CHAPTER FOUR

Nakarating na si Olivia sa hotel kung saan ginanap ang engagement party ng ina niya. She forgot to ask Andrew what hotel he was referring to the last time they talked. So, she assumed that he was referring to this hotel. Kung mali man siya, then it might be a sign to not pursue with his proposal.

But then again, fate was telling her to play the game. Since, she saw Andrew casually sitting on one of the chairs in the restaurant by the hotel lobby.

Malalaki ang hakbang na ginawa niya para marating ang kinauupuan ni Andrew. When he saw her approaching him, he just flashed that devilish smile of his that she almost stopped in her tracks and thought over how absurd her decision was.

Aatras nalang kaya siya sa desisyon niya? Sasabihin ba niya ditong hindi niya tatanggapin ang proposal nito? Because she honestly thinks that what he was proposing to her was a completely idiotic idea, at walang matinong tao ang tatanggap sa proposal nito.

But, no. She will stand firm. Nakita na siya nito. She can't back down now. So with squared shoulders, she held her head high and walked towards him.

"Hello, my lovely fiance," he greeted while smiling at her with that charming yet mischievous smile of his.

"Andrew," she curtly greeted back, then sat across him.

"You look pretty today," he said while staring intently at her face.

Napatikhim siya. "Andrew, can we just get this over with?"

He chuckled and took a sip of his coffee. "The contract is in my office," anito.

"Your office?" tanong niya dito, and inwardly sighed. Kung nasa opisina naman pala nito ang kontrata, bakit pa dito sa hotel sila nagkita? It's such a waste of time.

Tila nabasa naman nito ang naisip niya. "My office is just at the fifth floor of this hotel."

Napakunot ang noo, and then realized something. "This is your hotel."

"Sadly... no," he replied.

But she knew he was playing. Bago pa man siya nagdesisyon na umayon sa plano nito, nag-research na siya tungkol dito. If she was going to say yes to his proposal, he should be richer than her. Baka mamaya niyan, kaya pala nag-alok ito ng proposal sa kanya ay dahil naghahabol ito sa kayamanan niya. Although, he didn't disappoint. He definitely is richer than her.

"This is my father's hotel," he continued. "I was just tasked by him to run it."

Napatango nalang siya dito. She genuinely is surprised with his disposition. Hindi niya aakalain na may humbleness sa katawan nito. Hindi katulad ng mga ibang anak mayaman na kung makaasta ay pagmamay-ari din nila ang kayamanan ng mga magulang nila na siya namang nagpursige para maabot ang kung ano ang mayroon sila.

"So..." panimula niya. "Do we go to your office now? Or do we sign here?" tanong niya.

He just smiled at her, and slowly reached out to hold her hand. Hindi na niya hinintay pang dumapo ang kamay nito sa kamay niya, dahil mabilis na iniwas niya ang kamay niya mula dito. Napatawa naman ito sa iniakto niya.

"Clearly, we have a lot to work on," komento nito. "My father is watching us very closely since we announced our engagement. So, if we want this to work, we have to make them believe that we are in love. Or at least... we need to make them believe that we really want to get married."

She sighed yet again. Parang kinain niya ang sinabi niya kay Madeleine kanina lang. She thinks she needs convincing herself. Mahirap pala. Mahirap ang umaktong in love sa taong ayaw mo naman makasama sa umpisa.

"I'm going to reach out for your hand, okay?" he said while slowly trying to reach out to her again. This time, hindi na siya umiwas.

She braced herself for what was about to happen and what feelings she was about to feel. Surely, she expected herself to feel uncomfortable with his touch. But surprisingly, it wasn't anything she expected at all. Para pa ngang may gumapang na kuryente nang nadapo na ang kamay nito sa kamay niya.

"See? It's not that hard, isn't it?" he said while grinning charmingly at her. Kaya wala sa sariling naihablot niya ang kamay niya mula dito.

He chuckled again at how she acted. Yes, indeed, she clearly still has a lot to work on with this kind of intimacy with Andrew.

"That's fine," he continued. "Madami pa tayong oras para mag-practice."

Napatango nalang siya. Saka ito tumayo mula sa kinauupuan nito.

"Where are you going?" tanong niya dito. "What about the contract?"

"As I said, the contract is in my office," sagot nito.

"Okay," she nodded. "I'll wait here."

Umiling-iling ito, saka siya nilapitan. "As I've also said, my father is watching us closely. There are a lot of eyes here watching us. So, unless you want my father and your mother to know that this is a contract marriage, I suggest we sign it in my office."

"Oh." Automatic na napatingin siya sa paligid ng hotel. Madaming tao doon sa lobby, pati sa restaurant. Kung may nagbabantay man sa mga kilos nila ni Andrew, mahirap na itukoy kung sino sa mga tao doon ang espiya ng papa nito.

"Let's go, princess," he commanded. Saka nito kinuha ang kamay niya, ipinagsalikop sa kamay nito, at hinila siya patayo.

Hindi na siya tumutol sa ginawa nito. Again, she needs to practice this kind of intimacy with Andrew. Kaya ay hinigpitan din niya ang pagkakahawak sa kamay nito. When she turned to face Andrew, she saw his smirk while looking ahead. It's as if she can read his mind. Parang gusto tuloy niyang bawiin ang kamay niya sa pagkakahawak sa kamay nito. Pero pinigilan niya ang sarili. Marami pang mga tao. Baka nga totoo ang sinabi nito na may espiya ang papa nito doon.

When they reached the elevator, she immediately withdrew her hand from Andrew's grasp. Now that they were alone, she doesn't need to pretend to be intimate with him, right? Maybe she needs to set her own rules in the contract before signing it, just to set boundaries between them.

Nasa kalagitnaan siya ng kanyang pag-iisip nang biglang bumukas ang elevator door. She wasn't prepared at all when she came face to face with the woman she call her mother. At halatang hindi din in-expect ng mama niya na makita siya doon based sa pagkagulat na rumehistro sa mukha nito.

"Olivia," bati ng mama niya.

She nodded in greeting to her mother.

Napatingin naman ito kay Andrew. "Hello, Andrew."

Andrew flashed that charming smile to her mother. "Hello, Mrs. Baguio."

Dali-daling lumapit siya kay Andrew nang pumasok ang mama niya sa elevator. She consciously reached out for his hand, ngunit hindi niya inasahan nang hinapit ni Andrew ang bewang niya. She was obviously shocked with his gesture, but she hid her shock from her mother. Napasiplat siya ng tingin sa mama niya pero walang ni katiting na emosyon ang rumehistro sa mukha nito. Hindi niya mabasa kung ano ang iniisip nito.

"I'm still waiting for your wedding invitation, Olivia," suddenly said her mother. "I'm wondering if I'm invited to your wedding, or maybe there's no wedding to be held at all."

Taas-kilay na napalingon siya sa mama niya. Naramdaman niyang nag-init ang pisngi niya dahil sa namumuong galit.

"The wedding will be happening on Sunday," she thoughtlessly answered her mother. "Andrew and I are finalizing details before sending out the invitations. But don't worry, I'll be personally giving you your invitation soon."

Her mother just laughed and looked at her and Andrew's arm around her waist. "You know, this isn't like you at all. Kilala kita, Olivia. You don't let any man touch you - but now, I see you don't hold back from it at all."

She scoffed. "Kilala mo nga ba ako? Because I really don't think so. Paano mo naman ako makilala kung hindi mo nga ako nakasama sa paglaki ko? You left when I was young, remember?"

Ningitian lang siya ng mama niya, kaya ay sinuklian din niya ito ng pekeng ngiti. Pero hindi na ito nagkomento pa. Sayang. She could go on bantering with her mother for as long as she could. She won't back down. Hinding-hindi siya magpapatalo sa mama niya.

Ilang segundo din ang lumipas bago bumukas ang elevator door nang narating nila ang floor ng opisina ni Andrew. Walang imik na lumabas sila ng elevator. But before the elevator could close its doors, her mother called out to her.

"I'll see you on Sunday, Olivia."

__

"The nerve!" Hindi mapigilan ni Olivia na mailabas ang kanyang galit nang nakapasok siya sa opisina ni Andrew.

"Wooh - that was intense," Andrew commented.

Napatingin siya kay Andrew. For a moment, she forgot that he was with her. Dahil nakatuon ang buong atensiyon niya sa galit niya sa mama niya.

"So, Sunday, huh?" patuloy nito. "I think we can pull off a wedding in three days' time."

Nalito siya sa sinabi nito. "Sunday? What do you mean?"

"You just said we are getting married on Sunday," sagot nito.

"I did?" And tried to remember her conversation with her mother. Yes, she did. "I did. Shit."

"So... I have a friend who is a wedding planner," panimula nito. "She could help us plan the wedding."

She sat down at one of the chairs in Andrew's office, and buried her face in her hands. "We are really doing this, aren't we?"

Kumibit-balikat naman ito. "Hey, I'm just going with your flow. I mean, I was willing to postpone it for a week - you know, to better prepare for the wedding. But Sunday's fine with me as well. Whatever you're happy with."

She scowled at him. Halatang nag-eenjoy ito sa naging turn of events. He raised his hands to her in defeat. Alam nitong nasa kalagitnaan pa siya ng kanyang galit. She couldn't believe that she let her anger get ahead of herself. Again. Ayun tuloy, siya ang napasubo sa galit niya.

"Hey," tawag ni Andrew sa kanya sa seryosong tono, kaya ay napatingin agad siya dito. "If you really don't want to do it, then we don't have to do it. We still haven't signed any contract yet, so..."

Natigilan siya. She didn’t know one could be charming while being serious. Andrew’s seriousness is definitely a different kind of charm.

“It’s your call, Olivia,” patuloy nito.

She couldn’t fathom what, but there is something about the way Andrew had called her name. It’s like she can imagine hearing him call her name everyday. It’s like she wanted to hear him call her name everyday.

Napabuntong-hininga siya, bago hinarap ito. “Where do I sign?”