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Chapter Two: Contract of Convenience
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2025-05-27 16:45:19=Sera's POV=
“Don't flatter yourself, Mr. Vale,” bulong ko habang sinusundan siya palabas ng boardroom. “Just because I agreed, doesn't mean I surrendered.”
Wala siyang sagot. Pero naramdaman ko ang bahagyang pagngiti niya habang tumuloy siya sa elevator.
Oo, Damien Vale. Cold, calculated, and dangerously unreadable. Pero kung akala niya ako’y magiging trophy wife na tatahimik lang sa tabi niya, he’s playing the wrong game.
✴✴✴
Three Days Later...
VALECORP & Navarro Co. announce strategic engagement and merger.
Iyon ang headline sa lahat ng business websites, newspapers, at social media accounts. Viral agad. Power couple daw. Perfect alliance. The talk of the town.
Kung alam lang nila.
Hindi ito love story.
Wala ni isang halik, wala ni isang "mahal kita."
Press release lang. PR stunt. Damage control.
Buti nga kung acting lang. Ang mahirap? Opposite ng pinapakita namin sa publiko ang nangyayari behind the scenes.
✴✴✴
The next agenda? Photoshoot day.
Location? VALECORP garden rooftop, with a view of the city skyline.
Lagi na lang talaga sa lugar nila kami may gagawin. Sabagay, sila naman ang mag-aangat sa kompanya ng pamilya ko.
“Closer, Mr. Vale,” utos ng photographer. “Gently hold her waist.”
Napasinghap ako nang dumikit ang kamay niya sa tagiliran ko. Hindi siya nagsalita. Hindi ako gumalaw. Pero tumibok ng mabilis ang puso ko.
Hindi ito love. Syempre hindi.
Siguro adrenaline lang. O inis. O pareho.
“Smile,” bulong niya sa akin habang nakatingin kami sa lens.
“You first,” balik ko, sakto sa kuha.
Maya-maya pa, tinapik kami ng PR head.
“Perfect. Grabe, ang lakas ng chemistry n’yo. Parang totoo!”
Nagkatinginan kami ni Damien.
Totoo? Hindi nga kami makausap ng deretsahan pag walang script.
Later that night, nasa kotse kami pauwi mula sa photoshoot. Tahimik. Parang palaging may hangin ng tensyon kapag kaming dalawa lang. Hindi sigawan. Hindi galit. Pero ‘yung parang may hindi nasasabi.
“You did well today,” biglang sabi ni Damien habang nakatingin sa bintana.
Napalingon ako. “Did well? What am I, your employee?”
Bahagya siyang tumingin sa akin. “You’re my fiancée. Technically, part of the team.”
Napangisi ako. “Fake fiancée.”
“Fake, but binding. Remember that.”
Bumuntong-hininga ako. “And you—are you always this robotic with your relationships?”
“I don’t do relationships.”
“Figures.”
Tahimik ulit.
Pero habang nasa traffic kami, di ko mapigilang tingnan siya. Yung profile niya sa dim light ng city—sharp jawline, relaxed pero alert. Parang walang binatbat, pero kita mong maraming iniisip.
Nakakainis. Bakit parang... curious ako sa kanya?
Yesterday went fast. We had to show up together at a private investor’s luncheon. VIP event. Limited guests. Pero siyempre, headline ang “power couple” na bagong engaged.
Pagdating namin, mainit ang mga mata ng lahat sa amin. It's like we are global artists.
Kumapit siya sa braso ko. Natural. Walang pilit.
Pero ako? Parang natigilan. Kasi kahit peke, parang totoo.
Naglakad kami papasok. Heads turned. Smiles followed.
“Game face on, Ms. Navarro,” bulong ni Damien.
Ngumiti ako. “Always.”
Habang kumakain kami, may isang investor ang lumapit. I got ready. Tucked the strands of my hair. Straightened my posture. And smiled.
“Congratulations, you two. You seem so in sync. Tell us, when did you know it was love?”
Napatingin ako kay Damien. Nakakunot ang noo niya ng konti, pero mabilis din siyang ngumiti.
“It wasn’t love at first sight,” sagot niya. “But it was… inevitable.”
Ang galing. Parang scripted. Pero walang nagsulat noon. Siya lang mismo lahat.
Pagtingin niya sa akin, may something sa mga mata niya. Hindi ko alam kung biro lang o may halong totoo.
Ako naman? Lalong nilawakan ang ngiti sabay lingon sa kausap namin.
“I think I just woke up one day… and realized, I met my match.”
Nagpalakpakan ang mga tao sa table na parang totoong totoo ang pagpapanggap namin. Na parang totoong na-engage kami dahil gusto namin ang isa't isa.
But the truth is? It is all just part of our game.
Pagkauwi namin mula sa luncheon, parang hindi ko pa rin maalis sa isip ang sinabi niya.
“It wasn’t love at first sight, but it was… inevitable.”
Inevitable.
Big word.
And the worst part? Hindi ko maamin, pero parang may kiliti sa puso ko nung marinig ko ‘yon.
Damn it, Seraphina. Get a grip.
Nasa kotse ulit kami. Tahimik. Pero hindi na kasing-lamig ng dati.
“You were impressive today,” sabi ni Damien habang nakatitig sa harap.
“I know,” sagot ko agad. “Sanay akong magpanggap.”
Bahagya siyang napangiti. Halos hindi mo mahahalata kung hindi mo tututukan.
“Still, it helps when the act feels natural.”
Natural?
Napalingon ako sa kanya. “Are you saying may chemistry tayo, Mr. Vale?”
“I’m saying, you’re not as irritating as I thought.”
“Aww, is that your way of flirting?”
Ngumisi na ako, pero siya, nakatitig lang sa akin. Walang biro sa mata.
“I don’t flirt, Seraphina. I make deals. And you—” saglit siyang huminga bago nagsalita ulit, “—are part of the biggest one I’ve ever made.”
Ouch. Kung may sparks man kanina, ayan, na-extinguish na ulit. Naalala ko kung bakit ako nandito sa sitwasyong ‘to.
Hindi dahil sa feelings.
Dahil kailangan kong iligtas ang pangalan ng pamilya ko.
At siya? He’s just doing his job.
Pagbaba ko sa condo unit ko, iniwan niya akong walang paalam, walang tingin, walang goodnight. Back to cold Damien mode.
Pagkatapos naman rin ng wedding, kasal lang kami sa papel. Walang pagbabago. Parang estranghero pa rin kami sa isa’t isa.
Dumiretso ako sa kwarto ko at nahiga, at tumitig sa kisame. Iniisip kung paano nga ba ako napunta rito at bakit ako pumayag na magpakasal?
At bakit, sa lahat ng lalaking pwedeng mapangasawa, si Damien Alistair Vale pa?
Pero bago pa ako makatulog, dumating ang text ni Mama.
Mama: Nakausap na ng lawyer mo si Damien? Kelan kayo magsasama sa iisang bahay? Kailangan niyo nang magsimulang magpakita bilang totoong mag-asawa.
Napakunot-noo ako.
Isang bubong?
Oh, hell no.
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