Chapter 5

(Reese's POV)

            SATURDAY. The day to meet my future husband like my father had told me. I received a text message from his secretary last night, telling me that I should be there before 8 PM because my future husband hates wasting his time. As if namang siya lang ang nasasayang ang oras. Pati rin naman ako ay nasasayang ang oras dahil kung sinabi na nila sa'kin ang susunod na mangyayari, hindi na sana ako nag-a-abalang maging presentable ngayon. Hindi ko nga maintindihan  si Daddy kung bakit niya pinasabi na dapat maging presentable ako.

            I'm not the kind of girl who loves wearing dresses and heels. I'm a jeans-and-shirts-kind of girl. Minsan nga ay pinagkakamalan akong tomboy dahil sa ayos ko pero pakialam nila? The most important thing for me when it comes to what I wear is comfortability. Aanhin ko naman ang magandang kasuotan kung hindi naman ako kumportable, 'di ba?

            "You look sad."

            A soft gasp escaped from my lips when I heard Olive's voice behind me. Masyado yatang malalim ang iniisip ko kaya hindi ko naramdamang pumasok siya sa kwarto ko. Hindi ko naman kasi isinara ang pinto kanina dahil sa banyo naman ako nagbihis.

            Mula sa pagkakaupo sa gilid ng kama habang nakatalikod kay Olive ay tumayo ako at naglakad palapit sa kanya. My forehead wrinkled when she eyed me from head to toe before smiling big and wide. Confused with her reaction, I faced the whole body mirror beside the bathroom's door and checked myself.

            I'm wearing a white halter top inside my denim jacket, paired with a high waist stretch jeans and a 4-inches crystal-strap metallic block heel sandals. I'm wearing a decent outfit so her reaction's confusing me. Alam naman nilang hindi ako mahilig magsuot ng mga dress kaya hindi nila ako p'wedeng sisihin na ganito ang suot ko.

            "How to be you, Rose Destiny Lincoln?" Mula sa salamin ay nakita ko siyang may nakakalokong ngiti. "Kukulo ang dugo ng pudrabels mo kapag nakita ang ayos mo."

            I rolled my eyes before walking towards my bed to get my sling bag. "Ihatid mo na ako." She nodded at nauna ng lumabas ng silid ko. Sumunod agad ako sa kanya  at naabbutan ko siyang palabas na ng apartment. I made sure to lock the door before walking towards her car.

            Hindi  naman masyadong traffic kaya mabilis lang kaming nakarating. I removed my seatbelt, leaned towards her and kissed her cheeks. "No need to fetch me  later, babe." I gave her a smile and she smiled.

            I got out from the car and walked straight into the MT Corporal's building. Hindi ko na inabala pa ang sarili kong pagmasdan ang matayog na gusali. Bukod sa wala akong pakialam sa anyo nito, gusto ko na talagang mattapos agad ang dahilan kung bakit ako nagpunta dito para makauwi na ako. Dapat ay natutulog na ako ngayon pero dahil sa bwisit na hininging kondisyon ng Daddy ko, narito ako ngayon.

            "Excuse me. Where's the office of Mr. Joseph Coz Taylor?" I asked the receptionist who's smiling warmly at me.

            "Do you have an appointment, Miss?" I smiled at her when I heard her  voice. She's not like those bitchy receptionist I watched from movies or read on books. Dapat ganito lahat ng receptionist.

            "Uhm..." I trailed off then tucked the hair falling on my face to my right ear. "He's expecting me. You can ask his secretary to confirm it."

            She dialed on the telephone. "Can I get your name, Ma'am?"

            "Reese Lincoln." She smiled at me before talking to the person on the other line. I'm amazed by her voice. It's very angelic.

            "Top floor, Miss," she said upon putting down the phone. "Mr. Taylor's Secretary is waiting for you."

            "Thank you!" Muli pa akong ngumiti sa kanya bago tinungo ang elevator. Sakto namang ako lang ang gagamit. I pushed the top floor button before walking towards the corner. Isinandal ko ang katawan ko bago pumikit at bumuntong hininga. Hindi ko na naman napigilan ang sarili kong mag-isip ng malalim.

            Through my whole life, I have this stupid habit of torturing myself with my own thoughts. Kahit hindi ko gustong gawin, hindi ko pa rin maiwasan. Minsan, kahit simpleng bagay, nagiging big deal dahil sa pagiging over thinker ko.

            Minsan, tinatanong ko ang sarili ko ng kung ano-ano. Kung deserved ko ba talaga ang buhay ko ngayon. Kung sapat ba ako para sa ibang tao. Kung tama ba ang mga naging desisyon ko. Ang dami kong tanong pero hanggang ngayon, wala pa ring kasagutan. Saan ko ba hahanapin ang mga sagot? O kung mahahanap ko pa ba?

            But then I realized that everything happens for a reason. We should never question our worth because even if other people call us worthless, always remember that we always deserve the best and not settle for less. We know ourselves better than other people. We should never let other people drag us down.

            These past few years made me realized lots of things. The wounds that hurt me, made me bleed, made me feel worthless, are the very same wounds that made me better, braver and stronger. Those struggles I faced pushed me to survived each day. Those hardships shaped me to be who I am today.

            Napamulagat ako ng tumunog ang elevator, hudyat na narating ko na ang top floor at bubukas na ang pinto. Umayos ako ng tayo at inayos ang buhok ko dahil nakakahiya naman kung haharap ako sa kanilang magulo ang buhok ko. Baka sabihin pa nilang pugad ng ibon ang buhok ko.

            True to the receptionist's words, hinihintay nga ako ng Secretary ng sadya ko. Pagkabukas ng elevator ay tumayo agad ito at nagtungo sa harapan ng lamesa niya. She's smiling at me warmly as I walked closer to her.

            "May board meeting pa po siya, Ma'am." I stopped from rolling my eyes. Bigla akong nakaramdam ng inis pero pinilit kong ngumiti sa kanya. "Hintayin niyo na lang po siya sa loob ng opisina niya." She assisted me towards his office's door. She even opened the door for me.

            "Thank you!" I gave her a smile before entering pero napalingon ulit ako sa kanya ng magsalita ito.

            "Do you want something to drink while you wait for him?" I shook my head. Hindi naman ako nauuhaw. "Tawagin niyo na lang ako kung may kailangan kayo." I nodded. She smiled before closing the door.

            I took a deep breath before roaming my eyes around the spacious and opulent office. There was a  big glass table in the middle and at the back of it, there's also a glass wall where you can clearly see the buildings outside. I'm also 100% sure that if you look down on that wall, you'll  see the busy street and sidewalks.

            On one side of the office hung some paintings and proofs of awards received by the owner of this office. Below them, on the glass-paneled shelf, were different kinds of books. I smiled when I saw fiction books. And on the right shelf was a photo of three men, looking dashingly handsome in their 3-piece suit without a smile but with a serious look. Kilala ko kung sino sila dahil sa mga nakalkal kong articles tungkol sa lalaking nasa gitna. They are the most sought bachelors in the country.

            I wasn't shocked to see that the room spoke of boyish dreams and manly conquest because the owner is manly after all. It screamed power and luxury—the things that Joseph  Coz Taylor had.

            For the nth time today, I took a deep breath before dragging myself to the couch. Uupo na sana ako nang mapadako sa book shelf ang mga mata ko. I put my bag down on the couch, walked towards the shelf and just grabbed one fiction book without looking at the title. Hindi naman niya siguro i-di-display dito kung hindi maganda ang kwento. But truth to be told, all book stories are beautiful. It's just that some people doesn't know how to appreciate  it that's why they called it ugly, not appealing or boring.

            After I sat down, I leaned my back at the back of the sofa and crossed my legs before started reading the book. Bakit ngayon ko lang nadiskubre ang 'Lily of Love Lane' ni Carol Rivers? Makabili nga ng iba pa niyang libro.

            I was so into what I'm reading that I didn't even realized that someone's already watching me intently until that someone cleared throat. Nang mag-angat ako ng tingin sa kinaroroonan niya, dahil sa pagkabigla ay nabitawan ko pa ang hawak kong libro. With heart beating fast and shaking hands, I uncrossed my legs and leaned down to picked the book. Inilagay  ko ito sa tabi ko at dahan-dahang nag-angat ng ulo at lakas-loob na tumingin sa taong sadya ko.

            Joseph Coz Taylor is standing by the closed door, looking intently at me. I bravely raked my eyes on him. He's wearing a  3-piece suit. Muling bumalik sa mukha niya angg mga mata ko. I can't really tell if he's tired or not because of his serious face. He's more handsome in person than those pictures, no doubt about that.

            Naputol ang pagmumuni-muni ko nang bahagya siyang tumikhim. "Done checking me out?" wika niya na tumaas and isang sulok ng mga labi. Nanunuya ito, 'yon ang sigurado ko.

            Nang maglakad ito patungo sa gawi ko ay napatayo ako bigla. I am fidgeting the end of my denim jacket. All of a sudden, I started feeling nervous. My heart's beating faster than normal and my knees felt wobbly like jelly but I tried to stand still.

            When he got closer, even a few feet away from me, I can already smelled his perfume—an earthy scent like patchouli and  rosewood that are associated with masculinity. Sakto lang ang tapang ng amoy kaya hindi masakit sa ilong. Even this late, he still looks and smells fresh. Where's the justice in that?

            "Where's your father?" He broke the silence after some minutes of just staring at each other's face and observing each other's move.

            "U-Uhm..." I swallowed the lump in my throat. "I-In his office?" Yumuko ako para itago ang pagngiwi ko.  He asked me a question and I answered it with a question. Seriously, Reese?

            Napa-kagat ako sa labi ko. Bakit ba ako kinakabahan? Dapat ipakita kong hindi ako takot o kinakabahan sa presensya niya. This is the guy I'm set to marry kaya dapat masanay na ako sa presensya niya.

            "Look at me, Lincoln!"ma-awtoridad na utos niya. Lakas-loob na sinunod ko ang utos niya at  matapang na sinalubongg ang seryoso niyang mga mata. Hindi ko  kaya ang intensidad ng tingin niya pero hindi ko  magawang umiwas ng tingin. Parang nauulit lang ang nangyari no'ng unang beses ko siyang nakaharap. Hindi ko rin magawang umiwas no'n ng tingin. What's with his eyes that I can't take away my eyes on them?

            "I came here because my father told me." I mentally congratulated myself  for not stumbling over words. I need to finish my business here ASAP because I really want to sleep already. "At sigurado akong alam mo kung ano ang sadya  ko dito, Mr. Taylor," I added. Awtomatikong tumaas ang kaliwang kilay ko ng makita kong bahagyang tumaas ang isang sulok ng labi niya. "What?"

            Bahagya itong tumawa na ikinakunot ng noo ko. Problema ng taong ito? Wala namang nakakatawa. "What did your father exactly told you?"

            "To come here. That's all." Wala naman talagang ibang sinabi ang matandang 'yon. Nagtitipid yata sa salita at ayaw magsayang ng laway. As if namang mababawasan ang yaman niya kung didiretsuhin niya ako sa kung ano ba talaga ang dapat kong gawin kapalit ng pagtulong niya.

            Akala ko ay may itatanong pa siya bago ibigay ang sadya ko para makauwi na ako at ng hindi na masayang pa ang oras naming dalawa. Pero ang sumunod na lumabas sa bibig niya ay halos ikalaglag ng panga ko sa sahig.

            "Have dinner with me, future wife."