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Chapter 11

Author: cereusxyz
last update Last Updated: 2025-10-30 12:56:58

Ang sakit sa mata ng sikat ng araw, parang may personal vendetta siya laban sa’kin. My head was pounding from too much wine, too many fries, and way too much Luca last night declaring that our “relationship was evolving.” Whatever that meant.

‘Sure, Luca.’ Evolving into what? Migraine?

I rolled out of bed, hair sticking out in all directions, eyes half-open. Pagtingin ko sa orasan, 8:00 a.m. na. Nangangamoy kape na galing kusina. Of course. Gising na siya.

Callisto Maxim didn’t know what sleeping in meant. Probably considered it a mortal sin.

Paglabas ko, nakasandal sa counter, tie already in place, phone in one hand, coffee in the other. Parang ad sa perfume na “For Men Who Conquer Mondays.”

“Do you ever look… human?” bulong ko, sabay abot ng mug sa shelf.

“Good morning to you too,” he said, calm as ever, sabay abot ng mug bago ko pa makuha. “Two sugars, no cream, right?”

I blinked. “You remembered?”

“I have a functioning memory,” he said, still scrolling through his phone.

“Congratu
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  • The Deal We Called Marriage   Chapter 13

    Kung makakapatay ang katahimikan, malamang naka-ukit na pangalan namin sa sahig ng Ember’s bar.Si Rafe, naging sober bigla.Si Luca, nakanganga.Si Bianca, mukhang nagfa-flashback sa lahat ng conversation namin ever since college.Si Dane, may “told you so” face na nakakainis.At si Tessa… Diyos ko, parang nanonood ng Maria Clara at Ibarra: Live Edition.Si Callisto? Siyempre, kalmado.Lumingon sya sakin with a silent question in his eyes, parang sinasabi nyang,‘Do we tell them or pretend this never happened?’I was left with no choice so I just sighed.“Well,” I said, voice cracking halfway, “surprise?”Bianca blinked. “You married him?”“It’s not what it looks like!” mabilis kong sagot, sabay tawa na pilit. Kasi ‘yun lang ang kaya kong gawin kapag nagpa-panic: ngumiti na parang may control ako kahit wala naman.“Oh?” si Luca, naka-lean pa sa table. “Kasi sa nakikita ko, mukhang it’s exactly what it looks like. You got married, didn’t tell anyone, and then casually show up on

  • The Deal We Called Marriage   Chapter 12

    Kung may piso ako sa bawat missed call this week, baka may budget na ako magpa-rebrand at magtago sa Bali. O sa buwan.Depende kung saan walang internet.Okay fine, medyo OA. Pero since lumabas ‘yung article about Callisto Maxim’s secret wife, my life’s basically a rom-com turned psychological thriller.I’d been living on airplane mode.Literal at emotional.Tumahimik lang ako. Kasi isa lang ‘yung alam kong defense mechanism na gagana sa sitwasyon na ‘to. Ang maglaho na parang bula.My friends are bloodhounds.One word from me, and they’d sniff the truth out in seconds. Kaya ang sabi ko lang sa group chat:ALEX: buried in work. Will resurface next year.Luca replied with twenty crying emojis.Bianca threatened to drag me out of my apartment.Tessa sent a meme that said “lawyer by day, ghost by choice.”I didn’t reply.Instead, nagbabad ako sa condo, watching chaos unfold online, praying na wala silang mapagdugtong ng dots.Every headline was a variation of the same thing:“Busi

  • The Deal We Called Marriage   Chapter 11

    Ang sakit sa mata ng sikat ng araw, parang may personal vendetta siya laban sa’kin. My head was pounding from too much wine, too many fries, and way too much Luca last night declaring that our “relationship was evolving.” Whatever that meant.‘Sure, Luca.’ Evolving into what? Migraine?I rolled out of bed, hair sticking out in all directions, eyes half-open. Pagtingin ko sa orasan, 8:00 a.m. na. Nangangamoy kape na galing kusina. Of course. Gising na siya.Callisto Maxim didn’t know what sleeping in meant. Probably considered it a mortal sin.Paglabas ko, nakasandal sa counter, tie already in place, phone in one hand, coffee in the other. Parang ad sa perfume na “For Men Who Conquer Mondays.”“Do you ever look… human?” bulong ko, sabay abot ng mug sa shelf.“Good morning to you too,” he said, calm as ever, sabay abot ng mug bago ko pa makuha. “Two sugars, no cream, right?”I blinked. “You remembered?”“I have a functioning memory,” he said, still scrolling through his phone.“Congratu

  • The Deal We Called Marriage   Chapter 10

    The morning-after effect was real. Yung tahimik na honesty kagabi parang hangin, nandito pa rin, kahit ‘di mo na pansin. Everything felt… different. Ang tahimik ng mundo pero sa loob ko, ang ingay. From too much thinking and too much replaying of every line he said. At kung kailan gusto ko lang magpaka-normal, fate decided to be funny again. Kung kailan Friday night at late na ‘ko sa inuman, dun pa namatay ‘yung kotse ko. Right when I needed to go out. Right when I was supposed to meet the group sa Ember. Habang nakatayo sa tabi ng kotse at nagmukhang tanga, when a familiar black sedan stopped beside me. The window rolled down. “Car trouble?” Callisto asked. “No,” napabuntong-hininga ako. “Nagmo-moment lang ako with my engine.” Hindi manlang sya nag-react. “Get in.” “Pwede naman akong mag-book ng cab” “You’ll wait twenty minutes for one.” Click. Door unlocked. “We’re heading to the same place anyway.” I hesitated. “Pag nagkasabay tayo, magtatanong ‘yung m

  • The Deal We Called Marriage   Chapter 9

    Umuulan na naman, past midnight na pala.Hindi malakas, sakto lang para gawing mas tahimik ang lungsod.Hindi ako makatulog.Masamang combo: sobrang kape at sobrang iniisip.Kaya bumangon ako, gumawa ng tsaa, at nauwi sa pagtambay sa may bintana ng kusina, pinapanood kung paanong nagiging kulay ginto ang ilaw sa kalsada.And then, of course, he was there.Callisto Maxim.Nakatayo lang, isang kamay nasa baso ng tubig, ‘yung isa nasa sentido. Para bang sobrang dami niyang iniisip.“Insomnia?” I asked, just to say something.“Work, love,” kalmado nyang sagot.“At midnight?”“Deadlines don’t respect time zones.”Of course they don’t.Of course he doesn’t.“Do you ever stop?” I asked, more curious than I wanted to admit.“Stopping feels inefficient.”Napairap ako. “Of course it does.”Natahimik siya. Pero may kung anong nagbago sa postura niya, hindi na sya gano’n ka-stiff. Mukhang pagod lang.Tahimik lang sa pagitan namin. Hindi awkward. Hindi rin naman cold.Tahimik lang talaga.

  • The Deal We Called Marriage   Chapter 8

    It started with one word. Love.Isang beses niya lang sinabi, as a joke. Pero ngayon? Parang naging part na ng araw-araw niyang script.“Morning, love.”“Coffee’s ready, love.”“Pass the files, love.”At bawat beses na sinasabi niya ‘yon na parang announcer lang sa isang business news, kalmado lang at walang effort. Samantalang ako?Two seconds akong nagla-lag bago magpanggap na wala lang.Hindi ko alam kung saan ko ibabaon ‘yung kilig o inis o kung anong halo-halong kuryente na dumadaan sa system ko every time marinig ko ‘yung boses niyang tinatawag akong “love.”Isang linggo na since dumalaw ‘yung lawyer ng lola ko, at sigurado akong ginagawa lang ‘to ni Callisto para asarin ako.Kasi bakit nga ba hindi, diba? Alam niyang maiirita ako. Alam niyang mapapatingin ako sa kanya kahit ayoko.Kalmado lang siyang pumasok sa kusina, naka-white shirt, at amoy shampoo. Parang walking commercial.Habang ako, pagba-butter pa lang sa toast, sobrang haggard na.Ang unfair talaga.“Good

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