The Billionaire I Married By Mistake [Filipino]

12. DRIVE

Javier|

“We need to talk first,” sambit ko pagkarating na pagkarating namin sa penthouse. Huminto ako sa paglalakad upang harapin siya but she immediately went straight to the living area. She threw her bouquet on the sofa while she removed her shoes and lay down on the sofa. I couldn’t help but smirk when she seemed to feel at home already.

Well, this will be her home anyways.

“What is it?” she drawled as she closed her eyes. Her voice was laced with exhaustion.

“We need to talk about our set-up.” I started. “We’ll be meeting my parents soon so I want us to act accordingly.”

“Whatever your plan is, I’ll go with that,” she said dismissively.

Napatitig ako sa kanya ng ilang segundo. This is a serious matter to me. Naglakad ako papalapit sa kanya. When I arrived in front of her, I forced her to sit up by grabbing her both hands and let her sit upright. Nagulat naman siya sa ginawa ko. Her eyes were wide as she looked at me. Her hair was now disheveled a bit.

“What the hell? I’m trying to rest!” singhal niya.

I gritted my teeth as I stared back at her with furrowed brows. “Kinakausap kita. I want your attention when I talking to you,”

Inirapan niya. She crossed her arms against her chest as she looked away.

“So what. Anong gusto mong pag-usapan natin,” pasuplada niyang sabi. Nagpakawala na lang ako ng malalim na hininga at naupo sa harapan niya.

I run my fingers through my hair. This woman is really testing my patience.

Tang-ina talaga. Humanda talaga si Gabriel sa akin pag nagkita kami.

“When you meet my parents, I want you to act well and with respect when they’re around,” paninimula ko.

Kumunot ang noo niya at napatingin sa akin. “That’s already given,” she pointed out. “Alangan namang umakto akong bastos sa harapan nila. The last thing I want right now is an annulment right away dahil hindi nila ako nagustuhan!”

I sighed heavily. Well at least, may bagay din na kinasasang-ayunan kaming pareho.

“That’s good to hear then. We’ll go with the original plan about marrying each since your family wanted my help.” paalala ko.

Iyon din naman ang sabi ni Gabriel sa akin pagkauwi na pagkauwi ko mula sa business trip kagabi. Na magugustuhan ko ang babaeng huli niyang irereto dahil nangangailangan ito ng tulong. Apparently, their company is facing some scandal right now. When Gabriel mentioned that she’s the heiress of some company that’s facing bankruptcy, kahit paano, nagustuhan ko ang plano ni Gabriel na magiging masunurin sa akin ang papakasalan ko dahil sa pabor na ibibigay ko.

Pero mukhang hindi na thorough check ni Gabriel ang personalidad ng babaeng kaharap ko ngayon.

I trusted that he knew exactly what I meant when I let him choose me a wife. I clearly told him I want someone who won’t be a bother to me. And this woman in front of me…hindi pa nga kami nagsasama sa iisang bahay ng ilang araw, and with the way she talked back, pakiramdam ko ay iistorbo na niya ang buhay ko.

I sighed heavily.

Well, I had that feeling in the first place anyway, and I had the chance to cancel the wedding right there and then. Pero hindi ko ba alam kung bakit pinagpatuloy ko pa rin ang seremonya. Now, I’m suddenly having second thoughts if I did the right thing or not.

And clearly, this is not me. When I decided on something, hindi ko pagsisihan ang desisyon ko. Pero ngayon, ewan ko ba.

How did he knew this woman anyway? Ba’t di ko alam na…kilala niya ‘to?

Seeing her walking down the aisle earlier truly surprised me. Muntik ko nang tawagan si Gabriel dahil halos sampung minuto nang late ang bride. I arrived early at the church. The priest arrived on time. The wedding will start at six in the morning. But the bride arrived 10 minutes late. I’m very strict when it comes to schedule pero pinagbigyan ko dahil baka naman may dahilan siya. And…it’s only 10 minutes anyway.

And when I recognized her earlier, I didn’t know that Gabriel knew her.

Halata rin naman na nagulat din siya ng makita ako.

Of course, right? Because how coincidental the situation could be that we just had a one night stand weeks ago and now we were married to each other.

Nagpakawala na lang ako ng malalim na hininga. Ang liit nga talaga ng mundo.

“We’ll answer that what we have is an arranged marriage, kapag nagtanong sila. Pero sasabihin din natin that we’ve already known each other and had been keeping in touch before we agreed to our arrangement. That along the way, we fell in love or something,” I continued.

Her face contorted at the last thing I had said. Kahit din naman ako ay hindi ko gusto ang planong ‘to. But this is bearable than to see Nicolas getting the company.

“Ano pa?” she asked further.

I stared at her light brown eyes.

“We’ll talk about the rest after our breakfast with them or as soon as we get home. There might be a chance that we’ll stay at our ancestral home for the night after I introduce you to my parents as my wife.”

I could suddenly imagine my mother getting surprised and my father being pleased with the news. At alam ko na rin na hindi kami agad papakawalan ng dalawa after our breakfast with them.

They would try to get to know the woman whom I chose to marry. Gaya na lang ng ginawa nila ng nagpakasal si kuya Nicolas.

And now…I couldn't help but think about what kind of conditions he needed to meet in order to get the position of the next head of our company. Pero…hindi ako magpapatalo.

“Oo na. Sabing ayos lang naman sa akin kahit anong plano pa yan,” I was suddenly brought back to reality ng marinig ko ang pagmamaktol niya. Wala na lang akong sinabi pagkatapos ay tumayo sa sofa at naglakad patungo sa second floor. I was on the stairs when I called her out to change.

“Hindi ka ba magbibihis?” tanong ko dahil muli siyang nahiga sa sofa na para marami siyang oras. Napabangon naman siya at napatingin sa akin. Her sharp eyes immediately met mine. Inignora ko na lang siya at nagpatuloy sa pag-akyat sa hagdan.

I thought she would remain downstairs. Kaya nagulat ako ng makarating ako sa harap ng kuwarto, ay nasa likuran ko na siya.

“Do you have women's clothes here?” she curiously asked, pero rinig ko ang panunuya sa tono niya. I only gave her a cold look before I pointed out the door next to my room.

“That’s my sister’s room. Maghanap ka na lang ng damit na kakasya riyan sa’yo.” Then I pushed the door open and went inside my room.

Mabilis akong nagbihis dahil ang usapan namin ni dad, alas otso ay nasa bahay na dapat kami. It’s already five minutes after seven now. At mahigit isang oras ang byahe pauwi kung hindi kami aabutan ng rush hour.

Mabuti naman at hindi rin naman nagtagal si Katherine sa pagbibihis. As soon as she was done, agad na kaming umalis. And on the road, I kept on glancing at her from time to time. She was leaning against the door, head at the window.

Mabilis kong ibinalik ang tingin sa kalsada. I rested my left elbow against the window and rested the side of my head on my knuckles. Napatitig ako sa daan habang inaalala ang mga nangyari kanina.

I’m still cursing Gabriel in my mind. Talagang humanda siya sa akin pag nagkita kaming dalawa.