Chapter 4

Chapter 4

NAKAKABINGING katahimikan ang pumagitna sa dalawa habang nakaupo sa sala ng mansyon. Hindi inaasahan ng abogado na iiwan na lamang sila nang ganoon ng kaniyang pamilya rito na kasama ang babaeng ito. Nandito pa sila sa pamamahay ng mga Sandoval at iginala ng senior ang pamilya niya na halatang intensyon ng mga itong iwan silang dalawa na magkasama sa sala.

He glance to his side where his fiancée was, nakatingin ito sa kawalan at halatang hindi komportable sa presensiya niya. Well, she have to get used to his presence since he will always by her side from now on.

Mas mabuti na rin na binigyan sila ng moment ng mga magulang nila na magkausap nang pribado. Sa ganoon ay magiging mahinahon ang isipan niya na puno ng mga katanungan kung bakit ito nagaganap sa kanilang dalawa.

Ibinaba niya muna ang tasa ng tea na nilalagok niya sa coffee table bago hinarap ang babae.

"So, Ms. Sand---"

"Ahh Att. Angel---"

They both stop when realizing they both speak in unison. Mas lalong naging awkward kay Felicity ang nangyari. "Ops, sorry. Ikaw muna. What do you want to say to me?"

Bumuga muna ng hangin ang abogado. "Alright. There is no need I would introduce myself to you since you already knew me then."

She nods. "Yeah. Sino ba ang hindi makakilala sa 'yo eh you're one of the great lawyers? Your family owns a big a law firm. And you're also one of the hottest bachelors in the Philippines."

"I see. But unlike you, I didn't know you at all."

She heaves a sigh. "Of course, I'm a private person. Haven't your father told you about that?"

Napailing siya. Sumandal siya sa backrest ng sopa at ipinatong ang kanang binti sa kaliwa saka napahalukipkip. "He only told me that I'm gonna marry you. Hindi na ako nagtanong pa. Why would I? As if I do have interest."

Napasinghap si Felicity sa sinabi niya. "Does that mean wala ka talagang interesado sa arrange marriage na ito? Sabi ko na nga ba! Hitsura mo pa lang sa dining hall, halata ng na-bo-bore ka. If that so, why did you came here? Okay lang naman sa akin kung hindi ka pumayag. Don't tell me you are not aware for what was the meeting here at first."

Kumunot ang noo niya. Sa tono ng pananalita nito ay mukhang wala ring interesado ang babaeng ito na magpakasal sa kaniya but how did she just made a face like that earlier? Like she is willing to be her bride. Masaya pa nga ito while nag-suggest about sa wedding nila. Hindi kagaya niya na madaling mabasa. Is she only made a fake show?

Huh! This girl have the talent.

Kung hindi interesado sa kaniya ang babaeng ito then it means hindi ito ang may gusto na hilahin siya sa kasalan. Would be her father requested her to do this? Senior Sandoval is a healthy man, unlike his dad, so what was her reason to grant her father's request?

Most of the people are against to this kind of thing. Sawi ba ang babaeng ito sa pag-ibig o hindi kaya ay desperadang magkaroon ng asawa upang sumang-ayon sa kasalang ito?

May sakit ba ito? Or nalalabi na ba ang buhay nito kaya nais na nitong makapangasawa? Kaya ba ay okay lang para rito na hindi siya pumayag dahil marami pang mga groom-to-be ang nasa listahan? At wala sa kaniya ang standards na hinahanap nito?

He shakes his head. Thousand of thoughts are running through his mind.

"You are spacing out, attorney. What are you thinking? Base sa mukha mo ay parang may gumugulo sa iyo. Is it my words hurt your ego? Oo, okay lang naman sa akin na hindi ka pumayag mukha ka kasing napipilitan but it doesn't mean that you're not an attractive guy. You know, when I saw you, I already praise your handsomeness. Pang-husband din naman ang postura mo. That's true. I guess you misinterprete---"

"Stop. What are you talking about? That's not what I thinking right now."

Napatigil si Felicity sa pagsasalita. Tinignan siya nang maigi ng abogado. Bumalik ang kaba niya sa paraan ng pagtitig nito sa kaniya. Did she go beyond the line? Siya yata ang na-misinterpret. Mag-so-sorry ba uli siya? Pero parang may sasabihin pa yata ang abogado kaya nanatiling tikom na lang muna ang bibig niya.

He runs his fingers through his hair. "I know it's rude to ask you about this 'cause ngayon lang tayo nagkakilala but I badly want to know behind all of this. My dad seemed don't want to talk the reason behind the arrange marriage and I know nothing. Do you have any idea? If you're not interested on me being your groom, then that's mean you're not the one who ask for this. Have your father told you anything? Is your father plotted on something?"

"Oh." Napahawak siya sa kaniyang bibig. Natural lang naman na ganoon ang iisipin ng isang abogado. Pero bakit hindi ito sinabihan ng sariling ama? He and his father do get along to each other unlike her and her father but her father told her one thing why they must go to this arrangement, it is about on her dreams.

Naalala niya muli ang gabing iyon kung kailan siya pinatawag ng ama nang biglaan at pinapunta sa opisina nito. She was depressed that night and the announcement of her father turned out to be her medicine.

"What? I don't get it. Why would I marry someone I didn't know?" She bursted out. "I once thought that you called me her to apologize to me and try to fill the wasted days for not being my father who should give care to his only daughter." She couldn't handle it anymore and let her tears flowed down to her cheeks.

Nakatalikod ang ama sa kaniya at nakatingin ito sa labas ng glass wall. "Why would I have to? Pinalaki kita gamit ang pawis at puyat ko. Is that not enough for you?" he replied without giving her any gaze.

Hindi na lamang siya sumagot at nagpatuloy sa kaniyang paghikbi. Para sa kaniya ay hindi pa iyon sapat. Ano ang magagawa ng kayamanan sa kaniya kung palagi siyang malungkot at nakakaramdam ng pag-iisa? Pinagkaitan na nga siya nito ng kalayaan, pati ba naman ang pagmamahal ng isang magulang?

"Both I and Senior Att. De Acusta agree. And if you want to bring your personal feelings up just to contradict my plans, then I don't allow it." His voice was cold as usual.

She clenched his fist. "Why?! Why are you like this? Why you don't even care on what I feel?" she screamed. Hindi man lang nito natinag ang ama niya sa kinatatayuan nito. She wiped her tears and continue to speak, "Is that means I'm not really your daughter?"

Senior Marciano sighed and walked back towards his table where the wine bottle was to fill the wine glass he held. "Don't be so dramatic, Felicity. You're a grown woman now. Matalino ka. Hindi mo ako madadaan sa ganiyan mo."

"You don't know how I feel kaya mo iyan nasabi, papa. Hanggang ngayon, hindi ko pa rin maintindihan ang sarili ko kung bakit tinatawag pa rin kita ng papa."

"The only thing you should do is to marry his son as what I said. This is for the best. And stop complaining about how I treat you because you don't know how I feel too. I only do what is right and what is best for you. You are my daughter and nothing can change that," he said and drunk his wine. "So tell me, Felicity, is that not what a father supposed to do for?"

"Marry him for what?"

"For your freedom. I will give the kind of freedom you want unless you are married to his only son."

If she tell her fiancè about it, there's nothing would change. Still the attorney don't have interest to marry her. Maayos ang kanilang pag-uusap ngayon at ayaw niyang magtatapos ito sa hindi pagkakaunawaan. Baka sabihan siya nito na 'selfish'.

"Dreams? Are you kidding me? You and your father dragged us into this arrangement just for the sake of your dreams? I didn't expect that you are that selfish and insensitive woman!"

Iyon ang naiisip niyang maaaring isasagot ng abogado kung sakaling sasabihin niya ang kaniyang nalalaman. Hindi dapat iyon malaman ng lalaki.

She scratches the back of her neck. "Um... maybe about business. Hindi ka ba nanood ng mga family movies or romantic movies? Usually the root of getting to arrange marriage is all about business."

"I guess you didn't know me at all."

Napakagat siya ng labi. What does he mean by that?

"You're lying, Ms. Sandoval. I know everything about the businesses handle by your family. All of them are in stable so why did your father came up of this idea when he can't gain anything more that benefits to the business. I also know your father well, hindi siya ang tipo na uhaw sa pera at kapangyarihan. He is contented on what he have now and focuses to run his company peacefully," mahabang salaysay ng abogado.

'That's a fact of him that's why I'm proud of having him as my father but it hurts me like hell for he doesn't even care about me,' komento ng kaniyang isipan.

Felicity sighed. "Then that's beyond of my knowledge, attorney. I don't exactly understand what do you want to know."

"Kung ganoon, pasensya na kung itatanong ko sa iyo ito. What push you to agree on this?"

Hindi talaga siya nito tatantanan ng abogadong ito. This gives her a headache. "Too personal to say. If you have any questions, just approach my father," wika niya bago siya tumayo. "We should have to rest, attorney. May pasok ka pa bukas. Thank you for attending my birthday celebration. Kung may kailangan ka, you can visit me here anytime. Goodbye, attorney."

She is about to leave the sala when she remembers that this is not how to deal with a visitor. Leaving the visitor alone is unethical. Hinarap niya muli ang abogado upang ayain itong sumama sa kaniya palabas at igaya ang mga bisita palabas ng mansyon kaso inunahan siya nito sa pagsasalita.

"Will you go out with me, Ms. Sandoval?"