With Strings Attached

Chapter 1: Unravel

"Mavis would never cheat—" I had stupidly insisted.

"Like how you would never lie?" he had challenged. "His last name is Lagdameo. He is a jobless college dropout and I do not know when his birthday is. I am amused, however, that you dared lie to my face."

I had swallowed the lump in my throat. "I'm sorry," I had mumbled. "Pero, kilala ko si Mavis dahil sabay kaming lumaki and she would never—"

He had thrown his head back and laughed. "Ang lakas n'yo parehong manggago. Is that a family trait?"

"No—"

"Are you willing to lose your freedom to me just to prove it?"

"What?"

"Your cousin and I are supposed to get married in seven weeks but I don't want to marry a two-faced, gold-digging bitch. But, here you are, seemingly convinced that your cousin is an angel and I am curious as to how far you're willing to go for that belief. So, let me ask you, will you be willing to take her place as my bride if I can prove that she's cheating on me?"

"Why the hell would I want to marry you?"

"Why the hell would you not want to?"

The door being pulled open snapped me back to reality. "Hi!" a young woman cheerfully greeted. "Oh, my gosh, you look gorgeous—are you crying?"

"I...I need fresh air..." I croaked, my breathing coming in shallow gasps. "I...can't...can't...breathe..."

"Oh, my God, wait—Mommy, Ate! Help! I think she's having a panic attack!" she hollered and a second later, a pair of strong arms pulled me out of the car and into the open before lifting me off my feet.

"Breathe, Aiyla..." the subject of my misery said as he carried me away from the concerned whispers of the crowd that had gathered around us. "Breathe..."

"You can put me down now..."

"Are you okay?"

"I am. Ibaba mo na ako."

"And ruin your dramatic entrance? Nah."

I turned my head to glare at him.

"Bakit ang sama ng tingin mo? I came to your rescue, didn't I? I became your knight-in-shining armor."

"And you're still a jerk."

He laughed softly. "Come on, Aiyla, with the kind of money I spent on you, you should be bowing and scraping before me instead of being inimical like this."

"You paid for my family's company and not me—"

"Sweetheart, your company isn't worth much. It is outdated and your books are a mess. I saw potential to be honest, but I would only have spent a fraction of what I paid for it had you not been part of the contract."

I gritted my teeth but kept quiet because I knew that he was telling the truth. Unfortunately, most of the money we had received was used to pay for the debts we incurred while my mother was undergoing treatment.

"What? No catty comeback?" he asked as he deposited me to my feet. "Can you breathe now?"

"Do I look dead to you?"

He laughed. "No, Sweetheart, you look very much alive."

He touched my cheek. "Relax, it's just a wedding."

"Why do you want to marry me, Ayden?"

"Isn't it a bit too late for that question?"

"I'm curious."

"Because I want to spite your cousin."

"At the expense of my happiness. Wow," I sarcastically said.

"Who said you won't be happy with me? I'm a great catch."

"For one, you're petty and shallow."

"Ouch." He smiled. "Ikaw, why did you agree to marry me?"

"Like, did you give me a choice?"

"Of course. You could have opted to fight me tooth and nail but here you are looking every inch the Ynchausti bride—"

He stopped talking as his phone sounded. "Yes, Mom...yes, she's okay. She was just overly excited that's why she nearly fainted."

I wanted to barf.

He gave me a wink. "Okay, babalik na po kami. I am just letting my bride get used to the idea that a few minutes from now, I will be finally hers."

My eye nearly twitched in annoyance at his declaration.

"Okay ka na ba?" he asked after pocketing his phone.

"Anong gagawin mo kapag sinabi kong hindi?"

"Drag you inside the church so you can marry an excellent man like me?"

He laughed again. "You should have seen the look on your face. Halika na, everyone's waiting and wondering if something's amiss."

He took my arm to loop it around his. "Perfect day, isn't it?"

"It would have been had you made yourself scarce."

"Sweetheart, at my wedding? I am not going to leave you at the altar," he good-naturedly remarked.

I mentally gave him the middle finger.

"Aiyla..."

"Yes?"

"You look dazzling."

I pulled my veil over my face in reply and he chuckled. "Sutil ka rin talaga, ano?"

"Saan ka ba pupunta?"

"Ihahatid ka."

"Hindi mo ako kailangang ihatid. I can walk to the altar by myself."

"I want to walk with you," he announced.

"The bride and groom are here!" I heard the wedding planner say over her walkie-talkie. "To your positions," she added before she turned to Ayden. "Sir Ayden, I'll have you escorted to the altar po—"

"I am walking with my bride. Let's start," he dismissively stated.

"But, Sir—"

"I said we should start, Elena."

"Okay po," the wedding planner nervously answered. "We're good to go," she whispered into her walkie-talkie again.

There was a flurry of feet as the planner's team escorted the entourage to their positions.

"Why don't you have friends or relatives in the entourage?" my groom asked.

"I can't exactly tell them that you bought me because you have a score to settle with Mavis that's why I am marrying you. And Mavis is my only cousin and she's not exactly excited to see us get married."

"Hm...okay. But, why did you choose not to have your father walk you down the aisle?" he inquired as the flower girls wearing their hats and matching baskets trooped inside the church.

I wanted to tell him that I knew that every step towards him would break my father's heart but opted not to.

"Mr. Ynchausti..." I said as the wedding march started to play and we began walking.

"Yes...?"

"I am perfectly aware that you paid handsomely to get even with Mavis through me and I completely understand. I know that this is nothing but a marriage of convenience and revenge for you and that there are no strings attached. I promise to stay out of your way—"

He stopped walking and I questioningly looked at him.

He moved his face close to mine. "Aiyla..." I could hear the smile in his voice.

"Yes...?"

"That speech is not going to get you off the hook tonight..." he whispered before I felt his lips on my cheek.