Shadows of a Loveless Marriage

Chapter two

The Offer of Guillermo Montemayor

The mansion was far grander than Alea could have ever imagined. Its towering gates creaked as they slowly opened before her, revealing an immaculate driveway lined with neatly trimmed hedges and expensive marble statues. The smell of the fresh morning air mingled with the fragrance of the lush garden, and for a moment, Alea felt like she had stepped into a different world entirely. A world that was nothing like the simple life she had known.

The butler, whose name she later learned was Mr. Ramos, led her inside with a quiet professionalism that barely masked the tension in the air. As they walked through the grand hallways, Alea couldn't help but feel out of place. The floors gleamed under her feet, the walls adorned with expensive artworks, and the soft hum of classical music echoed through the rooms. Everything about this place screamed wealth and power, and she was nothing but a mere stranger in it.

"Please, Miss Valverde," Mr. Ramos said as he gestured to a pair of double doors at the end of the hall. "Mr. Montemayor is expecting you."

Alea hesitated, her hand clutching the strap of her bag tighter. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest, each beat louder than the last. She didn't know what to expect from the man she was about to meet—the man whose son she was supposed to marry. The thought made her stomach churn, but she had no other choice. Her father's pleading face was still fresh in her mind.

The butler knocked on the door before entering without waiting for a response. Alea followed, her feet heavy on the polished floor. As soon as she stepped inside, she was greeted by the sight of Guillermo Montemayor sitting behind an enormous wooden desk, his fingers steepled together as he watched her enter.

"Miss Alea Valverde, I presume," he said, his voice deep and commanding. He stood up, extending a hand toward her, his gaze piercing yet calm.

Alea swallowed hard before offering her own hand, shaking it briefly. "Yes, I'm Alea Valverde," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

Guillermo Montemayor smiled, but there was little warmth in it. It was the kind of smile that was calculated, like he had everything under control. "I'm sure you're wondering why I've asked to meet you," he said, gesturing for her to sit in one of the chairs across from him.

Alea nodded and slowly took a seat, unsure of what to say or how to act. She was caught in a whirlwind of emotions, still reeling from the conversation with her father, who had insisted that this marriage was the only way to save their family.

Guillermo didn't waste any time getting to the point. "I know this must be a lot for you to process, Miss Valverde," he began, his tone more measured now, though still authoritative.

"The arrangement I'm proposing is one that will benefit both of us. My son, Damon, is about to inherit the Montemayor empire, and I need to ensure that he has a strong foundation to build upon. In exchange for your marriage, I can guarantee that your family's financial troubles will be a thing of the past."

Alea's breath caught in her throat. She had hoped it was some kind of misunderstanding, some kind of mistake. But hearing it come from his mouth made it all too real. A marriage. To a man she didn't know, a man she hadn't met, but one who was the key to her family's survival.

"But... but why me?" Alea managed to ask, her voice trembling slightly. "Why not someone else?"

Guillermo leaned back in his chair, the air around him growing colder. "I understand your hesitation. But the choice was not mine. Your father and I agreed on this arrangement after much deliberation. The debts he owes are substantial, and he knows this is the only way out."

Alea's mind spun with the information. She couldn't deny that their family's situation was dire, but the thought of marrying a man she had never even spoken to felt like an impossible choice. Her chest tightened, the weight of the decision pressing down on her like a thousand pounds.

"I understand this is difficult for you, Miss Valverde," Guillermo continued, his tone softening slightly. "But sometimes, in life, we must make choices that are not of our own making. This marriage is one of those choices. It will help both our families, and in time, you will see it was for the best."

Alea nodded, though her mind was in turmoil. She wanted to scream, to run away, but she knew there was nowhere to go. Her family needed her, and she was trapped in a corner with no easy way out.

"I... I don't know what to say," Alea whispered, her eyes staring down at her hands.

Guillermo's expression remained unchanged. "You don't have to say anything right now, Miss Valverde. But understand this: you have a responsibility now. A responsibility to your family. And you will fulfill it, whether you want to or not."

The words hung in the air like a heavy fog, suffocating Alea's every thought. She had never asked for this. She had never asked to be the pawn in a game of money and power. But here she was, standing at the edge of a life-altering decision, and she wasn't sure she had the strength to refuse.

"Take your time, Miss Valverde," Guillermo said, standing up to signal that the conversation was over. "I will leave you to think on it. But know that the offer stands, and it will not be made again."

As Alea walked out of the room, her mind was in chaos. She had never felt more alone, more helpless. Everything she had known, everything she had hoped for, was slipping away. She didn't know if she could go through with it, but the reality was, she might not have a choice.

The weight of her family's survival rested squarely on her shoulders, and as she walked back down the hallway, the mansion's grandeur seemed to mock her helplessness.

Alea arrived back at their small, modest house later that evening, her mind still a blur. The house, though far from grand, was home to her family, a place where she had spent countless nights with her father, mother, and younger sister. But tonight, it felt more like a prison than a sanctuary. She walked inside to find her father waiting for her in the living room.

"Alea, anak..." Her father's voice was thick with concern as he saw the look on her face.

"I met Mr. Montemayor," she replied quietly, sitting down across from him. "He... he explained everything."

Her father's expression softened with relief, but there was a flicker of guilt in his eyes. "Anak, I know this is hard. I didn't want you to go through this. But you saw for yourself how desperate we are."

Alea nodded, but inside, she was breaking. The burden of her family's survival had become her own, and she didn't know how much longer she could carry it.

"Papa," she whispered, her voice trembling, "I don't know if I can do this."