corner you until you don’t know what choice looks like.”

Clyde stared at her, then nodded slowly. “Okay. Then we do this clean. Rules. No confusion.”