Trieja: Jake And Josh [Under Revision]

Chapter 65

"You will be ask to be brought to the Raziel Palace." Marilyn started as she sipped on her tea one afternoon.

"Archangel Raziel?" Claire asked.

"Yes." Celeste replied. "They named it after that Angel. Anyway... the Edgamle Council will start questioning you—"

"Edgamle? Ba't may ganun?" Aniya.

"Kailangan iyon..." Celeste heaved a sigh, stressed.

"To protect the tradition, they had appointed elders who will maintain the Order of Trieja." Marilyn sat on the single couch.

"Wala kaming alam kung sino ang nagkaroon ng ganyan na ideya. Basta ang mangyayare, the 6 men's parents will question you." Celeste added.

"Ha? Bakit?" Napaisip si Claire saglit, kunot na kunot ang noo. "For what?"

"Since natipuhan ka ng tagapagmana ng Ignacio clan, kailangan lang na atakihin ka ng tanong ng mga nakatatanda." Marilyn sipped on her tea.

"And this is where everything will be cold and serious, Claire. You have to prove to them that you're not the woman fit for this kind of tradition." Said Celeste. "Josh's parents will, obviously, approve of your choosing. Malamang kasi, kapag sinabi mong ayaw mo sa ganitong kalakaran patungkol sa pag-ibig ay susuportahan ka nito dahil tutol siya sa relasyon ng kanyang anak kay Jake. Ang kailangan mo na lang kumbinsihin ay ang Amparo, Ignacio, at Tiburcia."

"Halata sa mukha mo na nalilito ka, iha. Naiintindihan namin iyon..." dahan-dahan ipinatong ni Marilyn ang tasa sa coffee table. "Josh's mother thinks that, masisira ang relasyon ng anak kay Jake oras na hindi naging maayos ang takbo ng inyong relasyon. And also, given with the situation you messed up... mas lalong pabor ang ina ni Josh dahil unti-unti mong nasisira ang bond na mga angkan."

Tumango-tango si Celeste. "I forgot about that one fact. Geez, I only focused on Mrs. Gonzales' hate towards the Ignacios." Napatitig siya kay Claire. "Balita ko pa naman ay maraming deals ang Tiburcia with the Amparos. Pero dahil umakto kang pinagsasamantalahan ng magkapatid ay pinili ni Adriano to stop the merging of their chain of hotels."

Namilog ang mga mata ni Claire. "Wait, what?"

"Sabi ng scout ko, imbes na magkasundo-sundo ang mga angkan ay nagkaroon ng kompetisyon laban sa isa't isa." Marilyn sighed. "This did not happen during my time."

Tulalang tumango si Celeste, tila may malalim na iniisip. "Only Claire..."

"And not just that..." napalingon ang tatlo sa bagong dating. Sasha was crossing her arms while leaning on the wall facing them. "When they heard Claire won't be choosing neither of the six to marry, those men started collapsing. And it's been a couple of days since Cordelia's condition got better." She cleared her throat, awkwardly. "Mas lalo silang nayanig nung malaman na sa amin kayo ngayon pansamantalang tumutuloy. They're beginning to accuse me of ruining your relationship with them...which is true."

Sandaling katahimikan ang namayani. Claire did not know what to feel when Sasha came in the living room. Wala ito nang magising siya dahil pilit siya nitong iniiwasan. Both of them had been avoiding each other. Hindi naman iyon gusto ni Claire, sadyang alam niya lang kung saan siya lulugar. She was about to open her mouth to speak with her when the latter chose to turn her back on them again and went straight inside the master's bedroom.

Isang malalim na buntong hininga ang pinakawalan ni Claire habang nakatingala asa lumang simbahan. She was kidnapped by some men as soon as her foot stepped on the sidewalk of the busy city. At ngayon, dito siya dinala. Iniwan siya ng mga kumidnap sa kanya. Hindi naman siya natatakot, kinakabahan lang. Na-brief na rin kasi siya ng nina Celeste at Marilyn kanina patungkol sa unique way of "escorting" the future husband or wife of a trieja couple.