Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Seraphina pov

Awkward. Quiet. Those were the only things I ever felt back at the farm, and now I was feeling them here too.

Parang hindi ako kabilang. Like I was just someone who came along for the food and nothing else.

"I'm sorry we interrupted earlier."

Napatigil ako. I let go of my fork and quickly took a sip of juice.

"Interrupted what?" Si Nikolai ang sumagot.

"That—" she said, puckering her lips and kissing the air.

My face burned instantly. I almost choked.

Nikolai leaned back, completely unbothered. "You saw wrong."

She laughed softly, clearly not convinced. "Sure."

I avoided everyone's eyes, suddenly very interested in my glass. My heart was still beating too fast, and I hated how obvious it felt.

Then I saw Nikolai. His smile wouldn't leave his face and the way he bit his lower lip while smiling made my heart skip a beat. Alam ko nasa utak niya.

"We were just dancing," I said.

"Ah," she nodded. "Dancing."

Nakita ko napatingin si Nikolai sa akin. His eyes were calm, but there was something else there. As if he was asking if I was okay.

I wasn't. But I nodded anyway.

Conversation moved on. Voices blended together, and everything sounded normal. Pero hindi ako maka-focus sa kinakain ko.

Because all I could think about was how close he was earlier, how steady his hand felt on me, like he was afraid to let go.

Fake marriage, I reminded myself.

That was the reason I came here. Not for romance, not for a love life. I was here to be a safe, fake wife of a well known billionaire and nothing more.

I should stop whatever these feelings are. In the end, ako lang din ang masasaktan sa huli. And no one would catch me when I fall.

"Excuse me. Kukunin ko lang iyong tubig." Tumayo ako. But I feel the gaze that everyone here with me.

Hindi ba sila nauuhaw? Puro juice, hindi naman healthy.

"Ako na po ma'am." Sabi ng isang maid.

Pipigilan ko sana, since nakatayo na rin naman ako. Pero ako pa ang napatigil sa hawak ni Nikolai.

His soft hand touch mine. "Let her be. It's her job."

I nodded slowly. The maid bowed at me and walked away. Pero parang galit 'yung mata niya. Hindi ba pwede ako na lang kumuha ng tubig? Lapit lang naman ng kusina.

I stayed standing there for a moment, unsure of what to do next. Ramdam ko pa rin 'yung hawak ni Nikolai sa akin.

"Sit," sabi niya.

I pulled my hand away and sat back down, forcing myself to look anywhere but at him. My heart was beating too fast again, and I hated how easily he affected me.

"You came here to be my wife, not a slave." bulong niya sa akin. Pero hindi ako sumagot.

Kukuha lang ng tubig, slave na? Ganoon ba ang tingin niya sa mga maid niya rito? Slave niya? Ang bastos naman niya kung ganoon.

The maid returned and placed the glass of water in front of me.

"Thank you," sabi ko.

I took a sip, hoping it would cool the heat on my face. Maingay ang paligid ko, pero para sa akin ay ang tahimik na. Na para bang si Nikolai lang ang kasama ko rito.

And I felt the way Nikolai glanced at me from time to time. Not obvious. Just enough to let me know he was aware.

Pero hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit kailangan ko pa i-remind ang sarili ko na peke lang lahat ng ito.

His actions, his gaze, everything he did was just part of the act. Just to make it look like we were a great couple.

So why did it feel real?

Why did it feel natural, like we were comfortable doing it even without an audience? Like we were really a couple, not just pretending in front of others.

Why did it feel like I was slowly drowning every time he looked at me, like I was starting to believe in things I shouldn't?

"Wag mo ko masyadong titigan, baka matunaw ako niyan."

His words pulled me back to myself.

I looked down at my glass and cleared my throat.

"Napakaganda ng babaeng 'yun. No wonder her fans was so obsessed with her."

"Jamie? 'Yung babaeng nakalaban ni Maine sa isang award?"

Oh. They talking about a celebrity. Kaya pala 'di ako maka-relate.

"The one that the fans compare to my sister?"

Tumango ang isang babae.

Well, no surprise, since fans were always like that. Comparison is so normal for them.

"She flirted with you before. Buti 'di mo pinatulan." the other girl said.

Nikolai chuckled. "Well, I did flirt back, but she rejected me... It was probably a good thing that happened. Because if not, I wouldn't have met..." tumingin siya sa akin. His gaze softened again, as if I was the only one there with him.

"I wouldn't met my wife." ngumiti siya. Alam kong hindi iyon peke dahil halata ang kilig sa ngiti niya.

He reached for my hair and tucked it behind my ear. Then he smiled at me again.

I wanted to say something, but my words got stuck. All I could do was stare back, feeling every little touch and every look like it was meant only for me.

Lumapit siya ng konti sa akin. Rason kung bakit ayaw tumigil sa lakas ng tibok ng puso ko.

His fingers brushed lightly against my cheek, tracing a line down to my jaw. I felt myself melting, unable to move or speak, caught completely in the moment.

"You're mine," bulong niya.

Napatigil ako roon, and I looked away from his gaze.

"Who's that Jamie?" tanong ko, dahilan para mapatingin silang lahat sa akin.

Curious lang naman ako, lalo na at mukhang sikat din siya.

"You don't have to know her. She's only known because of her loveteam. Without that, she's nothing," she said casually.

Loveteam? People easily fall for those. Everyone wants their idols to be real. They believe what they saw when their idols are involve, just to feed their own delusions.

I felt bad for her. Parang doon lang siya nakakulong at doon na lang siya kilala.

Tumango na lang ako.

I took another sip from my glass. A minute later, I felt Nikolai's hand rest on my leg.

Nakatingin pa rin siya sa mga bisita niya, but when I looked at him, he noticed.

Tinaasan niya ako ng kilay, na parang humihingi ng permiso.

I looked away.

I knew what he wanted. And with the small rub of his hand on my leg, I knew exactly what he was trying to do.

His hand kept moving higher, slow and teasing, making my breath hitch.

I didn't expect it, not in that moment, not with people around.

And I saw how a few heads turned at me. Maybe they heard me. Because the sound was loud. Too loud.

Napatigil ang kamay niya. When I glanced at him, his eyes were already on me. Shock. Silent. Like he was asking if he should stop.

Umiwas ako ng tingin sa kanya. And my heart beating too fast.

It's also embarrassing. I saw how his guests were looking at me, na parang nagulat rin sila sa boses ko.

Nikolai didn't even think twice. I mean, I didn't say I didn't want it, but he should have thought about where we were. There were so many people around us.

And if he keeps doing things like this, acting like we're alone, like nothing else matters, then I don't know if I could be able to control myself if it continued.

But instead of stopping, he kept going. Like he was enjoying how tense I was, how hard it was for me to stay still.

I gasped and forced myself to calm down, holding it in as I felt sweat on my face.

The faster his movements became, the more I panicked. I pressed my legs together, trying to stop him without saying a word.

Tiningnan ko siya.

He was smiling, laughing with the guests, completely calm. Like nothing was happening. Like he wasn't doing something.

When his eyes finally met mine, he only smirked.

At hindi pa rin siya tumigil.

If he doesn't stop right now, I don't know if I'll still be able to control myself if this continues.