My father instantly stiffened and I was sure that Tita Gemma noticed the change in my father's stance but chose to completely ignore it.
"O, tara na, ano pa bang hinihintay natin dito? Mauna na ako sa labas at ang init-init dito sa loob ng bahay n'yo!" she said before turning to leave.
"Are you sure about this, Aiyla...?" my father asked for the nth time since I told him that I would be accepting Tito Alfred's proposal regarding the Ynchaustis. "We can sell the house—"
"We can't," I said before pasting a smile on my face. "I don't want to lose the house, Dad. Kayo po ni Mommy ang nagtayo nito. Dugo't pawis n'yo 'tong bahay na 'to."
"But—"
"I'm fine..." I repeated. "I swear I am..."
The drive to the church was a quiet one and I was glad that Tita Gemma and my father weren't in the car with me. I would not have been able to stand my uncle's wife's endless chatter and it would have broken my heart to watch the anguish and guilt written all over my father's face.
When the bridal car pulled to a stop my mind just went completely blank. I was getting married. To a man I only met once. To a man who was supposed to marry my cousin but rejected her entirely after he caught her cheating.
"Ayden, he means nothing to me! Please naman maniwala ka sa akin, please..." my cousin, Mavis, had pleaded. "Itanong mo pa rito kay Aiyla, siya ang girlfriend ni Jonas. Aiyls, please tell him the truth!"
I had stared uncomprehendingly at my cousin who did not tell me in advance what her plan was.
"Aiyls..." she had pleadingly looked at me, tears racing down her face. "Aiyls, please..."
"Is she telling the truth?" my cousin's boyfriend had drawled, his gaze not leaving my face. "Tell me, is this bitch here telling the truth?"
"Um..."
"Aiyls...please..."
"Y-yes..." I had bravely replied. "I'm Jonas' girlfriend."
"See!" Mavis couldn't hide the triumph from her voice. "Nagsasabi nga ako ng totoo—"
"What's his last name?" the man had directed the question at me. "And stop talking Mavis or I might forget that I don't raise my hand to a woman," he had threateningly added.
Oh, God...
"Tell me his last name, where he is currently employed, and when his birthday is," he had enumerated, his voice so low that it sounded like a growl to my ear.
Mavis needs you, Aiyl. Don't chicken out now!
I had lifted my chin. "De Guzman, Dell Philippines, August 23," I answered while saying a short prayer.
Please, Lord, please don't make him realize that I am just making things up...
"His favorite color is gray. His favorite dish is kare-kare. He has three younger sisters and he lives in Makati. May itatanong ka pa?"
The expression on the man's face was unreadable.
"You should not threaten a woman no matter how angry you are. You should not meet her in a crowded coffee shop like this and let her grovel at your feet while others are watching. A real man does not make his woman feel like crap," I had said and he had smiled hostilely.
"Oh, really?" he had remarked before leaning against his seat. "Ano nga bang pangalan mo, Miss-Cousin-Of-A-Two-Timing-Whore-Who-Dared-To-Lecture-Me-On-How-A-Woman-Should-Be-Treated-But-Whose-Moral-Compass-Was-Not-There-When her-Cousin-Cheated?"
Chapter 1: Unravel
Start from the beginning
