Chapter 1 I don't like you!

Chapter 1

Maleah was busy, conducting her inventory when she received a call from an unregistered number.

Hindi siya nagbibigay nang personal number niya but this call.

"Hello?"

She stopped writing down at binaba ang ballpen na hawak

("Good afternoon, is this Ms. Maleah Madrid?")

Boses iyon nang isang lalaki na medyo slang ang pagsasalita.

"Yes, speaking who is this?"

Sumandal siya sa upuan niya.

("Ma'am, I'm Fredrick, Mr. Asher Sebastian Voclain's personal aid")

Napalunok siya she's been waiting for this call for a long time.

("I apologize for not reading your email, right away madam but I already informed Mr. Voclain about your concern and he already scheduled his flight pabalik at may mga importanteng bagay lang siyang tinapos")tumigil ito sa pagsasalita na tila hinihintay ang sagot niya.

Her heart beat rapidly.

" Continue.. "

She casually replied pero ang totoo ay kabadong kabado na siya.

("Ah, yes madam and he wanted to meet you as soon as possible madam")

Pagak siyang natawa sa narinig.

'.. I've been waiting for him for three years and now uuwi siya asking me to meet him,? This guy is so full of himself.., well let's give him a dose of his own medicine.. '

("Madam?")

Tila nagtaka ito sa pagtawa niya.

"Oh, yes please tell Mr. Voclain to pray, that I'm not that busy when he called for my audience" she sarcastically replied at saglit naman itong natigilan sa kabilang linya.

("A-okay madam I understand")

"Thank you,." And she ended the call at galit na galit siya.

She waits for him tatlong taon na at ngayon biglang tatawag ito.

Napailing siya it's all her fault she assumed too much.

"Maleah, sama kaba?" Ethan sat beside her habang nag aayos siya nang gamit nilingon niya ito and shook her head.

"I'm sorry Ethan pero hindi ako pwede.," Apologetic niyang sabi dito Ethan looked disappointed.

"It's because of your father again..?" Sumandal ito sa upuan na tila nawalan na nang gana.

She nodded.

"Alam mo naman ang ugali ni papa, you know my situation right? Kaya nga hindi ako makaalis nang bahay"

Ethan moved his body at sumandal naman ngayon sa table.

"I..just can't understand it but..this is disappointing,matatapos na ang palugit mo you're turning 25" Tukoy nito sa palugit, she nods at naalala ang tawag nakaramdam nanaman siya nang inis.

"Yeah, that's right and I already received a call from them at sure akong na inform na nila ang papa ko tungkol doon"

Ethan's expression changed.

" Maybe he decided to call off the engagement ",

Napabaling siya dito ngunit iba ang tingin ni Ethan alam niyang hindi ito naniniwala sakanya.

'.. call off our engagement? Is he really going to do that? Pwede dahil mayaman naman siya, but if he do that then it's fine gusto ko naring matapos ang kahibangan ko'

" I don't have any idea right now, we will going to talk about it pagbalik niya"She stood and took her things but Ethan hold her wrist at tiningala siya nito.

"Maleah.. if ever he cancelled the engagement, what will you going to do?" Seryosong tanong nito.

She stared at Ethan blankly, the truth is hindi niya alam because eversince her parents open up that secret to her ay nag focus siya sa idea na mangyayari ang mga plano.

The arranged marriage between her family and Asher's grandparents, it was already signed by both parties limang taon palang siya.

And it stated kailangan silang makasal ni Asher when he reached 26 .,Asher didn't come in that first year, second and third year thanks to Asher pa 25 na siya at wala parin siyang boyfriend dahil sa higpit nang tatay niya.

Hindi siya pwedeng makipag relasyon hanggang hindi mismong si Asher ang nagsasabi na wala na itong planong ituloy ang kasal, dahil magbabayad sila nang milyon.

At saan kukuha ang pamilya niya nang milyon?

She slowly remove her hands from Ethan's grips.

"Ahm, I still don't know Ethan.,"

Ethan stood and stared at her seriously.

"If ever na i cancel niya ang engagement nyu, I'm here Maleah I'm willing to spend my life for you, we will manage this resturant on our own" napatitig siya kay Ethan kung tutuosin ay gwapo si Ethan he owns a restaurant kung saan nagta-trabaho siya bilang supervisor.

At alam niyang matagal na itong may gusto sakanya but she still hoping for someone she also likes, kahit medyo malabo pa pero kung sakaling i cancel talaga ni Asher ang engagement wala siyang magagawa and this will be the very first time she will met him personally after all of those years.

"Maybe, I need to think about it first Ethan after the talk saka ako makaka pag desisyon."

Ethan nodded ngunit blanko ang ekspresion nito na nakatitig sakanya at nakakaramdam siya nang inis

"Ma'am, sir ano tara na" sabi nang mga crew nila na tila hinihintay na sila natawa si Ethan.

"Pass ako" sabi pa niya.

"Hay, lagi nalang si ma'am pass kailan ka kaya namin makaka inuman?" Sabi pa ng isa nilang crew.

"Wag kayong mag alala malapit na" makahulugang sabi ni Ethan at napatingin siya dito, but she just ignored him.

Paguwi niya nang bahay ay nakaupo ang mama at papa niya sa sala na tila hinihintay siya lumapit siya at nagmano sa mga ito, she can sense it her dad was already anxious malapit nang mag 30 si Asher at yun ang palugit nang kontrata.

If Asher accept her as his wife, her father will get a large amount of money, indicated sa last will but if not walang makukuha ang papa niya kaya napaka higpit nito sakanya and the amount ay hindi alam nang papa niya.

Nalaman niya ang engagement niya when she was in third year highschool nang may unang nanligaw sakanya at nalaman nang papa niya, doon nito sinabi ang totoo sakanya na maliit palang ay engaged na siya sa lalaking nag ngangalang Asher Sebastian Voclain.

She has no information about Asher hanggang mapanood niya ito sa TV.

He was a car racing driver nang mga, formula car racing, drag racing at kahit motorcycle racing.

She was so surprised! And the very first time she saw his beautiful pair of eyes sa TV he has an green colored eyes na namana nito sa Maradang sa side nang lola nito sa mother side.

And she fell in love with him.

"Anak, pauwi na daw si Señorito Asher at planong makipag usap sayo"

She nodded.

" Opo tinawagan ako nang butler niya kanina"

Kita niya ang kislap nang mata nang papa at mama niya.

At lihim siyang napailing she was thinking na kung mahal ba talaga siya nang magulang niya o ang pera lang para ipakasal siya nito para lang sa pera kung malalaman lang sana niya kung magkano.

" Magpapahinga napo ako "at tumalikod siya at nagtungo sa hagdan.

At dumiretso sa kwarto niya.

She has many collection of his picture on her room mula nang maging crush niya ito nang malaman niyang ito ang mapapangasawa niya balang araw pero habang lumilipas ang taon, na hindi ito sumisipot at nagpapakita ay paunti-unting nawawalan siya nang gana dito.

Hanggang tanggalin na niya ang mga picture nito sa dingding nang kwarto niya at itapon at ang naiwan nalang ay ang photo album compilation niya nang mga pictures nito na hindi niya tinapon nanghihinayang kasi siya pati ang nag iisang picture nito na nasa paanan nang higaan niya.

And now he's here?

At basta basta nalang siyang ipapatawag na akala mo siya ang may ari nang mundo.

She despise him actually from her crush to a person she hates.

Lalo na nang magsimulang kumalat na may karelasyon itong isang modelo na napaka ganda at laging present sa lahat nang laban ni Asher.

Ngunit walang sinasabi si Asher at kinumpirma na kasintahan nito ang modelo.

Of course hindi niya pwedeng gawin, dahil may fiancee na siya na parang t*nga na naghihintay sakanya.

At nakapag desisyon na siya ngayon gaganti siya dito at ipaparanas ang mga bagay na naranasan niya dito.

Her plan was already set, when Asher first call for her audience ay tumanggi siya, at sinabing busy siya again they asked kung pwede na siyang makausap and again ay tumanggi siya.

Ngunit hindi niya akalain na magsusumbong ito sa papa niya kaya galit na galit ang magulang niya sakanya.

At konsensiya siya tungkol sa utang nang mga ito nang ma operahan ang tatay niya sa puso.

Kaya wala na siyang magawa ngayon.

"Ate sure kana ba?" Tanong nang kapatid niyang si Saleah habang nakatingin sa repleksyon niya sa salamin habang naglalagay siya nang konting make up.

"Wala akong magagawa," she response flatly.

"Diba ayaw mo na sakanya?"

Pangungulit pa nito.

"Oo kaso wala akong magagawa ngayon," naiinis niyang sagot.

Ngunit tumawa ito.

"Ayaw daw e ang ganda nang damit mo at ang sexy pa"

Napangiti siya sa kapatid.

"Sexy ba?" Natatawa niyang tanong.

Saleah nodded amd smiles.

"Oo ate, ang sexy"

"Di mas maganda para mas masakit sa pride niya" she already made plan A and plan B at winwin situation siya doon.

"pride? bakit anong plano mo ate?"maang na tanong nang kapatid niya but she just smile.

Bumukas naman ang pinto nang kwarto niya at bumungad ang papa at mama niya.

"Anak, galingan mo dapat mapa oo mo siya" bilin pa nang tatay niya.

"Oo nga anak, alam kong hindi nun matatanggihan ang ganda mo",

Napailing siya ngunit hindi na siya nagsalita.

"Nandiyan na ang sasakyan sa labas"bigla naman sumulpot ang kapatid niyang si Kahel.

She spray some perfume at pinasadaham pa ulit ang sarili sa salamin.

"Ok, guys bye muna..!" She gave them sweet smiles pero buo na sa isip niya ang lahat.

'.Asher Sebastian Voclain humanda ka ngayon sakin.. '

Halos lahat nang mga chismoso't chismosa ay nasa labas habang naka tanaw sa magarang sasakyan na nakapark sa harap nang bahay nila.

At biglang lumabas ang isang matangkad at gwapong lalaki at nagulat siya alam niyang hindi si Asher ito.

He smiles at bahagya pang yumukod.

"Ma'am I'm Fredrick"

Nagulat siya gwapo rin pala si Frederick!

Pinagbuksan siya nito nang pinto at nagpasalamat siya.

At papunta na sila sa bahay ni Asher ngayon halong kaba at excitement ang nararamdaman niya.

For the first time.

Tumigil ang sasakyan sa isang malaking itim na gate napaka gara nang gate palang.

Habang dilaw naman ang dingding.

And when the gate open ay bumungad ang isang pahabang bahay, ngunit hindi siya sigurado kung bahay paba ang tawag dito dahil may hanggang ikatlong palapag iyon, walang masyadong tanim maliban sa ilang puno na mukhang pinili lang din at ang malawak ma bermuda grass.

At sa gilid nang mismong bahay ay may tanim na dalawang pine tree.

Napaka ganda nang bahay.

The car stops at pinagbuksan siya ni Frederick nang pinto at nagpasalamat siya dito.

Sinalubong naman siya nang isang may edad na babae na mukhang istrikto.

"Madam sumunod kayo sakin" at tumalikod ito na tila wala man lang pakialam.

Umakyat ito sa isang malawak na hagdan habang nakasunod siya dito.

At maya-maya'y tumigil ito sa harap nang isang pinto na dalawahan.

And pushed it at bumungad sakanya ang isang malawak na library naka arrange nang maayos ang mga libro at meron living room at napaka gara nito.

"Hintayin nyu nalang si Señorito dito" at hinila nito pasara ang pinto na hindi man lang siya hinintay na makasagot.

"Suplada naman nun.," Naka irap niyang sabi at naupo when she saw a magazine na nakapatong sa center table it was him!

Picture ni Asher wearing helmet, pinag aralan niyang maigi ang mukha nito sa magazine.

And read a few pages.

(Again Voclain kills it!)

(A bachelor of 29,and became a licensed car racer when he was just sixteen)

(Many speculation that, he was an heir of his billionaire grandparents)

(Spotted with, Angelika Lixbina of KTY, a model of 25 years old was said to be a rumored girlfriend seeing them in Hotel Casimiro)

Nakuyom niya ang kamao when the door open, and she was surprised.

'.how indecent! '

"I'm sorry for keeping you waiting" Asher was tall at hindi niya inaasahan iyon, and he was just wearing bathrobes!

His tattooed chest was showing even his muscled legs while dripping wet basa parin ang buhok nito halatang galing lang banyo.

Bigla siyang nag iwas nang tingin dito.

"Can you please cover yourself first Mr. Voclain?"

Pakiramdam niya ay sasabog ang mukha niya sa inis.

"Oh, I'm sorry hindi kaba sanay makakita nang katawan nang lalaki?"

Nanlalaki ang mata niya sa tanong niya at naiinis na napabaling siya dito but he was removing his robe now!

Bigla siyang nagiwas ulit nang tingin dito she took the magazine at tinakip niya sa mukha niya.

'.. this was so embarrassing! Hindi ba siya nahihiya! "

" What are you talking about Mr. Voclain?! "Naiinis niyang tanong dito but she heard him chuckle.

Natahimik siya but her heart went crazy na tila ba nagpa-party party na ito sa loob nang ribcage niya.

" I mean it's impossible, na hindi kapa nakakita at nakahawak nang lalaki as far as I know you will be twenty-five this year Am I right? "

Bumangon ang inis sa dibdib niya dito.

" Excuse me Mr. Voclain., Hindi ako ganung klaseng babae, I'm pure wala pa akong nahawakan o nakita o kahit n*******n na lalaki, nuh! "Naiinis niyang sagot dito.

At mahabang katahimikan ang namayani sa kanilang dalawa dahan-dahang tinatanggal niya ang magazine na nakatakip sa mukha niya and saw him already put on t-shirt and jogging pants.

And he looked so good in person!

He walked towards at naupo sa harap niya and stared at her with a blank expression, her heart crazily beating he looked so freaking handsome!

"I'm sorry, for the inconvenience Ms. Madrid, as I wanted to talk to you because I wanted to discussed about our marriage --"

"Wait! Wait!" Hinarang niya ang kamay niya para patigilin itong magsalita.

His expression changed and now he look confused, his brows raised and he still look good.

'd*mn this man! '

"First of all Mr. Voclain I wanted to clear some things, you are asking me to marry you? Or this is some kind of proposal?" She gave him a deadpan look.

He clicked his tongue, and slightly smiled at napakamot.

"I'm sorry for being not prepare I didn't have a ring on me, I apologize"

Kung kanina parang nababaliw ang puso niya ngayon naman ay parang naninikip ito.

'.. three years..? Three years has passed and you still not prepared? Let's change that arrogance of yours Mr. Voclain.. '

"It's fine Mr. Voclain" she gave him a sweetest smile.

At nagliwanag naman ang mukha nito.

"Really.." he is not asking his confirming it confidently.

"Yeah,you don't have to provide those unnecessary things, because I'm not going to marry you" she stared straight in his green eyes and give him an nonchalant look.

His jaw clenched na tila hindi yata inaasahan ang sagot niya.

Pagak itong natawa but he looked displeased she knew it dahil obviously ang pamana lang naman ang habol nito.

"You know who benefits, after you get married Ms. Madrid?" His expression is now readable.

Maybe this is the first time he has experienced being rejected by someone.

Asher is known because of his good looks and he never begged on any women, women chased him but she's not one them after he avoids her for the past three years?

"I don't like you"she lazily spout giving him a casual expression.

"Y-you what?" Nagsalubong ang kilay nito but still, kahit anong expression nito.

'handsome as hell! '

"Yes we're on the arranged marriage but it doesn't mean that I like this situation"she response nonchalantly while gazing at the magazine in front of her.

But Asher chuckled at napatitig siya dito.

" You really.. something Ms. Madrid pero kahit anong gawin mo hindi mo makukuha ang atensyon ko, you obviously doing this on purpose right? "Sumandal ito sa upuan and confidently smiles.

'.. Am I that obvious? Hmp!conceited!..'

She smirked.

" I would never ever dreamed of that Mr. Voclain so don't assume too much, looks like your confidence is severe than I thought "kunway naiiling niyang sabi dito.

She knows he desperately needed her now, kaya dapat siya ang suyuin nito.

" Haha you keep on amusing me, Ms. Madrid, I met so many women who used this kind of trick just to have me"kita parin talaga ang kayabangan nito, at naiinis siya dahil natatalo siya sa ganda nang ngiti nito his eyes narrowed everytime he smiles at lumalabas ang dimples nito sa kaliwang pisngi na lalong napa pa gwapo dito.

" Well I'm sorry to disappoint you Mr. Voclain but I'm not going to do that, my time was already done because of you, you wasted my life alam mo ba yun? ''

Nakaramdam siya nang inis nanaman.

Nagsalubong naman ang kilay nito.

"And what did I do to you Ms. Madrid ngayon lang tayo nagkita"

**End of chapter**