Chapter 2: Triplets

“I told you, Markus! I'm not damn drunk! It's just a few shots of tequila!” sigaw ko sa kanya nang pinipigilan niya akong umalis sa bar nang mag-isa. 

“I know!” he exclaimed before he threw me inside his car. “And I trust Chancellor kaya hindi kita pipigilan. Pero ihahatid kita ro'n, hmm?”

He pushed my forehead using his index finger before he closed the door. Wala na akong sinabi at nag-seatbelt na lang.

Damn it. I badly want to see Chancellor right now. Iniisip ko pa lang na magpapakasal ako sa iba, mababaliw na ako. 

On top of that, I… I am sure that I will never get to see him again kung magkataon.

And I couldn't swallow the bitter truth.

Ever since Dad knew about my relationship with Reese, and the other issues we were involved in, he did his best to refrain me from dating other men. Kung kaya nang makilala ko si Chancellor… I became so afraid to fall in love with him even though I clearly know that we're on the same page.

True to his words, nang tumigil ang sasakyan, parang mas lalo akong naluha sa ganda nang tanawin. It was quiet. It was peaceful. It was paradise.

“Here, just you and me,” he whispered as he opened the roof of his car.

He loosened my seatbelt for me bago niya hinawakan ang ulo ko para idantay sa kanyang balikat.

“Why is my beloved friend crying, hmm? What happened?”

I tried my best to suppress the tears, pero hindi ko talaga magawa. For years, I have prohibit myself from crying because of such things like this. Pero ngayon, hindi ko na magawang pigilan.

“He’s mad! Baliw na siya! He’s hiding me to the world, but auctioning me off to such businessmen! He’s damn unreasonable!” I shouted and cried. “Dahil lang ba hindi ako anak ng pinakamamahal niyang kabit–?!”

“Hey, don’t say that,” he said as he continuously wiped my tears.

“It’s true, Chance! Just because hindi niya ako anak sa babaeng ‘yon, he unfavored me! Kulang na lang itakwil ako, ah? Pero dahil nagagamit niya ako sa arranged marriage na ‘yan, he grabbed the damn chance!”

My hands are trembling so much in anger and sadness. How many times has he almost abandoned me for his dreams? How many times has he made me feel that I never belonged in his family?!

“If he’s just treating me this way, he shouldn’t have had me in the first place–!”

“Hey, don’t be like that. We’re thankful that you’re here, you know,” he whispered. “Ako, Si Markus… and I’m sure that you were the greatest gift that your mother had.”

My lips parted at what he said. “So don’t cry, pretty. Make her proud.”

“I want you to be happy without any inhibitions tonight, Paris. Ako na ang… bahala sa bukas.”

I nodded as I removed my seatbelt.

And despite my lone tears, I smiled at him. A genuine one.

“Thank you,” I whispered. 

I went out of his car, trying to gather all the strength and courage that I have. The feelings I had for Chancellor was bottled up for a year or so. But these letters and emotions aren’t going anywhere.

It seeks him.

With mixed emotions, I rang the doorbell of his home, waiting for him to answer. 

Nang bumukas ang pinto, he looked at me with shocked eyes and lips parted. Wearing his green buttondown polo and khaki pants, he looked very handsome today. His light stubble was evident, and his hair was brushed up, which I never seen him do before.

When I met his eyes, my brows furrowed when it seemed… different. Pero kahit ganoon, mas namayani sa akin ang mga paru-parong lumilipad sa aking tiyan.

“Chancellor…” I trailed off with a smile.

Dahil sa sinabi ko, mas lalong nanlaki ang kanyang mga mata. And when I saw it softened, parang mas lalo akong nahumaling sa kanya. He seems different today. Different, but way better. 

“You… knew?”

“Of course I do. I’m not that drunk,” I said and giggled.

His brows furrowed a bit before his lips formed a smirk. “What are you doing here… Paris?”

I looked away at his question. Tanong pa lang niya, naiiyak na ako. He knows me very well. 

“I’m… canceling my engagement with Markus. And… getting married with someone else,” sambit ko at pinunasan ang mga luhang tumulo sa aking pisngi. This is it. This is it, Paris. “ You know what it means, right? Maaaring… hindi na tayo magkita ulit. And before that happens, I came here to tell you that… I… I’m in love with you.”

My heart started beating like crazy. Parang tinatambol ang puso ko sa kaba dahil sa nasabi. Funny how it felt. Parang may binitawan akong napakabigat na bagay na hindi ko magawang sabihin noon. Parang bigla akong nakawala sa kadena at sa kulungan ng mga hindi nasabing emosyon at damdamin.

Pero ang sayang lumulukob sa akin ay parang unti-unting naglaho nang magtangis ang bagang niya.

Is something wrong? May mali ba akong nasabi?

Or was he…

Was he disappointed that I am in love with him?

“Really, huh? You love me?” he asked as he stepped towards me, na parang nanunubok kung totoo ba ang sinasabi ko. “Do you even… know who I really am? Do you even know who you’re talking to, huh, Paris? Kaya huwag kang… magsasalita kung hindi ka sigurado!”

My lips parted when he exclaimed. It’s like he’s eager to know if I was… telling the truth.

But I am. I really am.

“I’m still in love you, Chancellor. At kung ikasal man ako sa iba, gusto kong… gusto kong malaman mo ‘yon. I know I shouldn’t have told you this if I’m marrying someone else pero… I really can’t hold it back. I want to love you kahit… kahit ngayong gabi lang.”

With that one word, he leaned toward me for a kiss. 

The moment he held my cheeks and kissed me deeply, I closed my eyes and nurtured that moment.

His lips felt so soft. I tasted a hint of liquor and mint, telling me that he also drank before meeting me.

At dahil doon… nakumpirma kong gaya ko, he also has feelings for me.

If only we met in a different state, if only we were in a different environment, sana naging maayos kami. 

I was about to deepen the kiss, but then he pulled his lips away from me.

“Are you sure about this, Paris? Dahil kung… hindi mo ‘ko pipigilan, hindi na ako titigil,” he whispered in between his kisses.

With a smile, I felt a lone tear escape my eyes. Nakangiti ko siyang tinanguan, telling him that I am sure with it.

“I’m sure, Chancellor. Please… go on…” I whispered.

Nang sabihin ko iyon, I saw desire and happiness flash in his eyes. My head hurt a bit when I saw a smile on his face. It felt like I just reconciled with an old lover. An old love.

But despite my aching head, I continued kissing him, wanting more.

“God, I missed you,” he said before he pulled me inside and closed the door.

Kung ano man ang patunguhan nito, alam kong kahit kailan ay hindi ko ito pagsisisihan. If there’s one thing that I want to be with for the rest of my life was him.

Pero kung… hindi ko ‘yon pwedeng gawin… 

I want to give myself to him. To the man, I love most.

He deepened our soft kisses. I can feel him exploring my mouth, making me shiver to the core. 

I’ve never felt such passion and heat. I’m no saint, I’ve kissed men in clubs just to make headlines for my beloved father.

Pero ibang-iba siya.

“God, Paris. Akala ko hindi na ulit kita makikita,” he whispered when he stopped kissing me. Marahan niya akong niyakap at ikinulong sa kanyang mga braso. I smiled at it as I hugged him back.

“OA ka, ah?” I giggled.

“I won’t let you go any more,” he whispered. “I promise.”

Yet I… only have one night for him.

Just like how fairy tales have ended in a specific period of time, hindi sapat ang oras ko para sa kanya.

~*~

I woke up the next day feeling sore and tired than usual. But despite that, makita ko lang siyang mahimbing na natutulog sa tabi ko, hindi ko na mapigilan ang sariling mapangiti.

Ang bait kapag tulog, ah?

I giggled at the sight of it. He looks so handsome. At wala akong pagsisisihan sa nangyari. However… I have to leave. Kailangan ko nang umalis dahil ipinatatawag na ako ng Daddy sa office. And I don’t think I could ever see him again.

At gusto kong… umalis bago pa siya magising nang tuluyan. Dahil baka… hindi ko kayanin at bumalik lang ako sa kanya.

I breathed heavily and stared at his face for the last time. If only there was a chance for me to be with him for the rest of my life, I would grab it. I would choose to be with him. Wala akong pakialam sa materyal na bagay o sa yaman, o sa kahit anong mana. If only I could make a deal with God, I want to trade my riches for him.

But then, I know I can’t.

“Goodbye, Chance, I love you,” I whispered in his ear before i stood up from the bed and took my clothes. Habang nagbibihis, halos matulala ako sa banyo bago tuluyang lumabas.

I couldn’t process anything. My mind is blank, and my body is tired. Habang papalabas ako, halos hindi ko mapigilan ang sariling bumalik at magpakalayo layo kasama siya. Yet I still hoped that somehow, the new man that my father is giving me to… is somehow kind.

But for now, I know I should settle for less. Kung ayaw kong pati si Chancellor ay madawit sa gulo ng buhay ko.

I made Markus pick me up from there, na hindi niya naman tinanggihan. However, I was silent the whole ride. I’m not in the mood to talk.

Pagkababa ko pa lang ng sasakyan, para na akong matutunaw sa dami ng matang nakatitig sa gawi ko. My heart is racing. Gusto kong tumakbo at umalis. Pero kilala ko si Daddy.

Mahahanap at mahahanap niya lang ako.

The last time I ran away from him, I was caught in an accident and forgot the memories I cherished. Pero minsan, hinihiling kong sana hindi ko na lang siya naalala. Sana hindi ako nagising sa puder niya para hindi ko na siya muli pang naalala.

I’m sure that if given a chance, he wouldn’t have allowed me to remember my own mother.

All the memory I only had was until I was 10 years old. But sadly, she died just when I was 7.

Naririnig kong ikinukulong niya si Mommy noon. And I’m not surprised that he’s… doing the same to me. He’s locking me up, waiting for me to be useful to him.

“Sa wakas, dumating rin,” Fiona, my half-sister said angrily when I entered Dad’s office.

Sa halip na lingunin siya, I scanned the entire room to see if someone’s already there pero bukod kay Dad, kay Fiona, kay Tita Faureen at kay Felix, wala pang ibang tao roon.

“I was early,” I said, and was about to sit down at one of the swivel chairs nang… marinig ko ang pagbukas ng pintuan sa aking likod.

“Ah, just about time, Christopher!” Daddy greeted someone behind me.

At nang tumayo ang pamilya namin, naramdaman ko bigla ang pangangatog ng tuhod at ang mabilis na tibok ng puso ko. Funny how I’ve been through this several times pero kahit kailan,  hindi pa ako nasanay.

I just turned around and was surprised to see… an… old man just about Daddy’s age.

Hindi mapigilang mapakunot ang noo ko. He may look handsome, but he’s definitely not young! 

“Paris, this is your Tito Christopher, the father of Chester,” Dad said.

My lips parted at it. Aminado akong medyo nakahinga ako nang maluwag dahil doon. For a split second, I thought he’ll marry me off to an old rich man!

“Speaking of Chester, my sons will be here soon enough. Medyo… natagalan lang.”

“No worries, we can wait,” Tita Faureen said.

Nang ipakilala ni Daddy ang pamilya niya sa lalaking iyon, at makipag kwentuhan, I stood there and simply looked outside, wondering where that man went. Hindi kaya umatras na rin sa kasal ang anak niya?

Hmm, I hope so. 

I hope he doesn’t want this as well. I hope that he’ll have the courage to run and abandon all the responsibilities he have dahil sa huli, pareho lang kaming magsisisi.

A loveless marriage is not a joke. And worse, it could be a trauma.

And I’ve had… enough of it.

Kaya sana–

“I’m sorry we’re late. We had a bit of… problems here…”

Natigilan ako sa pagmumuni-muni nang may dumating na lalaki. His voice was quite familiar, but definitely not as deep as I remembered.

Pero nang… marahan akong lumingon…

“What the…”

Halos mabitawan ko ang purse ko sa gulat. It felt like someone held my heart, and made me stop breathing for a second! 

What is he doing here?!

What the hell is going on?!

“Chancellor?” I asked.

It was Chancellor! Sigurado ako! His face… his tall figurine and…

No. His cold distant eyes are different. His hair is definitely shorter!

“Oh, we get this a lot. This is Chase Lancer, ang bunso,” Tito Christopher said.

Chase? Bunso?

I tried to process what’s going on pero bago ko pa nagawa iyon, may dalawang lalaking iisa rin ang mukha na pumasok sa loob!

I tried to scan both of them. One had the friendly, yet shocked eyes that I used to see. At doon pa lang, nakilala ko na siya.

“Paris…?” he asked in a shocked tone.

“And I see you get to meet… um… Chancellor Lance here… ang pangalawa,” Tito Christopher said pero ako’y nanatiling titig kay Chancellor.

I was so confused. So confused that I think… those weren’t the eyes that I saw last night. Those weren’t the eyes that made me feel loved last night! Then who could that… I think I know…

“And this is my eldest… Chester Lancelot Del Fuego. I hope you get along well before the engagement.”

Locking eyes with Tito Christopher’s eldest, I felt my knees wobble, and my insides tremble. His pitch-black eyes, his brushed-up hair, his thin lips, and… his body.

Fuck.

The way he looked at me may be different from the desire and passion he showed last night, pero kahit galit at may pagkamuhi sa mga mata niya ngayon, I am still sure about it. It’s him.

They are identical triplets! And last night… absolutely wasn’t Chancellor.