Celestine And Helios | A Novelette By Arki Aaron

Chapter 5

And that's what happened. Ayan ang nangyari bago ko napagtanto na ang dapat na magkokolehiyo na si Celestine Fernandez ay ikakasal na sa isang mayamang binata. Naging maayos naman ang pakikitungo sa akin ni Helios matapos ang araw na iyon, pero hindi na gaya ng dati. I feel like there is a wall that he built between us.

Gayunpaman, malaki ang pasasalamat ko kay Helios. Dahil sa kaniya ay napagamot ko si mama, nabayaran na rin ang utang ni papa, at higit sa lahat ay maayos na ang buhay namin.

Napahinto ang mga nag-aayos sa akin nang biglang bumukas ang pinto ng kwarto. As Helios entered the room where I was being prepared for our wedding, the atmosphere seemed to shift, the very air charged with a sense of reverence and anticipation. My heart fluttered at the sight of him, resplendent in a pure black suit that hugged his well-built frame with an air of effortless sophistication.

His pale white skin seemed to glow in the soft light of the room, contrasting starkly against the darkness of his attire. It was as if he were carved from marble, his flawless complexion a testament to his otherworldly beauty.

But it wasn't just his appearance that caught my attention-it was the way he carried himself. With every step, he shown a noble-like grace, his posture tall and commanding. His blue eyes, like pools of shimmering sapphire, held a depth of emotion that seemed to reach into the very depths of my soul. Para siyang isang malalim na karagatabn, napakagandang pagmasdan pero malalim, puno ng hiwaga, at misteryoso.

As he approached me, his presence seemed to fill the room, his gaze steady and unwavering. There was a certain intensity in his eyes, a depth of emotion that both captivated and unnerved me. In that moment, he was more than just a man in a suit-he was a man of power. Kahit nakatayo lang siya hindi kalayuan sa akin ay nag-uumapaw pa rin ang aura niya.
I found myself unable to look away as he drew nearer, his aura enveloping me in a sense of awe and wonder. Despite the questions that lingered in the back of my mind, doubts about the secrets he harbored and the mysteries yet to be revealed, I couldn't deny the pull he exerted over me.

"Kindly leave us alone," he ordered, then everyone went out except for the two of us. Isang salita niya lang ay napakilos niya ang lahat, he is indeed an influential man.

"You look beautiful," he commended as his ocean blue eyes stares at me.

"Thank you," I replied then looked at the mirror in front of me.

"I know you don't want to do this Celestine. This marriage is fake and I know that you still want to live your life without being chained to someone." I smiled bitterly after hearing him. What he said was true. This whole thing was just a show, hindi niya sinabi sa akin ang dahilan kung bakit kailangan niya magpakasal, but judging from his current status, it seems like he just needed to be married for his company. It doesn't matter who, as long as he gets married he will inherit the company.

But... I love Helios. I love him for saving me and my mom from the depths of misfortune. I liked being with Helios. His blue eyes and gentle touch made me feel warm and happy. But thinking about getting married so young made me nervous. I still had so much I wanted to do and see. Was I really ready to be tied down to someone else for the rest of my life?

I wasn't sure. Part of me wanted the security that Helios offered, but another part felt trapped by the idea of being married so soon.

"I haven't told you why I want to get married right away, didn't I?" Napalingon naman ako sa kaniya nang marinig ang mga katagang sinabi niya.

He's right, he haven't told me about that. Hindi kaya bading siya?

"I'm not gay, Celestine," he chuckled. Isa pa ito sa mga ipinagtatakha ko, para bang nababasa niya ang mga tumatakbo sa isip ko.

"You're right, I can read your mind." I gasped when he responded to what I thought.

"Marami akong tanong sa isip ko Helios. It is otherwordly to be honest, you may think that I am crazy or what," panimula ko, hinayaan niya lang ako na magsalita at sabihin lahat ng mga bumabagabag sa akin.

"The first time we met, sobrang bilis mong tumakbo, I thought you were an atglete, but the butlers told me that you never trained or joined any sport when you were young. I just ignored me, inisip ko na lang na baka skilled ka lang talaga or sa genes ng pamilya mo." Nakatitig lang sa akin si Helips, taimtim na nakikinig sa mga salitang binibitiwan ko.

"Second, is this thing, lahat ng mga tanong o sinasabi ko sa isip ko, naririnig mo. And you just said that you can read my mind, right?" Helios just nodded in response.

"Next is your wound when we visited my mother. Kitang-kita ko kung paano ka nasugatan. But, that same day, I saw it gone. Wala na ang sugat na napaka-imposibleng mangyari Helios. It makes me think that you are not even a-"

He cut me off with a word that is going on in my mind. "Human? You think that I am not a human, right?"

I nodded in response. "It may sound silly or crazy but yes.Lalo na iyong nakita ko 'yong folder sa kwarto mo. It says that you were born since 1900s, maraming mga birth certificate iyon pero lahat ay nakapangalan sa 'yo." He remained silent as I speak/

"Ayoko magpakasal sa taong may nililihim sa akin, even if it's just for money or contract. I understand that we have our own secrets, but something like this shouldn't be hidden, Helios."

"And that's why I am here, I want you to know the truth before we get married," he said then I frowned. Ano bang sinasabi niya? Truth? About what?

"I'm about to die, Celestine."