The Billionaire's Hired Wife

Mahinang nagpakawala ng ungol ng pagtutol si Chance habang kaharap at kausap ang abuelong si Don Juanito Buenavidez nang ipatawag siya nito para sa balitang kailanman ay hindi niya naisip na tototohanin nito. “Come on, 'Lo. Are you really being serious about that matter right now?” halos hindi na maipinta ang mukhang tanong niya sa matanda, na prenteng nakaupo lamang sa swivel chair nito roon sa likod ng study table nito sa library na iyon, na nasa mansyon nito, “Is that even necessary? Really? A wife? Right now? Baka naman nabibigla ka lang, 'Lo,” aniya saka binuntutan pa iyon ng hindi makapaniwalang tawa. Well, he just couldn't really believe what his grandfather has dropped into his face. Don Juanito smirked on that remarked of him as he stomps his personalized golden baston on the floor while shaking his head. “Do I look like i'm kidding and fooling around, hijo? I need you to get a wife before your 30th birthday or else all of the wealth that you should have and get will go to waste. We have talked about this a long time ago already, right? Pero hindi ka nakinig at naniwala sa akin,” iiling-iling pa nitong saad sa kanya, “Now that you only have a year and a half before turning 30, you need to get yourself a wife or the wealth of our family will die with me. The choice is in your hands, apo.” Chance couldn't help not to clench his jaws on that. Ano bang akala ng lolo niya? Ganoon lang kadali ang maghanap ng mapapangasawa samantalang wala pa naman talaga sa isip niya at hindi pa sumasagi sa isip niya ang lumagay sa tahimik at mag-asawa? He has a lot of things to do in his life. He still has so many things inside his mind for the company he's handling and running. At wala sa listahan niya ang pag-aasawa, for Pete's sake! “Kung nagseryoso ka lamang sa mga naging karelasyon mo at sa mga babaeng dumaan sa buhay mo, eh 'di sana, wala tayo sa ganitong sitwasyon ngayon, Chance,” the old Buenavidez added, making him frown. Heto na naman sila. Papangaralan na naman siya nito tungkol sa parteng iyon ng buhay niya. Whenever his grandfather has the chance to talk to him, he'll always bring that topic up, as if he's not aware of him being a heartthrob and a chic-magnet. Para bang hanggang nang sa mga oras na iyon ay hindi pa rin ito sanay sa pagiging lapitin niya ng mga babae. No one can blame him for that, anyway. Hindi naman siya ang lumalapit sa mga babae. Siya ang nilalapitan ng mga ito. Alangan namang itaboy niya? Where are his manners if he does that? Right? He slightly shook his head on that as he slouches his body on the couch he's sitting at, “Could you blame me, 'Lo? Hindi rin naman pagseseryoso ang habol nila sa akin, eh. It's either they want me because of my looks or because of the wealth and the name that I have. They don't deserve me for that matter.” He answered in a matter of fact tone of voice. Ngumiwi naman doon ang kanyang Lolo pagkatapos ay ilang sandali itong nanahimik bago nagpakawala nang malalim na buntong-hininga. “Take it seriously this time, hijo. I am not getting any younger. Could you please, just listen to me this time? Hindi ako nagbibiro. Lahat ng pinaghirapan mo all throughout these years, mawawalan ng saysay ang mga iyon kung hindi ka makikinig sa akin.” Nawalan siya ng imik doon. Looking at his grandfather's serious but sad face right now, he could tell that the old man is not really joking. Kilala niya ito. Kapag sinabi nito, talagang ginagawa nito. He secretly grits his teeth on that. Hindi siya makapapayag na mawala na lamang ng basta-basta sa kanya ang kompanyang ilang taon niyang pinaghirapang palaguin. He invested all of his time, effort and youth on that company of them just for him to lose it at the end just because he couldn't have someone to present to his grandfather as his wife? That's just bullshit! Hinding-hindi niya papayagan na mangyari ang bagay na iyon! Maya-maya pa ay nagpakawala ng malalim na buntong-hininga ang binatang Buenavidez kasabay ng pagtayo nito mula sa kinauupuan. Chance put both of his hands inside the pocket of his jeans as he looked directly straight into his abuelo's eyes. “I'll see what I can do about that matter, 'Lo but I am not promising anything,” seryoso niyang saad na bahagya namang ikinaigting ng panga ng kausap, “I won't promise to give you what you want but please try to consider at least even the company's sake. Don't depend its future on me having a wife or not.” Iyon lamang at iniwan na niya ito roon sa kinaroroonan nilang silid-aklatan nito. Gustuhin man niya na magalit sa kanyang lolo ay hindi naman niya magawa dahil sa isang banda, naiintindihan niya ang pinanggagalingan nito. His grandfather doesn't want him to be alone when the time comes. Silang dalawa na lamang ang mayroon ang isa't-isa. At kapag dumating ang araw na magpahinga na ito, he has no one by then. At iyon siguro ang iniiwasang mangyari ng matanda kaya nito pinipilit na mag-asawa na siya bago sumapit ang ika-tatlumpong kaarawan niya. But then, where is he going to find a wife? Kagaya nga ng sinabi ng Lolo niya, he hasn't been into a serious relationship. Halos lahat ay fling at pangmadalian lamang. All of his past relationships before doesn't involve love at all. He strokes his fingers on his hair as he decided to start the engine of his car to nowhere. He needs to go somewhere to vent all of his frustrations out. “Dude, that's just so f****d up! And where are you getting yourself a wife?” tumatawang bulalas na sabi sa kanya ng kaibigang tinawagan niya para samahan siyang uminom sa bar na kinaroroonan nila ng mga sandaling iyon, “How about your current fling? Marianne can be a good candidate on being your so-called wife.” Chance couldn't help not to frown on that suggestion of his friend, Daxton. Inisang lagok muna niya ang Whiskey na laman ng basong hawak niya saka umiiling na muling nagbaling ng tingin sa kausap. He squinted his eyes when the streak of the blinding lights coming from the bar’s disco light went their way. “And then what? I’ll be damned when that happens. You know how Marianne thinks about me, Dax. If she has heard what you’ve just suggested, I’m sure, early tomorrow morning, I’ll be f*****g facing my doom’s day,” muli siyang umiling doon, “So, no. she is not a good candidate to begin with.” Patuyang tumawa roon ang kaibigan niya saka humalukipkip. May kung anong kakaibang ngiti ang naglalaro sa mukha nito habang pinagmamasdan siya roong mamroblema sa kinakaharap niyang suliranin. Daxton was his childhood best friend and his business partner, too. They owned several chains of five-star hotel around the country and they are also planning to expand some more overseas. Kapwa sila only child sa kanilang pamilya kaya ganoon na lamang na kung magturingan sila ay parang magkapatid. Dax knows everything about him and so does he. “Do you need my help?” Mabilis siyang naglingon dito dahil sa sinabi nitong iyon nang bakas ang pagtatanong sa ekspresyon ng kanyang mukha. Chance didn’t need to speak more for Daxton to continue what he was about to say to him. “I know someone who can help with that problem of yours, dude. Iyon ay kung willing kang tanggapin ang iaalok at ipapakilala ko sayo,” Daxton said while having those low chuckles comes out from his mouth. Tila ba nasisiyahan ito sa kung anong tumatakbo sa utak nito nang mga oras na iyon. Bahagya niyang ikiniling ang ulo pagilid saka iniangat ang kilay, indikasyon na handa siyang making sa nais nitong ihayag sa kanya. But then, at the same time, he’s doubting at the back of his mind. Kilala niya ito na puro kalokohan at malakas ang trip sa mga bagay-bagay kaya kung minsan ay hindi niya pinapakinggan ang mga isina-suggest nito sa kanya kasi sa halip naman na makatulong ito ay mas lalo lamang itong nakakadagdag sa mga isipin niya. And he’s betting that what he was about to say now is one of those non-sense talks of him. Idagdag pa na kapwa na sila nakainom na dalawa, hindi na siya aasa na may matino siyang makukuhang suhestiyon sa tulong kuno na iaalok nito sa kanya. “Just say yes and you’ll be meeting your future wife in no time, Chancellor Buenavidez,” nakangisi pa nitong turan na ikinailing na lang talaga niya. Little did he know, once he agrees to that proposal of his best friend, everything in his life will drastically change. Neither for the better or for the worse. No one knows.