The next morning, I woke up with a headache. Hindi dahil sa late night painting session, kundi sa thoughts about Ethan Rivera. Contract marriage? Really? Hindi ko alam kung dapat ba akong matakot, ma-excite, o magalit.
Sophie, as usual, was cheerful. "Laraaa! Ready ka na ba for your big day?" she teased while sipping her coffee.
"Big day?" tanong ko, half-annoyed.
"Yes! Diba, may meeting ka with that CEO yesterday? Mukhang serious siya sa proposal niya eh."
I rolled my eyes. "Sophie, hindi ko siya kilala. And besides, it's just a contract… it's not real love. I can't… I won't—"
"Lara, sige na. But let's be honest. Hindi mo ba feel na may something? That spark? The way he looked at you?"
I froze. Okay, I can't deny it. Ethan's eyes were… intense. Para bang nakikita niya lahat ng kahinaan ko kahit hindi ko sinasabi.
When I arrived at Rivera Corp, the lobby was huge, modern, and intimidating. Maraming taong naglalakad na parang lahat may purpose. And then, there he was—Ethan Rivera, standing tall, perfectly tailored suit, face emotionless but eyes… those eyes.
"Ms. Mendoza," he greeted, extending his hand. "Thank you for coming."
"Uh, hi… Mr. Rivera," I stammered, shaking his hand. His grip was firm, confident, yet controlled.
"We can talk in my office," he said, leading me through a hallway filled with awards, photos of the company's milestones, and impressive art pieces. I couldn't help but notice he appreciated art—maybe that's why he approached me.
He gestured for me to sit. "Lara, I know this is sudden, pero I need someone to enter a temporary marriage contract with me. May reasons akong hindi ko pwedeng i-share publicly."
I blinked. "Temporary… marriage? Excuse me, pero parang—parang—"
"Parang what?" he asked, calm pero curious.
"Parang crazy! I mean, I don't even know you, and now you're asking me to… marry you?"
He leaned back, studying me like a chess player. "I understand. And I don't expect trust overnight. But it's only for one year. We will define rules, boundaries, everything. Business-like, nothing more. Or less."
My heart raced. Business-like marriage? I wanted to say no immediately, pero something inside me… curiosity? Fear? excitement? Hindi ko alam.
"What's the catch?" I finally asked, crossing my arms.
"Catch?" He smiled faintly. "The catch is… you might end up falling for me. And I… might fall for you too."
I laughed nervously, hoping he didn't notice my face turning red. "That's… not funny. Seriously."
"Maybe not," he said, eyes locking with mine. "But sometimes, life's weird contracts teach us lessons our hearts never forget."
As I left his office, my mind was spinning. Fake marriage? Ethan Rivera? Falling in love? Parang isang pelikula na hindi ko alam kung gusto kong panoorin… or matakot.
And so, my life began to change, one contract at a time.