Refusing To Marry Cinco

CHAPTER 5

CASHAY WAS surprised when Cinco dropped by her place again two days after their parking lot drama. As usual, he caught her mumbling. "What brings you here?"

"Here..." He handed her an envelope that she automatically accepted.

"What's this?"

"Open it." He just stood by the door and did not follow her through the living room.

She opened the envelope without showing any interest. It contained terrible sketches of gowns and other kinds of clothes. She reviewed every one of over thirty sketches. None of it caught her eyes and if she'll be brutally honest, most of it looked like works of an amateur.

"What are these?" She asked afterwards.

"Those are the sketches of the designer that would sew the clothes Jessica Moncada, Roxy Amber, and Flora Barton would wear on the first scenes of their soap opera. I will be directing it. Director Matteo Gandy had a heart attack. I am the last minute replacement."

She ran through the sketches again. She can't imagine any of those being worn by three of the biggest female stars in the Philippine TV today. "What are these? Don't they have their own designers?"

"They can wear their personal designer's dresses but not all of it will be shouldered by the sponsors. And Jessica Moncada decided to wear the designs of the in-house designer and those were the designs..."

She shook her heard. "They're terrible, Cinco."

"I knew you'd say that. Okay, make me a new set of sketches. For now, ten dresses for each of them. I will have you read the script so you have an idea where they will wear them."

"I thought it was the actors that provide their own wardrobe?"

"Not if the actors are as big as them."

She nodded and looked at the sketches again.

"Can you do it?"

"Of course."

"I'll give you ten days. Is that enough?"

"I think so. Will you just pick them up after ten days?"

"No. I'll drop by everyday to check the sketches' development. If I like the result, I'll get you as the official fashion designer of the entire series. And then later on, you'll have time to consult with them in case they want other designs to be done. You know how big stars are."

"Why did you accept this? I thought you only do quality films?"

"Why not? I read the script and it's good. Besides, I wanna venture on commercial projects too. The pay is attractive and I don't have to depend on loans just to be able to produce independent films."

"Why me?"

"Why am I offering the job to you? Hmm, nothing. I just thought it could help you reset your focus. So you won't get bored, right?"

She didn't respond.

Cinco started talking again. "Marrying me won't kill you, you know. It's not so bad, really. I'm a good man, you know that."

She can't bring herself to look him in the eyes.

"You see, I'm not mad. I just... I just don't like your violent reactions as if you're disgusted with me, Cash. I know that it might be a little harsh, and even with the fact that you are the prettiest woman I've ever seen, there's nothing you can give me that I can't get from someone else. And you don't have riches that I cannot match. So really, your loss is mine, too. Let's just make the most of what we have. After all, there's annulment. We have that as an option."