L I B E R T Y   K I N G S

I walked confidently inside my father's company. My legs stride gracefully and I held my chin high. I didn't bother to greet anyone as I walk, para saan pa? Hindi rin naman nila kilala kung sino ako. Maybe after the big event that my father is planning, they will know who I am. I want them to know who I am but not in these circumstances. 

Isinang tabi ko muna ang aking kalungkutan at ang aking bigong puso. I don't want anyone to see me wreck and weak. Kahit ubos na ubos na ako, I will never satisfy them by letting them see me at my worst. I may deny to everyone my real situation but I will never deny it to myself. Ang sarili ko na lamang ang kakampi ko rito. Lolokohin ko pa ba ang sarili ko?

I fixed my Chanel square sunglasses with its signature chain. I dressed elegantly today to mask all of my infirmity. From my high ponytail hair, black and pink David Koma cutout cady mini dress, strappy heels, and a black Chanel clutch. Kahit nasa loob na ako ng building ay hindi ko pa rin tinatanggal ang aking sunglasses, I'm too afraid that they may see the sadness in my eyes.

I know I did great with my make-up because the fluffiness is now covered, but I know the sadness within can't be covered with anything. When my father's secretary saw me, she immediately guided me to the conference room that we are going to use. I'm surprised to see everyone already settled in their sits. Ako na lang ako kulang. 

I saw my father's stern look as he looks at his watch then at me, indicating that I was late. Well, I need to moped around first before convincing myself to come here. Sumisigaw ang aking puso sa kalungkutan and my mind is shutting down for the past few days. But I need to do this. Walang kwenta ang pakipag-break ko kay Oliver kung hindi ako pupunta ngayon. All the pain will be meaningless. 

You had to do this, Liberty.

Pagkapasok ko ay agad na tumayo si Froy sa kaniyang kinauupuan para batiin ako at iginaya sa 'king uupuan. 

"Good morning, Liberty." 

I just nodded at his greeting, the same with anyone who greeted me. Mukha namang hindi nagustuhan ni Dad ang ginawa kong pagbati sa mga taong nandoon. I know he finds it disrespectful but the hell I care! He disrespects me first. I may be doing this but I won't let them see that I'm happy about this engagement. Si Dad at Tita Fai lamang ang nasa side ko nadumalo sa meeting na ito habang ang Mama at Papa naman ni Froy ang kasama niya.

Yes, we are going to talk about engagement. Today is the day the engagement will be official.

It sucks.

I slowly lifted my sunglasses to my head and look at them, I wish my cat eyeliner intimidate them. I saw Froy's mom smile a little to me and I did the same. 

My father—Long kings faked a cough to get our attention, "good day everyone especially to the Valez family."

Just hearing the surname makes my heart hurt. In a second his gorgeous face flashed in my mind. I blinked trying to erase Oliver's face.  Naglahad ng kamay si Dad sa mag-asawang Valez na nasa kaniyang harapan. They shook it formally and they exchange a business-like smile, ganoon rin ang ginawa namin ni tita Fai. Tanging ngiti lamang ni Froy ang tunay sa mga ngiti sa loob ng kwartong ito.

"Nice to finally meet you, Iha. I'm Amelia Valez but you can call me Tita Ams or Mama." she smiled sweetly at me as she shook my hands. 

I turned my head a little and it landed on Froy's father, "Owen Valez," that's all he said then he turned his head to Tita Fai.

Froy genuinely smile at me and kissed my cheeks, "You look good." It hurts seeing Froy happy and satisfied by whatever is happening right now, while his partner—Me can't even feel tiny happiness. 

Froy's mom looks feminine, 'yung tipong hindi makabasag pinggan. She has these short brown curls and caramel eyes which I assumed where Froy got his. Tita Amelia looks angelic and somehow Froy's messy hairstyle makes him too. While his father—Owen Valez, looks strict like Oliver does. He also has these jet black eyes that look like a hawk's eye, they are piercing through your soul. Tito Owen's hair is cleaner than Oliver's. I wonder who's older than them?

Looking at Owen Valez is like looking at Oliver. It makes it harder for me to be here. Parang ipinapaalala sa 'king ng tadahana si Oliver. Is this the sign that I shouldn't be doing this? Even if this is the sign, I will be blind today. Magpapanggap akong hindi ko ito nakita.

"Shall we start?" 

My father looked at me intently like he was saying that I should behave and be a good girl. Good girl my ass. I have always been a good girl to him, he just can't see it. We nodded as to what he said and everybody composed themselves as my father starts talking.

"I just want to clarify everything first before we proceed to the agendas. Both sides are agreeing to this engagement right?"

After stating those words he looked at me again we warning in his eyes. Like I can't go against him and humiliate him in front of the guest. I just nodded as a sign of agreeing while Froy said 'yes' seriously. 

"Good, anyway we are planning on holding the engagement party this Saturday."

"Isn't that a little too fast?" pag-alma ni Tita Amelia.

"Well, this is just an engagement party, Amelia. Hindi pa naman ito ang wedding and I can't see any reason para patagalin pa ito." 

"But we need to prepare. I don't want a mediocre preparation for my son's engagement party!" 

My first impression of Tita Amelia instantly disappeared. Mukha lang pala itong hindi makabasag pinggan pero the way she acts and talks says otherwise. You can't judge the book by it's cover. I don't have anything against at what she said, kung siguro ay may anak din ako ay gusto ko ang the best para sa kaniya. I understand what Tita's stand for. 

"Mom, it's alright and important ay nandoon ako at si Liberty. You can do all your extravaganzas at our wedding." Froy smile at his mom to calm her. I saw Tita Amelia rolled her eyes at what her son said and mouthed 'whatever'.

"Rest assured that the party won't look cheap, Amelia."

"You should,"

This time I saw Tito Owen's hand rub to his wife's arm calming her. I wanted to laugh. It takes two Valez men to calm her down. How blessed she is to marry her love. 

"Fine," pagsuko ni tita, "let's talk about the theme."

"May theme pa?" takang bulaslas ni Tita Fai. 

"Of course! God, what with you?"

"I-I just got surprised. I thought we settled on a classy party."

"O, do you think a party without a theme is classy?"

"Ma..." pagpipigil ni Froy sa kaniyang Mama. Again, I saw Tita Amelia rolling her eyes and whispered 'low-class'. That almost made me laugh. I bit my lower lips to surpass it and Tita Amelia saw what I'm doing.

She smiled at me like Regina Goerge of mean girls and said, "Liberty, honey do you agree?"

"I think it's a good idea to have a theme since we are already rushing this, we can cover it up by having a theme to make it well-planned." 

Tita Amelia flashed a satisfied smile at what I said and looked at Tita Fai mockingly. Tito Owen just shook his head at what his wife did habang bumuntong hininga na lamang si Froy. Dad clapped his hands to get our attention and to removed the tension building up. 

"What do you suggest?"

"Beauty and the beast." I choked at my own saliva from what Tita Amelia said. Is she serious?

"Err... my so isn't a beast. Let's change it to Little mermaid!" 

I heard Froy's face-palming himself and looked at me embarrassed.Namumula ang tainga hangang leeg nito dahil sa sinabi ng kaniyang ina. 

"Ma, stop."

"What you don't like that? Well, we can do Snow White!"

For the first time, I saw Tito Owen smile. "Hon, try a different theme. We can do masquerade if you want." 

Napahanga ako kung paano ni Tito pinigilan si Tita. Hindi niya ito kinontra o ipinahiya sa 'min. Binigyan niya lamang ito ng ibang idea para matigil sa mga Disney characters na gusto nito. 

Bago pa makapagsalita muli si Tita Amelia ay bumukas ang pintuan sa conference room. We were all surprised by my mom's grand entrance. Her hair is cleanly iron and she's also wearing Chanel sunglasses like me. She looks so elegant with her red long sleeves mini dress and black stiletto. She doesn't look like in her early forties at all. Dala-dala ang kaniyang maleta ay ngumisi siya sa 'min.

"Good morning! Sorry for being late."

Emily Right— former Emily Kings is standing proudly and elegantly in front of us. When her eyes landed on me, she immediately walks towards me and kissed my cheeks. 

"You look stunning, daughter!"

She even squealed when she saw our guess. "My God, is that you Amelia?"

To our surprise, Tita Amelia did the same. "Still the same gorgeous Amelia, darling."

Nagbeso-beso pa ang dalawa sa harapan namin at kami ito naiwang nanonood sa dalawa. Froy looked at me and I just shrugged. Hindi ko naman kasi alam na magkakilala ang dalawa at lalong hinid ko alam na ngayon ang dating ni Mom. What a surprise! Ang buong akala ko ay sa sabado pa ang uwi niya. 

"What are you doing here, Emily?" 

Mariin ang pagkasasabi noon ni Dad. Matiim itong tumingin kay Mom pero hindi nakalagpas sa 'kin ang paghagod ng tingin nito. My mother just raised her brows and look at him mockingly. 

"Why? It's a mother's responsibility to be there for her daughter especially on important events." 

"You're not invited." Tita Fai said coldly.

"I invited myself. Since I knew the establishment's routes I guided myself." My mother said confidently and seat beside me. 

"You didn't tell me that you'll be here," I whispered.

"It's a surprise daughter."

Tito Owen tapped his fingers to the table, "Shall we continue?"

The tension in the air is so thick but my mother doesn't care at all. She even had the guts to look at her nails when my Father is talking or when Tita Fai did. Emily Rights would only raise her sight when the Valez's is talking and they are really clicking well, especially to Tita Amelia. We already settled on the party theme which is touche de France, which basically means a touch of France.

"Is this an arrange marriage?"

"Yes, darling Emily."

"Well, I'm not particularly agreeing to this." 

I shot my eyebrow up like what London Kings did. We are all looking at my mom now who nonchalantly shrugs her shoulder. She even flips her hair and looks darkly at my father.

"You see, I have a personal stand on arrange marriage. It always fails." my mom even dramatically sighs and continued, "it's always full of doubts and regrets. It doesn't have a solid foundation."

"I don't want my daughter to experience that."

My mom said with finality and held my hand. I was so shocked at what she said. I thought she would openly agree to this lalo na't makukuha ko na ang aking mana kung pakakasal ako kay Froy. I could feel my tears building up as my heart felt the warmth of a mother's love. I had been longing for this for so long. 

"You always let your heart dictate you anyway."

My mother laughs at what my father said, "yes, I was stupid for loving the wrong man."

I saw my father's jaw clenched at what my mom said. While my mom just seriously looks at him with firmness. 

"I won't let my daughter have the same mistakes. That's why I'm here to ask her if she really wants this." 

"A love that's true will always remain no matter what happens. These two younger must know that. Marriage is a serious thing. Hindi ito isang pagkaing pwede nila iluwa pag napaso sila. Their partner should see and understand sacrifices."

"Coming from you?" my father said bitterly.

"Why, can't relate?" 

Emily Rights laugh mockingly and look at Tita Fai, "one will always find a way out of the marriage if they don't love each other dearly."

"The audacity of this bitch." Tita Fai not-so-whispered.

My mother's eye looked at Tita Fai sharply and before these two could even start a war, I stood up and look at them.

"I'm sure, Mom. I'm going to marry Froy." 

For Felix and Oliver... I must.

~TBC~

Sorry dahil late. So here's what happened kung bakit late ang supposed double update. I already wrote 38 and half of the 39 then nag bathroom break ako. Pagbalik ko nakita kong hinigaan ng cat ko 'yung laptop at na delete lahat ng isinulat ko!

Anyway, I liked all of your comments. To be fair I'll be using the spin the wheel apps.

Feel free to share your thoughts and keep safe!

Love lots :>>