Chapter Five

Pagkalipas ng tatlumpung minuto, merong appointment na kailangang puntahan ang daddy ni Gabriella kaya nauna itong magpaalam sakanila na aalis na.

Maya-maya pa ay sunod na nagpaalam ang mommy nya na mag sho-shoppong kasama ang nanay ni Ryce na si Fiona. The man didn't disagree and immediately gave his golden card to his mom. Pagkatapos ay hinalikan nya rin ang noo nito. He reminded them to be careful as Gabriella's mom is the one who'll drive—the two will use Celeste's car because his mom can't drive.

Celeste glance at her daughter before winking, making Gabriella rolled her eyes. Kagaya ng ginawa ni Ryce ay pinaalalahan nya rin ito na mag-iingat sa pag drive.

Pagkaalis ng magulang nila, sila nalang dalawa ang naiwan.

"So... Meron ka bang ibang gagawin o pupuntahan? If you are going somewhere, I can drive you there." The man asked Gabriella to break the awkward silence that's starting to build between them.

"Wala akong ibang gagawin o pupuntahan. Kung meron man, meron naman akong sariling kotse kaya hindi mo ako kailangang ipag-drive..." she answered.

Nahihiyang umiwas ng tingin ang lalaki at bahagyang yumuko.

"Pero kung gusto mo, pwede naman tayong mag-usap sa loob ng kotse ko. We're going to get married soon so we need to get to know each other."

That made the man smile and look at her again.

"I think so too."

He didn't question why it has to be her car and only followed her.

Pagkapasok nilang dalawa sa kotse, Gabriella leave both of her car's windows open. Hindi nagtagal ay nagsalita rin sya para magtanong.

"So ilang taon ka na ba?"

Dapat ay kanina nya pa ito tatanungin pero ngayon lang sya nagkaroon ng lakas ng loob na itanong ito.

"I'm twenty-five years old."

"Parehas pala tayo. I'm also twenty-five, turning twenty-six next month."

"I know that."

Tumaas ang isang kilay ni Gabriella sa narinig.

"Alam mo?"

Ryce nodded his head twice.

"Yeah, your mom told me before..."

Gabriella felt a little embarrassed. It's as if the man knows her very well but she doesn't know anything about him. She's getting married to a person that she only know the name, age and mom's name.

"What actually do you do for living?" Muli nyang tanong para alisin ang hiya na nararamdaman.

Bago sumagot ay ngumiti muna ang lalaki. Sa reaksyon nito ay para bang kanina nya pa hinihintay na itanong iyon ng babae.

"I'm a painter. Nagtuturo ako kung paano mag pinta sa sariling eskwelahan at meron rin akong pinapagawang sariling museum dito."

"That's amazing." Gabriella commented.

She thought, this guy can't really be Silent Thief because that thief stole paintings. He's a painter so he can paint on his own. He won't get interested in others' paintings. He also teaches how to paint in his own school so he knew well himself that stealing paintings is bad. Silent Thief is a criminal while this man is a good man who enjoys the beauty of arts. They can't be the same person.

Gabriella wouldn't mind getting married to him. Lalo pa't nakasasalay dito ang 300 million dollars na ibibigay sakaniya ng mommy nya.

"I don't mind getting arrange marriage with you, but before that, can you tell me the reason why you agreed to marry me?"

It actually bothers her why this man agreed to marry her when this is the first time he saw her. Naisip nyang baka binigyan ito ng malaking pera ng mommy nya kaya pumayag, pero mukhang may kaya naman ang lalaki at may sarili rin itong kotse kaya imposibleng pumayag ito dahil lang sa pera.

Tatanggapin nya ang lahat ng rason nito huwag lang ang rason katulad ng sakaniya na habol lang ay pera.

Sa isang iglap, biglang nagbago ang awra ng lalaki pagkarinig ng kaniyang tanong. Unlike earlier, he's not smiling anymore and he also looks at her blankly so she wouldn't read his mind. Sa isang iglap, parang ibang lalaki na ang kaharap nya ngayon.

"How about you, Gabriella? Why did you agree to marry me?" tanong nito sakanya pabalik.

Pakiramdam nya ay biglang nagtaasan ang balahibo sa likod ng kaniyang batok nang tawagin nito ang pangalan nya sa mababang boses.

She doesn't know if she'll answer that question truthfully. Would she tell him that she only agree to marry him to get her 300 million dollars back?

Seconds have passed, she didn't answer his question.

"Your mom told me you're a model..."

The man opens her car's glove compartment at nanlaki ang kaniyang dalawang mata nang makitang inilabas nito mula doon ang baril nya.

"But a model won't carry a real gun, right?" Ryce continued.

Gabriella panicked. What is her gun doing there? Sa pagkakaalala nya ay wala naman syang tinatagong baril doon at hindi rin sya nagdadala ng baril lalo na kapag makikipagkita sya sa magulang nya.

Sa unang tingin sa baril na hawak nito ay alam nyang sakanya iyon dahil nakasulat dito ang kaniyang code name na ángel.

Without saying a word, Gabriella grabbed her gun from the man's hand and put it back inside her car's compartment.

"It's for self protection. You know, I'm a model and there's someone out there who's after my body. I carry it just in case. Pero hindi ko naman yun magagamit dahil hindi ako marunong kung paano yun gamitin."

Hearing her explanation, the man smirked as he nods his head, agreeing with her.

"I see,"

Hindi nya alam kung matutuwa ba sya na nakumbinsi nya ito sa alibi nya. Did he really actually believe that?

She cleared her throat before she speaks again.

"Well, kung ayaw mong sabihin saakin ang dahilan kung ba't ka pumayag na magpakasal, I won't ask you. My only condition is that, huwag mo rin akong tatanungin kung ba't ako pumayag na magpakasal sa'yo. Let's not meddle in each other's business..."

"Even after we got married?" paninigurong tanong ng lalaki.

"Yes, even after we got married, we should only mind our own business." sagot nya.

They look at each other's eyes for a few minutes before the man nodded.

"Sure," he agreed.

Gabriella smiled. She offers her hand to him. Ryce looked at it and accepted her hand for a handshake.

"It's a deal, then."