Chapter 3: A Contract Marriage

And then I started to learn more things about him. He's just almost of the same age as my older sister. Bata pa rin siya para magmay-ari na ng isang napakalaki at malago na business. I researched about his company at malaki nga ito. Kilala rin siya bilang batang CEO and the most sought after bachelor...

Single pa nga siya. He's still young in his twenties and rich. And he's really handsome, tall with the nice body, and just a bit dangerous looking of a guy. He was kind of scary for me on our first meeting. Ang seryoso kasi niya noong tiningnan niya ako at seryoso rin na nagtanong na hindi ko rin halos nasagot. I sighed remembering it.

Kaya naman hindi nakapagtataka kung marami rin ang nagkakagusto sa kaniya. Kahit pa medyo mukhang masungit din siya at suplado. It's even probably a part of his charm. Tsk.

And he might not have a girlfriend or it's just unknown to the public. And maybe he just makes some connections with women or flings like what he probably did to my sister's secretary, Maris...

"Vienna? Can I talk to you, hija?" Tita Rachel asked me.

It's a Sunday and I was just at home when she talked to me about it...

"Rosie told me that you met Harrison Abella at her office?"

I nodded at Tita Rachel. "Opo..."

She smiled at me a bit. "Your sister just mentioned it to me that you seemed to have already developed a crush on Mister Abella?"

Naramdaman ko naman ang pag-iinit ng mukha ko sa tanong ni tita. Si Ate Rosie talaga! Sinabi pa sa Mama niya. Umiling ako kay Tita Rachel. "Hindi naman po..." I denied.

Pero nakangiti na siya sa akin. "It's all right, hija. You don't have to follow what your lola wants... You can still decide for yourself. And marry someone you really like..." magaang ngumiti sa akin si tita.

She was always nice to me ever since I came here to their house. Kaya siguro mabait din sa akin si Ate Rosie dahil tinanggap naman ako ng Mama niya sa pamilya nila.

Tita Rachel sighed. "I also feel pity for the man. He was really young when both of his parents died in an accident. Tapos sumunod din ang nag-iisa niyang kapatid just a few years ago..." malungkot na umiling si tita, while she talked about Harrison Abella...

Nakatingin lang naman ako sa kaniya at nakinig. I didn't expect that such a successful man actually went through all that tragedy...

I went with the family to a party for a formal event. Nandoon din lahat ng business partners nila ni Papa. Tita Rachel was talking to the wives of the businessmen. Si Ate Rosie rin ay kausap ang mga negosyante. While I was feeling a bit out of place. Hindi ako maka-relate sa mga pinag-uusapan nila tungkol sa business.

Until my eyes caught one person who was also there at the party. At nabigla pa ako nang makita kong tumingin din siya sa banda ko.

Ilang segundong nanatili ang mga mata namin na nakatingin lang sa isa't isa. At kahit pa marami rin ang mga taong nakapalibot sa kaniya ay napansin pa rin niya ako roon.

I just sighed a bit...

And then one time while I was out with Claire I saw a magazine that covers him. Nilapitan ko ang shelf at tiningnan ang mga magazines na naka-display doon.

"Oh. You know him?"

"Hmm?" bumaling ako kay Claire na nasa tabi ko at tinitingnan na rin 'yong magazine.

"That man. Harrison Abella."

"You know him?" tinanong ko rin siya.

"Hmm, yes. He's a businessman. Minsan na rin akong sinama ni Daddy sa meeting nila dati." Claire said.

Oh. Napatangutango naman ako sa kaibigan. Kung sabagay hindi na malabong makilala rin kahit ni Claire si Harrison Abella dahil may business din ang pamilya nila. And he's known to all the businessmen in this county and even to their families and daughters...

"People always asked when he will be getting married, or if he already has someone. Well, it's not a secret naman na that man is obviously a womanizer... Ang dami ko ngang kakilala na naging lover na rin daw niya dati. Pero ang bilis lang din niyang magsawa sa mga babae. But I heard that, he actually has a daughter..."

I was looking at my friend with a bit of shock written on my face as I listened to her...

Kung marami na nga rin siyang naging babae ay hindi na malabong may kahit isa sa kanila ang aksidente niyang nabuntis...

Of course his lust would also have its own fruit... and consequences.

Naipilig ko na lang ang ulo ko.

"And, Vien," Claire smiled at me. At nag-iba na rin siya ng topic. "Speaking of getting married, we will announce my engagement soon." she just told me.

My eyes widened a fraction at my friend. "Really? When? Who?" halos nataranta pa akong nagtanong.

Claire chuckled elegantly. She's really like a princess, and she's prim and proper. Siguro kasi ganoon na siya pinalaki. Bilang tagapagmana rin ng family business nila at nag-iisang anak ng pamilya nila.

She told me that she will be marrying a man her father chose for her. And it's obviously a business marriage as well...

Bahagya na lang akong ngumiti sa kaibigan ko.

And I was thinking...

My grandmother was still pushing me to marry that jerk son of their family friend. At may pakiramdam ako na hindi nila ako titigilan ng mga tita ko rin. I remember what Tita Rachel told me, that I can choose what I like.

And I will be making a decision. For myself. Na hindi sina lola ang magdedesisyon nito kundi ako.

I don't really believe anymore in a romantic love that lasts or stays and staying the same over time... Kasi maaring masaya naman kayo sa una pero sa huli ay baka magkasawaan pa rin at may mang-iiwan tapos may maiiwan. At ipagpapalit ka pa sa iba...

In short maybe, ayaw ko lang din na umasa pa sa mga ganoon o na may ganoon pa rin...

But I have to get married somehow before my grandmother could completely decide for my future. May plan was na unahan ko na siya sa balak niya.

I will marry someone. But I wouldn't marry for love. If I could marry for business, then, maybe I could offer that person a contract. Just like a business deal. A contract marriage. I've heard enough of marrying for business. Ate Rosie was even willing to do it. Claire would marry for business, too. Kaya ano ang kaibahan nitong gagawin ko? It's just like a business proposal and the contract could benefit us both. And walang lugi... So this was really like business.

Claire was meeting the fiancé she talked to me about. At sa lugar na pagkikitaan nila ay nandoon din si Harrison Abella...

My friend's fiancé was playing golf and Claire was just cheering for him discreetly beside him. While Harrison just stopped playing for a while. Magkakilala at mukhang magkaibigan din pala sila ng mapapangasawa ni Claire.

And even when he's busy with the conversation he's having sa mga nandito rin na kasama nila, even when he was doing other things his eyes still kept on looking back at where I was... Kaya napapatingin na rin ako sa kaniya.

Until after a while he was already walking towards where I was seated there. Umayos pa ako sa pagkakaupo ko habang hinihintay na siyang makalapit sa akin.

Pinag-isipan ko na itong mabuti. The only remaining members of his family was him and his daughter...

And he would probably want someone to be a mother figure to the child or to look after his daughter especially that he's busy. Kung hindi man, then I'll let him know about it. Na kailangan pa rin lumaki ang bata na buo ang pamilya niya... kahit papaano.

But since he likes women, and probably couldn't settle with just one woman. If he marry me then he can continue with his affairs and I get to take care of his child...

Sa totoo lang ay hindi rin ako sigurado sa plano ko at mga naisip. I guess I'll just try my luck on this and on him. And see what happens...

May mga butas pa rin itong naiisip at plano ko, alam ko. But I'll still try. Kaysa wala akong gawin ngayon. And I'll just end up obeying all of my grandmother's commands for having no choice. This was the only option that I thought I had at this time.

Because he's the most suitable husband for me. He's the business partner of my father. Kaya alam ko na wala na rin sasabihin si lola kapag pumayag si Harrison Abella na magpakasal sa akin. Isa pa, he's a businessman. Kaya maiintindihan niya, and he might also consider and look into my business proposal that just include marriage.

At hindi na ako masasaktan dahil hindi naman ako aasa sa kaniya. Dahil alam ko naman ang ugali niya rin sa mga babae. Babaero siya at una pa lang ay alam ko na 'yon. So no expectations and less hurt feelings, to no hurt feelings at all. Kasi wala naman akong ini-expect sa kaniya. I won't be expecting for him to love me or show me affection. At para mas sigurado na hindi nga ako masasaktan, I won't also fall in love with him. That's a promise.

But little did I know that a promise can sometimes really be broken...

Lumapit na nga siya sa akin at umupo rin sa tabi ko. And then he started talking to me. "You're Roseanne's younger sister, right? May I know your name? I don't think we were properly introduced in the party we attended last time." he said. Naalala pa pala niya 'yong party na nandoon din ako. Well, he saw me there.

I looked at him in the eyes. And he was also looking at me. Ilang sandali kaming nagkatinginan bago ako sumagot na. "Vien... Vienna De La Cerna..." I told him my name...

Author's note: Chapter 6 was already posted in Patreon and Facebook VIP Group! To join VIP, kindly message me directly on my Facebook account Rej Martinez or Rej Martinez's Stories Facebook page. 150/month membership in the group and includes all exclusive stories. Thank you so much!