January 2019
"Victorio! Ano ba kasi? Pumayag ka na! Ikaw na lang papakasalan ko. Isang taon lang tapos maghihiwalay na din tayo!" Tawag atensiyon niya sa kababata niya na kasalukuyang buhat-buhat ang two-month old na anak nito.
"Pipay, what do you have against marrying my brother ba? I can guarantee you he's nice naman. And you know I'll be busy to look for my son's mother." He answered seriously.
Victorio Benitez also known as Vic is the eldest amongst the Benitez brothers. She knew all of them well except for one and that one was the one she is set to marry in three months.
She is now trying to persuade her friend to just marry her instead. She's not ready to marry anyone yet, she's just 25 for goodness sake!
The thing is she had no choice, her Uncle the sole heir of the Peñafranca clan died a month ago one week before Christmas.
Her Uncle Lucas together with her parents, her Aunt Belinda her husband Uncle Simon and her cousin Arci died on a plane crash while on their way to spend Christmas with her and Lea at NYC.
The Benitez and Peñafranca clan were their town's (Sta. Barbara) richest clan. Both family owns almost the whole town.
Her Abuelo, Don Emmanuel Peñafranca told them that since their Uncle died one of her and Lea should marry a Benitez to make sure that no other family name will rule Santa Barbara the pact was said to be made since their great-great ancestors. Arranged marriage was out of the picture before but now it's their only option because this is the only time that the remaining heirs of Peñafranca are both women.
That's the reason why she is in this situation, she needs to honor family tradition hence he have to marry the Benitez's prodigal son.
She never get the chance to meet him yet because he stayed in Australia most of his life. She only knew his name is Martin Matthew other than that she has zero idea who he is.
The Benitez's have 6 sons.
The oldest Vic the son of Don Gregorio Mateo Benitez to his first wife. Vic is a single father to a two month old baby boy who he named Vico Francis Benitez is her friend since childhood, he is a single father because he didn't know who's the child's mother is dahil iniwan na lang ito basta sa katiwala ng hacienda with nothing but a note stating that he is the father, well he can't even deny it because he really looks like him plus the DNA test came back positive. He is also the CEO of the Benitez Enterprise.
The third son is Richard Matthew, he is a decent guy but may pagka masungit and he never seem to be the guy who would like to get married, he loves his freedom so much. He is the one who is managing the Benitez Hotel and Resort the most luxurious hotel and resort in the whole province.
The fourth son Gabriel Matthew also known as Gabby the "black sheep" of the family he is a kind fellow talaga lang napaka rebelde, she can't marry him though. He's her bestfriends ex.
The fifth son Ariel Matthew he can say the most decent amongst the five brothers she knew he is also out of the list because he is her cousins lover.
The youngest brother Agapito Matthew is also out of the list, one he is too young just 20 years old, also the reason why she can't let Lea na gampanan ang family responsibility dahil 20 lang din ito.
She is left with no choice, it's either marry Martin Matthew (a total stranger) might she add or have a deal with her friend Vic.
"Ganito na lang, marry me for a year and I will help you take care of your son while you are looking for her. I will even live here." Pakiusap pa niya.
"Alam mong kaya kong magbayad ng yaya para sa anak ko diba?" Sagot naman nito.
"Naman e, mag kaibigan naman tayo diba?"
"Ayan na naman tayo Pipay. Ginagamit mo na naman sangkalan pagiging mag kaibigan natin" he answered ng biglang may magsalita sa pinto.
"Ewan ko nga paano tayo nakakatagal diyan kay Pipay." Romnick their other friend who works at Hacienda Peñafranca as a vet too entered Vic's home office.
"Isa ka pa e! Tulungan mo na lang ako i convince to si Victorio!" Angal pa niya.
"Bakit ba kasi hindi na lang si Lea ipakasal mo kay Aga? E di sana wala kang problema, tutal mag bestfriends naman yun, for sure papayag yun sila." Romnick added, in a way may katwiran siya pero hindi pwede.
"They are too young to get married plus sa dami ng pinagdaanan namin ni Lea, I can't burden her with family responsibility." She explained
"Kaya ikaw magsasakripisyo? Pareho lang naman kayong nawalan."
"Rom, you know how fragile Lea is, kaming dalawa na lang dito sa mundo maliban kay Abuelo. Ikaw ba Vic papayag kang ipakasal agad si Aga at 20 years old?" Baling ulit niya sa kaibigan na ngayon ay tulog na ang hawak na sanggol.
"Hindi pwede si Aga kahit pa nasa edad na siya, he can't manage Hacienda Peñafranca kasi as per family tradition, the youngest son will inherit Hacienda Benitez and in case Aga will get married whoever he marries will be the mistress of this estate." Mahabang paliwanag ni Vic.
"Then why is he handling the flower farm?" Nagtatakang tanong naman niya.
"E kasi favorite siya ni Mama, saka the flower farm belongs to the Alvarez clan and only the women in the family can inherit that in our case it's the twins si Angel at si Clau e they are too young pa to manage it kaya si Aga muna but time will come that Aga will take over the hacienda while ako sa Benitez enterprise lang talaga. He further explained at napa tango na lang siya.
"What about si Richard na lang pakasalan mo?" Suhestyon pa ni Romnick. "Eh diba crush mo yun dati? " Panunukso pa nito.
"Root word dati . Saka hello sobrang babaero niyang si Richard walang seneryosong babae."
"Si Victorio din naman walang sineryosong babae a!" Kantiyaw ni Romnick.
"At least si Victorio safe ako, saka may anak na siya, hindi na ako o-obligahin agad na magka anak. I can reason out na enough na muna tong si Baby Vico para alagaan namin diba?"
Pipay 1 point
Vic and Romnick 0 pt.
"Hay naku Pipay! Sige na, sige na payag na ako! Tumigil ka lang."
"Ayan! Paano? I'll ask my secretary to arrange everything ha? I need to fly to Vancouver next week e, I'll stay there for a month. I have a conference there."
"Fine! Whatever! Bakit di mo kasama tong si Romnick?"
"Eh kung isasama ko yan mawawalan ng Vet sa hacienda habang wala ako, kayo din mawawalan ng vet, mayayari tayo." Paliwanag naman niya.
Nag stay muna siya ng mga ilang minuto pa bago nagpaalam na uuwi.
Napa ngiti naman siya habang sakay ng kabayo niya pauwi, wala na siyang problema, she'll go to Vancouver, stay there for a month, get married 2 months after that and stay married for a year then she's free again! Vic and her can still manage naman the Hacienda Peñafranca kahit hiwalay na sila e.
So all is good now Pipay, what could go wrong right?
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Serendipity (TBBS Book 1)
Romanceser•en•dip•i•ty (n) The chance occurence of events in a beneficial way. ----- Please see summary inside 😉
