Kabanata 4 The Announcement

My biological mom, Arabella Consunji, is a cold-hearted, condescending-old woman, na hanggang ngayon ay sinisisi pa rin sa akin ang pagkaalis ni Amara sa puder nila. Na para bang hindi ako ang tunay nilang anak.

“Are you seriously going to do this? I  told you, hindi siya ang may pakana non! It was an accident, Celeste!” Bulalas niyang muli na para bang nais niya akong kumbinsihin.

Umiling ako at nagpatuloy sa pagpupunas ng buhok ko. “She did that to me because she wanted me gone to reclaim her throne to the Consunji family. If you’re so convinced that she did not try to kill me that night, then continue to protect her. Sana ay hindi niyo na lang ako nakita twenty years ago.”

“You’re right! I wish we had never looked for you! I don’t know what kind of family you came from before Linda threw you away, but I would never want to have a daughter like you!” she hissed, abruptly standing up and glaring sharply at me. “As long as you remain defiant, we’re freezing all your accounts—and you’ll get nothing from the Consunji fortune.”

I let out a laugh at her threat. “As if I’m scared, Mom. Close the door on your way out.”

A month later…

“Introducing the one of a kind designer behind these beautiful and unique masterpieces, and of course my fiance… Celeste Isabella Dela Vega!” Sebastian announced to everyone.

The crowd went silent for a minute after I showed myself in front of everyone, lalo na si Jaxon at ang pamilya ko na nasa harapan na gulat na gulat na nakatingin sa akin. I smirked at them before proceeding to my speech.

I was on my way to the bathroom when I saw Jaxon as if chasing me. Nang maabutan niya ako ay marahas niyang hinablot ang braso ko at tinapon ako sa wall ng hallway  kaya nanlaki ang mga mata ko.

“What the fuck are you doing?!” I hissed when he tried to corner me with his big arms kaya pumalag ako.

“What’s the meaning of this, huh? Are you doing this to avenge your trampled ego at ang lalaking iyon pa ang ginagamit mo? Ganyan ka na ba kadesperada?” Nagngangalit na pahayag niya at muli akong hinawakan sa magkabilang braso.

“Nasasaktan ako, Jaxon. Bitawan mo ako,” mariin kong banta ngunit hindi niya ako pinakinggan.

Sarkastiko siyang humalakhak na parang nababaliw na. “Fiance, huh? Imposible namang binayaran mo si Mr. Razon para makipagsabwatan dahil wala ka naman nang pera, Celeste. I’m sure it was your body. Tell me, what did you do to make him your ally? Did you suck his dick? Or did you swallow his cum?”

Bago pa ako kumurap ay mabilis na nawala si Jaxon sa harapan ko at bumagsak sa sahig na duguan ang ilong at bibig.

“Son of a bitch! Do you know who you were talking to, asshole?” Sebastian’s voice thundered across the hallway after he forcefully punched Jaxon’s face.

Mariing pinunasan ni Jaxon ang dugo sa bibig niya at humalakhak.

“Yes, I know her very well because she was my fiance before you tasted her… Ikaw, kilala mo na ba kung anong klaseng babae yang pakakasalan mo? O basta mo na lang siyang ginusto just because she was so good at sucking dick? I should know. That woman is a fucking user,” he said in a mocking tone.

Mariin akong nagmura. Bago ko pa mabawi ang sarili ko at masugod siya ay tuluyan na siyang nawalan ng malay nang sipain siya ni Sebastian sa tiyan nang malakas.

And the next thing I knew—everyone gathered on that very hallway at kabi-kabila na ang mga camera sa paligid namin.

Flashback before the engagement announcement.

“Along with that two million pesos is a marriage proposal. You’ll be my wife for three months and you will have my name as your solid protection,” deklara niya na nagpataas ng kilay ko.

Nanatiling kalmado ang ekspresyon niya, na para bang nag offer lang siya sa akin ng candy at dapat na tanggapin ko iyon nang walang pag aalinlangan.

“And what makes you think that I’m going to accept your proposal?”

His eyes pierced my soul. Hindi ko mawari pero parang ibang tao ang kaharap ko ngayon sa lalaking nadatnan kong pinapaligaya ang kanyang sarili habang may tinitingnan sa cellphone niya. Was it p**n? I’m sure it was.

“I just know it. You’ll need protection now that you’ve called off the wedding to the heir of the Jimenez clan. Knowing them — especially Jaxon Jimenez — he won’t let that go easily,” he said plainly, as if he were absolutely certain.

Bigla itong tumayo at nagmartsa papalapit sa akin. He leaned forward. Ang kanyang dalawang kamay ay pumatong sa harapan ko at tiningnan ako nang mataman.

“Plus the Consunji family. They’d go so far as to strip you of your bloodline and assign it to their impostor daughter. Tell me—can you handle that on your own? They’re pros at twisting the story,” he said, as if he already knew everything about me.

Hindi kaagad ako nakasagot dahil lahat ng sinabi niya ay tama. I just went to his details online at napag alaman kong influential siyang tao—kali-kaliwa ang mga negosyo sa iba’t ibang mga bansa, ngunit iyon lamang ang natagpuan ko.

Bakit pakiramdam ko ay may mas higit pang dahilan kung bakit siya ang tinaguriang pinakamakapangyarihan sa bansa?

Sebastian Luca Razon—anong mayroon sayo?

“I’ll give you time to think. Don’t worry, I won’t say anything to the public until you decide,” he said calmly.

–

“Did you agree to his proposal?” tanong ni Selene pagkarating na pagkarating namin sa VIP room ng Wild Rover Bar.

Nanatili ang tingin ko sa shot glass na nasa mesa. “I didn’t. I don’t know. Pakiramdam ko ay may iba pa siyang nais na mangyari. Imposibleng basta-basta na lang niya akong oofferan ng kasal para lang protektahan ako. Hindi naman kami magkakilala nang lubos.”

Pumalatak si Selene bago inisang-lagok ang whiskey niya. Matapos iyon ay nagsindi siya ng black cig at agad na hinithit iyon sa harapan ko na para bang stress na stress siya. Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin dahil ayoko talaga ng amoy ng sigarilyo.

“What? This one is expensive. Hindi mabaho ang amoy,” katwiran niya.

“Still a cigarette.”

“Whatever. Why don’t you try him? Wala naman nang mawawala sayo ngayon. Your family is slowly disowning you, and that man was right. Ngayong nananahimik si Jaxon, I’m sure may pinaplano ang gagong yon sayo,” pahayag niya at bumuga muli ng usok sa harapan ko kaya naubo ako.

“Puwede bang lunukin mo na lang yan?” Reklamo ko at tinungga ang whiskey. Gumuhit iyon sa lalamunan ko. “He gave me time to think. I still need one more reason to accept his proposal.”

“Like what?” Taas-kilay niyang tanong.

I shrugged my shoulders. “We’ll see.”