The Billionaire I Married By Mistake [Filipino]

8. CHOOSE

|Javier|

I was fixing my gloves as I found myself toward the sports lounge. Medyo maraming tao ang naroon na medyo nakakapanibago. But remembering that its weekends, agad ko ring naintindihan kung bakit gan’on.

I headed straight to the counter to buy some water. Pero hindi pa ako nakakarating doon when I noticed the crowd in one corner. Well, wala rin naman akong pakealam kung anong nangyayari d’on kung hindi lang may tumawag sa pangalan ko.

“Javier!”

May tumayo sa lamesa at agad na humawi ang kababaihan. And from the crowd of women, Gabriel stepped out. He took off his shades as he waved his hands at me, smiling widely, like he was pleased to see me. I sighed heavily and ignored him as I continued walking toward the counter.

“Bye ladies. I need to talk to my friend. It was nice meeting you all,” I heard Gabriel say before I heard his footsteps behind me.

“Vier!” Muli niya akong tinawag pero hindi na ako lumingon. Nang makarating ako sa counter ay agad akong umorder ng kape at isang bottled water. At the same time, Gabriel arrived beside me. I could see from the corner of my eyes how he looked at me.

“Nabingi ka na ba at hindi mo ako narinig?” Gabriel asked in disbelief. Dumating ang staff at agad na inabot sa akin ang aking tubig. I politely said my thanks bago ko hinarap ang aking kaibigan. He squinted his eyes to me, showing me how offended he was dahil hindi ko siya pinansin.

I smirked back at him as I opened my bottled water. “I know you only called for me to get away from those women, Gab,” then I drank and almost half the content of it.

Nanatiling seryoso at nanliliit ang mga mata ni Gabriel sa akin. Pero matapos ang ilang segundo, he gave me a knowing look at alam ko na agad ang tumatakbo sa isipan niya. He raised his hand and tapped my shoulders while laughing whole-heartedly.

“You know me well, Vier. No wonder I am only your best friend,” he said with a wide smile.

I sighed heavily and wacked his hand away. I glared at him.

“Aren’t you going to change? Dahil kung hindi, mauuna ako sa’yo,” I reminded him then glanced on his outfit.

He’s still dressed in his daily fashion clothes. Mukhang kakarating niya lang. It wasn’t a surprise to me that he entertained his fans first before he headed straight to the locker room and changed into a proper outfit for our equistrian.

He is a famous actor of the country. Kaya alam kong kahit hindi naman kuryoso ang ibang tao sa kanya, mayroon pa ring iba na gusto siyang makausap at makasalamuha.

“Oo na, magbibihis. Hintayin mo ako ha?”

I clicked my tongue and then started walking out of the sports lounge.

“Hintayin mo ako ha! Hindi kita tutulungan kapag nauna ka sakin!” he exclaimed that everyone could hear it. Wala na akong sinabi at tumungo sa mga silyang nasa labas. Pinili ko ang lamesang kakaunti ang mga tao, para na rin maiwasan ang pakikipagsalamuha ko sa iba.

Hindi nagtagal ang ni-serve ang order kong kape. I took as sip on it as I languidly took a seat as I stared at the field. May iba na nag-e-equestrian na at mukhang nandito na sila kanina pa. I know on the other field, there’s currently a polo match. Gusto ko mang manuod at sumali, I chose this kind of sports today dahil gusto ko lang ng kaunting distraction.

The very reason why I am here and why Gabriel is here ay dahil na rin gusto niyang dito pag-usapan ang tungkol sa pagbibigay niya ng tulong sa akin sa paghahanap ng…asawa. He had a list of women whom I will choose to marry. Well, I don’t really mind whoever it was as long as she’s…fine.

The woman’s face I had last s*x with popped into my mind randomly. Kumunot ang noo ko ng maalala kung paano siya umalis ng penthouse ko na parang wala lang.

I took her…virginity. Yet, she acted as if it was…nothing.

“Well, I’m a modern woman and not sentimental about it. Let’s just say it’s my debut in the s****l world, and you happen to be the man I chose to be my first. Be grateful that I chose you,”

I could still remember how confident she was when she said those words. And for unknown reason, I was offended by it. Debut to the s****l world, huh?

Her actions were convenient for me. At least, the woman whom I brought in my penthouse for the first time, was someone who wasn't clingy. Hindi tulad ng ibang babae that after s*x, they still want another night which I don’t usually do.

I rested my elbows on the armrest of my seat. I played my lips as I remembered how she looked at me that night. I wonder…where is she right now.

Nagpakawala ako ng malalim na hininga. Why am I even thinking of that woman? Well, I really had a good s*x with her at kapag may pagkakataon na mauulit muli, I won’t say no.

But then…I’ll marry soon so I know that’s already impossible.

I cleared my throat as I straightened my back. Kinuha ko ang kape ko sa lamesa at muling sumimsim doon. I watched a man who struggled a bit to maneuver his horse to jump over an obstacle. Nangangalahati na ako sa kape ko bago tuluyang natapos sa pagbibihis si Grabriel and sat on the adjacent seat. He sighed heavily as he ran his fingers through his hair. And hearing the squeals behind us, which made me look where it came from, made me realize that he must have entertained a few more fans of his before he came to our table. Kaya pala siya natagalan.

“Minsan naisip ko na magretire na lang sa pagiging actor,” he suddenly said out of nowhere.

“Then retire. Simple,” sambit ko.

“But then many fans will cry if I retire. Tsaka, ayoko pang magtrabaho kay dad. Seeing how workaholic you are, hindi ko ata kayang isipin na ganyan kabigat ang magiging trabaho ko,” he complained.

I sighed heavily. “It depends on the person on how you take your work and responsibility. Despite getting busy, I like working for our company. At alam kong ganoon ka rin sa trabaho mo kahit na hectic ang schedule mo,”

Gabriel glanced at me. At ang sarap nang tusukin ang mga mata niya ng umakto siyang parang naiiyak sa sinabi ko.

“Damn. Thank you for being a good friend to me—” before he could even finish what he has to say, agad siyang huminto para protektahan ang sarili ng kumuha ako ng iilang tissue sa tissue holder at tinapon sa kanya iyon na para bang matatamaan siya. Of course, when he realized it didn’t hit him, sinimangutan niya ako.

“Alam mo ang sama mo talaga sa akin—”

“Why don’t we get to the topic, Gab,” I interrupted. Inubos ko ang nilalamig kong kape. I saw from the corners of my eye on how the bastard smirked at me.

“Are you that excited to find a wife?” he teased. Tinapunan ko na lang siya ng masamang tingin bago humalakhak.

“Ito na, ito na.” Then he took his ipad out of nowhere. Binuksan niya iyon at may kinalikot ng ilang segundo bago niya binigay sa akin. I accepted it and on the screen were the first file of the woman whom he chose for me to be my potential wife. I immediately read the information of the first woman.

“I have five candidates for you. Just read each of their information to know more about them at makapili ka.” he said as I read the files he gave me. “Though, I must recommend Jade Gomez. She’s exactly your type!”

My brows furrowed as I read the information of the second woman in the list. And it was the woman whom Gabriel suggested. Nang makita ko agad ang trabaho nito, ay agad na hindi siya pupwedeng maging asawa ko, kahit isang taon.

“You favorite woman is an actress, Gab,” sambit ko at inangat ang tingin sa kanya. “You know that I hate anything that compromise my privacy,”

Inirapan niya ako. “Well, I just tried since she wanted to retire anyway,”

Iniling ko na lang ang ulo at muling binasa ang mga impormasyon ng mga babaeng pinili niya para sa akin. Pero matapos ang ilang minuto…wala akong…nagustuhan. I know I just can choose from one of the five—no, four candidates. But I don’t seem to like any of them.

“Maghanap ka ng mas maayos, Gab.” ani ko at ibinalik ang ipad niya sa kanya. He looked so down when I said those words.

“Wala kang nagustuhan?” aniya.

I sighed and stood on my seat as I fix my clothes. “Wala. Bilisan mo sa paghahanap. Choose the best that you have. The wedding will be in two weeks.”

He sighed exasperatedly. “I’m not an escort agency, Vier,”

Tinapunan ko siya ng masamang tingin. “And definitely not an escort. I want someone who’ll understand that we’ll just be husband and wife for a year. No strings attached. And as soon as the deal between us ends,”

“Ang choosy mo naman.” aniya. Hindi ko na lang pinansin ang sinabi niya.

“I’ll be on an overseas business-trip for two weeks. Magpapakasal kami pagka-uwi ko. The wedding will be private and with few witnesses. I want you to handle it.” I tell him.

“Wow, hindi ko alam na sekretarya mo na pala ako ngayon,” komento siya. Nagpakawa ako ng malalim na hininga.

“I am telling you this because I trust you to find the woman I need, Gab,” sabi ko sa kanya. Ngumisi naman siya pabalik sa akin.

“You’re suddenly making me kilig, Vier. Don’t” he stupidly acted like a woman. Punyeta talaga ‘tong lalaking ‘to. How did we became friends again?

“Tang-ina mo,” sabi ko na lang at iniwan niya sa lamesa namin. Naglakad ako patungo sa bukana ng field.

“Ito naman di na mabiro.” humalakhak siya at sumunod sa akin. “Pero syempre, I will do my best to find the woman you need. Ako ang bahala, Vier. pagkauwi na pagkauwi dito sa Manila, nakaready ang mapapangasawa mo,” he confidently said.

I just shook my head in disbelief as we headed toward the horse grooms who were waiting for us.