Hello, readers! I'm almost done with Rozovsky Heirs 13 and Your Lying Heart so I decided to post a new story! Don't worry unlike my recent stories this won't anymore be as complicated, hehe. This will be more comforting—like your comfort story or plot and tropes about contract marriage and married life. I guess I will never be tired of writing cliches for now. Hope you will enjoy reading this! And you can leave some comments that could also help me improve my writing. Thank you so much! Happy reading!

Chapter 1: A Jerk Fiance

Lucy

I was probably uncomfortable in my sleep...

"Lucy... Lucy..." the voice kept on calling my name...

Until I woke up from the dream. And was welcomed by the darkness in my room. Naalala ko na nasa bahay na pala ako nina Papa...

Umupo ako sa kama ko at nilagay ang ulo sa mga tuhod. I was sitting on my bed with my knees folded and my face on my knees...

Hanggang ngayon ay napapanaginipan ko pa rin si Mama minsan. Noong nabubuhay pa siya, she used to call me Lucy. It was my childhood name. Iyon ang pinangalan sa akin ni Mama.

My mother passed away when I was 12 years old. And since then I came to live with my father and his family. Mama died of sickness because we were poor, wala kaming pera noon pambili ng gamot niya at bata pa ako.

Hindi na ako muli pang nakatulog hanggang sa mag-umaga na lang. Kaya naman puyat pa ako nang papasok na sa university kinabukasan. I'm now in my second year in college. And I'm taking a business management course because we have a family business and I'll probably work in my father's company after I graduate.

Tinakpan ko na lang ng konting makeup and bakas ng kakulangan ko sa tulog. And then I went downstairs to have breakfast with the family. Minsan ay nakakapagsabay pa rin kaming kumain since sabay din naman kaming umaalis ng bahay. At nagluluto palagi si tita kaya kahit nagmamadali rin minsan si Papa ay kailangan pa rin niyang kumain sa niluto ng asawa niya dahil baka magtampo.

"Good morning, Vienna." Tita Rachel smiled at me as she greeted me in the morning when I went in the dining room.

As expected, nandoon na siya naghahanda ng mesa at naghahain ng breakfast kasama ang mga kasambahay. She's very productive. Kahit pa madalas ay nasa bahay lang siya. She doesn't work with my father in the company. She stays at home and just sometimes attends some parties or social events for the family.

She's a simple and kind person. I remember that it was her who received the letter from my mother back then when I was young and Mama was already sick. If she was a bad person she could just disregard the letter and since my father also seemed not to care about me...

But she was the one who talked to my father at that time. And they helped us. They tried to bring my mother to the hospital, pero malala na talaga si Mama at may taning na rin ang buhay niya. And when she died at the hospital, Tita Rachel and my father brought me to their home.

"Good morning, tita." bati ko rin.

"Breakfast is ready." she said.

Pagkatapos ay dumating na rin sa dining room sina Papa at si Ate Rosie. She's my father and Tita Rachel's only daughter. Mas matanda siya sa akin and that means my father had an affair with my mother back then. When I realized this, ay medyo nahiya na rin ako kay tita. While my father seemed uncaring.

I was mad at him for not taking responsibility for me and my mother. Even when he's married he could have supported at least me. Hindi iyong pinabayaan niya na lang kami noon kahit pa alam naman niya na may anak siya kay Mama. Kaya nagtrabaho nang nagtrabaho noon si Mama para sa aming dalawa hanggang sa nagkasakit siya sa sobrang pagtatrabaho ay naabuso na pala niya ang katawan niya.

While Tita Rachel was a really nice person for still accepting me.

Sometimes I think that my father doesn't deserve a woman like her...

"You have a date later, Rosie?" Tita Rachel asked her daughter during our breakfast.

Ate Rosie sighed a bit. "I have work, Mom." She nonchalantly said and just busied herself with the food in front of us.

"Yes, I mean, after work." pinilit pa rin ni tita kagaya ng palagi.

Ate Rosie looked at her mom. "Fine, Mom. Later..." she sighed.

Ngumiti naman na si tita. And she looked satisfied.

Ate Rosie's now in her mid twenties. Maagang nakapag-asawa at nagpakasal si Tita Rachel kaya parang ganoon na rin ang in-expect sa anak niya. Pero si ate parang busy lang palagi sa work niya sa company rin ni Papa. She's more of the career woman than the marrying type...

Kaya naman si Tita Rachel palaging pinapasubok pa rin si Ate Rosie na makipag-date sa anak lang din ng mga kakilala niya at kaibigan.

Bumaling naman sa akin si tita. "Oh, and Vien, if you can come home early later. Kasi nandito mamaya ang pamilya..." Tumingin siya kay Papa.

Napunta na rin sa akin ang tingin ni Papa galing sa pagkain. "Come back early later. Your grandmother and aunts would be here. We will have a family dinner." I was told.

Unti-unti lang naman akong tumango sa sinabi sa akin. Bahagyang ngumiti sa akin si tita...

"I'm done. Vien, sa 'kin ka na sumabay. I'll drop you off your university. Mamaya ka na lang susunduin ng driver." sabi sa 'kin ni Ate Rosie pagkatapos tumayo na siya at nagpaalam na kanila Papa at tita.

Sumunod na rin ako. "Alis na po kami, tita..." I also kissed her cheek like Ate Rosie. At nagpaalam lang ako kay Papa na tumango lang din bahagya.

And then I went out of the house with Ate Rosie. She's driving her own car at hindi mahilig na may driver like Tita Rachel when she goes out of the house ay palagi lang may driver and bodyguard. While Ate Rosie doesn't like it for herself...

I think even when they're mother and daughter, at magkamukha rin silang mag-ina. Pero magkaiba pa rin sila ni Ate Rosie at Tita Rachel. Tita Rachel was always sweet and nice. She's also so soft. And while Ate Rosie's kind of the strong type. It doesn't mean that Tita Rachel wasn't strong because she was. She's strong for still accepting me in their home. And for enduring all of my father's affairs...

I just think that Ate Rosie's unlike her mom. She's strong in a different way...

Pumasok na rin ako sa kotse ni Ate Rosie at umalis na kami sa mansyon nang umagang 'yon.

"Nasa bahay mamaya sina Lola kasama sila nina tita... I'd want to be there, too. But I have some late meetings later, Vien." ate said while driving.

Bumaling naman ako sa kaniya at ngumiti lang. "It's fine, ate." I said. Inisip ko na baka nag-aalala lang siya sa 'kin dahil alam naman namin na hindi ako masyadong gusto ng families sa both sides nina Papa at Tita Rachel. Well, I can understand sa side ni Tita Rachel...

Ang pupunta sa bahay mamaya ay ang lola ko na mama ni Papa at ang mga tita ko—his two older sisters.

Naabutan ko pa ang lolo ko noong bago pa lang ako dumating sa bahay nina Papa. He already passed away when I was in high school. I remember that he came to visit me at my father's house. And he also used to spend more time with me and Ate Rosie back then. He was a loving grandfather...

I sometimes miss him.

Sinulyapan ako ni ate galing sa pagmamaneho niya. "But, Vien, remember that you can say no, okay?

"Kapag may sinabi o gusto sina lola na ayaw mo, then just say no. It's your right." ate said.

Nakatingin ako sa kaniya na nasa daan na muli ang tingin at unti-unti lang akong tumango...

Pagkatapos ay dumating na rin kami sa university ko. Dinaan lang ako ni ate bago siya pumasok sa work niya. Pumasok na rin ako.

"Hi, Vien! Shopping tayo later after?" Lumapit agad sa 'kin ang kaklase at kaibigan kong si Claire.

We became friends since high school. Anak naman siya ng best friend ni Papa at kaedad ko kaya palagi na kaming nagkikita noon simula nang tumira na ako kanila Papa. And they also have a family business that she will inherit.

Umiling ako kay Claire. "Sorry, Claire, but I have to be home early today. Nasa bahay kasi sina lola." I told her.

"Oh. Okay... Next time na lang." She smiled at me.

Ngumiti rin ako sa kaniya. "Thanks."

Mabait din si Claire. She doesn't care kahit anak lang ako sa labas unlike the other kids in our circle who knew of my origin. Kaya halos siya lang din ang naging kaibigan ko. Okay lang din naman ang Mommy niya. Her Dad was my father's best friend so our families were close. Mahilig lang magpa-party at mag-shopping ang Mommy ni Claire unlike Tita Rachel who only attends parties because it's sometimes necessary for the family's connections and business. Sinasamahan din niya madalas si Papa sa mga formal parties and events para sa negosyo. And she doesn't shop or spend as much as Claire's mom. At mahilig din mag-shopping si Claire. Mabuti na lang at mayaman naman sila. And tito, Claire's dad, can provide para sa mag-ina niya.

And even though they're best friends, Claire's dad was so different from my father. He's instead a loving husband and father to his family.

Hindi ko alam kung may pinanggalingan ba ang pagiging babaero ni Papa. His father, my lolo wasn't like that, too. But I think I heard before that lola used to have an affair back then as well, I'm not sure though. Kung totoo ba iyon o hindi naman kasi hindi rin naman napag-uusapan sa pamilya. I think I just heard it once sa isang party noon na in-attend ng pamilya nang bata pa ako.

Pero mabuti na lang at tumigil na rin naman si Papa ngayon sa pambababae niya. Siguro ay tinamaan na rin siya ng hiya at konsensya. Tita Rachel had been so patient with him all those years.

At maaga nga akong umuwi sa bahay kagaya ng sinabi sa akin. At nandoon na rin si Papa at Tita Rachel. Iniwan na siguro ni Papa ang ibang meetings para sa kompanya kay Ate Rosie ngayon. Kaya naman wala pa si ate. Sinabi na rin niya sa 'kin kanina na ma-l-late na nga siya ng uwi ngayong gabi at baka hindi na rin niya maabutan pa sina lola. At sa labas na rin siya kakain on her dinner meetings that usually happens.

And what I just didn't expect was that the same evening I would also meet my fiancé...

Dahil hindi lang kami ng pamilya ko ang nasa dinner sa bahay. Nandoon din ang isa pang pamilya kasama namin sa hapag. A guy who I just met tonight and his parents.

They didn't even asked me. Basta na lang silang nagdesisyon na ipakasal ako sa anak ng family friend nila. Si Lola ang talagang nagdesisyon. And her and my aunties just expected for me to follow them and what they want.

Yumuko ako habang nasa hapag-kainan. I remember my conversation with Ate Rosie earlier today in her car. Kaya pala pinaalalahanan na niya ako...

"Vienna, why don't you accompany Maverick to the garden for a while?" One of my aunt told me.

I looked at her. Sa garden? Pero ngayon na gabi na? I secretly sighed to myself and just nodded my head. Pagkatapos ay tumayo na ako at tumayo na rin si Maverick. Tapos na rin kaming kumain. At lumabas na muna kaming dalawa habang naiwan pa roon ang mga nakatatanda para mag-usap siguro ng tungkol sa kasal namin...

So I was quiet as I went out with Maverick. Iniisip ko kasi ang nangyayari ngayon. Hindi man lang nila ako tinanong. At gusto ko rin sana magsabi na nag-aaral pa ako kaya parang maaga pa para magpakasal na ako ngayon...

But I wasn't used to talking back especially to my grandmother. Para kasi talaga siyang evil stepmother sa mga fairytale even though she's not my stepmother but my grandmother.

I sighed.

"So... are we gonna talk about something here? Or maybe I wasn't informed that my bride-to-be is actually a mute."

Napabaling ako ng tingin kay Maverick nang magsalita siya. Napailing ako. "I'm sorry, may iniisip lang ako... Uh,"

"What are you thinking about?" Ngumisi siya sa akin.

Nanatili naman ang tingin ko sa kaniya. I looked at his face. He wasn't ugly, alright? But there's already something in him that I feel I wouldn't like.

And he continued to smirk at me. Pagkatapos ay naglakad siya sa medyo mas madilim na parte ng garden ni Tita Rachel kapag gabi. "Come on, I'm bored. Do something to entertain me for a while." Nakahalukipkip din siyang tiningnan ako at mukha ngang bored.

Bahagya naman umawang ang labi ko habang nakatingin ako sa kaniya...

Naramdaman ko na ang pagkunot ng noo ko. I don't like this guy...

"You know what you're really such a bore, like I thought. Come here." And then he just dragged me...

And I was shocked. Basta na lang niya akong hinila palapit sa kaniya at ang dilim pa roon.

"What are you doing—"

"Just want to check something, at least." And then he just suddenly grabbed my chest with my clothes...

Sobrang nanlaki ang mga mata ko at hindi ako agad nakakilos...

My eyes were just wide as I looked at him.

He smirked at me after doing it. "There. I don't really like flat-chested women..." he said.

Nakaawang na ang labi ko at nang makabawi ako ay agad na dumapo ang palad ko sa mukha niya at sinampal ko siya. Narinig ang tunog ng pagkakasampal ko sa kaniya sa katahimikan ng paligid.

Napahawak naman siya sa pisngi niya pagkatapos ng sampal ko. Nanlalaki rin ang mga mata niya na tiningnan ako. "You bitch!" he just called me that.

And he was even about to hit me, I think. Because he already raised his one hand to maybe hurt me physically too after I slapped him.

Pero tinalikuran ko na siya at tumakbo na ako papasok ng bahay. I went up straight to my bedroom and locked myself in there. I was shocked with what happened and what he did. I felt harassed...

My tears fell...

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