Beneficial Marriage (Arranged Marriage Series #1) - Tagalog

Chapter 1

"Parang gusto ko nang magpakasal ngayon."

What the hell is this man's saying?

Mrs. Buenavista seems surprised with what her son said, ngunit pagkatapos ay ngumiti ito nang malapad habang parang kumikislap pa ang mga mata. s**t, this is bad. Really bad. And what's with this Steven's sudden change of mood? Parang kanina lang ay masama ang timpla ng mukha nito, but now he seems to be playing around.

Does he think that he can play with me like what he did to his flings? Well, unlucky for him since I don't plan to be played with... at least not easily.

Pagkatapos ng kaniyang sinabi ay tumitig ito sa akin habang nakangisi pa rin. I just frowned at him.

"Tss, so sungit naman." He then pouted and rolled his eyes at me.

Eh?!

"What are you, a kid?" Oh, god. I thought he was an alpha male? Why is he suddenly acting so childish?

I heard him sighed and laid his back on the sofa. "Just trying to get your attention." He whispered to himself, but enough for me to hear that.

Inirapan ko na lang ang kawalan at hindi na tumingin sa malanding lalaki sa tabi ko.

After that, I heard a fake cough.

"Well, uhm... I remember that I still have an appointment with my favorite spa, so... maiwan ko na kayo." Mrs. Buenavista then laughed. Exaggerately.

In the first place, may appointment ba talaga siya? O plano niya lang para maiwan kami rito ng anak niya?

Napansin niya siguro ang titig ko sa kaniya. Kaya naman nagmadali na itong lumapit sa akin upang makipagbeso. Pagkatapos ay hinawakan ako nito sa balikat at ngumiti sa akin.

I can't help but look at her eyes. It was the same eyes who gave me warmth and gentleness during the darkest and coldest days of my life. Hindi ko mapigilang ibalik din sa ginang ang purong ngiting iginawad nito sa akin.

"Always take care, hija. Huwag masiyadong magpakalunod sa trabaho, you also need to take care of yourself. Though, alam ko naman na kaya mong alagaan ang sarili mo." She smiled again at me before turning to her son.

"And you, ayusin mo ang pakikitungo kay Davina. Matino ang batang 'yan, kaya dapat magpakatino ka na rin."

Steven only sighed, scratching his nape then kissed his mom's cheeks.

"Don't ruin my image in front of Davina, mom." Simangot na sagot nito sa ina.

Is he really flirting with me? Ugh, he IS flirting with me.

Mrs. Buenavista just chuckled and waved us another goodbye.

Oh, wait. I also need to go back to my office.

Before I could step closer to the door, I felt someone grabbed my arm. Sino pa ba?

"What do you want, Mr. Buenavista? I believe our business here is already done." I said in a monotonous tone then looked at him directly at his eyes.

Wala na ang palabirong aura na meron ito kanina. Now, he really looks serious. And wait, bakit ba ang lapit niya? Nakadungaw siya sa akin habang hawak-hawak ang braso ko. The way he is holding my arm is not painful, but it is firm. Making sure that I won't be able to easily get away.

Mas lalo pa nitong nilapit ang mukha sa akin. I didn't even flinch. I mean, why would I? It's not as if he can harm me here in his mother's office.

Seryoso nitong nililibot ang tingin sa kabuuan ng aking mukha, dahilan ng unti-unting pagkunot ng aking noo.

"Are you done checking me out?" Inis kong tanong.

"You're pretty..." He sighed.

Hindi ko na napigilan ang pagtaas ng kilay ko rito. "Yeah, I know. So?"

Binitiwan na niya ako at lumayo na rin sa akin, putting a small distance between the two of us.

"... but too feisty. Para kang malamig na dragon na bumubuga ng yelo." Sabay tawa nito habang nakapamulsa.

Seriously, what's the point of this conversation? Gusto lang ata akong asarin ng isang ito.

"Sorry, but I don't have time for some 'nonsense' talk, Mr. Buenavista, and I am well aware of who I am. No need to tell me about that." I said

Itinaas naman nito ang dalawang kamay na para bang sumusuko, but the way he looks at me like I am some sort of entertainment is very evident.

Iniinis talaga ako ng lalaking ito! Calm down, Davina. Stay calm.

"Easy, easy, ice dragon princess. I just want to have some talk with you and... get to know you more?" He smirked. Again.

"Next time, maybe. Like I said, marami pa akong gagawin." Sabi ko para hindi na humaba pa ang usapan namin.

Tumuwid ito ng pagkakatayo at humalukipkip. "That's sad. You know, you should now practice putting me first in your priority list. Lalo na at magiging asawa mo na ako"

Is he seriously into this arranged marriage thing? Ang bilis naman magbago ng desisyon nito.

Tumuwid rin ako sa pagkakatayo at sinalubong ang titig nito. "I am not aware that you are this interested in marrying me. You said I should practice for our marriage? Eh ikaw, anong practice naman ang gagawin mo? Mambabae?"

I made sure that I didn't sound like a nagging girlfriend or wife. More like a lawyer who's questioning the accused.

Tumikhim ito pagkatapos marinig ang tanong ko.

"How did you know about that?" Seryosong tanong nito.

I wanna laugh at his expression right now. Seryoso, parang ang laki ng problema niya ngayon.

"You are a 'notorious playboy', kahit si Mrs. Buenavista ay kinekwento sa akin 'yon." Humalukipkip na rin ako.

That's true. The oldest child and heir of the Buenavista family, is a very eligible bachelor, but a huge flirt and a notorious playboy. Base sa mga rumor, at kwento na nga rin ni Mrs. Buenavista, ay hindi naman ito nag-gigirlfriend. Those women that he has been linked with are just his f**k buddies.

Those women... hindi ba sila nag-iisip? Pinaglaruan lang sila ng lalaking ito. Oh, maybe mutual benefits? Baka may kondisyon naman both parties, like they are not committed or attached with each other while they're in that relationahip.

Kung isa ako sa mga babaeng 'yon, hinding-hindi ako papayag. Siguro eh iba lang talaga ang prinsipyo ko sa kanila.

Tumingala si Steven at pumikit nang mariin. Pagkatapos ay hinilot nito ang sintido. "Damn, mommy naman..."

"Don't blame your mom. Kahit hindi niya sinabi sa akin ay kalat naman ang rumor na iyon. Malalaman at malalaman ko pa rin kung paano ka makipaglaro sa mga prospect mo." I directly said to him.

Magsasalita pa sana ito ngunit inunahan ko na.

"I'll better get going. Almost five minutes na ang nasasayang ko rito." Tumingin ako sa aking relo.

Steven sighed. Lumapit ito sa akin. "Fine. I'll also take my leave now. But expect to see me every now and then. I'll be watching you..."

He puts his lips closer to my ear, enough for me to hear his whisper. "...Davina."

After that, he looked at me one last time then left the CFO's office.

Sure, do whatever satisfies you, Mr. Buenavista, just don't think of toying me. Baka ikaw ang gawin kong laruan.

I smirked at my thought. Not that I have time for that kind of silly thing, kasayangan lang sa oras ko 'yon.

Bumalik na ako sa opisina ko pagkatapos niyon. Inaasikaso ko ang mga financial statements for that month nang tumunog ang aking intercom.

"Ma'am Davina, the production head wants to talk to you. It is about the consultation for the cost of expenses of the upcoming project daw po." Sabi ng sekretarya ko.

Si Rica? Pwede naman niyang i-communicate 'yan sa team niya or sa pinaka head nila.

Rica is my bestfriend. While I am the vice president of finance, Rica is the head of the production department, just below the vice president of production.

And why does she want to talk to me directly? Probably because alam niya na nagkita na kami ng 'mapapangasawa' ko, at gusto lang niyang makasagap ng balita

"Let her. Papasukin mo."

Ilang sandali pa ay pumasok na si Rica. Unang tingin ko pa lang sa ngiti niya ay alam ko na ang ibig niyang ipahiwatig.

"Grabe, nakakatakot naman iyang tingin mo, Davina. By the way, this is the report of our estimated production cost. Check mo na lang then balikan ko later." Ngiti-ngiting sabi nito pagkatapos umupo sa sofa malapit sa office desk ko.

Inabot niya sa akin ang report na tiningnan ko sandali at binaba rin agad. Pagkatapos ay sumandal ako sa swivel chair ko. Nagtaka naman ito sa aking ginawa.

"In-email mo na lang sana. Yung totoo, bakit ka pumunta rito?" Tanong ko gamit ang seryosong mukha.

Bigla naman nitong kinagat ang pang-ibabang labi at parang hindi mapakali. She then tap something on her cellphone, pagkatapos ay tumayo ito at lumapit sa akin.

Naguguluhan naman akong tumingin sa kaniya.

"Theo said something to me, concerning you." She said.

"Theo? Your boyfriend?" I asked. Ano naman iyon?

"Yes, my hot boyfriend and your private investigator. Duh?" She rolled her eyes.

Uh, yeah. Theo works as a private investigator and agent. I basically hired him to protect and inform me about those people who are plotting something against me.

Tumiwid ako sa pagkakaupo. Did he find something?

"Yeah, I know. So?"

"He found something. Dapat siya ang magsasabi nito sa'yo pero marami siyang ginagawa as of the moment, kaya sa akin niya sinabi ngayon-ngayon lang sa phone." Kuminang ang mga mata ni Rica.

Nagtaas naman ako ng kilay. "Hindi ba kayo nagkikita?"

Namulang parang kamatis ang mukha nito at mukhang hindi alam ang sasabihin. Okay...?

"K-kagabi lang nagkita kami. B-back to the topic na nga!"

I sighed. "Okay, fine. What did he find out?"

Huminga ito nang malalim bago nagsalita.

"May nagpapaimbestiga raw sa'yo. Inaalam ang basic information mo and all stuff about you. But don't worry, napigilan agad bago pa lumalim ang mga information na nakakalap sa'yo. "

Tumalim ang mata ko. Who the f**k is the bastard digging up information about me? Ang isa sa pinaka ayaw ko pa naman ay yung pinakikialaman ang privacy ko.

"Who's behind it?" I asked Rica.

She sighed and lowered her eyes before answering me. "Your supposed-to-be-husband s***h fiance..."

"... Steven Buenavista."