"Where are we?" tanong ko nang makababa kami mula sa lambo habang pinagmamasdan ang malaking mansion sa harapan ko. I can't believe this. I was having a hard time finding a home to stay in, but here I am in front of a mansion that I never knew who owned it.

"In our residence, Ate Thea," sagot ni Isa bago naunang maglakad sa amin. Napabuntong-hininga naman ako. Nawala ang pagkamangha ko sa isinagot niya. Mabuti nang wala akong matuluyan, kaysa umapak sa pamamahay ng isang taong ayaw naman din ako pumunta roon. I don't even know why I'm here. Ibinaling ko ang mga mata ko kay Ismael na kanina pa pala naghihintay na tingnan ko siya. Galit pa rin ako sa kaniya.

"Jothea," pagtawag niya sa akin.

"What is it now?" inis kong tanong. Dahil sa ginawa niya kanina, wala na akong nagawa kung hindi ang sumama sa kanila, kahit hindi ko alam kung saan papunta. And why would he think to kneel before me? Am I a god?

"I am really sorry I got you upset. I will explain everything to you later. I promised. Pumasok muna tayo sa loob."

Nakatingin lang ako sa kaniya nang pakawalan ko ang isang buntong-hininga. "Don't try to lie to me."

Tinapangan ko ang loob ko kahit na unti-unti akong nagkakaroon ng ideya. Ito na ba 'yong sinasabi ni Isa na family dinner? I am not prepared for this. I even look like a shit. How can I present myself decently?

Nagsimula na siyang maglakad at nakasunod lamang ako. Dumaan kami sa stairs na gawa sa mga mamahaling bato. Napalingon pa ako sa dinaanan namin at napanganga na lang ako nang masilayan ang kalawakan ng lupa na pagmamay-ari nila. Everything was green and gold.

Malapad na pinto ang sumalubong sa amin. Maging ang sahig ay gawa sa mamahaling marble na may mga unique paints. Hindi ko akalaing makakaapak ako sa ganito. I never knew that this guy in front of me was fucking wealthy.

"Good evening, Sir Ismael. Your parents are not yet at home. They will be here tomorrow at seven p.m. You want me to lead you to your room?" pagbati ng isang lalaki na may kasama pang maraming lalaki na nakahanay sa may pintuan. May mga babae ring naroon at panay ang sulyap kay Ismael at sa akin.

"No, thank you. Tell my parents that summoning me here will not change my decision. We'll just stay for a night," sambit ni Ismael bago niya hawakan ang kamay ko.

Nakaramdam ako ng kaba. Hindi na ako makapaghintay na malaman ang totoo. Umakyat kami sa hagdan na may nakalatag na red carpet. Kahit ang haligi ng hagdanan ay may magagarang palamuti. Shit. How am I supposed to take this?

Binuksan ni Ismael ang malapad na pinto ng isang kuwarto. Pinapasok niya ako at muli itong isinara. What welcomed me was a simple room, like an old-roman style. I was amazed by the furniture and every detail in each of them. What kind of family is Mondalla? This is fucking unbelievable. How did he hide this from me?

Dumapo ang mga mata ko kay Ismael na kasalukuyang nagpapalit ng damit. Is he trying to appease me with his body? Sinasadya ba niyang makita ko?

"Aren't you going to explain everything just like you promised? What is this? I can't understand. Why am I even here?" sunod-sunod kong tanong. Humarap siya sa akin nang matapos siyang magdamit.

"My parents summoned us here."

"Your parents?"

Lumapit siya sa akin. "They want us to get married."

"What?" Mas lalo akong naguluhan sa paliwanag niya. "What do you mean they want us to get married, Ismael?" My forehead furrowed as I tried to understand what he said, but fuck, even if I tried to, I just couldn't. I am lacking information about what's going on here.

Umupo siya sa kama, kasabay ng pagtapik niya sa puwang katabi niya. "Come here; I'll calm you down while explaining."

My teeth clenched as I heaved a deep sigh. Gusto ko mang magmatigas pa ay mas kailangan ko ang paliwanag niya. Humarap siya sa akin at hinawakan ang magkabila kong pisngi. "I told you before, right, that I have divorced parents?" Hinalikan niya ang pisngi ko.

"That was because my dad wants to have a lot of children. After Isa was born, my mother couldn't bear a child anymore. So, to have another wife legally, my father married again," he explained, as he kissed my other cheek.

"And now, with his second wife, they produce ten more children, which are my half-siblings." He kissed my nose.

"And what does it have to do with your life?"

"They want me to get married because, as the firstborn, they want me to manage everything, especially their wealth and properties, and it is my right. Gusto rin nilang maipasa ito sa susunod pang henerasyon, kaya gusto nila akong magpakasal, but I don't want that to be my sole purpose to marry someone; that's why I never agreed." Idinampi niya ang kaniyang labi sa aking noo. "I don't want you to feel that I used you, Jothea. I will marry you because of love, not because of money."

Napabuntong-hininga ako at patuloy lang siyang pinakikinggan kahit na wala akong masyadong maintindihan.

"Jothea, I was ignoring you these past few weeks because they are trying to track me down and especially you, my woman," bakas sa boses niya na sinsero siya sa kaniyang mga inaamin. I tried my best to maintain myself. "I don't want them to use you."

Tiningnan ko siyang maigi. "Then you should've told me. I feel so dumb, Ismael. It was you who told me to tell you everything that bothers me, but it was you who never did it the same way," saad ko..

"Because I don't want you to worry about it."

"But I want to worry about you too, Ismael. I care for you. All this time, I was blaming myself if I lacked something, which made you hate and ignore me when the truth is here. You should've told me." Napakapit ako sa damit niya. Kung alam ko lang naman na may dahilan siya, kaya niya ako iniiwasan, willing naman akong tumulong. Kaya nga sinabi ko rin sa kaniya ang tungkol kay Raviel dahil gusto kong sundin ang bilin niya. "Our relationship is a give-and-take, Ismael. Hindi palaging ikaw, narito rin ako para sa 'yo. You can also take something from me, and I will give it to you willingly."

"I'm sorry." Tinagpo niya ang mga mata ko. "I'm sorry that I made you feel bad. I also wanted to punch myself when I heard about what took place in your house. I was eaten by my regrets. I was supposed to be there with you. I'm so sorry."

Bakas sa mukha niya ang pagsisisi. Maging ako'y nakukuha niya na at napapatawad siya. Tuluyan na akong kumalma at nawala ang galit.

Lihim akong napapangiti dahil para akong isang baliw na mapagpatawad, sa isang halik, isang paliwanag, bumabalik na sa katinuan agad. Ngunit kulang pa, gusto kong tapusin niya ang pag-uusap namin sa isang halik sa labi.

Pinagmasdan ko ang kaniyang mga labi at napansin niya iyon. "Pinapatawad mo na ba ako?" tanong niya.

"Not yet." Kumunot ang noo niya, pero lumabas din ang ngiti nang lumayo ako sa kaniya at sumandal sa headboard. "Please me first."

I spread my legs between him, which made him look fascinated by my sudden aggressiveness. Itinaas ko rin ang damit ko para makita niya kung saang parte gusto kong pasayahin niya ako.

"Eat me like before, and then I will decide if you'll be forgiven."

He crawled near me, and a scream left my mouth when he suddenly pulled my legs. "As you wish, my lady." He looked down and kissed my skin behind the undergarment. The thin fabric is now wet because of his warm saliva, which is licking my part.

Napakapit ako sa malambot na unan habang napapatingala. Shit. I was the one who asked for this, but why am I feeling weak and wanting to surrender?

"Ahh...Ismael..." I moaned when his tongue trespassed on my property. I felt a sudden wick of pleasure. The electricity from his wicked tongue is sending a different kind of shock to my brain. I'm shaking.

"This is what you wanted, didn't you?" He teased me as he continued to lick and suck my bean. He is holding my thighs like I am his favorite course he enjoys eating.

Napakapit ako sa ulo niya. Hindi ko na kaya. Pakiramdam ko ay lalabasan na ako sa mabilis niyang paghalik at pagdila sa akin. Napasabunot ako sa kaniya nang maramdaman ang tensyon sa pagitan ng mga hita ko at walang isang saglit akong nilabasan.

Hingal na hingal akong napatingin sa mukha niya. He's smiling like an idiot. Umakyat siya tabi ko. Akala ko'y tapos na ang pagroromansa niya sa akin, hindi pa pala. "I want to see your face to be sure that you're in pleasure."

Naramdaman ko ang daliri niya sa hiyas ko. He plays with my clit. Hindi ko mapigilang mapakagat sa ibabang labi habang nakatitig sa mga mata niya.

"Ahh!" He slides his middle finger inside. Napakapit ako sa damit niya. Shit. He knows what to do. He's doing it right. "S-stop, Ismael... It's e-enough," nauutal kong sabi.

But he never did what I said; instead, he teased me by thrusting another digit into my flesh. "What is it? I did not hear you."

"Y-you can stop now." Hinawakan ko ang kamay niya para alisin, pero hinalikan niya ang labi ko, kaya nawala ako sa pag-iisip. Hindi ko na alam kung saan ibabaling ang sarili. Kahit ang mga paa ko'y hindi na rin matahimik sa sarap na nararamdaman.

"We're not stopping, baby."