If I have Nothing (Absinthe Series 5)

Kabanata 13

Kabanata 13

If I Have Nothing

Hindi ko alam kung magiging masaya ba ako sa magiging desisyon ko. After that chaotic night, I told my parents that I am pushing my marriage to Rhett if it means that Kuya Bo could keep his inheritance. Marami silang naipaliwanag sa akin, including the one Rhett was talking about, na mayroon din akong manang makukuha kapag natuloy ang napagkasunduan.

The Vasilievs are their only trusted friend that's why I was arranged to Rhett because he was their eldest. Walang tutol doon sina Tita Aleah at Tito Vladd dahil ganoon din naman ang nangyari sa kanila but still, they ended up loving each other.

Pero hindi naman palaging ganoon ang mangyayari. Hindi ko kayang mahalin si Rhett lalo pa't nakaukit na sa akin na hinding-hindi kami magiging pwede. He hates my existence, I hate him for being unfair to me. Hindi na magbabago iyon.

But now, the thought of me marrying him, I couldn't even make out the image. Isang araw na magkasama kami ay hindi na nga namin makayanan ang isa't isa paano pa kaya ang iilang taon?

I can't imagine being stuck in such arrangement.

"When you reached the age of eighteen, at exactly your birthday, you'll be wedded to Atticus Rhett Vasiliev as what the agreement says. Boaz will immediately get the company under his name, and that thirty percent of the shares will be given to you." The family's lawyer stared at me as he put down the piece of paper on top of the coffee table.

"You know what the consequences are, Miss Costello?" he asked thoroughly. Dahan-dahan akong tumango.

"You'll be tied to someone you do not love. You're seventeen, do you know what you're doing?" he asked me again.

"I do. I owe them everything that's why I am doing this, to pay back."

"You're sacrificing your freedom to love?" sinipat niya akong mabuti.

Tumango ako. "Love coming from them is enough for me to live."

Bumuntong-hininga ito at agad na ibinigay sa akin ang papel. I skimmed through the paper until I saw my name. I got his pen and signed the paper. Parang isang pagmamarka iyon sa aking isip habang tinititigan ko ang aking pirma sa papel na iyon.

"There is no annulment or divorce on this one. You can't get away from it. That's the condition Ansela made for this agreement aside from the arrange marriage," aniya nang ibalik ko sa kaniya ang papel.

I know. That's why I know that I am already at my defeat. Hindi pa man ako nakikilala ni Lola Ansela, malaki na ang galit niya sa estrangherong sasampid sa kanilang pamilya. She didn't want the riches of the family to be tainted.

When the lawyer shook hands with me, the door of my father's office opened. Pareho kaming napalingon doon.

Bumungad sa amin si Daddy at Grandpa. The latter smiled at me when I stood up from my seat. Ang abogado ay inililigpit na ang mga gamit.

"Mr. Costello," the lawyer greeted and shook hands with my grandfather. Nasa tabi lamang aki at nanunuod. "The contract has been signed by Miss Costello."

Tumingin sa akin si Grandpa. Tumango naman ako bago nag-iwas ng tingin.

"Syden, there's no turning back." aniya sa akin. I nodded with conviction.

Everyone has been telling me that there's no turning back in this decision. Alam ko naman iyon. Hindi biro ang pinasok ko pero paninindigan ko iyon para sa pamilya namin.

Oo nga't mahirap magsakripisyo, pero ang makita ang pamilyang tinanggap mo na nahihirapan ay isang masakit na kaganapan para sa akin. I never wanted to bring chaos to their life, at kung ang pagpayag ko lang ang makakaayos noon, gagawin ko.