Our Married Life

Prologue

Prologue

The Wedding

Lizette

"I, Hale Salcedo..."

"I, Lizette Chavez, take you, Hale Salcedo..."

"...take you, Lizette Chavez, to be my wife..."

"...to be my husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward..."

"...for better or for worse..."

"...for richer, for poorer..."

"...in sickness and in health..."

"...to love and cherish always."

"...always."

I wonder if God is mad at us for standing at the altar today, vowing to a love that isn't real at all...

I looked at Hale Salcedo's gorgeous face as I recited my vows. Nakatingin din siya sa akin, sa mukha kong may konting makeup para sa araw na ito—ang kasal naming dalawa. He looked so fine in his wedding suit, while I was wearing a gown that was far too expensive for something that wasn't even real.

Siguro nga totoo ang sinasabi ng iba, na mas okay ang simpleng kasal kaysa sa mga bonggang kasalan na nauuwi rin sa hiwalayan. It's just an opinion based on other people's observations, and somehow, it makes sense to me. O siguro, nagkakataon lang din.

I looked around—the grand church with its high ceilings, the expensive decorations, the guests. Hindi ko pa rin alam kung bakit mas pinili ni Hale na ganito pa rin ang kasal namin. This is just a contracted marriage between us. Pwede namang pumunta na lang kami sa isang judge at magpakasal doon, with his trusted friend or secretary as our witness. Hindi na kailangang ganito pa talaga, na gastos lang.

Siya naman ang gumastos sa lahat. Wala akong naambag, at ano nga naman ang iaambag ko kung wala naman akong pera at mahirap lang ako? Pero siguro, ganoon talaga ang mayayaman. Hindi problema sa kanila ang pera. Or maybe, he just has ways of earning it, kaya maliit na bagay lang ito sa kaniya.

Ako lang siguro ang nanghihinayang sa gastos niya para lang sa isang pekeng kasal. Technically, it's not fake—by law, it's real. But our marriage is only real on paper. Pareho naming alam ni Hale na hindi naman talaga namin mahal ang isa't isa. What we are showing to other people—that we are in love—is all a fraud.

Para saan nga ba ang lahat ng ito?

Hale will benefit from this marriage because of his children. He thinks they need a mother to look after them since his wife died years ago. Pakiramdam niya, hindi niya kayang alagaan ang kambal nang mag-isa, lalo na't abala rin siya sa negosyo. Kaya simple lang naman ang gusto niya—ang tumayo ako bilang ina sa mga anak niya.

While I... I was poor and needed a powerful husband like Hale Salcedo. I needed him to save me. Because the reality is, I couldn't do anything about my situation without Hale. Kailangan ko siya. At kailangan niya rin ako.

So, we made the deal and sealed it today.

"Best wishes...!"

I kept my smile for our guests. Their faces were lit up with smiles, too. I wasn't sure if they were all genuine, but it didn't really matter. As long as it wouldn't affect my agreement with Hale, walang problema. I just needed to act, and so did he. And I think we were doing fine.

"Yaya, where are the twins?" Hale asked their nanny.

Apologetically, Yaya Celsa gave me a small smile. "Pinasamahan ko po muna kina Inday, Sir. Nag-washroom lang po ang kambal," she replied to Hale before nodding at me politely.