MY CONFIDANT

CHAPTER ONE - HIS FAMILY

CHAPTER ONE

His Family 

August 2, 2009. Sunday. Alexander Blanco's wedding engagement to Judith Diaz was formally announced in the grand ballroom of Perin International Hotel. That same night, their parents announced their wedding date – April 4, 2010. 

Judith Diaz was five years younger than him. She was from a rich and political clan in Perin. She was the only daughter of Governor Juanito and Mrs. Edith Diaz. They were betrothed when they were still young children. Judith finished a bachelor's degree in interior design. She had her own Interior Design Firm based in Vienburg City, Missi. 

Alexander and Judith were both aware of their betrothal. But they were not the typical boyfriend-girlfriend. They just started dating when Judith already finished her degree in Interior Design. He was then travelling back and forth from Perin and Missi. They went out on dates tried to get to know each other in a much deeper aspects. They even tried having sex. But after a year of dating, they both felt that the marriage they had to enter in the future would not be of love. So, they had agreed to enjoy dating others casually before their parents pushed through with the wedding plans. They still attended family gatherings as a betrothed couple but they also had gone out on dates with others without the knowledge of their families. They both agreed on an open relationship while their wedding hadn't been finalized.                  

Alexander and Judith had a serious talk that night at his office after the party. 

Judith confessed to him, "Xander, we cannot get married. I'm in love with somebody else." 

He wasn't surprised with Judith's revelation. They were both aware that they might find the love of their lives at the course of their relationship. He asked her then, "Have you told your parents about this?" 

Judith answered, "Yes, but they still insist that we pushed through with the wedding." 

He tried to be rational about everything. He asked Judith more questions. "Does this man love you as well?" 

Judith answered, "Yes. He is from a rich family in Sorocon. He knew about our open relationship. He is willing to marry me. But I told him it will be difficult to break our engagement." 

He gave her a solution, "You know that I only want the best for you. We both tried to work on our relationship but the most we could be in was a platonic relationship. Your only way out in this relationship is to get pregnant with this man's child, Judith." 

Judith told him then, "My parents had already prohibited me from seeing him. I'll be heavily guarded from now on. I am only allowed to go out on dates with you." 

He assured her, "We'll find a way for you to meet your man. I'll talk to him."

Judith said, "This will be a big scandal for both our families, Xander. Are you sure you want to go on with this plan?" 

He said, "I might not have found the love of my life yet but we both didn't want to enter a loveless marriage. So, we need to do this. We have eight months, Judith. Consult your obstetrician-gynecologist. You need to know of the date to which you can conceive a child. My first meeting with your man would be about the plan. The next meetings would be for you to get pregnant with his child. Give me your man's contact details so I can set a meeting with him." 

Judith gave him the contact details of Patrick Juarez. They also finalized the details of their plan. 

The following day, Alexander contacted Patrick Juarez. Judith's phone calls were being monitored by her parents. She was not also allowed to go back to Missi not unless she was with him on an official function or she was to meet a client. Judith had to run her firm from home.