Prologue

Prologue

Seraphina pov

"He's kind. Understanding. Wag mo lang isasagad pasensya niya," sabi ni Mom nang makarating kami sa cafe kung saan makikipagkita ako sa lalaking sinasabi nilang papakasalan ko.

Ayokong maniwala sa kanila, lalo na't alam ko rin kung ano ang plano nila para sa akin. All they wanted was to convince me of how perfect my so-called fiance was.

Pumasok ako sa cafe at umupo sa isang bakanteng mesa, doon ko siya hinintay.

"Latte and espresso," ang inorder ko.

Sabi ni Mom, paborito raw niya ang espresso, at ang latte naman ay para sa akin.

I didn't know what to feel. Was I nervous, angry at my parents for this decision, or should I just calm myself so I wouldn't mess up when I saw him?

Pero maya-maya lang, may tumigil sa harap ng mesa ko.

"Excuse me."

Napatingala ako, at doon ko siya unang nakita.

He had that kind of attractive face that made everyone turn to look at him. He was so masculine that his suit looked like it might burst. His sharp nose, his glossy lips, everything about him was striking.

Pero ang weird lang. Nakasuot siya ng sunglasses kahit wala naman sun sa cafe.

"Are you Seraphina Torres?"

He sat across from me, removed the glasses, and brushed his hair back with one hand.

"Nice to meet you," sabi niya sabay ngiti.

Napataas ang kilay ko.

Siya lang ba mag-isa?

Pero nang sumulyap ako sa labas, doon ko nakita ang ilang lalaking naka-suit, nakatayo sa iba't ibang pwesto, halatang mga bodyguard niya.

"I heard you work with animals?" he asked while sipping his coffee. 'Yung inorder kung espresso.

I nodded.

He looked simple. Plain. Nothing about him stood out. He was not exactly the man my parents described before I came down to this cafe to meet him.

"And I heard you're a CEO," I asked back. "A billionaire. The owner of a company."

He looked at me then, a faint smile on his lips, as if none of it really mattered to him.

"Yeah, changed your mind?" he asked.

A billionaire. Who would not want to marry a billionaire. Endless money, an easy life.

"Yeah, maybe." ngumiti ako.

He stared at me for a minute, as if I was the only person inside the cafe.

"Your parents told me you like flowers. What kind of flowers?" tanong niya.

"Roses. I like their smell and red color." I answered.

And the moment the words left my mouth, he reached to his side.

A bouquet of red roses appeared in his hand. I only noticed it now, hindi ko kasi napansin na hawak niya kanina pag-upo niya.

My breath hitched as he placed it on the table between us.

"For me?" I asked.

"Of course. Coffee can't smell." he said.

Pilosopo pa.

"Just my first time giving flowers to someone. Ako kasi ang laging binibigyan. And sometimes I don't know where to put it, so I just throw it away." he admitted.

Nagtatapon siya ng mga binigay ng iba? Walang kwenta pala siya.

"Flowers are beautiful. Who's stupid enough to throw them away?" sabi ko.

He just smiled, that small, quiet smile.

"You should be grateful to be gifted a flower. It means you're special to them." I said.

He set down his cup and looked at me, smiling.

"Then... do you feel special after I gave that to you?" he asked.

I placed the flowers on the seat beside me, then I copied his smile and the way he looked at me.

"Marami niyan sa farm," sabi ko. "So... no."

He smiled again. Parang sanay na siyang ngumiti nang ganoon, at parang iniisip niyang gusto ko kapag ginagawa niya iyon.

"Then... how about this? Marami rin sa farm?"

May inilagay siya sa mesa. Isang maliit na box, nakabukas, kaya kitang-kita ang kumikinang na singsing sa loob.

"Is this a proposal?"

Napatawa siya nang mahina. "If you want to. Or maybe you want an extravagant proposal?"

Extravagant what? I refuse, dahil hindi ko alam ang ibig sabihin no'n.

"No need. This is better."

Kinuha ko ang singsing at isinuot iyon. Napatingin ako sa kamay ko. Kasyang kasya, parang talagang binili niya iyon para sa akin.

"Magka-size kayo ng daliri ng kapatid ko. Akala ko mas malaki ang sayo."

Oh. May kapatid pala siyang babae. Baka kaedad ko lang rin.

"I like it. It's pretty."

Ngumiti siya. Napatingin ako sa kanya dahil sa ngiting iyon.

"Of course. Beautiful girl deserve pretty things."

Nambola pa. Yung singsing lang naman ang tinutukoy ko.

"Gusto mo bang i-post ko online? Para malaman ng fans mo."

Pero tumawa lang siya.

"You don't have to. On the wedding day, people will know you."

They will make it public? Is this how rich people live? Everything has to be seen by everyone?

"But don't worry about it. We'll keep your life private. Just the wedding."

I nodded.

Then I sipped my cappuccino. Hindi na siya malamig. Malamig kasi rito sa cafe. 

But when I set my cup down, he suddenly stood and leaned toward me.

His right hand touched my lips and the way he looked at me made me freeze, like there was something in his eyes I couldn't understand.

"There's cream on your lips."

He showed it to me on his hand at akala ko pupunasan niya iyon sa tissue. Instead, he licked it.

Weird.

"So then," he said calmly. "Why did you accept the agreement? About being married to me?"

Straightforward. Ito talaga ang tanong na gusto kong marining sa kanya.

I took a slow breath before looking at him.

"Because my parents needed it," I said honestly.

He stayed quiet.

"I don't believe in fairy tales," I continued. "I wasn't expecting love, or comfort, or anything like that. I just needed a peaceful life. That's enough for me."

I met his eyes this time.

"Kaya iniisip ko na tama 'to. I don't need you to be romantic to me. Not perfect. Just… honest."

He didn't say anything. Then he leaned back slightly, studying me like he was seeing me clearer now.

"That's enough," he said. "At least you didn't lie. And I like that you're honest.... I like you." he said.

"Well," sagot ko, "we're getting married."

At this age, I was already getting married to someone I had just met. It felt weird, but I had no choice. For my parents, I would do anything just to be seen, just to matter to them.

If marrying this guy was the only way for them to notice me, then fine. I would do it.

But knowing him now... parang gusto ko na umatras. I wanted to refuse. Maybe there was still time to change my mind.