Without Doubt

Chapter Three

Nami's POV

This is the day. The wedding day of the man-hater Nami Salcedo. Ang plano namin na sa ibang bansa magpakasal ay hindi na natuliy dahil nga minadali na niya. Psh. I really hate this idea but there's no choice but to do it. If I want our company, then I have to marry. Kung pwede lang na babae ang pakasalan, si Xana na ang aayain ko.

"Hey girl, smile! Ano ba! Araw ng kasal niyo ito tapos hindi ka nakangiti." puna sa akin ni Xana.

"You know the reason." nakasimangot na saad ko. Nagkwentuhan lang kami ng nagkwentuhan. Ay hindi pala, siya lang ang nagkwento dahil nakikinig lang ako. Inaalala ko kung ano ang sasabihin ko mamaya.

Nagsimula na ang kasal kaya mas lalo akong kinabahan. Shit! Ano ba kailangan kong sabihin mamaya? Kailangan ba sweet para kapanipaniwala? Or dapat ba yung scripted? Ugh!

When it's my turn to walk on the aisle, everyone is looking at me. I tried to smile. Paano ba naman kasi may mga nakatutok na camera sa akin. Bukod sa photographer and videographer, ang siraulong Dela Vega pumayag na merong mga media. Syempre madali lang para sa kaniya yon. He is a Dela Vega after all. Pagkalapit ko sa kaniya ay nakita kong nakatulala siya sa akin.

"Hey!" pukaw ko sa atensiyon niya.

"You're beautiful." sabi niya at hinawakan ang kamay ko palapit kay father. Di na ako nagkomento sa sinabi niya dahil nagsimula na sa pagsasalita ang pari. And now for the vows. Since I am not ready for an impromptu vows, I decided to stick with the original vow that I saw last night.

"I, Nami Salcedo, take you, Matheo Dela Vega, to be my lawfully wedded husband - to love and to cherish for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health... Until death do us part. In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen." I recite as I slipped the ring in his fingger.

Akala ko ganun lang din ang sasabihin ni Matheo pero hindi pala. "Nami Salcedo, take this ring as a sign of not my only love but, also, a sign of our friendship, a sign of our partnership, o kahit na ano pang 'ship' yan. Nangangako ako na aalagaan kita hanggang sa araw na itinakda ng Diyos. I will be your crying shoulder when you need me, I will be your shield when you feel that the world is against you, I will be your strength when you feel weak. I will take all your bitterness away and will fill our life with sweetness everyday. I may not be the best man that you could have. But I can be the man that will be by your side when everyone leave you behind." napalunok ako sa sinasabi niya.

Why do I feel that he mean everything that he said. Masyado namang nasobrahan sa pagpapanggap si Matheo.

"Nami, I will turn your loneliness into our happiness. I'll turn the fights into hugs. I'll turn the cries into kisses. I'll turn the hates into love. I will definitely turn your world upside down." dagdag nito. I don't know what to say. Is this part of the act?

I heard the dreamily sighs of the audience as Matheo said those words. It is like he is the dream husband of all women.

"As I slip this ring into your fingger, I will vow to you that I will love you and cherish you, for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health... Until death do us part. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen." he said and he slipped the ring in my fingger. Nagkatitigan pa kami ng ilang segundo at nagsalita na ang pari.

"With the power vested upon me, I know  pronounce you, man and wife." sabi niya at nakarinig kami ng masasayang sigaw. Humarap naman siya kay Matheo at sinabing, "You may now kiss your bride."

Hala! Why did I forgot that you have to kiss your bride after the father pronounce you as a wedded couple?

He slowly lift up the veil covering my face. Unti-unti niyang inilapit ang muka sa akin. Akala ko sa lips niya ako hahalikan but his lips landed on my forehead. The crowd then cheered. I can see his friend grinning from ear to ear and my bestfriend dreamingly looking at us.

Matheo slipped his hand on my waist and pulled me close to him. "You're now Mrs. Matheo Anderson Dela Vega" he wisphered in my ears.

"I know, the father announced it." nakasimangot na saad ko. I really can't imagine my self marrying someone but here I am.

Naglakad kami palapit sa mga kaibigan niya at sa bestfriend ko. They congratulate us at syempre hindi nila pinalagpas ang pangaasar sa kaniya dahil sa vows na sinabi niya kanina.

"Nami," napalingon ako sa nagsalita at nakita ko ang nanay ko na masayang nakatingin sa akin. Nilapitan ko siya at niyakap.

"Mom," bati ko sa kaniya

"I thought I will never see you walking in the aisle marrying someone." she sai while hugging me.

"Mom, kung hindi lang to dahil sa kondisyon na ibinigay mo hindi ko ito gagawin. You know that I hate men." mahinang sabi ko.

"I know anak, I know." sabi naman niya at pinakawalan sa pagkakayakap niya.

"Where is your husband?" she then asked. Itinuro ko naman ang kinalalagyan niya at nakitang naguusap silang magkakaibigan.

"Soon anak you will learn to forgive and forget because that is how life works. Siguro masakit pa para sayo ngayon but time will fly and it will mend your heart." sabi niya at hinila ako palapit kila Matheo.

Napalingon naman sila sa amin ng makalapit kami.

"Matheo, take care of my daughter. She maybe tough outside and have a strong personality but please take care of her. She is like a glass, fragile and vulnerable." sabi ni mommy kay Matheo.

"I will." maikling sagot niya.

Napagpasyahan namin na magtungo na sa reception at doon na ituloy ang kwentuhan. Well sila lang pala.

At the reception, people congratulate us. Some businessman asked us if we will merge our coumpanies. But we refuse to answer. Napagusapan na kasi namin na walang magaganap merging.

"Nami, I hope you'll learn to lessen the hate you feel because of men." sabi ni Xana. Nasa isang lamesa kami. Yung mga Stannum naman ay may kaniya kaniyang pinaguusapan at nasa kabilang table sila.

"I don't think so." sabi ko sa kaniya. "You know men, they are dangerous." dugtong ko at itinuloy ang pagkain. Napabuntong hininga na lang siya sa sinabi ko.

Well I have my own reason why I hate men. For me they are dangerous and marrying is deadly.

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Y e m a b o l 🌻