Chapter 1

Love was never part of my plan.

Maganda lang ‘yan sa movies at books. Pero sa totoong buhay? Gulo lang. Parang traffic sa EDSA multiplied by emotional trauma.

Sabi ni Lola, “Love makes you softer.”

At pag malambot ka na? Mas madali kang masasaktan at maloloko. Magiging tanga ka lang.

Kaya habang lumalaki ako, ginawa niyang mission ang pagturo sa’kin how to survive without love.

Work hard, earn more and trust no one. Deadma sa puso, focus lang sa goals.

Pero ayun nga, kahit gano’n siya ka-practical, wala talagang magagawa pag universe na ang kalaban. Kasi one day, namatay nalang sya bigla.

Nung nawala sya, iniwan niya sa akin lahat ng pinaghirapan niya. Mga properties, investments, all the money she made from grinding her whole damn life.

Pero siyempre, may paandar si Lola.

Hindi ko mapigilang matawa ng basahin ng lawyer nya ang kanyang last will and testament.

“To inherit, Alexandra Reign Sy must be legally married within six months.”

Girl, excuse me? Nakakatawa diba?

Lola, bakit? Akala ko ba love makes you stupid?

Bakit ako pinapakasal bigla?

Ni N*****x series nga, hindi ko matapos tapos. Commitment who?

That was three months ago at ngayon, may tatlong buwan nalang akong natitira. Three months para humanap ng matinong lalaki na papayag pumirma ng marriage contract, minus the feelings, plus the legalities.

My options were slimmer than my patience. And my patience… left the group chat a long time ago.

Kaya sabi ko sa sarili ko, no pressure muna tonight.

No plans. No overthinking.

Just drinks… and bad decisions.

Andito kami ngayon sa condo ng kaibigan namin na si Luca. Ang aming usual na tambayan. Dim lights, malakas na music at bumabaha sa alak. Kasama ang mga kaibigan kong questionable din kung mag-advice sa buhay.

There is seven of us in total. Professional overthinkers pretending we had life figured out. A strange mix of personalities that somehow worked.

Luca was behind the bar, nagmimix ng cocktails na parang thesis defense.

Si Tessa at Bianca, nag-aaway kung nagma-mature nga ba ang mga lalaki after twenty-five (they don’t).

Si Dane at Rafe, nag-a-argue tungkol sa stocks na hindi din naman nila gets.

And then there was Callisto Maxim, na tahimik nanaman sa isang sulok, parang isang sculpture na may trust fund. The kind of man na pag nakasabay mo sa elevator, automatic mapapa-straight posture ka.

Sa totoo lang hindi bagay si Callisto sa grupo namin. He was the kind of man who made the air heavier just by existing. Tahimik pero pansinin, like a still water right before a storm.

College friend siya ni Luca, kaya automatic member na rin siya sa mga kagagahan namin.

Hindi kami ganoon ka-close. Barely even friends. Halos hindi kami masyadong nag-usap. Just polite nods and occasional sarcasm exchange.

“Alex, can you stop glaring at your drink,” sabi niya, sabay abot ng pink concoction nyang mukhang hindi mapagkakatiwalaan.

“You look like you are trying to murder it.”

“Maybe I am,” nakangising sagot ko, sabay lagok ko sa drink na iniabot nya.

Matamis sa first sip, pait sa dulo, parang kapalaran ko. Gustohin ko mang purihin ang timpla ni Luca sa drink ko pero naisip kong wag nalang. Baka magyabang nanaman to.

“Girl, you work too much. You need a man.” Nakangiting sabi ni Tessa.

Halos masamid naman ako sa sinabi nya.

“No thanks,” sagot ko. “I need sleep, not a liability.”

Sleep doesn’t cheat, lie and it doesn’t leave you on “seen.”

“Alam mo minsan, you sound like my mom.” sabi ni Bianca, sabay tawa.

“Well, I sound like someone with common sense,” balik ko.

Napatingin ako kay Callisto just in time para makita siyang bahagyang ngumingiti.

Bwisit. Mas nakaka-distract ang bihirang pag ngiti niya kaysa sa pagiging tahimik niya.

“Come on,” tukso ni Dane. “You can’t seriously believe you’ll stay single forever.”

“Forever single sounds peaceful,” sabi ko naman. “Tahimik lang.”

“Alam mo, kayong dalawa ni Callisto dapat nags-start ng club. You know, samahan mga ‘Emotionally Unavailable Overachievers’.” Sabi ni Rafe na halatang tinamaan na ng alak dahil mapungay na ang mata nito.

“Pwede naman, kaso I’m too busy for that,” sagot ni Callisto.

Everyone laughed, except for me. Because bigla niya akong tinitigan for one second longer than normal. Like he saw through something I didn’t want to be noticed.

“I’d rather be emotionally unavailable than emotionally damaged,” sabi ko.

“Mas tipid sa oras.”

And tissues, also therapy bills.

“Cold mo naman,” ani Luca.

“Efficient,” I corrected.

Because love complicates and logic cleans up.

The conversation drifted after that, the night went on, full of laughter and half-meant jokes.

For a moment, nakalimutan kong may countdown ako. Nakalimutan kong bawat araw na lumilipas ay isa pang hakbang palayo sa inheritance ni Lola. I forgot that my future was hanging by a marriage certificate.

Pero syempre, lahat ng masaya may ending. Isa-isa na silang nag-uwian.

Sina Tessa at Bianca ay sabay na lumabas.

Sina Rafe naman ay sobrang lasing na, ihahatid na daw ni Dane pauwi.

Tapos si Luca, lumabas sa may veranda, may kausap sa phone, probably business or another situationship.

And suddenly, it was just me and Callisto.

May hawak pa rin siyang drink at ako naman ay kunwaring busy sa phone para lang may magawa at hindi maging awkward ang paligid.

“‘Di ka pa ba uuwi?” tanong niya.

“Traffic pa,” sabi ko. “Hintayin ko nalang muna.”

Nakatingin pa rin sa baso. “Parang distracted ka tonight.”

“You always this observant?”

“Occupational hazard.” he said while smirking.

“CEO habit?”

“Human habit.” sagot nya.

“Di ko naiisip na tao ka nga parin pala most of the time.” natatawa kong sabi.

Nagtaas siya ng kilay. “Flattering.”

He said it like he didn’t care, but the corner of his mouth betrayed him.

“Hindi ka talaga madaldal, no?”

“Only when it’s worth it.” tipid nyang sagot.

“Must be a lonely life.”

“Better than wasting words.”

I hated how easily he won small conversations like that. So I threw a bigger one.

“You believe in marriage, Callisto?”

He looked at me, searching my face.

Checking if lasing ba ako or just plain stupid.

“Depende sa reason.” Sagot niya.

“Romantic?” I teased.

He laughed. “No. Practical.”

Oh wow. Of course. Mr. Spreadsheet Man.

“You think marriage can be practical?”

I never thought of that, I think marriage was just an inconvenience.

Matagal bago sya nakasagot, mukhang pinag isipan nya muna.

“Yes. Don’t you think? It’s partnership. A business, a merger. Two people with mutual benefits.”

Of course, his response was very ‘Callisto Maxim’, business minded one.

“That’s the least romantic thing I’ve ever heard.” I said while smirking.

“You’re the one who brought up logic,” sagot niya.

Natahimik nalang ulit kami. Napatingin ako sa kanya habang pinapanood niya sa may bintana ang mga ilaw mula sa mga building sa labas.

Yung brain ko, biglang nagkaron ng pop-up notification. ‘What if?’

And maybe it was the alcohol, or my own stupidity, but the next words slipped out before I could stop them.

“Then maybe we should get married.”

Pati ako nagulat sa sinabi ko.

“What?” nanlaki ang mata nya.

“You heard me,” sabi ko, kunwaring composed.

“You need it. I need it. Walang feelings, walang drama. Just business.”

He didn’t laugh, didn’t even blink. He just stared, long enough para magtanong ako sa sarili ko kung okay pa ba ‘yung utak ko.

“You’re joking.” he said.

“Do I look like I’m joking?”

"So you know about my father’s conditions?”

“Yeah. Married by the end of the year or mawawala ang board position mo. Nabasa ko sa news.”

“And your inheritance?” he asked.

“Six months. Otherwise, sa charity mapupunta lahat.”

Mahabang katahimikan. Parehas kaming nagpapakiramdaman sa isa’t isa.

“So you’re serious.” bulong nya.

“Dead serious.” kahit na yung heartbeat ko parang nag-rollercoaster.

“Two signatures. One ceremony. A few photos. Everyone wins.”

He leaned back, arms crossed.

CEO mode activated. “Do you even realize what you’re suggesting Alex?”

“A mutually beneficial contract,” sabi ko naman. “You’re a businessman. You love those.”

“And what happens after we both get what we want?”

“We end it. Clean. Walang iyakan. Walang teleserye.”

He chuckled. “You make marriage sound so simple.”

“Kung ayaw mo ng complications, simple lang.”

He stared again, right into my soul. Nakakairita actually.

“Why me?” tanong niya ng straight to the point.

“Because you’re the least likely person I’d ever fall for.” diretsong sagot ko. Walang sugarcoat.

“And you’re as desperate as I am. That’s exactly what I need.”

Napangiti sya, a real one this time.

“You’re brutally honest.”

“I’m efficient. Remember?”

Tahimik ulit. Pero this time, ibang katahimikan na to. Parang may tension sa hangin na hindi ko maipaliwanag.

“Say it again,” he whispered.

“Let’s get married.”

Yes, there it was, the world’s worst but brilliant idea.

Nakatingin lang sya sakin, parang tinitimbang kung kabaliwan ba yong naisip ko o isa talagang possibility.

“Okay,” sabi niya.

Napakurap muna ng ilang beses ang mata ko bago nag-register sa utak ko ang sinabi nya.

“Okay?” hindi makapaniwalang sagot ko. “Yun na ‘yon? Walang argument?”

“I’ll call my lawyer tomorrow. We’ll draft a prenup.” he said while standing up.

Nalaglag ata ‘yung puso ko.

“Wait… seryoso?”

“You’re the one who suggested it.”

Right, ako nga pala nagsimula ng apocalypse na ‘to.

“Then we have a deal.” sabi ko, kahit gusto ko nang mag-facepalm.

Inabot niya ‘yung kamay niya.

Nagdalawang-isip pa ako bago ko yon tinanggap.

“Deal,” sabi niya.

Parang biglang lumamig ‘yung hangin. Future suddenly felt real.

“This stays between us, none of our friends should know.” bilin ko.

Natawa naman ako sa isip ko, as if naman ka-announce announce tong idea ko.

Pero ayoko lang din malaman ng mga buraot naming kaibigan. Iba din ang takbo ng utak ng mga yun.

“No one finds out.” confirmation nya.

Nakahinga naman ako ng maluwag.

“Good. Uwi na ako. Goodnight.” sabi ko habang tumatayo.

“Goodnight…” he paused.

And then with the smirk. “…Mrs. Maxim.”

I just looked at him and rolled my eyes while shutting the door behind me.

Damn?

Habang nagda-drive ako, hindi ko mapigilang marinig pa rin yung boses niya.

And for the first time in months, I couldn’t tell if I’d just made the smartest move of my life.

Or the most dangerous one.