Never in Kelsey Alena Sanchez's dream did she ever imagine herself being forced into an arranged marriage. Who would've thought that Benjamin Antonio Donovan―a man she has a cat and dog relationship with―will now be her soon-to-be husband?
And beca...
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Song: Someday- Nina
Honest
"We want you to marry each other for business. Arranged marriage, Benjamin, to be exact."
My mouth parted with what Tita Barbara just said. They want us to what? Marry each other? Nababaliw na ba sila? Why would they force us to do such thing? At bakit pumayag sila Mommy at Daddy sa ganitong plano? I don't understand.
Benjamin laughed because he thinks Tita Barbara is joking. But based on her facial expression, I know that she's dead serious. There's no humor on her face and neither my parents and Tito Francisco.
"You can't let us do that," aniya nang medyo natatawa-tawa pa. Sinulyapan niya ako ng saglit bago ipinagpatuloy ang sinasabi. "I will never do that." He said emphasizing the 'I'.
My jaw clenched. Hindi na naman niya kailangan pang ipamukha sa akin na ayaw niya nito. Kahit ako rin naman. Sino ba ang gugustohin ang ganitong arrangement? Why do they think that this needs to be done in order for them to merge our companies? I mean, pupwede namang mag-merge ng walang ganito hindi ba?
"The decision is final, Benj. You can't do anything about it." Ani Tito Francisco.
Benjamin shakes his head. Minsan idinadaan nalang niya sa tawa ang inis pero ramdam ko na ayaw niya talaga nito. I wanted to say something pero parang naputulan ata ako ng dila kaya hindi ko magawang mag-salita.
"Oh, come on... is that why you forced me to come here? To talk about this shit?" ani Benjamin na medyo iritado na ngayon.
"Benjamin!" Tita Barbara warned.
Wala akong magawa kung hindi ang pasadahan ng tingin ang buong hapag. Tito Francisco and Tita Barbara looks really problematic about making Benjamin agree to this. Habang ang mga magulang ko naman ay nanatiling tahimik at pinapakinggan lamang ang pagrereklamo ni Benjamin.
Nang tumama ang tingin ko kay Benjamin ay tsaka siya nag-salita.
"What? Aren't you gonna say something?" his voice sounded so hard that it pained me a little.
So, he's back on being mad at me huh?
Naramdaman ko ang paglingon sa akin ni Mommy. Nanatili lang akong nakatingin kay Benjamin. He's looking at me with so much anger in his eyes. I opened my mouth to say something pero ni-isang salita ay walang lumabas.
Benjamin laughed mockingly. He shakes his head.
"Don't tell me you're going to agree to this?"
Hindi ako nag-salita. I saw that he clenched his jaw. Mariin niya akong tinitigan. Wala akong nagawa kung hindi ang mag-iwas ng tingin.
My Mom held my trembling hands under the table. Gusto kong umiyak dahil hindi ko makayanan ang tingin na ibinibigay sa akin ni Benjamin. He's looking at me like he'll be disgusted at me if I agreed to our parents' plan. Na para bang hindi niya ako mapapatawad kung sakaling papayag ako.
