It wasn't that long when we entered a very big gate that automatically opened as soon as he stopped his car in front of it. As he drove to the garage, my eyes wandered around the place.

Sobrang lawak ng pagitan ng gate at ng mismo ng bahay. The car drove around the big fountain before it reached the garage. This place screams billionaire and I don't know what to feel right now.

Hunter unbuckled his seatbelt before turning to me, holding my left hand.

"As we enter that place, I want you to trust me, okay? I want you to hold my hand if things gets hard for you. Alam kong para sa 'yo, we're not officially in a relationship, but I can wait. Sa ngayon, this thing won't wait. I need you to help me on this one."

I gulped as I watched him went out of the driver's seat while I unbuckle my seatbelt. Ilang sandali lang, pinagbuksan na niya ako ng pinto. Lumabas ako ro'n saka siya hinarap.

"Can you please, at least, tell me what war we're going at? Para naman alam ko kung anong gagawin ko."

He smiled. "Tonight, my father will give me a list of women I'd go on dates, and from there, I'll find the woman I'll marry based on my preferences." He took my hand and caressed it slowly. "They want RES Telecommunications to merge with one of the companies na sa tingin nila, makakapag-secure ng malaking investment for future projects."
Napalunok ako sa narinig.

One thing I don't understand about rich people is that, they already have everything in life . . . but they want more.

They were already on top . . . but it's still not enough.

Ano pa ba ang kulang para sa kanila?

"No one in our family marries out of love, Areeya. Even my father who's now married to my mother now, wala pa ring love na namamagitan sa relasiyon nila. For them, marriage is one of their duties to secure the stability of business . . . and I don't want that for me."

I stopped protesting and let her take me inside. He was holding my hand so tight . . . na para bang malalang gulo itong papasukin namin ngayon.

Hindi ko alam sa sarili ko kung bakit hinahayaan ko siya na dalhin ako rito . . . gusto kong tumalikod at tumakbo paalis . . . palayo sa lugar na ito.

Pero kapag ginawa ko 'yon, pakiramdam ko, malaking parte ng pagkatao ko ang mawawala sa akin.

As soon as we entered the double door of the mansion, the extravagant chandeliers welcomed my eyes. The sound of my stilettos in this place were different. It sounded so expensive. Everything is so flashy. I can almost see myself on the floor sa sobrang kintab. It felt like everything here is so fragile, na para bang mababasag ang kahit na ano mang mahawakan ko sa isang maliit na pagkakamali lang.

We continued walking inside until we reached the long table at the dining area. There were only a few people sitting there, eating their fancy foods. They all looked at us with confused and surprised face . . . na para bang ang lahat ng nangyayari ngayong araw ay hindi pa nangyari noon.

"Hi, Mom. Happy happy birthday."  Hunter let go of my hand then kissed her mom's cheek. "My gift is already at your room."

The woman stood up and hugged him tight. "Oh, Hunter. I've missed you!"

While the two were catching up, I looked around the place. Hunter's two brothers doesn't seem to mind me. Their wives are glancing at me from time to time, tapos ngingiti kapag nahuli ko silang tumitingin sa akin.

I slightly raised an eyebrow to let them know that I don't care about them. But as soon as I did that, napalingon ako kay Chairman na nakatingin pala sa akin, mukhang kanina pa! Bahagya akong nag-bow bilang paggalang at pagbati sa kan'ya. Tinaasan niya lang din ako ng kaliwang kilay bago itinuloy ang pagkain.

"Go and take a seat, anak!" his mother said before looking at me. "And you are Hunter's friend?"

I smiled and was about to say yes when Hunter interrupted me. "She's my girlfriend, Mom."

Umawang ang bibig ng babae bago lumingon sa anak. "Girlfriend? You do those things already? Is this serious now?"

Hunter chuckled before taking my hand, intertwining my fingers.

"I've never been this serious, Mom."

Nang tumingin ulit sa akin ang mama niya, napabati ulit ako. "H-Happy birthday po."

Fuck! Why am I stuttering?! This is not Areeya Cervantes!

Anyway, who won't stutter kung ganito kaganda ang babaeng nasa harap mo? Damn, Hunter got her genes!

"Thank you, hija. Maupo na kayo," she said with a sweet smile on us. One that, I would tell, is sincere.

Ipinaghila niya ako ng upuan sa kanan ng table para paupuin ako, saka siya naupo sa bakanteng upuan sa tabi ko. Mabilis kaming pinagsilbihan ng mga katulong nila. Hunter's mother is explaining the dish that the woman served me. Paliwanag niya'y iniluto pa ito ng personal chef niya, which is now in their kitchen, preparing all the food that we want.

"Hunter has finally let himself go, Dad. So what do you think about it?" Enrico asked, Hunter's oldest brother.

Chairman scoffed before sipping on his glass. Ilang sandali pa, lumingon siya sa akin.

"You're one of my employees, right?"

Hindi pa man ako nakakasubo sa pagkaing nasa harap ko, para na kaagad akong nabusog sa narinig.

"Yes, sir."

"For how long?"

"More than two years."

Tumango-tango siya bago sumubo ulit ng pagkain. Mahigpit ang hawak ko sa steak knife at fork pero pakiramdam ko, hindi ko sila kyang igalaw.

"Aree . . ." Hunter whispered.

I was about to answer him when I heard Chairman asked me again.

"So, what does your family do?"

Fuck, I hate family meetings!!! This is why I don't want a serious relationship with anyone!!!

"Why do you care? Does it have to do with our relationship?" inis na sabi ni Hunter.

Chairman chuckled in disbelief. "Are you dumb? Of course, I should know! That's one of the ways I know that my son won't be used for their personal agendas! I just can't let you be with a woman who's not right for you!"

"Then, who do you think you are to know what and who's right for me?"

Chairman gulped, looking away, then looked at him back with a more serious face.

"I'm your father, you asshole!"

"Really? Kailan pa? Didn't you stop being a father to me when you threw me away to USA just because I made a mistake?"

I shut my eyes tight as they exchanged insulting words to each other. I can even hear Hunter's mother asking them to stop but they don't listen to her. I don't even want to hear anything. I don't want to hear their voices.

Heck, I don't even want to be here.

As I was about to stand up and walk away, the second older brother of Hunter lets go of his cutleries so hard, it made a loud sound inside the place.

"Tang ina, kailan ba tayo makakakain ng mapayapa sa pamamahay na 'to?"

Napaawang ang bibig ko nang dahil do'n. Ibang-iba ang boses niya sa lahat ng tao sa loob ng lugar na ito. While everyone was trying to compose themselves to look perfect, he doesn't give a fuck that he's cussing in Tagalog!

"Dad, the least of our problems is Hunter's lovelife."

Ahh . . . the contrast of his voice when speaking in English and Tagalog is so clear. I almost had a crush on him.

"Just let go of him. He's not a kid anymore! Aren't we enough? We gave our lives to you, we devoted our life to your company. Hunter has never heard of you for years and you want him to listen to you now that he's finally have someone he wanted to really have? Give that man a break. Himala na nga na napasunod mo 'yan dito para alagaan ang RES Telecommunications in place of you. You know that he never wanted any of it, right?"

As soon as he said that, he continued eating like nothing happened . . . then the place became so quiet.

The only thing that we can heard is the deep breathing of each other and the faint sound of the cutleries on the plate.

___

I expected so much about tonight, but after the outburst of his second older brother, wala nang nagsalita pa na kahit sino. Tinapos na lang ang pagkain at nagkanya-kanya na ng mundo. His mother went to her room. His brothers, together with their wives, left early.

It seems like I ruined the party.

Hunter was driving his car. Hawak niya pa rin ang kamay ko at binibitiwan paminsan-minsan kapag kailangan. Tahimik lang kaming dalawa sa loob ng sasakyan. Lalo na siya dahil bago kami umalis, kinausap pa siya ng papa niya.

"So, what did he say?" I asked, breaking the silence between us.

"What?"

"Chairman."

He scoffed. "Same old shits."

"Like what?"

He shrugged. "That I need a descendant." He sighed. "He told me that, if he can't stop us, might as well give him his grandsons."

I gulped, looking away.

"And I told him I won't do that. I won't do as he says. I will have a child if my woman wants it, not when I only want it."

I scoffed. "I thought you don't want it? Hindi ba't isa 'yon sa pinakahinihiling mo sa akin noon? Not to be pregnant because you don't want a child."

He was silent for a few seconds, but then he sighed and held my hand again.

"Change of hearts really does happen, I guess."

Lumingon ako sa kan'ya. "Not to me." I smiled. "Hunter, you've told them multiple lies in just a few minutes. May I remind you, I am not your girlfriend. And all these things you're telling me . . . you're not suggesting it to me, right?"

He smiled a little. "Of course not. I just want to let you know what he told me."

I heaved a deep sigh. "This is one of the things I've hated when I still do serious relationships before. I hate playing this game of meeting the family and putting on shows, pretending to be the girl that they ever wanted in their family tree. What a fucking show."

I heard him laugh in disbelief. "This is not a fucking game, Areeya. I made you meet them because I want them to know that it's you who I want—"

"But this is not what I want!" I said, almost shouting, tears are pooled on the corner of my eyes. "Kahit minsan ba, noong magdesisyon ka, naisip mo kung anong gusto ko?"

I can see him looking at me in the rearview mirror from time to time. He couldn't look at me fully because he's driving but that's what I am doing. I am letting him know what I really feel about all of this.

"Did you even ask me if I want to meet your family? No! Do I want it? Absolutely not. Hunter, I've never wanted to be in the same, small, space as them. Having them near me makes me feel how small I am. How insecure I am for what I would never have—for what I will never give to my parents. Having them around me is so, fucking, suffocating, because they are too much for me."

Tear fell from my eyes as soon as I said the last line.

"Hunter, you are too much for me."

As soon as I said that, Hunter stopped his car on the sideway. He faced me with a serious face, forehead are creased.

"What are you saying?"

I looked away, wiping my tears.

"Why are you saying those things?"

"Because that is what I truly feel. Lahat ng tapang sa bibig ko noong bago pa lang tayong magkakilala, lahat ng masasakit na salitang binitiwan ko sayo noon, it was my way of protecting my ego—of protecting myself from my own inferiority complex."

I sobbed as I remembered all the things I felt way back in my younger years, when I was into serious relationships. Those were the moments that developed my inferiority complex.

"I am aware of my emotions. And talking shits about men is what makes me feel better. Sa ganoong paraan ko lang maitatago lahat ng totoong nararamdaman ko." I harshly wiped my tears away. "I've hated men like you who can easily get anything they want. I've hated all the things you, men, do that makes you think you're better than women. I hated all these shits."

Hunter cupped my face, making me look at him.

"I can't tell you not to feel that. Alam kong bago ko sabihin 'to, ilang libong beses mo na ring nasabi sa sarili mo 'to. But Areeya, with me around, you don't need to hide what you truly feel. Hate me all you want but . . . please don't say that again."

Napakunot-noo ako sa sinabi niya. "Don't say, what?"

He took my right hand with both of his hands and carefully caressed it.

"That I am too much for you." His eyes glistened as he kissed my hand. "It feels like you're drifting away from me earlier because of that."

I looked away. "It was the truth. You are too much for me. I can't handle you. I can't handle your luxurious life. I can't handle your filthy rich family, your lifestyle . . . your love for me." My voice broke. "I know that you love me but I don't feel the same."

I don't feel the same . . . yet.

But I don't want to tell him the last word because I don't want to give him false hopes. Paano kung hindi naman darating yung araw na mamahalin ko rin siya katulad ng pagmamahal niya sa akin? Hindi ko kayang gawin 'yon sa kan'ya.

"You don't have to force yourself to love me. What you have for me now is enough for me to live by."

Right after he said that, he claimed my lips. We kissed and made out for a few minutes before he drove me to my condo unit.