Feather (Self-Published)

CH 5: Ex Proprio Motu

"Ano 'yun liligawan mo ako kasi gusto mo akong anakan?"

"Yes, I am physically attracted to you. I am not going to deny that."

"Sir—"

"Lawson—"

"Sir Lawson, I admit that I need money. Heaps of it. But, I have never really thought of selling my body."

"Kung liligawan kita at maging tayo, Juris, believe me, may mangyayari sa atin."

I scoffed. "What made you think na papayag ako?"

"Because I am very convincing," he stated matter-of-factly. "And it wouldn't be your fault, but mine."

O, eh, 'di, ikaw na...

"I want to be honest with you, I am not ready for any kind of commitment. I seriously do not think I am fit to be in any type of relationship. That's just how I am – cold to the point of being bastardly. Now, I don't want to hurt you but I want you and the only way that I think this would be fair for you is through that offer."

"Teka...ang sinasabi mo is gusto mo akong ikama pero ayaw mo ng emotional attachment?"

"That sounds unpleasant but yes, that's what I want."

I laughed. "Mr. Santander, you truly deserve your nickname."

"You can laugh all you want pero ikaw na rin ang nagsabi na kailangan mo ng pera. I have money to offer."

Sarap bigwasan nito...

"Okay, sabihin na nating nabaliw ako at pumayag ako doon sa contract n'yo, kailan 'yun magsisimula?"

"Immediately."

"Hm...but, what if you can't bear children? Hindi naman pwedeng bayad ka na lang nang bayad sa akin hanggang sa mabuntis ako kasi baka yumaman ako n'yan," I sarcastically said.

"Hindi ako baog," he said.

"Paano mo nasabi? Nagkaroon ka na ba ng anak?"

He smiled. "Gusto mo bang subukan?"

I mentally rolled my eyes. "Paano kung ako ang baog?"

"Do you have any fertility issues?"

"How the hell would I know, I have not been fertilized yet."

He gave out a deep rumbling laugh. "Then I should go ahead and fertilize you ASAP."

Ay, s'ya na talaga ang tuwang-tuwa sa mga joke n'ya...

"Sir, I hope you see now how ridiculous your offer sounds."

"It isn't ridiculous, Juris, because it's a win-win for both of us. I get what I want and you get your money and if we reach a point where we think that the partnership no longer works for both us, we can end it without the drama."

I hated how unemotional he sounded. I had to admit to myself that after that kiss, I was looking at him through a different lens – he was no longer just my devil of a boss now but the devil of a boss who's sexy and who's capable of kissing me speechless.

My God, Juris, ha, sana okay ka lang talaga. Kung anu-ano na lang 'yang iniisip mo.

"You know what's holding you back? The romanticism that movies, books, and soap operas are peddling about relationships. The one where a princess finds a worthy prince who's going to make her woes go away and who'll give her the happily-ever-after she thinks she deserves. That's not how real life is, Miss Montiel. Believe me, it doesn't always have a happy ending."

He leaned away from me to elegantly drape his arms over the back of the chair. "What I am trying to sell to you is a relationship where both of us win. We respect each other's boundaries, enjoy each other's company, and walk away when it's time to end it."