Sam's POV
We are now here at the living area. Tapos na akong kumain kaya mag-uusap na kami. I don't know what to say kaya tahimik lang akong naghihintay sa kanya. I'm sitting at a single couch, while he is sitting in a single couch na nasa tapat ko, habang may ginagawa siya sa kanyang laptop.
Kanina ko pa siya tinititigan. I can't stop myself staring at him. Ang gwapo n'ya kasi at tila hinihigop ako ng kanyang mga mata. But I immediately moved my eyes away from him nang isara n'ya ang kanyang laptop.
"I'm Albert Joshua Fralanciana and I'm sorry for what I have done to you. I know that it unacceptable, but I want you to know that I was drugged and I can't control myself." he said in his cold and baritone tone.
"It's not your fault. And don't worry, hindi naman ako maghahabol sa 'yo o pipilitin kang panagutan ang nangyari. We were both adults, we can just say that what we had is a one night stand." sagot ko sa kanya.
"On the contrary, I'm willing to take responsibilty. And if you will agree, we can get married tomorrow."
"What?! Why?! You don't even know me."
"Well, as I said earlier, I was drugged last night and it was my cousin's doing. I know he's planning something, and since his plan last night was unsuccessful I'm sure that he will try to do it again. But if I am already married, he will not do anything stupid anymore."
"Bakit ako?" naguguluhan ko pa ring tanong.
"Because of what happened to us."
"Bakit nga ako? Sigurado naman ako na hindi lang ako ang babaeng naka-one night stand mo. At sa gwapo mong 'yan siguradong maraming babae ang pipila at gugustuhing mapangasawa mo. Ni hindi mo nga ako kilala pero inaalok mo na agad ako ng kasal." mahabang litanya ko sa kanya.
"And why not you? You're beautiful and gorgeous. We don't know each other but we will have plenty of time to get to know each other. And besides I already did a background check on you."
"You did what?"
"I have to make sure that you are not part of my cousin's plan. And to be fair, I have this documents. It is all about me. Or you can ask someone to do a background check on me."
May point siya. Kahit siguro ako malagay sa sitwasyon n'ya, ganoon din gagawin ko.
Sinubukan kong i-absorb lahat ng sinabi niya. At nagpapasalamat ako kasi nanatili rin lang siyang tahimik.
"What do you know about me?" tanong ko sa kanya makalipas ang ilang minuto.
"Your full name, age, address, family, friends, achievements in school, work, businesses, relationships."
Nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa sinabi n'ya. Hindi ako makapaniwalang nalaman niya ang tungkol sa business ko. No one knows about it except my grandfathers. And they make sure na walang makakaalam nito, they did everything para hindi maiugnay sa akin ang mga business na iyon. Because they want to make sure na hindi ako mapapagsamantalahan ng mga nasa paligid ko, to be exact nila Sherwin at Rina.
Wala kasi talaga tiwala sa kanila ang pamilya ko at iba kong kaibigan mula nang makilala ko silang dalawa noong high school ako. Pero hindi ko pinakinggan mga sinasabi nila at sa halip eh pinagtatanggol ko pa sila, na pinagsisisihan ko na ngayon.
"How did you know about my businesses? My grandfathers make sure na hindi malalaman basta-basta na sa akin ang mga iyon."
"I'm Albert Joshua Fralanciana, my name says it all. I can do anything I want to do and I can know everything I want to know, and no one can stop me." sabi niya na nakapagpatahimik sa akin.
"What will I get if I agree to marry you?" tanong ko matapos ang mahabang sandali.
"You will have rights with all my business and properties-"
"Wala akong pakialam sa business at properties mo. I have my own." putol ko sa sinasabi n'ya.
"It is your right as my wife and I will give it to you whether you like it or not. You can still have your freedom after we got married. You're free to do whatever you want to do as long as you will not get yourself hurt. And I promise that I will be faithful to you."
"Paano kung gusto kong ilihim muna ang tungkol sa atin. Papayag ka ba?" naghahamong tanong ko.
"Depends on your reason."
"Hindi ko alam kung paano ko sasabihin sa pamilya ko na nagpakasal ako ng hindi nila alam."
"You don't have to worry about that. I will be the one who will talk to them. And besides, knowing your family, siguradong malalaman din nila ang lahat. Not now, but soon. And I'm sure that you know it too."
"I want revenge. And I can't do that kung malalaman ng lahat na kasal tayo."
"We can make it a secret to others. But our family have to know."
"Sige."
"Do you have any requests, conditions, or rules?" tanong niya na inilingan ko. "Do you agree to marry me tomorrow?"
"Yes."
"We will get married first thing tomorrow morning, is it alright?"
"It's fine."
"Where do you want to stay? Will you move in with me right away or you will still need more time?"
"What?"
"After our marriage we will be husband and wife. As a married couple it is only right for us to stay under one roof. You're not thinking that we will live in seperate house, are you?"
'Tama nga naman. Mag-asawa na kami simula bukas kaya dapat lang na magkasama na kami sa iisang bahay. Medyo nawala ako sa wisyo sa part na 'yon.'
I smiled at him awkwardly.
"May mga kailangan pa kasi akong kuning mga gamit sa aparment ko." he just nod at my statement.
"Can I go back to bed? I feel really tired and my whole body aches."
"Don't worry, next time it will not hurt that much." sabi n'ya na may nakakalokong ngiti na ikinalaki naman ng mga mata ko. "But I promised that next time we will be doing that, I will have your permission."
Tumayo na lang ako at pupunta na sana sa kwarto ng tawagin n'ya ako. I'm not comfortable with our topic anymore.
"Samantha." nilingon ko siya. And I saw him holding a folder. "Files about me."
I get it and went to the bedroom.
Nang makarating ako sa kwarto ay agad kong hinanap ang handbag ko at kinuha ang cellphone ko. Then I called one of my friends, Czarina, the best hacker na nakilala ko. Her family also own a detective agency at siya ang nagma-manage no'n.
"Vruha, napatawag ka?"
"Wala talagang 'hello'? Di ba 'hello' ang unang sinasabi dapat?" natatawa kong tugon.
"Hello, Vruha, napatawag ka? Ano? Okay na ba?"
"Ganyan dapat." natatawa ko pa ring sabi.
"Bakit ka nga napatawag?"
"I want to know everything about Albert Joshua Fralanciana."
Pamilyar sa akin ang pangalan n'ya, but I can't remember where I heard his name.
"Albert Joshua Fralanciana? Are you sure?"
"Yes. Bakit?"
"The Albert Joshua Fralanciana na emperor ng Fralanciana Empire?"
"Maybe?"
Kaya pamilyar yung pangalan n'ya. He is the owner of Fralanciana Empire. I didn't pay much attention to the business world kaya hindi ko agad naalala.
"What about him? Bakit gusto mo alamin lahat tungkol sa kanya?" curious na tanong niya.
"I'll explain to you some other time. Can you do it?"
"I can, but, he is a very private person. Pangalan lang niya ang lumalabas sa news but no one dared to put his photos. Kahit sa internet and social media wala ka rin makikita na picture n'ya. Kaya may makuha man ako pero very limited lang 'yon. Bakit hindi na lang ikaw ang gumawa? For sure mas marami ka pang malalaman kung ikaw ang gagawa."
"Wala ako sa apartment and I don't have my laptop with me. Anything na mahahanap mo will be a great help."
"Okay. I will send it to you later. But I want a detailed story why you're so curious of him kapag nagkita tayo."
"I promise. Bye."
"Bye."
After the call ay umupo na ako sa kama habang nakasandal sa headboard and I started reading the files that he gave me. I learned a lot about him. His name, family, friends, businesses, properties at kung anu-ano pa.
After two hours my cellphone rang. Sinagot ko agad 'yon nang makitang si Czarina ang tumatawag.
"Hel-"
"Vruha, sorry. Talagang konti lang ang nakuha kong details. I tried my best pero wala talaga. I even tried to hack his laptop, company computers, at pati na rin yung sa assistant n'ya pero super lakas ng protection. Hindi kaya ng level ko."
Kung hindi kinaya ni Czarina it only means na hindi basta-basta si Albert. Czarina's knowledge in hacking is superb. She can hacked any computers and know every thing she wants to know. I remember na when we were in college she hacked one of the biggest construction company that time. Madami daw kasi siyang naririnig na reklamo ng empleyado at ilang kliyente. Pakiramdam daw kasi niya eh maraming kalokohang ginagawa ang company na 'yon.
And it turned out na totoo nga hinala niya. The company didn't give the employees enough benefits and the materials they used on their projects were just the standard, and not high quality na tulad nang nakasaad sa mga contract. Nalulusutan lagi ng kumpanya yung mga reklamo sa kanila dahil binabayaran nila ang mga nagrereklamo. But when Czarina make a move, walang nagawa ang kumpanyang iyon kundi magsara. Isa-isa kasing nawala mga kliyente nila. Sinubukan pa nila hanapin kung sino nag-hack ng system nila pero hindi nila nahanap.
Pero ngayon sinasabi niya na hindi niya nagawa. This is the first time na nabigo siya.
"It's okay. Alam ko namang ginawa mo lahat ng makakaya mo."
"I already send it to your email. Basta magkwento ka sakin ha."
"Oo. Thanks."
"Try mo din na ikaw mag-search. Mas magaling hacking skills mo kaysa sa akin eh."
"Hindi na siguro. Okay na yung binigay mo."
"Ikaw bahala. Bye."
"Bye."
Pagkatapos nang tawag ay akin agad tiningnan ang email ko. Agad kong binasa ang galing kay Czarina. At masasabi kong mas marami at mas detailed ang information na binigay ni Albert. Pati kasi address ng kanyang mga properties and his number of shares sa iba't ibang company eh nakalagay din. Even his monthly and annual income ay inilagay niya. Pati nga ang tungkol sa kanyang pamilya ay detalyado din.
~sweetbabyrsmwx~
Thank you sa pagbabasa. Hope you enjoy reading it. Sorry sa mga wrong grammar and spelling. Feel free to criticize, comment and vote... Thanks...