GEORGE
“Yes, I will hire you as my wife.” Ano raw ang sinabi niya? Wife ba kamo? Hindi makapagbuffer ang utak ko. Napatitig ako sa kanya—naging tuod na naman ako.
“A-Ano?” Ang tangang question lang. Nagloloading pa ang isip ko. Una, distracted ako sa mala-adonis na mukha ni sweetcakes. Pangalawa, wife? Panaginip ba ‘to? Hindi ko kasi alam kung tama na ba ang narinig ko.
“Do you want me to translate that in Tagalog—”
“No! I understand English very well,” mabilis kong sagot sa kanya. “Ang hindi ko lang maintindihan ang inooffer mo sa akin,” dagdag ko. Asawa niya? Wife agad? Hindi man lang kami dadaan sa boyfriend stage o sa ligawan? Walanjo!
“What’s wrong with my offer? I am offering a business proposition. I need a wife for a year and you are a suitable candidate,” tumigil at tinignan niya ako. “You are not committed to anyone, are you?”
Nanliit ang mga mata ko sa kanya. “Wala akong boyfriend—pero hindi yun ang point. Bakit ako pa ang napili mong offeran ng ganyang bagay? Tsa—”
“I chose you because you are available. Besides, we are no strangers. I know you since then. I want to marry someone I know,” sabat niya sa akin.
“But I think I am not your type,” sagot ko sa kanya. Napangisi siya sa akin. Malabong maging type niya ako. Bansot at medyo chubby ako sa taste niya sa girls.
“Oh, it doesn’t matter if I am not attracted to you. We are to be married—in name only. We will have a marriage of convenience.”
P-Pero…parang may mali. “But—”
“Don’t worry, George, I will make sure that you will be properly compensated.” For me it sounded condescending—I don’t know but I felt offended. Tinaasan ko lang siya ng kilay.
“We need to get married, so we could get something what we want. I could get my full control of my company—as stipulated in the will. And you can pay your loan for your house. You have problems with the bank, right? You needed 2.5 million pesos?” Nabigla ako sa sinabi niya. Kanino niya nalaman yun?
“P-paano mo nalaman ang tungkol dun? Sinabi ba sa'yo ni Chantal?” How could she do that!
“There is nothing wrong with that, I believe. It is right, you need the money?”
"Yes—pero bakit ako?”
“Bakit hindi? You already heard my reasons for picking you. By the way, here is our pre-nup. Read it thoroughly, please.”
I raised a brow at him. He is becoming condescending again. Binabasa ko ang nasa agreement. Napangiwi ang mukha ko. “So gusto mo ng ulila? Bakit? And I must only communicate with my family in rare occasions? You changed. You became a control freak!” I hissed.
BINABASA MO ANG
A Wife for a While
Fiction généraleIf you have read The Savage Casanova, you would meet Pavlo Vera-Perez, and this is his side story. Annoyed at his grandmother’s medieval scheme to claim his inheritance, Pavlo Vera Verez—the most sought bachelor needs to find a wife—fast. A perfect...
