"Guys, I am off after lunch today, sasamahan ko lang si Nana on an appointment," paalam ni Cornelia sa team niya. "I'll leave it to all of you to wrap up all our shots in the event and let's have a discussion and finalization on everything tomorrow, okay?"
"Yes maaam..." halos sabay sabay na sagot nang kanyang team mates na parang mga estudyante sa classroom. Ito yung way nila nang pag-asar sa kay Cornelia everytime na mag gi-give out ito ng instructions. They always love to made her feel na parang grade school teacher kasi nga they always tell her na parang "manang" siya especially on her ways and fashion sense.
Pinapangaralan nga siya ng mga ito to have a make-over and break free of her usual image since they are working on a lifestyle magazine rin naman and Cornelia being the head of the photography team has the best eye for beauty and art. But until now, unsuccessful pa rin sila on convincing her because she really believes that she is best suited to be plain and simple, wearing the usual slacks and boring blouses at work that are always on the neutral tones. And when isusuot niya na yung glasses niya, she even looks more of a geek na rin.
Siguro, ang the most successful attempt na nagawa nang mga friends niya at work is when they let their resident stylist drag her on a salon and convince her to have her long lush hair colored, tinted and slightly curled at the ends. She got out of the salon na nabawasan nang minus two yung pagka-manang niya.
Today, in her usual get-up of blouse and slacks na beige and brown, she went off to Atty. Robles' office to meet up with her Nana and Papa.
Since yung building that houses the lawyer's office is almost half a kilometer away sa building nila, she opted to drive her car paroon.
Pulling up sa parking, medyo nagmamadali na si Cornelia sa paglabas when she glanced at her watch na almost five minutes late na pala siya for the appointment. Hindi niya kasi inaasahang mata-trapik pa siya due to a minor road accident on her way. After a quick glance at the rear view mirror to check on her look, binuksan niyang bigla yung door niya and of all the unexpected na mangyari, she grazed the end of her car door sa kotseng naka park sa tabi niya.
"Oh my gosh." She said at dali daling isinara na yung pinto niya. She went to touch the mark she made on the other car at napangiwi siya. Then she went in front to check kung siya ba yung nagkamali nang estimate sa pag park on the slot or the other car.
"Oh my gosh!" Halos nanlaki yung mata ni Cornelia when she recognized the car and the undeniable scratch in its bumper. " As in, oh myyy goshhh talaga! Naku naku naku! Ano ba naman yan Cornelia, patay tayo ulit nito when that man finds out what happened naman on his car. Naku, talaga!!!" parang baliw na monologue niya.
"Ano ba naman eto..."
An idea came to her and she got a piece of stick-on paper from her bag and wrote an apology for the second mark sa car and she added to it her contact number. She put on writing na she's willing to pay for the cost to get off the mark on the side of his car.
Pagkatapos, inipit yung note sa wiper nang sasakyan. And then nagmamadali na siyang pumasok nang building.
Getting inside the office of Atty. Robles, she was ushered in by the secretary to the conference room kung saan siya na lang yung hinhintay nang lahat.
Pagpasok niya nang room, biglang tumahimik ang lahat. Tumayo ang Papa niya to pull up a chair for her beside him. She went on their side and upon sitting down, she suddenly went pale nang makaharap niya yung guy who owns the car just across the table. She froze.
"Cornelia... Are you okay?" tanong nang papa niya.
Nakita niyang medyo nanlaki rin yung mata nito in recognition of her pero bigla na lang naging deadma yung expression ng lalake.
"Don't tell me... don't tell me." Sabi niya sa kanyang isipan.
"Okay, since we're complete now, let me start with the details of the agreement and the arrangement that your respective grandfathers made." sabi ni Atty. Robles. "Cornelia, since I know that this is your first meeting with each other, may I introduce you to your soon to be husband, Carlos. Carlos meet Cornelia. And these are Carlos' parents, Miguel and Natalia, your father and mother –in-law to be."
Parang lost si Cornelia sa kung ano yung gagawin niya pero mabuti na lang may natira pa siyang presence of mind to nod to the guy and give out a smile to the parents which was met naman with warmth especially by the mother of Carlos who seems to be excited.
Si Carlos naman, isang matipid na sulyap lang ang binigay sa kanya at binaling agad ang attensyon sa mga kamay nito na nakapatong sa mesa telling her in that language his reluctance and unwillingness on the situation.
Carlos felt a kick on his knees from his father's side and he started to sit straight and turned his attention to what the lawyer is proceeding to talk about.
"So here are the detailed conditions set forth in this contract." Atty. Robles said, "Number one..."
Habang nakikinig si Cornelia, biglang unti-unti nang nag si-sink in sa kanya yung sitwasyon. Today, is not just another ordinary day in her life. This is the day when suddenly things are turning topsy turvy. Nasanay na kasi siya sa routine nang buhay niya na bahay-trabaho na paulit ulit na lang. At sa sobrang absorbed niya rin sa trabaho, nakalimutan na niya yung mga iba pang bagay na dapat ini-enjoy sa ganitong stage ng life niya, like her social life and her love life. If this happens, goodbye lovelife na talaga, she won't have the chance to exercise her free will when it comes to love.
And with this thought, she stole a glance across the table kay Carlos. He is gwapo, okay, she gives him that and he still managed to look dapper despite his somewhat slouching sitting posture. Pero her encounter with him that weekend had already imprinted sa mind niya the hideous side of the guy in front of her.
She's on the act of rolling her eyes sana on those thoughts of him when all of a sudden biglang tumama yung mga mata nila nang umayos si Carlos sa pag-kakaupo nito. Parang nakuryente si Cornelia when his piercing stare connected with her surprised one. Then para siyang nalusaw nang bigla. Looking away, ibinaling niya ang kanyang atensyon sa kay Atty. Robles and on the documents in the folders that his secretary had given to each of them.
Reading along and hearing the lawyer's explanation once again made Cornelia tense all over and dread her predicament. Lalo na nang sabihin ni Atty. na after two weeks from their meeting, they have to be married within a month na and if either party breaches the contract, sa parte nina Cornelia, her Lolo promised the mansion to be turned over to the Mirandas and if its Carlos who will back off, he will lose his legacy which is their perfumery to Cornelia. Pero the worst part is, if both of them were found to be unwilling, the mansion and the company will be awarded to Carlos second cousin, Raphael.
Unbelievably absurd! Ito yung nasa isipan ni Carlos habang nakikinig sa mga sinasabi ng abogado. He then glanced at Cornelia, nakakunot ang noo nito habang nagbabasa ng mga dokumento. She doesn't look like a girl anymore. Akala niya talaga nung weekend teenager pa lang yung driver ng nakabangga niyang kotse. On her work clothes now she looks serious and mature for her age, para siyang nerd na office clerk.
There should be a way out of this. He still believes na malulusutan niya ito. So he give his concentration sa pagbasa ng fine print ng merger while trying to find loopholes on it. He is already planning to consult another lawyer after this meeting para matulungan siyang mapawalang bisa ang kontratang ito. This is just so unfair. Paano naisipan at nagawa ng mga lolo nila ito hindi niya lubos maisip.
"So if you have questions, you can reserve it on our next meeting na lang so that you can really absorb all of this and on that meeting also I am going to need both of your final decision by signing a Contract which is now between the two of you."
"You mean to say Atty., we get to decide for ourselves pa rin despite all of this provisions?"
"Yes, you get to decide, you get to choose which consequence you find you are most agreeable with. Marriage or losing your properties to each other."
BINABASA MO ANG
Ever After Contract
RomansaA merger between two families. Unknown to them, Carlos and Cornelia are the subject of an agreement made by their grandfathers a long time ago when they were still babies. The agreement includes a merger clause which requires them to get ma...
