Chapter 3

Pagkapasok pa lang ni Rowan sa bahay ay sumalubong na agad sa kanya ang nakangiting ama na nakaupo sa couch. Halatang inaasahan na nito ang pagdating niya.

“Welcome home, son.”

“You know why I am here, dad,” walang ganang sabi niya habang naupo sa couch.

Ayaw pa sana niyang umuwi, pero wala siyang choice dahil pinapatawag siya ng ama niya. Gusto rin naman niyang makipagkita rito at ayusin ang lahat dahil sawang-sawa na siya sa ginagawa nitong paghahanap ng mapapangasawa niya.

“So, who’s this girl?” diretsong tanong niya. "I want things to be over as soon as possible. I want my freedom, dad. And I hope you can give it to me this time.”

Tiningnan siya ng ama niya na may halong lungkot at pagkadismaya sa mga mata. “Rowan, you’re old enough to settle down. Tama na ang kalokohan. It’s time for you to get married,” sambit nito. “Look at your friends. Kung hindi engaged, may mga asawa at anak na.”

Naikuyom niya ang kamay bago tinitigan ito sa mga mata. “I am not like them, dad. I don’t have any plans to settling down with anyone. Never,” matigas niyang sabi. “And you can’t change my mind.”

Napabuga na lang ito ng hangin bago marahang tumango. “Son, tumatanda na ako. And I want to at least see my grandchildren before I die,” malungkot nitong sabi.

“That won’t happen,” prangkang sagot niya. “But I’ll meet this woman you told me about. But after this, please stop setting me on blind dates. Nagsasayang ka lang ng oras at panahon.”

Ilang segundo ang lumipas bago tumango ang ama niya. “But please, just this once, be proper. Kahit ito na lang ang gawin mo para sa akin.”

“I’ll grant your request. So, who’s this girl?”

"She’s Sofia Ho. Unica hija ng mag-asawang Ho,” panimula nito.

“You mean those Ho who owns this famous fast-food chains?” paglilinaw niya.

“Yes. Do you know her?”

Mabilis na sumilay ang ngiti sa labi niniya.I know her. She’s hot,” sagot niya. “And I heard she hates blind dates. So how come you were able to set me up with her?”

“Well, her parents share the same sentiments as I do. They also want their unica hija to get married,” pagtatapat ng ama. “So, with the same goals in mind, we’re all hoping you and her would click,” dagdag pa nito. “Having them as family would also benefit our company.”

“Ang layo na ng naiisip mo, dad. I’m just going to meet her,” sabi niya bago tumayo. “Just send me the time and venue. Uuwi na ako,” walang ganang sabi at nag-unat ng katawan.

“Ayaw mo bang matulog dito? I had your room cleaned.”

“I hate this house,” walang pagdadalawang-isip niyang tugon at nagpaalam na.

Sinubukan pa siyang kumbinsihin ng ama niya na manatili, pero hindi na niya ito pinansin.

Pagkapasok niya sa kotse ay agad niyang tinawagan ang mga kaibigan niya dahil gusto niyang uminom. But Pietro and Kenneth politely declined because they’re busy with their respective families.

Kaya ang pwede na lang talaga ay si Thirdy. Pumayag ito. Alam siguro nitong wala siyang kasamang uminom kaya pumayag ito.

“Meet me at the usual place,” sabi niya sabay baba ng cellphone at mabilis na nag-drive papunta sa bar.

Pagkarating niya roon ay um-order na siya ng inumin habang hinihintay ang pagdating ni Thirdy. Mga ten minutes lang siguro ang pagitan bago ito dumating. He’s still wearing a suit. Mukhang nag-overtime na naman ito sa trabaho.

“Overtime again?” bungad niya rito at ngumisi.

“Yeah,” anito at kinuha ang inumin na inihanda niya para rito. “I had to work a little extra dahil may problema sa kompanya.”

“Well, it’s a good thing I called you here then,” nakangising sabi niya. “Cheers.”

“So, what’s the matter?” diretsong tanong ni Thirdy. “I know you didn’t call me to drink for nothing.”

Napabuga na lang siya ng hangin bago inihiga ang ulo sa mesa. He really can’t lie to Thirdy.

“It’s dad. Kinukulit na naman niya ako sa pagpapakasal,” pagtatapat niya at napabugang muli ng hangin. “He set me up on a blind date again. And you know how I hate that,” dagdag niya bago uminom.

“Well, naiintindihan ko kung saan nanggagaling si Tito. He just wants you to settle down. I think he wanted to make sure na may magkaroon ka ng pamilya,” paliwanag ni Thirdy. “He just wants to make sure na okay ka na kapag dumating ang panahon na mawawala na siya.”

“I’m fine without any woman by my side, Thirdy," sagot niya rito. “You know how I hate the idea of marriage, right?”

“I hope you’re not forgetting the bet we had,” anito at ngumisi. “We signed a contract. If you fail, then you’ll have to do what we want and you know exactly what’s that.”

Naningkit ang mga mata niya habang nakatingin rito. “Pakiramdam ko binayaran kayo ni Dad to corner me into that bet,” pabirong pagbibintang niya rito at tumawa lang ito.

“How about I tell Tito about it so we can make sure you’ll fail?” nakangising sabi ni Thirdy.

“Masyado kang mabait to threat me,” saway niya rito at ngumisi na rin. “And no need to tell my dad about it dahil ako ang mananalo sa pustahan natin,” kumpiyansang dagdag niya. “I can bed that nerd secretary.”

“Well, malalaman natin,” anito na para bang nagdududa. “Because based on what I know, mukhang hindi ka gusto ni Paige. That girl doesn’t have, even the tiniest, interest to you.”

Kumunot ang noo niya sa sinabi nito. “And how did you come up with that conclusion?”

Ngumisi ito sa kanya. “Come to think of it. Walang tumatagal ng isang buwan na secretary mo. Pero si Paige, she’s been working for almost six months, I think... and she hasn’t displayed any signs of affection at all.”

Damn this man.

“A-Akala mo lang ‘yon! Siyempre... ayaw niyang ipahalata dahil alam niyang sesesantihin ko siya sa trabaho kapag nalaman ko na may gusto siya sa akin,” depensa niya. “But I am not that bad to do that. Once I fúcked her... I’ll still let her work under me.”

“Okay, sabi mo ‘yan," anito at uminom na lang.

Magsasalita pa sana siya nang mag-vibrate ang cellphone niya. Pagtingin niya ay text galing sa daddy niya.

“Who’s that?”

Ipinakita niya rito ang cellphone niya. “Just some details for my blind date tomorrow."

“How about you consider her this time?” anito. “I mean, try to genuinely know her. Baka pala magustuhan mo.”

“Hindi ako naa-aatach sa mga babae. I’m just after the pleasure I get from them,” sabi niya, shaking off his idea. “I’ll just meet her and then who knows, maybe fúck her and ghost her after. Then I’ll have my freedom and I can have fun with all the women in the world.”

“You know what, nararamdaman ko malapit na malapit mo na makita ang karma mo."

“Karma na naman. Ilang beses niyo na sinabi yan. Hindi naman ako kinakarma," nakangising tugon niya rito saka ito kinindatan.

**

Rowan stood in front of his full-length mirror to make sure his look was perfect. He dressed up a little extra since he wanted to look his best for this special night. Dahil sa wakas, pagkatapos ng gabing ito, malaya na siya sa dad niya. He’d finally stop bugging him about marriage.

“Handsome as always,” nakangising sabi niya at itinuro ang repleksyon sa salamin.

Pagkatapos ay nag-spray na siya ng perfume para mas madagdagan pa ang appeal niya. He’d seduce Sofia with his looks and manly scent.

Tiningnan niya ang relo niya to check the time and it was almost time for him to go.

After checking himself on the mirror one more time ay umalis na siya.

Dumating siya sa restaurant nang ten minutes late.

“Reservation for Rowan Villaraza,” sabi niya pagkapasok na pagkapasok niya.

Agad naman siyang ginabayan ng staff papunta sa second floor. And it seemed like his dad reserved the whole floor just for this blind date. And maybe kasama na rin ang parents ni Sofia.

And there, in the middle, sitting with her back against him, was Sofia. She was wearing a casual red dress and her midnight hair was smoothly flowing on her back.

Kahit sa malayo ay kitang-kita niya ang kurba ng katawan nito. And that got him wondering how good would her body be without anything on.

Huminga siya nang malalim. He had to calm down. He’d save the dessert for later.

Confidently, he walked towards her.

“Sorry, I’m late,” sambit niya sa baritonong boses. Sinigurado talaga niyang gwapo pakinggan ang boses niya.

“Did you wait l—”

Hindi niya natapos ang sinasabi niya nang humarap sa kanya si Sofia.

Hindi ito si Sofia.

“Sino ka...?” naibulalas na lang niya habang nakatingin sa nanlalaki nitong mga mata.

She was gorgeous, but she wasn’t Sofia, he was sure of it.

“You’re not Sofia Ho.”

“S-Sir... Rowan...?"

Kumunot ang noo niya nang mapansing pamilyar ang boses nito.

He stared at her even more and her face started to become really familiar.

At halos lumuwa na lang ang mga mata niya nang makilala kung sino ito.

“Secretary Paige?!" naibulalas niya na lang.

Bakit ang secretary niya ang nandito instead of Sofia Ho?

And why did his secretary look so hot and gorgeous in her red dress?

Malayong-malayo ito sa manang niyang secretary!