8: Vren

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This week is ridiculously busy. And I hate it.

Okay, maybe "hate" was too strong a word. Actually, there were two days in this week I was looking forward to. Tomorrow would be Medialink's annual corporate social responsibility project, and for this year, we opted to visit a place that's close to my heart.

And on Saturday, I would finally meet Mira's family. My girlfriend and I had to postpone our initial plan of visiting her folks, after an unanticipated business meeting ruined my schedule.

But my state of bliss would be short-lived, because on Sunday, I would be attending the stupid reunion I unfortunately failed to escape from, thanks to no other than my conniving girlfriend.

It's silly, the way Mira could make me do things I normally won't. I guess this is what love does — even the most stubborn people like me has to yield to it sometimes.

****

"Are you seriously marrying that woman?" I hissed at Vince, the moment his so-called fiancée excused herself to go to the ladies' room. The three of us met at this restaurant — Vince's idea, of course. Gusto niya raw na pormal kong makilala ang babaeng pakakasalan niya.

"Yeah. Samantha is a good woman," Vince answered in a clipped tone, like he was daring me to contradict him.

And of course, contradict him I did. "Bullshit. You've known her for what, a week? Paano ka nakakasigurong matino ang babaeng 'yon?"

My brother regarded me coldly. "I love Samantha and I'm marrying her. Stop being so meddlesome, Vren. I invited you here to get to know her, not criticize her. Who I'm dating — or marrying — is none of your business."

"None of my business?" I echoed with a humorless laugh. "Ano ako, kapitbahay mo lang? I am your fucking brother, Vince. Of course it is my business kung bigla ka na lang magpapapasok sa pamilya natin ng isang babae na ni hindi mo man lang lubusang kilala."

I knew I played nonchalant when Mira first told me about Vince's sudden engagement, but truth be told, I was alarmed. Between the two of us, Vince is the levelheaded one. So for him to do something as reckless as proposing to a woman who he hasn't even mentioned to me before... it sure triggered my curiosity.

Ano kayang meron sa Samantha Love Banerjee na ito at bigla na lang siyang ginustong pakasalan ng kapatid ko?

"You don't understand," Vince's voice cut through my train of thoughts. "Because right now, you are living your best life with Mira."

I stared at him for a few beats. "So that is what this is all about, then? Hindi ka pa rin pala nakaka-move on sa pambabasted sa'yo ni Mira, kaya gusto mong patunayan ngayon na kayang-kaya mong makuha kaagad ang sunod mong natipuhang babae?"

Sasagot pa sana si Vince ngunit sa puntong iyon ay bumalik na sa table namin ang babae niya. "Looks like you're in the middle of a serious talk," she simpered. "Did I interrupt?"

I rolled my eyes as Vince gave her a tight smile. "No, of course not. We were just talking about random stuff, Sam. Nothing important." My brother shot me a surreptitious glance, warning me to play along.

I let out a disgusted grunt. "Hey, you," pagkuha ko sa atensyon ni Samantha. "You are not marrying my brother, understand?"

"Excuse me?" She placed a surprised hand on her chest.

"Vren!" my brother, meanwhile, exclaimed.

"Do you really love this woman? Or is she just so easy-to-get, so willing to latch herself to a successful man like you, that you took the plunge?" When my brother didn't answer, I smirked. "I thought so. Stop this disgusting show right now, Vince," I warned him. "Or else, I will tell Mom and Dad that you are marrying a slut. They sure won't appreciate that."

"Did you just call me a slut?" Samantha demanded, scandalized.

"Yeah, I did," I confirmed with a grin. "Aren't you one?"

"Vren, for God's sake, leave Sam alone. What are you attacking her for?" Halata mong nagtitimpi lang si Vince na suntukin ako. Our loud voices were starting to attract the attention of our fellow restaurant-goers.

"When I asked you if you really know the woman you are about to marry, I was actually asking about this." I handed Vince my phone. He hesitated at first, but eventually took it anyway. And what he saw on the screen made him turn pale.

"That's not the only one," I told him, while Samantha's expression turned confused. "Come on, take a look at the others."

"Samantha..." Vince stammered, now looking at the woman beside him as if he didn't know her at all — which, of course, is the case. "Ikaw ba talaga 'to?"

It was Samantha's turn to look pale as she peered at my screen, which showed incriminating photos of her — kissing several guys; dancing in her underwear with men around her, clearly wasted; doing God-knows-what with a man, inside a car.

To tell the truth, even before this meeting, I already knew the identity of the woman Vince was rushing to marry. My source? My girlfriend's gossipy gay friend, Alexia. It was he who told me my brother was actually planning to wed this celebrity called Samantha Love Banerjee.

From then on, it was easy. I hired a private investigator to do a background check on my brother's fiancée. Dahil nga hindi ko lubos maisip kung bakit bigla na lang nag-propose sa kanya si Vince, napagpasyahan kong kilalanin na ang babaeng nagbabadyang pumasok sa aming pamilya. Mamaya, mahaluan ng kung anong klaseng nilalang ang mga Montevilla, all because of my brother's craziness.

And since the private investigator I hired is an excellent one, he instantly found photos of Samantha's dirty little secrets. Siguradong dahil isa siyang artista, pinipigilan ng nagma-manage sa kanya ang paglabas ng mga kalokohan niya sa publiko. And I have to hand it to her PR team, because Samantha Love Banerjee has a stellar image. To the public, she's this angelic-looking actress who can do no wrong.

But I knew better. She was not the type of woman I envision my brother spending the rest of his life with. Vince deserves someone much better than this Samantha. And I certainly didn't want her to be my sister-in-law.

"You're welcome, mi hermano." I grinned at Vince, who was now gaping at me, lips slightly parted due to barely-concealed shock.

And because I didn't fancy witnessing the fall-out that's sure to follow the bomb I just dropped, I snatched my phone back from Vince and walked out of the restaurant, a triumphant smile on my face.

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