Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

The Man I Wasn't Supposed to See Again

The first thing na naalala ni Criliah pagkagising niya ay ang sakit ng ulo niya.

The second was the unfamiliar ceiling above her.

Dahan-dahan siyang bumangon at napatingin sa paligid.

“Where am I?”

Hindi ito ang kwarto niya.

Hindi rin ito ang mansion nila.

Luxury hotel room.

Napakunot-noo siya habang pilit na binabalikan ang nangyari kagabi.

Her father's angry voice.

Their argument.

The engagement.

Her decision to run away.

The bar.

And then...

The stranger.

Napahawak si Criliah sa sentido niya.

“Oh my gosh.”

Mabilis siyang bumaba ng kama at inayos ang sarili.

Nang mapansin niyang maayos pa naman ang suot niya, napabuga siya ng hangin.

“Okay. I'm okay.”

Pero hindi niya maiwasang kabahan.

Hindi niya maalala ang lahat ng nangyari.

Puro fragments lang.

The loud music.

The cold night air.

His voice.

His eyes.

At ang paraan kung paano siya nito kinausap na parang hindi siya isang heiress na kailangang sundin ang lahat ng utos ng pamilya niya.

Para bang isa lang siyang ordinaryong babae.

At sa isang gabi, iyon lang ang gusto niya.

Maging ordinaryo.

Napatingin siya sa bedside table.

May isang baso ng tubig doon.

At isang maliit na papel.

Kinuha niya iyon.

Maikli lamang ang nakasulat.

You looked like you needed someone to listen.

Walang pangalan.

Walang number.

Nothing else.

Napakurap si Criliah.

“Who are you?”

Hindi niya alam kung bakit, pero hindi niya maitapon ang papel.

Tinupi niya iyon at inilagay sa loob ng purse niya.

Whatever happened last night, kailangan na niyang kalimutan.

She had bigger problems waiting for her at home.

---

Pagdating niya sa mansion, ramdam agad ni Criliah ang tension.

The moment she stepped inside, napalingon sa kanya ang lahat.

Her mother immediately stood up.

“Criliah!”

Her father, meanwhile, looked furious.

“Where have you been?”

Huminga siya nang malalim.

“Out.”

“Out?”

Muntik nang matawa si Criliah sa tono ng ama niya.

“Dad, I'm twenty-four. I don't think I need to report every second of my life to you.”

“Don't test me.”

“I wasn't testing you.”

“You disappeared without telling anyone!”

“I needed space!”

Napuno ang buong living room ng katahimikan.

Her mother tried to intervene.

“Criliah, your father was worried—”

“Worried?”

Napailing siya.

“He's not worried about me. He's worried that I might ruin his perfect plan.”

Tumigas ang mukha ng kanyang ama.

“Enough.”

“No, Dad. I'm done.”

Napaluha ang kanyang mga mata pero pinigilan niya.

“I don't want to marry him.”

“You're going to marry him.”

“I said I don't want to!”

“And I said the wedding will proceed.”

Parang may humigpit sa dibdib niya.

“You can't force me.”

“I can when your decision affects this family.”

There it was again.

Family.

Business.

Reputation.

Never her feelings.

Napatawa siya nang mapait.

“Of course.”

Tumalikod siya.

But before she could leave, may narinig siyang footsteps mula sa hallway.

Someone was coming.

Her father suddenly changed his expression.

“Ah. You're here.”

Napahinto si Criliah.

Hindi niya alam kung bakit, pero biglang bumilis ang tibok ng puso niya.

Then she heard his voice.

“Good morning.”

Nanlamig ang buong katawan niya.

That voice.

She knew that voice.

Slowly, she turned around.

At doon niya siya nakita.

The stranger.

Nakatayo ito sa doorway, wearing a perfectly fitted black suit.

His dark eyes were calm.

His expression was unreadable.

Pero kahit gaano siya magbago ng damit, hindi niya makakalimutan ang mga mata nito.

It was him.

“Hindi maaari…”

Napaatras si Criliah.

His eyes immediately met hers.

For a second, neither of them spoke.

Recognition flashed in his eyes.

Pero mabilis din iyong nawala.

As if nothing happened.

Her father smiled.

“Criliah, come here.”

Hindi siya gumalaw.

“This is Kael.”

Kael.

Finally, may pangalan na ang estranghero.

Her father continued.

“He's the man you're going to marry.”

Parang biglang nawala ang tunog sa paligid.

“What?”

Napatingin siya sa lalaki.

Kael.

Ang estrangherong nakilala niya kagabi.

Ang lalaking akala niya ay hindi na niya makikita.

Ang lalaking ngayon ay ipinapakilala sa kanya bilang magiging asawa niya.

“No.”

Napailing siya.

“No way.”

Her mother sighed.

“Criliah—”

“He's him.”

Napatingin ang lahat kay Criliah.

She pointed at Kael.

“He's the man from last night.”

Tahimik si Kael.

Wala itong ipinakitang gulat.

Wala ring denial.

Instead, he simply looked at her.

Then he slowly walked toward her.

“Is that a problem?”

Napakunot-noo si Criliah.

“You knew?”

“Knew what?”

“That I was the woman you were supposed to marry?”

His eyes remained fixed on hers.

“I knew who you were.”

Nanlaki ang mga mata niya.

“So you knew?”

Kael gave a small, almost unreadable smile.

“I did.”

“Then why didn't you tell me?”

“Would you have stayed?”

Natigilan siya.

Hindi siya nakasagot.

Because he was right.

If she had known who he was, she would have walked away immediately.

Kael stepped closer.

Not too close.

Just enough to make her uncomfortable.

“That's why I didn't tell you.”

“You lied to me.”

“I didn't lie.”

“You hid the truth.”

“There's a difference.”

Napailing siya.

“I hate you.”

For the first time, his expression changed.

A faint smile appeared on his lips.

“That's unfortunate.”

“Why?”

“Because we're getting married.”

Napatitig si Criliah sa kanya.

At sa sandaling iyon, isang bagay ang malinaw sa kanya.

Hindi lang basta kasal ang problemang kinakaharap niya.

The man she met last night wasn't a random stranger.

He was Kael.

Her future husband.

And judging from the way he looked at her—

he had known exactly who she was from the very beginning.