The Billionaire I Married By Mistake [Filipino]

17. SIDE STORY

|Katherine|

“Okay, what is it?” I asked with an exasperated sigh, crossing my arms over my chest as I shot him a glare. He sat on the edge of the bed across from me, calm and unreadable.

“I want to hear the full story why you have concluded that I was supposed to be your groom.” agad niyang tanong, walang paligoy-ligoy. I straightened my back. Kahit na pagod, parang nakita ko ang dahilan kung bakit kailangan nga naming mag-usap.

Kailangan ko ding malaman kung bakit hindi niya kilala ang mapapangasawa niya rin dapat!

“Like what I have said, I was supposed to marry someone named Gavin Ramirez,” paninimula ko. “My marriage with him was an arranged one. My grandpa’s company is in verge of sinking and his father offered help, in exchange, I marry his son, which is Gavin. Kilala ko na siya sa pangalan pero hindi sa mukha. According to my grandpa’s secretary, Gavin is a private person and he grew up in the states. Ang pagpapaksal dapat namin kaninang umaga ay kagustuhan nang ama niya.”

“And you said that you went to the wrong church, right?” He followed up. Napatango naman ako.

I continued telling him my side story of how I assumed that he was my groom. Of how I was distracted in the past days, how I was tired of even remembering to charge my phone when I arrived in Manila, and how too late I realized that it was dead the very moment I arrived at the landmark I know, the coffee shop.

“Inassume ko na lang ang simbahan along the side of the coffee shop was the location of my wedding. Tsaka inassume din ng mga sakristan na ako ang bride na hinihintay nila. At isa pa, inassume mo na nga rin na ako ang bride mo nang makarating ako,” sulsol ko na lang sa mga pagkakamali ko.

He sighed heavily upon hearing the last thing that I had said. His shoulders sagged as he anchored his hand behind him, then leaned back with his head falling back as he stared at the ceiling.

“Gaya rin nang sabi ko kanina, a friend of mine whom I given tasked to find me a wife had given me no details of who was supposed to be my bride—”

“Ha? Why did you let him do that?” I interrupted. My brows furrowed as I looked at him. Napalingon naman siya sa akin doon at malamig akong tinitigan. Inirapan ko na lang siya at iniwas ang tingin.

“I trust him and it was a waste of time for me to find a wife on my own when I’m busy,” he explained. “My parents have been demanding that I get married in the past couple of years. I was only forced to get married as soon as possible because that’s the condition given to me by my father if I wanted to be the next president of our company. I need to stay married within a year.” kwento niya.

I couldn’t help but look back at him.

“My friend had given me a list of potential woman who could be my wife. Pero wala akong nagustuhan sa mga una niyang pinakilala kaya pinagsabihan ko siya na maghanap na umaayon sa gusto,” he stopped. Napatingin ako sa kanya at agad kong nakita sa mukha niya ang panghihinayang. I shifted on my position when I sensed something in his expression. Bakit nakikitaan ko iyon ng…pagsisisi at panghihinayang?! I suddenly felt offended by it!

“What?” sikmal ko. He ignored me and just continued telling me his side-story.

“I told him I need a wife in two-weeks time at magpapakasal kami agad pagkauwi na pagkauwi ko ng Pilipinas from my business-trip. I want to get married as soon as possible so the one year countdown would immediately end. I don’t mind who the woman was. As long as she has a good credentials and would not demand anything throughout our one year marriage, I’m fine with her. That’s why, when I was back and asked him about the details about my bride, wala siyang sinabi sa akin and just told me that it would be a damn surprise. And yeah, I must say that I was quite surprised seeing you walk down the aisle thinking that you were chosen by him.” muli niyang binalik ang tingin sa akin. “At iyon din ang dahilan kung bakit hindi ko alam ang mukha at pangalan ng mapapangasawa ko.”

Napatango-tango na lang ako. I covered my mouth when I suddenly yawned. Well, at least diba, hindi lang talaga ako ang rason kung bakit napunta kami sa ganitong sitwasyon.

We got married…by mistake! I got married to him…by mistake!

Whoever that friend of his…I know he would blame him for this wrong wedding between us. Wala naman akong maaakusahan dahil naging pabaya na rin ako mismo. If I had charged my phone, I would somehow end up in the right location, yet…with no groom.

I exhaled a deep breath. Sa ngayon, hindi ko alam kung ano ang mas pabor sa akin. Ang makasal sa maling lalaki o ang walang kasal na naganap.

“At some point, we have the same reason why we got married by mistake.” Javier said further which had taken me aback from my deep thoughts. “Kaya, naisip kong bakit hindi na lang natin ituloy itong naumpisahan natin. Tutal, ay nandito na rin naman tayo,”

I blinked my heavy eyelids and lifted my gaze back to him. Kumabog ng mabilis ang puso ko. Kahit antok at pagod, nabuhayan ako ng loob dahil sa sinabi niya. It was as if a bulb had lightened up inside my head! Now that we are on this topic, I should open up to him the reason for my marriage! This is the opportunity I have been waiting for!

I dropped my hands on my lap and faced him. I got his attention and he looked at me. Diretso ang titig ko sa kanya.

“I agree.” tugon ko. His one brow shot up with my answer. I could see the amusement in his eyes. Siguro ay hindi niya inaasahan na sasang-ayon ako kaagad, especially that I was the one who was willing to tell the truth to his parents earlier.

“Just like what you said, let’s just continue this act and create a deal between us,” I suggested.

He changed his position. He faced me, with only one hand left anchoring his wait as he leaned a bit backward, his one leg already folded on the bed while the other remained stretched to the floor. He looked at me with interest in what I had said.

“A deal. Alright, I was also thinking the same,” then he slowly nodded his head. “What kind of deal do you have in mind?” he asked.

I made a hard swallow. Hindi ko alam kung tama ba ang gagawin ko. Pero nandito lang rin naman ako, why don’t I take the risk?

Sa mga nalaman ko sa kanya kanina, may pakiramdam ako na sasang-ayon siya sa gusto ko. And his parents won’t praise him without basis, right? Even his relatives were saying the same! That this man in front of me is too serious when it comes to work. He’s too rigid and disciplined. And he was good at handling their business. Even his brother praised him for it.

“I-I want you to help me save our company,” I revealed. Kinakabahan ako dahil malaki ang chance na i-decline niya ako. How bold am I to suddenly demand something like that right away, right? “In return, I will do my best to be the wife that you…needed,” the last word turned into a whisper. Bumagsak ang mga mata ko sa daliri ko. Dahil bigla namang nagpop-up sa isipan ko ang gabi na may nangyari sa amin!

Napakurap-kurap ako. I did my best to calm myself. After a few breaths, I lifted my gaze back to him.

“You told me that you need a wife with good credentials and won’t bother you throughout our marriage, right? I can be that one. I won’t clingy, I won’t demand you anything about your duties as my husband, I wouldn’t bother you even if you focus yourself on your work 24/7 throughout the year! Mag-eexist lang ako bilang asawa mo sa harapan ng mga magulang mo or whenever you need me!” I offered. Umusog ako kaunti palapit sa kahya. “All I want is for you to help me with our company within a year as I also tried on how to handle it.”

Tinitigan niya ako. I was hoping for a reply but he remained silent. At bawat minutong lumilipas, hindi ko maiwasang mas lalong kabahan. I’m afraid to hear him decline but I'm also hopeful that he would say yes! Siya narin mismo naman ang nag brought up about continuing our act as husband and wife!

I couldn’t help but yawn once again when the silence stretched even more. Mas lalong bumibigat ang mga mata ko but I forced myself to stay away.

“Hmmm.” he hummed. He was giving me a serious look that I thought he was considering my suggestion. Kaya ng magsalita ito, agad akong naging alerto, sa pag-aakalang sasang-ayon na siya.

“We’ll talk more about this tomorrow. You should wash up and sleep,” aniya at tumayo mula sa kama.

“Pero—”

“You’re tired already, Katherine,” putol niya sa sasabihin ko.

Napairap naman ako. I told him that earlier pero nakinig ba siya? Oh well, at least nakapag-usap pa rin kami in the end. We had somehow understood each other’s reasons. At kahit paano ay, makakatulog ako ng mahimbing, with the security of thinking that…our company could be save, despite our mistake of getting married.