Chapter 3

(Reese's POV)

"W-What?" I asked after I recovered from  the shock because of what he said. "Marry someone for you? Really?" I laughed with no humor at all. Marrying someone for him doesn't even make sense. Is this old man out of his mind?

            "You know that I don't know how to joke when it come to business, Reese," he seriously countered.

            "Why should I marry someone for you?" I asked even though I already knew what he would answer. "Because that's irrational, you know?"

            "Irrational but it can solve your problem." He had this triumphant grin that made me nervous and unable to sit still. "Yes or no, Rose Destiny Lincoln."

            I rolled my eyes, not caring if he saw it or not. "You never take no as an answer."

            His grin became wider. "Glad that you know that." Umayos ito ng upo at tumingin sa'kin  ng seryoso, like how he would look  like when he's dealing business. "You have choices,  daughter. You can leave and let the—"

            "Who will I marry?" I interrupted before he even finished what he was saying.  The choices he's going to say aren't choices for me. This is really a matter between life and death—life for the orphanage and death for my liberty.

            All of a sudden he had this triumphant smile plastered on his face."Nice choice." I rolled my eyes. "Stop rolling your eyes, young lady," he warned and I almost did it again but stopped myself. Baka hindi niya ako tulungan kapag hindi ako sumunod sa utos niya.

            "Just get straight to the point. Who will I marry? I need the name and age," I commanded because aside from the name, the age is important to me. Pa'no kung doble o triple pala ang edad niya sa'kin? I want to marry someone close to my age even if it's a loveless marriage.

            "He's 28." Nakahinga ako ng maluwag. Seven years gap isn't that bad. "He's Joseph Coz Taylor."

            My brows furrowed. "Who's that?" He stared at  me with wide eyes like I just had a second  head. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

            Bakit parang gulat na gulat siya? Nagtatanong lang naman ako kung sino ang tinutukoy niya. Do I supposed to already know who is Joseph Coz Taylor? Sorry to burst his bubbles but I really doesn't have any idea about him.

            "You don't know him?" I gave him a duh-look. Seriously? Hindi ko itatanong kung sino siya kung kilala ko ang tinutukoy niya. "You're unbelievable." Na-iling pa ito dahil hindi talaga   siya makapaniwala.

            I rolled my eyes. "I agreed with your  condition," I stated before standing up. "Pay the orphanage's debt in two days. I want to see the proof of payment before I meet my future husband. Nice doing  business with you, Mr. Lincoln." I turned my back and walked towards the door. I was about to turn the knob when he talked.

            "Still the same Rose Destiny Lincoln, I see."

            I took a deep breath before totally opening the door and  went out  of  his suffocating office without looking back.

            I'm no longer the same daughter you had years ago. And I'll never be that same person ever again.

           

            PAGKAGALING sa opisina ng tatay ko ay dumiretso ako sa University dahil may klase pa ako mula alas-onse hanggang alas-dos. Balak kong sa likod ma-upo para makagamit ako patago ng cellphone pero sa harap na lang ang may bakanteng upuan. And then I realized, I left my phone on my apartment—me being always the forgetful kind of a person. Gustong-gusto ko nang mag-research tungkol sa lalaking pakakasalan ko pero kailangan ko muna itong isantabi dahil sa klase ko.

            After the class, Gavin informed me that the PICE President wanted to have a meeting regarding the upcoming PICE Week Celebration. As the Business Manager, I was really required to attend.

            "Any suggestions kung anong event ang gagawin?" Kuya Brent, the President, asked after he wrote "EVENTS" on the white board.

            "Why don't we do the pageant again?" Gale, the Secretary, suggested. That made us nod in agreement. She's referring to the 'CE-reyna', a beauty pageant where boys acts as girls. That was the main event last year and it's a success.

            "We should also include the Team Building event again, Kuya," Lei, the 2nd Year Representative, added.

            And then, everyone's suggesting their own ideas. I also want to suggest but my brain doesn't want to cooperate. I slouched in my chair with my mind drifting off into space. I want to go home so that I can already satisfy my curiosity towards Joseph Coz Taylor. Bakit ko ba kasi nakalimutang dalhin ang cellphone ko? I would have already searched about him if I had brought it.

            "That's all, future Engineers!" Kuya Brent said to formally end the meeting.

            I immediately stood up upon hearing that. I was ready to leave when Gavin called me to inform me about our Lab Work. I took a deep breath. Why did I forget that we had to start it already?

            We decided to go to Autumn's but I went home first to get my phone and some of the papers we will be needing. And luckily, the same spot we had when we last came here's vacant. We divided the things that needs to be done to make it easier for us to finish it. I finished doing my part early which gave me the opportunity to finally  research but then Gavin asked me to help him about the ROI. Even though I've already finished doing my part, I can't refuse because it's still a group work after all.

            "Okay na ba?" I asked after we finally achieved the desired ROI. We computed a few times just to achieved it.

            He nodded without looking at me because he is focused on what he is typing. "Thank you, Reese!" He glanced at me for a moment and gave me a smile. I smiled back before he refocused his attention on what he was doing. We didn't really make a mistake in choosing him to be the leader. He is a responsible person and knows how to listen to the suggestions of his members, unlike other leaders who brag and  ignore the ideas of his colleagues.

            Like the one I know who doesn't care if someone gets hurt as long as they can do what they want to do.

            I sipped on my latté before reaching for my laptop. I took a deep breath then opened the Chrome. I don't know why I'm feeling nervous, I'm just going to search about the man I'm set to marry in order to save the orphanage. I typed his name and I was beyond shocked when lots of articles showed.  This guy's famous, no doubt. But sad  to say, I don't know him at all.

            You never care about things connected to your family, Reese... my mind reminded  me that made me rolled my eyes mentally.

            Joseph Coz Taylor, 28, of MT Corporal grew up in California, moved to Boston in college, and stayed in Philippines to manage the  Taylor's assets afterwards is one of the youngest to run a multibillion-dollar listed company.

            I gasped upon reading that. This guy's super rich. And to learn more about him, I opened another articles that made me felt regretting that I agreed to my father's condition.

            He was named one of Asia's sexiest men and also considered now as the country's most eligible bachelor. Lots of famous women were linked to him but he never confirmed his relationships with them. He changes flings like he's just changing his underwear. He was cold, kulang yata siya sa emosyon. All that's important to him is his empire that made labor unions and the CEOs of companies he took over called him "monster".

            I closed my laptop's lid without shutting it down. Nanghihinang napasandal ako sa upuan, nawalan ng lakas dahil sa mga nalaman. Just by reading those articles, I know he's more wicked than my father. He'll never agree marrying me without a deep reason. For businessmen like them, everything is a game. Some will play it well, and will win, some are losers. It's simple as that.

            I opened my laptop again when I remembered something. I learned things about him but I forgot to check what he looks like. That's another thing I should know apart from what kind of person he is. I already have an idea of what he looks like based on what I read that many famous women have been linked to him but I still want to be sure. I may have met him somewhere but I just didn't notice because I didn't know him. At wala akong balak kilalanin siya kung hindi ko lang siya kailangang pakasalan para maresolba ang kinakaharap ko ngayon na problema.

            I don't want to be a hypocrite person like other people who say that what a person looks like is not important to them even if it is not true. Whether we admit it or not, there is still a part of  us that we base on a person's appearance. Other people just don't want to admit it because maybe they don't want to be criticized. But the truth is, whether you look at it or not, you will still be judged because you are in a judgmental world—where all the things you've done right doesn't matter the moment you  make a mistake even just once.

            I already typed his name again on the tab and about to press the enter when Tiara called my name. I took a deep breath and mentally cursed her for disturbing me. P'wede namang mamaya na lang niya ako tawagin, bakit ngayon pa? Maybe destiny planned it because it's not yet time for me to see what Joseph Coz Taylor looks like. But I will not allow myself not to see it now.

            "Bakit?" I asked. "Do you need help on something?" I added. The part that was given to her was a bit difficult so I won't be surprised if he asks for help. Buti na lang at hindi sa'kin napunta ang part niya.

            "Tumingin ka sa counter."

            I obeyed what she said even though I was hesitant. Sakto naman na nakuha na ng lalaking nakasuot ng three-piece-suit ang order niya nang dumako ang tingin ko sa counter. Nang tumalikod ito sa counter, I gasped when I recognized who it is even though I can only see one side of his face. Hindi ako p'wedeng magkamali na siya ang lalaking nakasalubong ko halos isang linggo na ang nakalipas. I followed him with my gaze until he finally got out of the café.

            Kahit na ilang segundo na siyang nawala sa paningin ko ay na sa pinto pa rin na kang nilabasan ang aking attention. Iniwas ko lang ang tingin ko dito nang may sinabi si Tiara na talagang nakakuha ng atensyon ko.

            "It's Joseph Coz Montagne Taylor."

            "W-What did you say?" My heart's already beating fast. I heard clearly  what she said but I just wanted to make sure that what I heard was correct.

            "It's Joseph Coz Montagne Taylor," she repeated what she said earlier.

            I immediately focused my gaze on my laptop's screen and pressed enter. And when the result came out, it was as if cold water had been poured on me because of what I had seen. Ang lalaki kanina ay talagang si Joseph Coz Taylor at ang lumabas na resulta na nakikita ko ngayon ang patunay. And because of that, I realized something.

            The man I want to apologize for the bad attitude I acted and the man I am set to marry is just one person.