Chapter 1: One Night

“We're doomed,” Markus said when I entered the office. Taas-kilay ko siyang tinitigan habang sabay kaming naglalakad papasok. What does he mean by that?

“I'm doomed for life, Markus Axle. Sa tingin mo ba may kakatakutan pa ako?” I asked dahil alam niya naman kung gaano kagulo ang buhay ko ngayon.

“Dapat! Dahil ako rin ay meron pa!” he said. “Goodness, at bakit ka ba pumasok nang ganyan ang suot? That dress of yours will add fuel to the damn fire!”

Wala sa sariling napatawa ako habang tinitingnan ang suot na fitted beige dress. It looks nothing formal. Parang pupunta lang sa bar. Well, that’s what I actually intend to portray. 

“Do I look like I care?” I asked. “Besides, wala na naman akong sisiraing image. Our engagement alone can save my ass. It saves yours too,” natatawang sabi ko habang naghihintay kaming bumukas ang elevator. However, he groaned like he had other, or bigger problems than that.

“That’s our problem! My hunch tells me that it’s the reason why we’re called here. I think they’ll be… stopping our engagement–!”

“WHAT?!” I exclaimed as we enter the elevator. 

Fuck! No…No!

“That can’t be… Oh my gosh!”

Para akong mababaliw sa nalaman. This is his fault! He’s making me overthink! 

Pero hindi talaga maaaring ma-cancel ang engagement namin! That would put me into fucking hell again! Dahil sa kanya, I had my freedom and enjoyment these past years! I can’t imagine–no, I can already imagine what would happen if our engagement is canceled!

At siya… paano na siya?!

“Sa palagay ko may ideya na sila sa pagkatao ko. Malulusutan ko naman ang sa akin, pero ikaw ang iniisip ko rito…” he trailed off. “We know how your father thinks. Kung makukumpirma niyang… ganito ang set-up natin… he’ll break our engagement and marry you off to someone else.”

That’s exactly what’s going to happen. Sigurado na ako doon, dahil baliw na si Daddy! All he thinks about is caging me and marrying me off to someone whom he thinks is deserving enough! Just like a damn trophy for whoever he favors, or a diamond auctioned for the finest businessmen. It’s not fair. He was never fair.

Naiisip ko pa lang na ipapakasal niya ako sa iba, parang nasasakal na ako kakaisip. On top of that, I… could never get a hold or sight of the person I loved most anymore.

“M-Maybe we can do something, right? Kung pinagdududahan nila tayo, maybe we can do something to reassure them that we’re actually… working on this, right?”

“What do you have in mind?”

I breathed heavily and looked at the floor number where we're at. Nang makitang malapit na sa top floor kung nasaan ang magiging meeting ng aming mga magulang, I immediately looked at him.

“We've done this before, and it works every time,” I said, which made his jaw drop.

When the elevator door was about to open, I immediately leaned towards him for a kiss. Habang siya naman, kaagad hinawakan ang aking baywang para mas palalimin ang halik.

And just like according to what I expect, eksaktong bumukas ang elevator and… naroon ang Ama naning dalawa.

That would do.

I smirked in the middle of our kisses, pero nang… magsalita si Dad… para akong biglang nawalan ng pag-asa.

“Quit this show of yours. I know that you two are just fooling us!”

My lips parted at what he said. Kaagad akong humiwalay kay Markus upang titigan si Daddy. 

What did he say? So tungkol nga ito sa…

“W-What do you mean, Tito?” Markus asked in a manly tone as he slowly wiped his lips, smudged with my lipstick. Hawak niya ang baywang ko habang pareho kaming nakatingin sa aming mga tatay.

If only we were a real thing, we could've pictured a perfect relationship.

Sa halip na sagutin, sinenyasan kami ni Tito Maximus na sumunod sa kanila.

I cleared my throat and glanced at Markus for a bit bago kami tumuloy sa loob. Hawak ko siya sa braso na kasing higpit ng hawak niya sa baywang ko.

It's like we're holding on to our dear lives!

Pagpasok namin sa conference room, I wasn't shocked when I saw our parents there. Gladly, my siblings aren't present.

Because if they are, I'd really think that Dad's just showing them how ridiculous my life is.

Pero kahit ganoon, Tita Faureen, my stepmother, is here. Hindi na ako aasang hindi niya ako ikukwento sa mga anak niya.

On the other side of the table, Markus' parents were there habang ang kaniyang ina, halatang nag-aalala.

Knowing that she's the only one who knows about Markus' gender aside from me, parang alam ko na ang nangyari.

“You called us here. Why?” I asked as I sat down at one of the swivel chairs.

“Hindi na kami magpapaligoy ligoy pa,” Daddy said. “Max and I have discussed to… cancel your engagement for good.”

Parang kinalabog ang puso ko sa narinig. I immediately sat attentively at wala sa sariling napatingin kami ni Markus sa isa’t-isa. Great God! 

“T-Tito, why all of a sudden? It’s been two years since we got engaged, and we are both…” Markus cleared his throat, and he couldn’t continue. “We are both ready to get married–!”

“You’ve been engaged for two years, yet you’ve never got in the mood to get married. Now that… your mother told us everything… narealize ko na kung bakit,” Tito Maximus said in an amused and shocked voice. That it seems like to him, it all makes sense now.

My lips parted at it. No doubt, they already knew what’s up at bakit sa dinami dami nang inarrange na engagement sa akin ni Dad, kay Markus lang ang nagtagal.

“M-My gender won’t be an issue in this marriage, Dad, Tito. Paris was well-aware of it. Besides, it’ll be a great way to clear up my name–!”

“It’s not fair, Markus!” Tito Max exclaimed. “We’ll talk it out. I don’t care about the issues or tabloids. What I want for now is to cancel your engagement and sort this out.”

With my mouth half-opened, I looked at Markus. His apologetic eyes looked at me pero kahit ganoon, hindi ako pinangibabawan ng panlulumo. In fact, I was happy hearing his father say that the issues don’t matter.

“Paris…”

“Don’t worry,” I whispered.

“I’m sorry, Philip, Faureen, but I don’t think I’d even wed Markus to a woman just so he could cover up his gender. We accept him, and we want to settle this on our own first,” Tito Max said, which actually made me tear up in happiness.

“I understand,” Daddy said. “I’m sorry as well if my daughter took advantage of it. And I guess… I’ll be discussing the proposal with Christopher.”

Kunot noong napaangat kaming lahat ng tingin sa kanya. I didn’t know what actually he’s talking about pero dahil sa usapang ito niya isiningit, I felt like I already know what he’s talking about!

“With Christopher Del Fuego?” Tito Max asked. “I didn’t know you’d decide that fast. Anyway, good luck then. Let’s go, Markus. I believe Philip has something to discuss with his daughter.”

With my brows furrowed, tinitigan ko si Daddy. Markus held my shoulders before he followed his parents. Habang ako… hindi makapaniwalang napatingin kay Daddy.

I want to ask him about what Tito Max is talking about pero bago ko pa nagawa iyon, Tita Faureen interrupted.

“Hindi ako makapaniwala. You even used Markus’ fear and situation para lang matakluban ang ginagawa mo, Paris? You think we wouldn’t know about your modelling gigs and fashion show that he covered up for you? Alam mo namang ayaw ng Daddy mo sa trabaho mong halos maghubad ka na sa harap ng camera, ginamit mo pa ang engagement niyo ni Markus para pagtakluban ang lahat nang iyon–!”

I rolled my eyes and faced her instead. Usapan naming mag-ama ito, ah? Bakit siya nakikisali?

“Do I look like I care, Tita Faureen?” I asked. “I don’t, right? So you shouldn’t too.”

“Paris!” Dad exclaimed just to stop me from talking. “Stop it, would you?”

I glared at him when I met his gaze. “Ano ‘yung sinasabi ni Tito Max? Who’s Christopher? Is this another marriage you’v been arranging?!” I shouted, dahil hindi ako makapaniwalang pagkatapos nang isa, mayroon na namang kasunod!

“It’s a great proposal he’s been offering since then. Gladly, the Rodriguez’s are the first to call off the engagement. The Del Fuego’s are a better catch!”

“A better catch?! Ni hindi mo man lang ako inisip?! And you really had the guts to say those words in front of the Rodriguez’s?!”

“Why do you care so much about their issues, when you had issues of your own?!” he shouted. “I know what you did despite Markus covering up for you! Nakita mo ba ang magazines mo? Kulang na lang maghubad ka, ah?! And the only way to save your embarrassing dignity is to marry you off to someone credible! Tingnan natin kung makapaghubad ka pa sa harap ng camera–!”

“I wasn’t selling my body, Dad! There’s nothing wrong with the industry! In fact, pinayagan mo nga si Fiona na pumasok sa ganoon, kaya bakit ako, hindi pwede?!” I shouted dahil iyon naman ang totoo. He’s damn picking favorites! And clearly, I ain’t one of them. “Sa ginagawa niyo nga, parang mas binebenta niyo pa ang katawan ko, eh—!”

“Paris–!”

“Don’t you dare say that! I’m just doing this for your good!” Dad said just when Tita Faureen was about to cut me off.

“For my own good?!” Namangha ako roon, ah? When did he even thought of my own good? Kailan niya ba ako inisip sa tuwing magdedesisyon siya?!

“You’re marrying me off to anyone you like! Katatapos lang ng engagement ko, Dad, maghunos dili ka naman! You were auctioning me off! Parang ang pakinabang ko lang sa’yo ay ang pagpapakasal sa iba para sa ikagaganda ng image ng kompanya mo, ah?!”

I tried doing things for him. I tried proving that I’m worth doing things, like inheriting his company, yet he never looked at my abilities. All he wanted to do is control my life, choose my friends, my boyfriends, and my damn engagement like a breeding machine!

“Parang inihahanda mo lang ako para magpakasal, ah?”

“Because I am,” he said without flinching.

My brows shot up at what he said. I really can’t believe him. Nababaliw na siya.

“I don’t get why we’re having this conversation, when you have no choice but to follow my orders, Paris,” Dad said with finality. “You know what I can do to you and your career. I’ve already done it to your ex kaya huwag mo ‘kong susubukan. You’re marrying the first-born of the Del Fuegos, and that’s final. Mas lalo mo lang pinagtibay ang desisyon ko. You’ll meet him tomorrow. No excuses.”

With what he said, I gritted my teeth. I can feel my core trembling in anger as I tried to remember what he did to Reese nang malaman niyang naging boyfriend ko ‘yon! He’s ruthless and unreasonable!

It’s like he’s hiding me from the world, yet exposing me to the best bachelors he knew.

Exactly the opposite of what he’s doing to his children with this woman. He’s unbelievable.

With a disappointed look, I took my purse and left there without another word. 

Gusto kong umalma. Gustong gusto kong tumakas at komprontahin siya. Ever since Mom died, he’d been this unreasonable and selfish!

Yet, I… I know I couldn’t disobey him. 

Pinahid ko ang luhang tumulo sa aking pisngi nang makapasok ako sa elevator. I held my purse too hard, to the fucking extent that it trembled so badly in anger. This is ridiculous. He is ridiculous!

“Why are you crying?” Markus asked nang makita niya ako pagbukas nang elevator door. 

“What are you doing here?” I asked matapos ko siyang lampasan. 

“Dad told me to stay. He knows that Tito Philip might… marry you off to someone that easily,” he said, which made me smile.

“Mabuti pa kayo, naiisip ‘yan…”

“Paris, don’t say that.”

I smirked and shook my head dahil totoo namang mas may pakialam pa sila sa nararamdaman ko! All my life, I’ve been trying my best to please them, pero ikinukulong niya lang ako! He’s keeping my freedom away from me! He never wanted me to do things! 

Dahil ba… hindi niya naman ako anak kay Tita Faureen? Dahil mas minahal niya ang kabit niya kaysa kay Mom?

Was that my fault?

“He’s marrying me off again to someone new. Nababaliw na talaga siya,” I said when I went inside his car.

He breathed heavily as he looked in my direction. “I know. I never imagined he could do that,” aniya. “Anong… plano mo? Why don’t you just run away? I can… help you.”

“You know my father, Markus. Alam mo ang kaya niyang gawin.”

He sighed and nodded, realizing that my father could really do whatever he wanted.

“Paano si… Chancellor?”

Natigilan ako bigla sa tanong niya. It’s like I felt my insides burn and tremble in guilt and fear.

That’s the main reason why I wanted to be engaged with Markus. Dahil doon, hindi nagdududa si Dad na may kinikita akong iba.

Chancellor was… my beloved. I’ve been in love with him since I started my modeling career. We never had a label, but I know I… had feelings for him.

Pero kung ikakasal ako sa iba, I don’t think I can… see him again.

Chancellor…

“Anong gagawin mo? I know you love him so much. Pero Tito will surely marry you off to that Del Fueg in no time.”

“How can you say so?”

“How can I not?! His name is all over the business industry. Fast rising and highly competitive. Kaya naman pala desididong desidido si Tito na ipakasal ka–!”

I breathed heavily and did my best to decide. If that’s the case, then I… want a part of that decision. Kung hindi ko kayang hawakan ang desisyon kung kanino ako magpapakasal then I…

I woud hold the decision regarding my body. Ako ang magdedesisyon kung kanino ko ibibigay ang sarili ko.

“If I wouldn’t be able to see Chancellor again, I want to… be with him tonight.”

“What?!”

“I’ll meet the Del Fuego heir tomorrow. Kaya gusto kong… makita si Chancellor ngayon. If I can’t have him for the rest of my life, I want to love him… even for one night."