LOVE FOR SALE (English Version)

"Jade! Jade! Jade!" Cheska's frantic voice echoed through the quiet morning. Startled, Jade hurried to the small bamboo window of their nipa hut and saw her best friend running toward their home, breathless and visibly shaken. Cheska's face had gone pale, and her chest rose and fell with every desperate gasp for air. An uneasy feeling settled in Jade's heart. Only an hour ago, Cheska had happily told her she was going to town to buy groceries. Now she looked as though something terrible had happened. "I thought you were going to the market?" Jade asked in confusion. "Jade... my God, Jade..." Cheska stammered, her entire body trembling. From the look on her face alone, Jade knew this wasn't ordinary news. She quickly stepped out of the tiny hut she shared with her mother and rushed toward her friend. "Cheska... w-what is it? Why do you look so terrified?" "Jade... You have to go to the church in town. Right now!" "The church? I just attended Mass yesterday. Why?" Cheska swallowed hard. "Don't panic... but... your boyfriend, Vince... he's getting married." Jade froze. "He's marrying Monica... Don Manuel Encarnacion's daughter." It felt as though a bomb had exploded beneath her feet. Every ounce of strength left her body. Her knees weakened. Her hands trembled. Before she realized it, tears streamed uncontrollably down her cheeks. It hurt. God... it hurt so much. How could Vince do this to her? For years, everyone had known that Vince and Monica had been promised to each other by their wealthy families. But Vince had sworn countless times that he would never marry Monica. He had promised Jade... That she was the only woman he loved. And she believed him. Because she loved him with all her heart. For nearly five years, she had trusted every word that came from his lips. No. It wasn't too late. She could still stop the wedding. If Vince didn't have the courage to fight for their love, then she would. "Cheska... please come with me," Jade pleaded between sobs. "Are you sure?" Cheska asked anxiously. "You're really going to stop Vince and Monica's wedding?" "Yes!" Jade cried. "He can't abandon me... and our child." Cheska's eyes widened. "W-What? You're... pregnant?" Jade nodded, wiping away her tears. "Yes. Once Vince finds out I'm carrying his baby... I know he'll choose us." She had planned to surprise Vince with the news that day. Little did she know... A far greater shock was waiting for her. "O-Okay! Wait here. I'll find us a tricycle." Without hesitation, Cheska ran off. Their humble hut stood deep inside a remote sitio, far from the main road where vehicles could easily pass. Only a handful of neighbors owned tricycles. If none were available, people had no choice but to walk nearly three kilometers along dusty roads during summer and muddy paths during the rainy season. As Jade waited, she silently prayed. Please... Let Cheska find a ride. If they had to walk all the way to town, she'd never make it before the ceremony ended. And if Vince married Monica... Her heart would die. "Jade! Hurry!" Cheska shouted from a distance. Her voice echoed across the quiet countryside like a final warning. Jade glanced down at herself. She wore a faded blouse and an old skirt. Clean. Simple. But unmistakably poor. A poor girl who could never compare to the elegant bride waiting inside the church. "What are you doing? Come on!" Cheska yelled again. Snapping back to reality, Jade ran toward the waiting tricycle driven by Mang Damian. "Where are we headed, girls?" the elderly driver asked. Everyone in the sitio knew Mang Damian drove painfully slowly because of his age, but they had no other choice. "To Nuestra Señora de Guia Church, please! As fast as you can!" Cheska begged. Mang Damian looked at Jade's tear-streaked face. Without another question, he started the engine and sped away as quickly as his old tricycle could manage. Their town was small. Everyone already knew about the grand wedding between Vincent Villareal and Monica Encarnacion. It was impossible for such an event to remain a secret. Jade clenched her fists. Vince had hidden everything from her. He had lied. Because he knew she would never let him marry another woman. After what felt like forever, they finally reached the church. Luxury cars lined both sides of the road. Inside, the priest's voice echoed through the speakers. The wedding ceremony had already begun. Without stopping to think, Jade ran toward the massive wooden doors. The church looked breathtaking. Flowers adorned every aisle. Candles glowed softly beneath the stained-glass windows. And there stood Monica... Radiant in an elegant off-shoulder wedding gown that perfectly embraced her graceful figure. Jade's breathing became uneven. She watched helplessly as the guests burst into applause. The priest smiled warmly. "You may now kiss the bride." The words shattered her completely. This... Was their first kiss as husband and wife. Her knees buckled. She nearly collapsed. She wanted to scream. To stop the wedding. To tell Vince she was carrying his child. But then she saw him. He was smiling. Genuinely. Happily. Tenderly lifting Monica's veil before pressing his lips against hers. Jade watched as the kiss lingered. Monica giggled softly before wiping away a smudge of lipstick from Vince's lips with her fingertips. Vince smiled lovingly at her. Then he gently took Monica's hand... And kissed it. The guests erupted into thunderous applause. "Jade..." Cheska whispered. "Are you okay? I thought... we were going to stop the wedding." Jade stared blankly at the newlyweds. "There isn't any reason to stop him anymore." Her voice broke. "He's happy... marrying Monica." A bitter smile formed on her lips. "That only means one thing..." "He never loved me." "He only made a fool of me." The applause inside the church grew even louder. "Come on," Cheska urged, glancing nervously around. "Let's leave before anyone sees us." She gently pulled Jade away. Each step felt unbearably heavy. It wasn't just heartbreak consuming her. Jealousy. Humiliation. Hatred. How could Vince betray her like this? Had their five years together meant nothing? Had he realized that a wealthy heir like him could only marry someone from his own social class? Someone like Monica. And what was Jade? Nothing more than a rag. A disposable woman. Someone to be thrown away once she had outlived her usefulness. "Sit down for a while," Cheska said softly as they reached a nearby park. She helped Jade onto an old wooden bench, away from the curious eyes surrounding the church. Jade's eyes were swollen from crying. She felt completely empty. Cheska sighed angrily. "I'm really worried about you. Your ex-boyfriend is unbelievable. I honestly thought he was different from those men who disappear after getting what they want." Jade slowly lifted her head. The tears had stopped. But something colder had taken their place. Her eyes burned with silent fury. "This isn't over, Cheska." Her voice was steady. "I swear..." "Vince will regret what he did to me." "I will never forgive him."