Imee double-checked the reminders on her cellphone, nakalagay doon ang lahat ng mga kaibigan niya na kailangan niyang kausapin pagkatapos ng meting niya para sa umagang iyon, Dahil baka pagkatapos niyon tuluyan na siyang pulutin sa kalye,
"Good morning, miss Marcos, am i late?"
Nawala ang atensiyon niya sa mga nakasulat sa cellphone at inangat ang tingin kay Rodrigo, for a moment, she was rendered speechless, kung wala lang sana itong political ambition,noon pa siya pumayag na magpakasal dito. Nobody could complete with his looks, hindi niya maikakailang malakas ang aura nito.
Damn! Hindi niya nito dapat na iniilusyon. Kahit na ayaw niya dito, ikakasapa pa rin ito sa pinsan niya, kaya dapat siyang mainis dito at hindi maakit dito.
"No, i am just a bit early" sinenyasan niya ang waiter
"What would you like to have?"
Um-order ito ng Jamaican Blue mountain coffee. "Tinawagan ako ng uncle Max mo kahapon, he invited me for dinner tonight,"
"That's the reason why i decided to meet you today."
His face became more businesslike all of a sudden " so tell me, pumapayag ka na bang magpakasal sa akin? Are you here to settle the terms? May gusto ka pa bang idagdag na kondisiyon?"
"No, i won't be your future bride, si ate Alex ang ipapakasal nila sa iyo."
"Good," anitong parang nakahinga nang maluwag
"Max told me that she's very docile, i think she's easier to deal with and she's not as stubborn as you are"
"Nandito ako para makiusap sa iyo na huwag mo nang ituloy ang kasal"
He idly drummed his fingers on tha table as he looked at her, ni hindi nito pinansin ang kape na nai-serve na ng waiter "are you really willing to beg?"
"Gusto mo bang lumuhod ako sa iyo?" Gagawin niya ang lahat para lang huwag nitong pakasalan si Alex
Itinaas nito ang isang kamay "you don't have to, hindi bagay sa iyo it will ruin your image, may haughty princess at wala akong balak pagbigyan ka,"
"Rod, please!"mariin niyang pakiusap,"in love pa rin si ate Alex sa boyfriend niya,alam ko, hindi siya tututol sakaling magpakasal sa iyo.but she will always love Lucas kahit ilang taon na siyang patay"
"Kung pag bibigyan man kita, saan ka hahanap ng ipambabayad sa utang ninyo?, Aminado mismo ang Uncle Max mo na hindi niya kayang magbayad, Due to economic crisis, his new business isn't doing well,"
"Magtratrabaho ako, a friend told me about a job opeaning for afghanistan."
Umangat ang gilid ng labi nito. As if he found his self amused "Afghanistan?"
"A non-goverment organization would like to send a group who will help train afghan women for their livelihood" may background siya doon bilang anak ng isang dating pulitiko, isama pa ang kursong tinapos niya at diploma course sa social work, at tiniyak ng kaibigan niya na malaki ang sweldo, "in a few months, unti-unti ka na naming mababayaran,"
"What if your plan fails?"
"Marami pa akong tarabahong puweding pasuka i am willing to work, and i will pay our debts even if i have to marry an oil sheik."
"Why marry an oil sheik when you can marry me"
"Because an oil sheik won't marry me for his political ambition"
"And beacuse i have a political wil, that make me so detestable"
"Look, sa loob ng ilang taon malinis ang record ng pamilya ko pagdating sa pulitika, kahit ang mismong kalaban namin, walang maibatong putik sa amin, and i won't allow someone like you to taint our name"
"At ano sa palagay mo ang gagawin ko sa gobyerno?" I am not corrupt. Hundi ko kailangan ng pera, with my business kaya kong kumita."
"Huwangong sabihing gusto mong maglingkod sa bayan kaya mo gustong pumasok sa pulitika," sarkastiko niyang sabi, malayo sa itsura nito,
"Kasama na iyon sa gusto kong mangyari, but also want the power"
"Why?"tanong niya nang makita ang apoy sa mga mata nito
"Hindi ako papayag na tawaging mahina, and i also want to defend those who need me, that may sound fake but, that is what i really wan't"
She wanted to ask him a lot of questions. Hindi niya maintindihan ngunit nakita niya ang vulnerability sa mga mata nito. As if he experienced a lot of pain before, may nanakit ba dito dati? She refrained for voicing out the question baka isipin nito na lumalambot ang kalooan niya dito.
"You don't have to marry an oil sheik, i will marry you cousin,"
"She's still in love with her ex-boyfriend"giit niya
"So?"
"You don't mind?"
His expression remained cold and businesslike "i won't stop her from loving her ex-boyfriend, she will be my wife in name only, wala na sa hurisdiksiyon ko kung anuman ang nararamdaman niya,"
"She doesn't love you,"
"She doesn't have to love me, all she has to do is marry me i will protect her and she will be well provided. Mananatili sa inyo ang lahat ng kayamanan ng pamilya ninyo at wala akong hihinging kapalit sa kanya, just her good reputation, your family's political credentials and her fidelity,"
Natigagal siya " you are worse than i expected" talagang wala itong pakialam sa pakakasalan nito kundi ang political background na maa-acquire sa pamilya niya. "Are you sure you are a human? May puso ka ba?"
"I'm sorry, imee, but i don't have time for you barbs" he impatiently looked at his watch "we can continue our discussion some other time, i have a meting at twelve how about we discuss it tonight during dinner?"
Naningkit ang mata niya "i am starting to hate you more. Rodrigo Duterte"
"Why don't you just welcome me to the family?"
"No, way opportunistic bastard!" Aniya at ihinagis ang bayad sa inorder niya kanina sa mesa ayaw niyang magkaroon na naman ng utang na isasampal nito sa mukha niya,mukhang wala na siyang magagawa he was really determined to marry her cousin
