CHAPTER 4

Valerian Devereaux

Sabado ng gabi at natagpuan ko ang aking sarili na nakaupo sa loob ng isang club at napapagitnaan nina Andrew at Everett.

I really did not want to be here.

Clubs were too noisy and messy for my taste. The pounding music was loud enough to vibrate through the table, colored lights flashed across the room, and the smell of alcohol, perfume, and sweat lingered in the air. Kahit saan ako lumingon, may nakikita akong mga tao na umiinom, nagsasayaw, o naghahanap ng maikakama. None of it appealed to me.

It had been a month since my father's lawyer dropped the bomb about the condition in my father's will. I needed to be married before my thirty-fifth birthday if I wanted to retain control of Devereaux Holdings. Otherwise, the company would fall into Uncle Victor's hands. And I would rather lose an arm than give that man control over what my father had built.

All the women I knew came from the business world. Sinubukan kong makipag-date sa ilan sa kanila, but I could smell the snakes beneath their polished smiles. Hindi sila interesado sa akin kundi sa pangalan ko, sa pera ko, at sa posisyon ko. And there was no doubt in my mind that Uncle Victor already knew most of them.

If I were going to marry someone, it should be someone outside our circle. Someone who had no connection to my family. Someone I could trust. Or, at the very least, someone who wouldn't try to stab me in the back the moment I turned around.

Kaya kahit labag sa loob ko, humingi ako ng tulong kay Everett.

I met him when we were in college. Magkaklase kami, and for some reason, hindi na niya ako tinantanan ever since. He was the kind of person who never took no for an answer.

What I didn't know was that his idea of helping me involved dragging me to a club to find a woman I could marry. And, unfortunately, Andrew, my secretary, had agreed to go along with my friend's craziness. They both dragged me here.

Who in their right mind would look for someone to marry in a club? But I had no choice.

"How about that girl?" Everett asked, nodding toward the bar. "I've been noticing that she keeps looking our way."

I followed his gaze. A woman sat alone at the counter.

She was wearing a plain T-shirt and a pair of jeans. Nothing particularly special about her. She's not wearing an expensive dress, flashy jewelry, or a designer handbag. Instead, mayroon siyang hawak na envelope. Mukhang mag-aapply pa ata ng trabaho dito.

"I'm not interested," I said, picking up my glass.

Kumalat sa dila ko ang mapait na lasa ng whiskey. I swallowed without making a face and set the glass back down.

Everett frowned. Ever since we arrived, he had been pointing out one woman after another, as though he were shopping for clothes. Tinanggihan ko ang bawat isa sa kanila.

"Paano naman tayo makakahanap ng papakasalan mo? Napaka-pihikan mo." Andrew sighed beside me. "Mabuti sana kung kapili-pili ka rin."

Halos mabali ang leeg ko ng mapalingon ako sa kanya. Andrew has been my secretary since I started working at the company. Ibang-iba talaga ang ugali nito pag dating sa akin kapag nasa labas ng kumpanya.

Humagalpak agad ng tawa si Everett at nakipag-apir pa kay Andrew. Napakamot si Andrew sa ulo nang tapunan ko siya ng masamang tingin.

"You're both enjoying this far too much."

Everett grinned. "We're trying to help you. Ikaw ang nangangailangan kaya 'wag ka ng masyadong choosy."

"Nagbago na ang isip ko. I don't need your help. Kaya kong makahanap ng asawa ng walang tulong niyo."

"Clearly," Andrew muttered. "Kaya nga thirty-four ka na at wala ka pa ring asawa."

Halos malaglag ang panga ko sa sinabi ni Andrew. How can he say those words to me? Wala nga kami sa trabaho but that doesn't change that I am his boss.

Andrew immediately raised both hands. "Just stating a fact, boss."

"Wala akong asawa dahil ayaw ko. Hindi dahil hindi ako makahanap," asik ko dito.

Everett burst out laughing again. I exhaled through my nose and reached for my drink. This was going to be a long night.

Muling nabaling ang tingin ko sa babaeng malapit sa counter.

A man had approached her, and she immediately shook her head at whatever he was saying. But the man didn't leave her side. From where I was sitting, I could see the way her brows furrowed as she looked at him.

She looked like she didn't even want to be here. Just like me. Why the hell was she here?

"Are you sure you're not interested? You're staring," Everett said, nudging me with his elbow.

"I'm not staring. I'm observing the place."

Andrew snorted. "Observing the place pero sa kanya lang nakatingin?."

I slowly turned to him.

"Do you still want to work for my company?"

"Well, technically, it's not—"

"Be careful with your next words."

Andrew immediately shut his mouth.

Everett rolled his eyes. "Come on. Stop talking nonsense and just go talk to her."

He reached over and took the glass from my hand before I could stop him.

"No," I firmly said.

"You need a wife."

I stared at him. Were they seriously thinking I could find a wife in a place like this?

"Yes," I replied. "And I also need my peace and silence."

The bass from the speakers pounded against my skull. Naghahalo-halo na ang ingay mula sa iba't ibang mga tao at musika, hindi ko na mapigilan ang ngiwi sa mukha ko.

"I'm fucking overstimulated."

Everett laughed.

"Unfortunately, neither of those things is happening tonight."

"Look at her. Someone's bothering her." Nanatili ang mga mata ni Andrew sa babae. "Baka chance mo na para maging knight in shining armor."

"That's terrible advice." I glanced at him. "In what way do you think she'll entertain me when she looks like doesn't even want to be here—"

"You're fucking Valerian Devereaux." Everett cut me off with a pointed look. "Do you really think she's going to reject you?"

Napataas ang isang kilay ko sa pang-uuto nito. Before I could respond, Everett grabbed my arm and pulled me to my feet. He didn't care about the murderous look I sent his way.

Tinulak ako ni Andrew mula sa likod, dahilan para tuluyan akong mapatayo. Muntik na nga rin akong mawalan ng balanse.

"Fuck!"

I glared over at Andrew over my shoulder before turning back to Everett. This was a mistake. Isang pagkakamali na noong pumayag akong pumunta rito. At mas malaking pagkakamali pa ang pagpayag ko na sumama sa amin si Andrew. Two against one wasn't fair.

"Just talk to her for ten minutes," Everett said, giving my shoulder a firm pat. "Kapag walang spark, come back here and we'll find another."

"Spark, a****a."

I stared at him for a moment. Ten minutes.

I could tolerate ten minutes. Besides, I had already wasted enough of my Saturday night sitting here.

"Fine."

The moment I agreed, both men looked ridiculously pleased. Their faces lit up like children who had just gotten what they wanted.

Inayos ko muna ang damit ko na bahagyang nagusot dahil sa kanilang kahangalan bago sila talikuran.

"Good luck, boss!"

"Kaya mo 'yan, bro."

I ignored them. I could still hear their muffled laughter behind me as I walked toward the counter.

"Sinabi ko nang ayoko. Bakit hindi mo ba naiintindihan?" narinig kong sabi ng babae, medyo malakas na ang boses kaya may ilang tao ang napapalingon sa kanila.

The man standing too close to her clenched his jaw.

"Relax, babe. I'm just trying to talk to you."

"I don't want to talk to you. Kanina ko pa sinasabi. Please leave me alone."

The man's face reddened as he stared at her for a few seconds before finally turning around and walking away. Hindi ko alam kung namula ang mukha niya dahil lasing siya or because he was embarrassed about being rejected.

Looks like she didn't need a knight in shining armor after all.

Saglit akong sumulyap sa direksiyon nina Everett at Andrew. Both of them were waving their hands at me, silently encouraging me to keep going.

I clicked my tongue. Idiots.

Nang muli akong tumingin sa unahan, nasa akin na ang mga mata ng babae. Nangunot ang noo niya, as if she was trying to figure out why I was walking toward her.

I waited for the recognition to appear on her face. Maaring ang dahilan kung bakit siya kanina pa tingin ng tingin sa akin ay dahil alam niya kung sino ako. It wouldn't have been unusual. My face had appeared in enough business magazines and newspapers for people to recognize me.

But it didn't come. Sa halip, tinitigan niya lang ako nang ilang segundo bago rin siya umiwas ng tingin.

"Can I buy you a drink?" I asked as I leaned against the counter beside her, taking the same spot where the man who had just left was standing.

Hindi siya sumagot. She merely side-eyed me.

I took that as a no. Still, I ordered a drink for myself and another for her.

"This is for you," I said, sliding the glass of piña colada toward her.

Tumingin siya sa alak bago bumalik ang tingin sa akin. She didn't touch it. Instead, she watched me take a sip of my whiskey.

"I don't want it. Thanks."

"Why?"

"Dahil hindi kita kilala?"

"Fair enough." I shrugged and nodded. The world was a dangerous place for women. If I were in her position, I wouldn't accept a drink from a stranger either.

Hinugot ko ang wallet ko mula sa bulsa sa likod ng pantalon ko. Humugot ako ng isang business card at inabot iyon sa kanya.

"My name is Valerian Devereaux," pakilala ko sa sarili. "Now you know me."

Gaya ng inaasahan ko, hindi niya iyon tinanggap. Tiningnan lang niya ang card bago ibinaling muli ang tingin sa akin.

I placed it beside her glass instead.

"You saw me order the drink just now. It would be impossible for me to have spiked it."

Sumulyap ako sa relo ko. I still had 6 minutes left.

"Hindi ako interesado," she said, still looking at me.

"In what?"

"Whatever you're trying to do." Huminga siya nang malalim bago tuluyang humarap sa akin.

Doon ko mas napagmasdan ang mukha niya.

Mahaba ang mga pilikmata niya, casting soft shadows beneath her eyes whenever she blinked. Bahagyang namumula ang kanyang mga pisngi kahit na hindi naman siya umiinom. Her lips were naturally pink, and a few loose strands of her dark hair had fallen around her face.

Seeing her up close, she wasn't that bad. Sa totoo lang, maganda siya. Not the kind of beauty that demanded attention the moment she walked into a room, but the kind that became more noticeable the longer you looked.

Kung aayusin lang niya ang sarili niya at magbibihis nang maayos, I was sure she could turn heads. And, judging by the way men around the club kept glancing in her direction, maybe she already did.

"Look, I just spent the last couple of minutes trying to tell a drunk man to leave me alone. I'm not in the mood to do that again."

"Yeah. Saw that." I took another sip of my whiskey. "Kinda annoying when people don't know how to listen."

Tinitigan niya ako sandali, tila nagulat na sumang-ayon ako sa kanya.

"Honestly, I don't want to bother you either."

Her eyes narrowed. May pagdududa sa mukha.

"Eh, bakit ka nandito?"

I glanced over my shoulder. Everett and Andrew were still watching us from across the room. Sinundan din niya ang tingin ko. Both idiots immediately straightened when they noticed us looking.

"They gave me ten minutes."

"Para san?"

"That's how long I'm supposed to talk to you. I still have 4 more minutes left."

Her eyebrows shot up. Mukhang lalo siyang naguluhan sa sinabi ko.

"They saw you looking at me across the room and thought I should talk to you to see if we have a spark."

Nalaglag ang panga niya. Hindi makapaniwalang tinapunan niya ako ng tingin.

"Ang kapal ng mukha mo. Hindi kita tinititigan!"

I tilted my head to the side, staring straight at her. We both knew that was a lie.

I had felt her eyes on me the moment we walked into the club. Kahit anong gawin niyang tingin sa iba, palagi pa rin itong bumabalik sa akin.

"It's because I need a wife," deretsahan kong saad sa kanya.

She nearly choked on air, halos malaglag na sa kanyang kinauupuan.

She looked at me. Then at my drink. Then back at me.

Tila hinihintay niyang magsalita ulit ako upang ipaliwanag ang sinabi ko, ngunit hindi na siya nakatiis. Bahagya siyang natawa.

"Sa dinami-dami ng lugar, dito pa talaga nila naisip humanap ng girlfriend?"

Right? That's what I have been saying. Bobo nina Everett at Andrew.

"Wife," I corrected.

She gave me a look. "Oo na, wife! Seryuso ka ba?"

"Unfortunately."

Umiling siya, mukhang hindi pa rin makapaniwala. Her eyes dropped to the untouched drink I had ordered for her.

"You can drink that. Hindi ako mahilig sa matamis, kaya sayang lang 'yan."

Bahagya siyang napanguso, tila nagdadalawang-isip pa rin.

"Why? I mean, hindi ka mukhang mahihirapan humanap ng babae na papakasalan." Sinuri niya ako mula ulo hanggang paa. Napansin ko ang sandaling paghinto ng mga mata niya sa labi ko." Mukha kang mayaman, and you're kinda good-looking too."

"I'm really rich and good-looking," I said matter-of-factly.

I watched the corner of her lips twitch, as if she were trying not to laugh.

"My dad is being a dick and won't just let me inherit the company when he dies. He wants me to get married within the next few months, or I'll lose it."

I clicked my tongue and took another sip of my whiskey.

"Mayayaman talaga. Kayo lang nakakaisip ng mga ganyan." Napailing siya. Hindi nakatakas sa paningin ko ang kaunting pait na bumahid sa kanyang ngiti.

Huminga siya nang malalim bago tuluyang kinuha ang inuming in-order ko para sa kanya at s******p doon. I watched her reaction as the alcohol touched her tongue. She blinked a few times, then took another sip.

She looked like a cat cautiously testing something new.

Muli akong napatingin sa orasan ko. My ten minutes are already over.

Tapos na. I should leave, right?