Tying The Severed Strings

3

"How could you?! Do you know that this land is the only memento of my parents to me?!" I already shouted due to frustration. He's really getting into my nerves now!  Ito na nga lang ang naiwan ng mga parents ko sa akin tas ano?! Kukunin niya pa?! 

"I know. I know for a fact that this place is special and memorable to you." He said. I saw him smirked after his statement. His smirk really irks the hell out of me. 

"You know yet you're going to forcefully take it from me?!" Asik kong muli sa kaniya. 

"So that you'll surrender yourself to me and you'll do as I say." Turan nito sa akin. Fuck it. Nakakasuka talaga ang ugali niya. Hindi pa rin talaga siya nagbabago. 

"Hindi ka pa rin talaga nagbabago, ano? You still like manipulating others to make them obey you. You're still the Nathan I know. The hell-ish person I once left behind." Mapanghusgang turan ko. I am not really like this. Kahit kailan hindi ko ginustong manghusga ng iba pero natuto ako dahil sa kaniya. He's the one pushing me to be like this, fuck him!

"I don't care about others. I just need to get what I want, that's all that matters." Turan niya na para bang wala lang sa kaniya lahat ng sinabi ko. I thought that when he suggested that damn annulment and blurted out the fact that he fell out of love from me was one of the worst things he could do but nothing more than that, but this? Grabe. Just how heartless can he be?

"Tingin mo ba lahat susunod sayo? Na lahat mama-manipula mo? Ganon ba 'yon, Nathan?" I asked in disbelief. If he thinks that he can manipulate others then I beg to disagree to the idea that he'll be able to do the same thing to me. Hindi niya ako laruan. Hindi na. 

"For the record, Talia, I never manipulated someone. I never used someone without their approval. Do you think it's just me who gains something from everything that I do? I get what I want but they also make sure to get what they want from me too, Talia. Wag mong ipamukha sakin na parang sobrang sama kong tao." Mapait na sabi niya. He looked so hurt, he sound so hurt. But as if may pake ako? Mukha bang meron?

"Then, what about me? You're forcefully getting your hands on my property to make me obey you? Just to what extent can you sell your soul just to make things go in your way? Tell me. Hindi ba mina-manipula mo na rin ako sa lagay na 'yan?" Akusa ko sa kaniya.

"You're an exemption from them, Talia. You're different." He said. Different, huh. Just how different is that from everyone when he still wants to manipulate me?

"Oh, come on, Nathan. Anong iba doon? You're still going to manipulate me para masunod ang gusto mo." Mapang-akusang sabi ko. He heaved a very deep sigh.

"Can't you just do it, Talia? For our past's sake, just help me get rid of those issues sprouting around me." He said, forswearing the idea of threatening me, I think. 

"And what if I don't?" Masungit na hamon ko sa kaniya. "Are you really that heartless?" Tanong niya pabalik. What the fuck? Ako pa daw ang heartless? Gago ba siya?

Masamang tingin ang ipinukol ko sa kaniya. How dare him say na wala akong puso?! "Just think of it as a payment in return, Talia. I'll do whatever it takes for our annulment to be pushed through and to be legalized, so just do this for me. I really need someone to pretend as my wife. Malambot ang puso mo para sa mga taong nangangailangan diba?" He said while pouting and making puppy eyes. Tangina, kadiri. Wtf.

"Bakit ba kasi ako pa?! Tingin mo talaga gusto ko pang mapalapit sayo? Tingin mo gugustuhin kong magpanggap bilang asawa mo? Do you really think I would want to be seen with you? Makita ka nga, pinandidirihan ko na eh!" Singhal ko sa kaniya.

"Kaya nga diba." Maikling sagot niya. What? Anong "Kaya nga diba"? Ginagago niya ba ako?

"Ginagago mo ba ako, Nathan? Anong "kaya nga diba"? Anong pinagsasasabi mo d'yan?" Iritable kong turan.

"With all the things you've said earlier, I think you're suited for the role I'm offering you. I am afraid to hire someone that will pretend as my wife then it'll turn out that that girl secretly has feelings for me. That'll be like adding more fuel to the fire and I don't want that to happen. I'm not that of a d*ckhead to even add more malicious issues around me. But if it's you, I'm sure we'll be just fine with pretending since you hate me this much, right?" He said in a very vexing tone. Inismiran ko lamang siya.

"Don't worry. If you think that it'll be a little unfair na legalization lang ng annulment ang makukuha mo in return for what you'll be doing, as my pretend wife, then tell me whatever you want. I'll give it to you. Everything that you would want." Mayabang na sabi niya. Everything, my ass.

"Grabe. Ang humble mo naman no?" I purposely threw those words at him in a very sarcastic way. "Thank you." He sarcastically replied. I just raised a brow. Ibang klase. All I can do is to just shook my head with all this kahanginan na meron siya.

"So, do you agree now? You'll be willing to pretend as my wife?" He asked na parang batang napapayag ang magulang niyang bilhan siya ng laruan na gusto niya. And that feels so cringe-y. 

I sighed in defeat. "Deal. Just make sure to notarize all the things I'll get after doing this. Hindi ako papayag na walang kapalit ang gagawin ko na 'to. Mahirap para sa akin na sikmurain ang pagiging pretend wife mo. Nakakadiri." Mataray na turan ko.

He smirked. "Why do you make it sound like I'm someone with a contagious disease? Just to remind you, Talia, you used to hug me like crazy, kis---" Tinakpan ko kaagad ang bibig niya bago niya pa masabi ang susunod niyang sasabihin. Tinignan ko siya ng masama. 

"Stop. I don't want to hear that anymore." I said after I released him.

He just laughed at me. Bwisit.