Ever After Contract

Chapter 6

Magdadalawang linggo na mula ng nag meet sina Carlos at Cornelia sa office ni Atty. Robles at sa susunod na araw ay nag set uli ang abogado ng meeting para sa pag finalize ng desisyon ng dalawa.

Si Cornelia, kinunsulta ang kabarkada niyang lawyer at nakapanglulumo na wala itong nakitang gusot sa kasunduan ng mga lolo nila.

Hinintay rin niya ang tawag o message man lang ni Carlos pero to no avail hindi man lang ito nagparamdam.

Nang gabing iyon, she is working on something in her computer when she decided to snoop on him online.

Typing his name sa search bar, inuna niyang I check yung facebook profile nito, naka private. Tsk tsk tsk... pero in fairness ha, yung profile pic pang magazine spread at syempre may kasamang sports car. Ano bang meron sa lalakeng ito at ang kanyang sports car?

Hmmm... Instagram, wala... At wala rin sa iba pang social media platforms... Elusive ha.

Pero, wait, may article. Young Perfume Magnate.

Wow! Its from their mother magazine in NYC and written by her former boss-mentor who is now New York –based... Coincidence.

Graduated from an Ivy League School and started to join their family company as an intern. Personal life, he is quite a bachelor, always either pursuing or pursued... Tumaas ang kilay ni Cornelia at nag focus ang kanyang paningin sa picture nito sa article. Talaga ha?!...

Bakit walang mention of a girlfriend or partner? Hmmm... malalaman rin natin. Mabuti pa ang mokong may social life, syempre... Eligible and rich, what do you expect? Unlike me. Napaka-boring talaga ng life ko. Matutulog na nga ako. Sabi sabi naman ni Cornelia sa kanyang sarili.

And then suddenly when she was already pulling up her covers tumunog ang message notification ng kanyang phone.

Can you meet me now? We have to talk.

Unregistered number at hindi man lang nagpakilala. Eh siyempre, sino pa ba ito? 9PM na ha.

Gud eve. May I know who's ds?

At nag ring na yung phone niya.

"Hello?"

"It's Carlos. Can you meet me at the city center. We have to discuss things. I know its a bit late but..."

"Okay, I'll go. Just text me where. I'll meet you there."

" Sige, see you."

At binaba na nito ang call.

Teka, bihis muna ako. Ano ba, ah ah, wala yata akong maisusuot. Ano ba naman to, mungkahi niya sa sarili... kung hindi pantrabaho, pansimba naman yung outfit niya, tapos pambahay na.

Yan, yan yung napapala mo kapag wala kang social life. Wala ka ring outfit. Pero teka, bakit ba siya naba-bother eh mag-uusap lang naman sila ni Carlos. At hindi rin naman ito date kaya di naman dapat mag effort.

Hmp, eto na nga lang. At hinila niya yung sleeveless na romper  niya in paisley print of grey and pink. Almost manang look again kasi on the knee yung cut ng loose shorts nito . Eh wala rin naman siyang kasuotan na hindi dull. Susuotan na rin sana niya nang bolero pair ito pero she stopped herself at baka masobrahan na yung pagka manang niya.

Papalabas na siya nang nadaanan niya sa sala ang kanyang papa na may tinitingnan sa tablet nito.

"Pa, I have to go out muna." Paalam niya. "Something important came up with work." Kanyang pagsisinungaling. Parang nahihiya siyang sabihin yung totoo na makikipagkita siya kay Carlos.

"Oh anak, late na ah. Mag-ingat ka ha."

Mabuti na lang at sanay ang papa niya sa mga unholy hours na lakad niya minsan para sa trabaho niya kaya no further questions asked.

Almost fifteen minutes drive at nasa city center na siya ng Catalina. Tamang tama rin at nag message si Carlos kung saan siya nito aantayin so she drove that way then.

"Hi!"

Carlos looked up from his phone and stopped the game that he was playing. Muntik na niyang hindi na recognize si Cornelia. She looked young again and now, pretty. Her slender form was emphasized sa suot nitong dress and he was surprised to find out how her skin is almost ivory pale and translucent. Muntik na niyang mabitawan ang phone niya in his surprise.

But before he can make a fool of himself, tumayo muna si Carlos at hinila niya yung chair on the other side para paupuin si Cornelia. "Please sit down."

Nasorpresa rin si Cornelia sa gentleman's treatment sa kanya ni Carlos at medyo na conscious siya kanina nung tinititigan siya nito. Siguro, talagang she look like a frumpy chic. Di siguro sanay ito sa mga katulad niyang plain and unfashionable.

"Let's order first, before we talk." Sabi ni Carlos. "What would you like?"

" Just a macchiato."

At sinenyasan nito ang waiter upang umorder. Pagkatapos nitong maibigay yung order nila, he turned his full attention sa kay Cornelia. Looking directly in her eyes.

"You know as well how hard this thing that we're in, right?" panimula nito. " And I would do anything also just to get out of it. Honestly, I am not ready to be married. I don't even want to be in a serious relationship or any commitment for that matter." Prangka nitong sinabi.

" I understand that." Sabi ni Cornelia at gusto niyang dagdagan nang... Sobra, alam ko kayang you are still enjoying being pursued or pursuing.

"I have consulted this matter with a very competent lawyer and it is really disheartening to know that we are tied to this agreement. It means that we have to go through with the marriage as stated kung ayaw nating mawala ang ating respective properties. However, mabuti na lang at naisipan naman nilang bigyan tayo ng isang leeway that if in a year's time the marriage won't work out we can then part ways with both of our properties intact in our hands."

Tumigil si Carlos ng saglit ng dumating yung waiter with their orders. Di naman sinasadyang nahulog ni Cornelia ang coffee stirrer at sabay pa nilang inabot ni Carlos ito.

Cornelia's hair brushed on his cheek and her scent which smells inviting and expensive lingered in the air. Naunang nakuha ni Cornelia yung stirrer kaya yung kamay ni Carlos ay ang kanyang kamay naman ang nahawakan.

Sabay silang bumalik sa pagkaupo pero hawak pa rin ni Carlos yung kamay niya.

"Your stirrer." Idiniin ni Carlos ang stirrer sa kamay niya at parang may naramdaman siyang kuryente nang pisilin nito ang gitna ng palad niya before he let go of her hand. All along those moment hindi siya bumitaw sa kanyang eye contact with Cornelia who at the same time ay parang na hypnotize naman sa mga titig sa kanya ni Carlos.

What's happening? Sabi ni Cornelia sa kanyang sarili. Why am I feeling this way?

Hindi rin naman indifferent si Carlos sa nangyayari sa kanilang dalawa. Simula nang dumating si Cornelia kanina. A certain kind of interest suddenly awaken within him. The kind that he usually gets when he is attracted to a girl. Di niya alam kung matutuwa or maiinis sa sarili given their situation.

"Ahhmm.. Actually kumonsulta rin ako sa lawyer." Sabi ni Cornelia , breaking the ice. "And you are right na nakatali yung buhay natin sa merger for the meantime. If we think about it, a year can pass by quickly. And if we are going to be mature about it, maybe we can go through with the marriage but we have to be clear as to our arrangement in the duration of one year."

"I agree," sabi ni Carlos. " Yun din actually ang purpose ko why I want this discussion. I want us to agree and be clear with an arrangement that would suit both of us para walang sisihan at misunderstanding. And para na rin we can come up with our final decision when we meet with Atty. Robles. So, these are my proposals on our year together..."