The Astorias were known to be the factory of wives in the alta sociedad. Men who want to succeed should marry an Astoria.
Kung sa ibang kultura ay malaki ang pagpapahalaga sa anak na lalaki, sa mga Astoria mas importante ang babae. The matriarch, Helen Astoria, was often likened to Queen Victoria of England. Wala ng tatalo pa sa galing nitong mag-matchmake. Ang biro pa nga ng iba, gaya ni Queen Victoria na hawak ang buong Europa, magiging reyna rin ng lalawigan si Helen Astoria. The old woman married off her children and grandchildren to wealthy families in different parts of the region. Itinanim nito sa mga anak at mga apo na ang pagpapakasal ay isang alyansa. Love has little to do with marriage.
For the Astorias, marriage was the basis of one's success. They were born and bred to be the perfect wives. Sometimes, as early as the age of ten, one's husband was already determined. So that by age twenty, one was usually married. Sa mga Astoria, may dalawang batas lang naman silang sinusunod sa pagpapakasal: marry on time and marry well.
Pero binali iyon ng mga kapatid ni Cheska. May isa siyang kapatid na nagmadre at may isa siyang kapatid na lampas trienta na ay hindi pa rin nakakapag-asawa. Ang sinundan naman niyang kapatid ay nagpakasal sa isang abogado. While her sister's husband came from a decent, well-to-do family, neither were they as rich as the Astorias nor did they have an important last name. Her sisters were treated as pariahs in their clan.
Ngayon, nakasalalay sa kanya na maibalik ang dating tiwala at respeto ng angkan nila sa kanila. She saw how her sisters' choices hurt their parents, and though she is the youngest, she felt an overwhelming sense of responsibility to save her family from disgrace.
Siguro ay totoo ngang may Diyos at nakita Nito ang mabuting hangarin niya kung kaya't pinadali nito ang sitwasyon niya. It turns out she was going to be married to Baptiste Nable Jose, the love of her life.
Papunta siya sa opisina nito ngayon, upang makapag-usap sila bago ang napipintong announcement ng engagement nila sa Sabado.
Baptiste has had her heart for more than a decade. Nakilala niya ito noong katorse anyos pa lamang siya. He came to their house during one of her sister's birthday.
Mula noon, nagkagusto na siya rito. At sa paglipas ng panahon, ang simpleng atraksiyon na iyon ay naging pag-ibig.
Noon lang niya nalaman na puwede pala iyon, na mahulog ang loob mo sa isang taong hindi mo pa nakakausap, na hanggang sa malayo mo lang matatanaw.
She knew that marriages for families like the Astorias and the Nable Joses are merely business mergers. Malamang na walang nararamdaman si Baptiste para sa kanya. But she loves him and she is going to marry him. She's hoping that through time, he could learn to love her too.
Pinaalam muna ng sekretarya ang pagdating niya kay Baptiste. Wala pang isang minuto ay bumalik na ang babae at pinapasok siya sa opisina kung nasaan ang lalaki.
He was sitting behind a desk that looked as imposing as him. He had hair as dark as night, slicked back into a perfect clean cut. Wala ni isang hibla ang wala sa lugar. He was in his immaculate white, long sleeved polo, the two top buttons undone. His glasses settled on the bridge of his nose, and she couldn't help but find him cute, which was weird because "cute" is not a word usually used to describe the Nable Joses. They were more like fierce warriors, without a soft bone in their bodies.
Itinaas nito ang tingin ng marinig na may pumasok sa opisina nito. Isinara ng sekretarya ang pinto sa likuran niya. Sila na lang ni Baptiste ang nasa loob.
The aristocratic features of his face fell into a frown when he saw her.
"Hi." She sounded breathless."Nasabi ni Tita Gertrude sa'yo na pupunta ako rito." Tukoy niya sa ina nito. His mother and her grandmother wanted them to meet ahead of time to get to know each other, so they won't be awkward during the engagement party.
"I'm Francheska---"
"Astoria. I know." His tone was clipped. Pinasadahan siya nito ng tingin mula ulo hanggang paa. "You Astorias all look the same. Pretty, expensive cunts."
Pakiramdam niya ay sinampal siya nito. Ngumiti ito ng nakakaloko.
"I'm busy. Kaya hindi na ako magpapaligoy-ligoy pa." patuloy nito. "As my future wife, you only have to do one thing: to take care of me in and out of bed. Everything else outside of that, you should leave alone."
Tinitigan niya ito. Bakit ganito ang pakikitungo ni Baptiste sa kanya? He was so cold.
"A wife is more than that. Kung 'yun lang ang hinahanap mo, hindi mo kailangan ng asawa. Girlfriend o bayarang babae ang kailangan mo."
He smirked.
"You are a whore. The only thing that separates you from other whores is that you have an education and a name. Hindi ba't parang puta ka rin? Your grandmother is making a business out of all of you. She's just pimping you all out to a higher, more exclusive clientele."
Para siyang paulit-ulit na sinasaksak nito.
"Kung gano'n ang tingin mo sa 'kin, ba't ka pumayag sa kasunduan na ipakasal tayo?"
"It wasn't my idea. But I have my own reasons for going through with it, just as you have your own reasons for accepting it. Gusto ko lang na maging malinaw sa'yo ang papel mo sa buhay ko. I want you to know what you should expect. This marriage would be far from a fairy tale."
Inaasahan ba nito na magba-back out s'ya? Tinatakot ba s'ya nito para umatras s'ya?
Itinuwid niya ang likod at tiningnan ito ng diretso sa mata.
"I'm not expecting a love story picked right out of a romance novel. Accept it. I'm going to be your wife."
Mukhang hindi nito inasahan ang sagot niya. He was caught off-guard for a moment, then the devilish look on his eyes crept back.
"Very well then. Pero bago muna ang lahat, gusto kong makasigurado na magiging compatible tayo sa kama. Truthfully, it's the only thing I care about."
Nanigas siya sa sinabi nito.
"I want you to prove to me that you can satisfy me in bed."
Matagal bago siya nakasagot. Hindi niya mapaniwalaan na umabot sa ganoon ang usapan nila.
Wala naman siyang issue na magkaroon sila ng physical relationship, dahil kapag naging mag-asawa na sila ay parte iyon ng pagsasama nila. She was just hoping that she would give herself to him after they were married.
Plus, if he made a decision based on her performance in bed, it would not be good for her. Wala naman siyang karanasan sa bagay na iyon.
"What? Hindi mo kaya?" tanong nito nang hindi siya makaimik.
Napalunok siya at humugot ng malalim na hininga.
"W-When?" Oh my god, I'm really doing this. "Kailan n-natin gagawin?"
She could almost see him sitting at the throne of hell with his cruel smile.
"Now."
Nanlaki ang mga mata niya. Bigla siyang nag-panic. Tumayo ito mula sa pagkakaupo at tila lumiit bigla ang silid.
"Let's see how well you can suck my cock."
