Sunburst

Kabanata 21

Demanding talaga. Inirapan ko siya bago kinuha ang ibinigay niyang folder.

"What the- Marriage Contract? Aanhin ko naman ito?"

"It's an agreement Brielle. Matagal na akong pinipilit ni mama na maghanap ng mapapangasawa pero dahil sa trabaho at ibang bagay ay isinasawalang bahala ko lang ito."

"Kung ganon bakit ka merong kopya nito? Ano, plano mong mag-hire ng bride sa isang agency?"

"It did cross my mind," he shrugged like it was not a big deal.

Siraulo na talaga itong si Alexander.

"Wala naman talaga akong balak magpakasal dahil lang sa obligasyon pero dahil kay gramps, kinakailangan."

"So go with the flow lang? Kapag may nagsabing gawin mo, gagawin mo? Nasaan na yung sense of control mo as your own. Akala ko ba ayaw mong dinidiktahan ka? Bakit ngayon nagpapatalo ka dahil lang sa sinabi ng iba."

Akala ko bibigyan nya ko ng matalim na tingin o pagsasabihan sa nasabi ko pero nagulat ako nang napabuntong hininga lang sya.

''As much as I want to agree with you on that, there are things in life that I'd rather bend a knee than go head first and lose in the process." His shoulder slump in defeat.

"That's unexpected," I said before sitting down at one of the guest chairs near his desk "but why is that?" I asked curiously.

"My grandfather never takes no for an answer. He does consider other options but it has to end in the way he wanted it to be. When we went back to Myrefields, he told me to get in touch with one of my business partner's daughters. I refused that arrangement and told him I have this woman I wanted to marry."

"So you lie? Alexander Montreal, I never expected you to lie to your own family. The disrespect," I exaggerate.

Alam kong hindi sya yung taong magsisinungaling dahil lang sa katuwaan. Kung nagawa niyang magsinungaling sa lolo nya, ibig sabihin wala na siyang matatakbuhan.

"I'm not gonna lie if I have another option," he glared, "I know what my grandfather can do so before he starts dragging me to his damn empire or bombing my own business, I'd rather play along with him for a while before making a break for it."

"Wow. Manipulation tactics? Kanino mo natutunan yan? Kay Aries? Shockers ah," I said in exaggeration.

"Tch. I have my own way of dealing with my gramps. We've been playing this game since I was four, I can beat him in it as long as I play my pieces right," he challenged.

Iba na talaga ang mga mayayaman may real life battlefield pang nalalaman.

"Pero sa huli ikaw pa rin ang checkmate," I said

"Wrong. It's my turn to move Brielle," he said with a hint of confidence and excitement.

"So anong plano mo? You did not agree with the arranged marriage but here you are now about to marry someone else."

"Yes, that was unexpected. I never factor you to be part of the plan," he leaned back at his chair, "When I told gramps I had someone, I used your story on a whim. I thought he would be outraged because the person was not from a high society, but gramps liked the story and wanted to meet that woman I talked to so highly. Now-"

"Wait, what?"

Napatayo na ko sa aking kinauupuan. Bakit iyon pa ang ginawa niyang kasinungalingan? Feeling ko tuloy ako na ang nagsinungaling sa isang estranghero. At sa lahat ng istorya iyong pang panahon na kasama namin si linta.

"Bakit mo 'yon sinabi?"

"I don't know. I can't think of any story to fill in the gaps. The way you tailored the story that time was good so I just borrowed it."

"What about Aileen? Theater teacher siya. Sigurado akong marami siyang magagandang kwento na pwede mong sinabi sa lolo mo. Of all things why mine?"

Napahilot na lang ako sa sintido ko. Bakit ba ito nangyayari sa akin?

"If I know any of Aileen's scripts, that is."

"What do you mean?"

"I haven't watch any of Aileen's play since college. Wala rin akong time para bisitahin siya kapag rehearsals dahil sa trabaho kaya si Aaron ang lagi niyang kasama."

"Alam ko yun pero wala ka man lang bang natutunan sa acting or feature writing back in your school days."

"I did learn something but it was not convincing at all, besides gramps will probably see right through it."

Sakit sa ulo talaga.

"So ano na ngayon? Ano ang eksaktong kwentong sinabi mo?"

Ikwinento niya sakin ang lahat ng naging pag-uusap nila ng lolo niya at kung saan ito humantong.

"At dahil sa nangyari sa cottage, akala nila ako yung tinutukoy mo,'' I added.

''More likely.''

Now I get it. Kaya pala ganun ang tingin nila sa 'kin. Kaya pala parang prinsesa ang turing ni Madam Ophelia sa 'kin.

"Wow. Now what?"

"I say, we just go with it."

"ANO! Nababaliw ka na ba? Bakit naman ako magpapakasal sa isang katulad mo? Hindi ko nga pinangarap na makasal sa kahit kanino, sa leon pa kaya?!''

"Geez woman, where's your remote? Tone down, will you?"

My Gosh. Nakakastress.

"I didn't say we have to be joined at the hip. We just need to act like a married couple in front of the world. When it's just the two of us, then we can do our own thing like usual."

"Parang ang dali lang ah. Sa lahat ng lamang lupa ikaw ang pinaka ayokong makasama, actually mas lamang ka lang ng konti sa ipis pero ganun din yun. Ano namang makukuha ko sa pagtulong sayo? Wala namang benefits baka konsumisyon lang ang abutin ko sa'yo," I point out.

"Ako dapat ang nagsasabi nyan. Maliban sa legal na contrata ng kasal wala akong makitang benepisyo sa pagiging asawa mo."

Aba, siya pa ngayon ang napipilitan sa ganda kong ito?

"Regardless, You're better than the rest," he sighed. "You choose whatever you want as a prize then we will put it in contract."

"Bakit may contrata pa?"

"Para hindi mo ko takbuhan."

"Ako pa ngayon ah. Tapon mo na-''

Our conversation was interrupted by a call from Brianna so I excuse myself to answer it.

"Hello Bri-"

''OMG Avy, I'm sorry kung naistorbo ko kayo ni Xander. Alam ko may pag-uusapan pa kayo with his family pero kasi.."

"Just spill, Bria."

"May sulat galing sa banko tungkol sa lupa. May tatlong araw na lang bago nila ito kunin."

"Hah? Akala ko ba kakausapin nila mama si Madam Ophelia?''

''Oo nga pero busy kasi si tita this pass few weeks kaya hindi nila namalayang patapos na ang buwan.''

Ano ba naman yan. Akala ko pa naman kapag na kay Madam Ophelia na ang lupa pwede ko pang matubos para kahit papano ay maibalik pa rin sa amin ito pero kapag nasa banko na ito, hindi ko na alam kung anong plano nilang gawin sa lupa.

Stress naman oh. Dumagdag pa sa con-

''Bria, tawagan kita mamaya. Sabihin mo kina mama at papa, huwag nang alalahanin ang tungkol sa lupa. Ako nang bahala doon.''

''Ano?Anong plinaplano mo?''

''Huwag kang mag-alala. Hindi illegal. I'm just going to ask my darling fiance to help."

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