A Desperate Husband

IV

STEPH's

I can't believe that Justin had a guts to told me that.

How dare him. Hindi na siya naawa sa akin. I want to have a peaceful and a happy life pero ito pa ang nangyayari. First, he left me and now this.

FLASHBACK

Late na ako sa dinner namin ni Justin. Mainipin pa naman yun at sure akong magagalit na naman siya sa akin. Bahala siya. I'm not the one who wants this dinner this much. And I am sure that this is very important for him to invite me to dinner.

"Sorry, I'm late." - I said. Hindi naman siya mukhang galit. Hmm very unusual huh.

"It's okay. Take your seat. I already ordered for us, hope you don't mind." - minwestra niyang maupo na ako.

"It's okay. What is it you want to tell me?" - sabi ko. Ayoko na kasing patagalin pa to. Gusto ko ng malaman kung ano ba yung 'importante' niyang sasabihin at kelangan pa niya akong ayain magdinner.

"Later. Now eat okay?" - sabi niya. Okay. Pinapatagal pa eh. Binilisan ko na lang ang pagkain ko para matapos na. Nakita ko rin namang patapos na siya. Bigla akong kinabahan. Ano ba kasi yon?

"I will not beat around the bush here. I want you to marry someone Stephanie." ­- poker face niyang sabi.

"What! What do you mean 'marry'?" - shocked kong sabi. Marry daw? How dare him say that? He doesn't have any right to control my life. Ngayon pa?

"You heard it right Stephanie. You will do what I will tell you to do. Baka nakakalimutan mong nasa akin/amin ang pinakamamahal mo." - walang emosyon niyang sabi. Namutla naman ako pagkarinig sa sinabi niya. Bakit ko ba nakalimutan yon? Hindi pwede to. He is blackmailing me. What should I do now?

"How dare you blackmail me? And why would I marry that someone huh? Why just can't you leave me in peace and quiet? I didn't bother you and your father for years now, could you at least do the same?" - nanghihinang sabi ko.

"I won't bother you if you're not involved here. As if I do wants see you, but our company had gone crisis. We are in the verged of bankruptcy and we need help from some multinational company and their CEO, Mr. Montecillo wants you to marry him in exchange." ­

Nagulat ako sa sinabi niya. Ako ang kapalit? Who the hell is that CEO and what does he wants from me? Montecillo sounds familiar but I can't remember when I heard that name. And he wants to marry me? Arghh. So many questions pop in my head.

Pagkatapos niyang sabihin sa akin yun ay bigla na lang akong umalis ng resto. I'm sure naman na alam niya kung saan ako nakatira. Magiisip muna ako. I need time to digest everything he said. Kaya naisipan kong pumunta ng Magnificent Garden. I have an access naman kahit gabi na kaya ako nakapasok dito.

Gusto ko lang makapagisip ng mabuti. Hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala na sa akin mangyayari to. First, iniwan ako ng lalaking mahal ko. Ngayon naman kelangan kong pakasalan ang lalaking ni hindi ko man lang kilala at di pa nakikita.

Nakaramdam na naman ako ng bigat sa dibdib ko. Palagi na lang ganito. Hindi nawawala ang sakit sa puso ko. Nadagdagan pa nga eh, akala ko noon kahit katiting minahal ako ni Justin kaso hindi pala talaga. Sarili niyang kapatid ibebenta niya. Yes, you read it right. We're siblings. Half brother ko siya actually. We have the same father. Maraming nangyari noon na gusto ko na lang kalimutan ngayon.