WEDDING NIGHT. Well, it's not really like that. We haven't had a proper conversation with JL yet and our marriage happened hastily. It was a marriage for convenience which turned out to be a double convenience because he also needed help.
When Tito Alfonso was arrested, I found out from JL that aside from freezing their bank accounts, all of their family's assets were also frozen. The only reason why JL has kept the condo is because it is under his name. Meanwhile, his mother went back to the ancestral house inherited from her parents. When I asked JL who his mother was with, he told me that the two caretakers were there. That's where we're headed right now to drop off Dad.Dad was quiet throughout the journey and lost in deep thought. JL drove us, and we were both in the front. The drive was approximately forty-five minutes south. We were heading to Batangas, and the house was quite far from the city."Gia, can you text Mom and see if there's food in the house. If not, we can just buy," JL said."Okay," I replied to him. I was wondering why he didn't call me 'Hon' anymore, and I didn't speak up. Maybe it was just a one-time thing earlier at the precinct, fueled by adrenaline because his father was about to be released."Use my phone," he told me, handing me his phone from the console.But it was locked, and he told me the password himself."It's one two three four."I frowned at what he said. Who the hell uses one two three four for a password? I wanted to shake my head, but I didn't dare comment. I didn't want to ruin his good mood, and he might tease me.It was easy to find his mother's name since 'Mama' was written on it. A few seconds later after sending a text message, she replied that she had prepared Dad's favorite dish. JL nodded, and I didn't realize that I had fallen asleep during the ride. I woke up to someone kissing my arm."Wake up, we're here," JL said with a smile. He looked tired and ready to sleep. I, on the other hand, just wanted to sleep and skip dinner.I suddenly jerked awake because Tito Alfon— I mean, Dad might see JL kissing my arm. It would be embarrassing."Dad is already inside. He said he can carry you, but you look heavy — ouch!"Damn, he almost called me fat, even though I'm not. He's teasing me already on our first night. I pinched his ear."I'm kidding. You're too sensitive," he said laughing.I glared at him, grabbed my bag, and got out of the car. The ancestral house is an old house with a huge garden. It has two floors and looks well-maintained. I suddenly noticed that JL was standing beside me, holding my hand to lead me inside.His mother welcomed us. She was crying tears of joy and expressing her deep gratitude for bailing out her husband."Gia, I don't know where to start, but I want to thank you so much for helping my Daddy," she said.“It’s not necessary, Ti—""Mama."Right. JL and I are already married. "It's not necessary, Mama. You both have been really good to me since my parents passed away. Anyone would have done the same thing. I owe you an apology for finding out late about what happened. If I had known sooner, I would have done everything in my power to get him out sooner. It's not a place for him, and we're going to get down to the bottom of all this. I'll help clear Dad's name."That's when Dad walked towards me. He looked at me and raised both his arms for a hug. I smiled back and hugged him."I'm glad you're okay. You should have had your lawyers call me, Tito Al—""It's Dad. You're already married to Jose Luis. Anyway, I just wanted to say thank you for bailing me out. As soon as I'm clear, I'll return the money to you."I gently tapped his arm. "It's okay, Dad. It's just money, and we can earn it again. What matters is that you're safe and free now. We can look for a top-notch lawyer to improve our chances in the case and ensure a win."He nodded. "Thank you, but I don't have. . .""It's on me, Dad. Don't worry. If my father was alive, he would have done the same thing. Besides, we are family now.""Thank you. I'll make it up to you." I gave him a faint smile. I also flinched when I felt my husband's hand on my waist. My husband. Such a big word."We can talk more tomorrow. I'm sure everyone is tired. Let's have some dinner so that you and Dad can rest. Gia and I still have to go back to my condo."Condo? What is he talking about? We didn't discuss me staying there. I wanted to correct him, but we were in front of his father, so I'll bring it up later.We ate quietly and briefly discussed our hurried wedding with JL's parents. They wanted to have another wedding once the case is over. They wanted it to be grand, and I could hardly swallow my food. Most women dream of having a grand wedding, but. . . you only do that when you're marrying the love of your life. That wasn't the case for JL and me. It's for convenience on both sides. It's also about the second condition—having a child. That's what I fear the most. What if I don't get pregnant right away. . . does that mean we have to do it again?And another thing, does he really want it? I want to sweat because. . . I want to have a child with him. Then after fulfilling the last condition, we can go our separate ways so that he can return to his old life.***AFTER eating, Dad and I rested early. It has been a rough week for them and at their age, they shouldn't be worrying about these things anymore. The household helpers cleared the table while I headed to the washroom. I was surprised to see my husband there."JL! Jeez! You scared me." I pressed my hand to my chest in shock. What was he doing outside the bathroom? This wasn't the only washroom in the whole house."Sorry. I didn't mean to. I was looking for you.""Why?" We walked towards the living room now, and I grabbed my bag."We're going home. I already bid farewell to Dad and told him we should be careful on the journey. Mom even suggested that we stay here for the night, but I told her we didn't bring any clothes," he said to me."Oh okay. We can go directly to your place. I left my car there, I can still drive home.""No." I was surprised by his refusal."Huh?" We had just left the house and were walking down the driveway."You're sleeping in my place. Do you think I'm going to send you back to your house in the middle of the night? Come on.""Why don't you want to sleep in your condo? Is it too small for you?" He had a scowl on his face."Huh?" Was I the only one who couldn't understand his ever-changing mood?"If you think my condo is too small for you, then wait until this problem is done. I'll buy you a big house.""That's not what I meant. I don't have any clothes at your place, it's the same as Dad's house. Why do you seem angry?"Well, guess what? Now he looked relieved. Was this his own problem?"You can just wear my clothes. . . or better if you don't." It was a faint statement, but I heard it."I don't wear other people's clothes.""Whatever. You're still not going home tonight. If you want to, I can drive you home tomorrow morning."But the brute is smiling and I don't even know what it's about. I'm getting frustrated with him. Who knew he could be so moody? He was sweet earlier, then suddenly got angry for no reason. And now he's being teasing.In my irritation, I didn't realize that I had fallen asleep. And guess what? He's carrying me now! I wouldn't have woken up if I hadn't heard the sound of the elevator."JL, put me down," I said to him even though I was still very sleepy."I tried waking you up in the car, but you didn't want to wake up. That's why I carried you. I badly need a shower and I want my bed.""That's why, let me down."But he didn't listen. The elevator opened again, heading to the penthouse, and with the wave of his hand, the door opened from the outside. He carried me in bridal style and laid me on the bed. Before he went to the bathroom, he kissed me on the top of my head and told me to grab some clothes from the closet.I have never worn someone else's clothes, but tonight — I don't have a choice. And my frustrating mind is telling me to seize the opportunity to wear JL's clothes. It feels like he's hugging me. Oh my gosh! That's so cringy! What is happening to me? I just got married suddenly and I'm already like this? I sound like a teenager.I went to the other bathroom and washed my face. Luckily, I only applied light makeup earlier. Otherwise, I would have had trouble removing it. A shower is tempting, and it didn't take me long to give in to temptation. I feel sticky and a shower will help me sleep well, especially since I'm not in my own bed.After my shower, I dried myself with a towel and then realized that I didn't actually get any clothes from his closet. I let out a deep sigh. Before I left the bathroom, I saw a new toothbrush. It was still sealed and obviously unused, so I used it and felt a little better. I went back to his bedroom wrapped in a towel, and unfortunately, I bumped into his chest.I almost fell if he hadn't caught me and hugged me. Thank goodness I held onto the towel tightly. It would have been embarrassing if it fell."Careful!""Sorry," I said. It was my fault for not looking where I was going. I shouldn't rush to avoid accidents."If you were planning to take a shower, you should have gone with me," he whispered, still wrapping his arms around me. I could feel the warmth of his chest."C-Can I... borrow a shirt?" It felt like a race was happening in my chest and I couldn't breathe. He was standing so close to me and the fact that he had no shirt on, only a towel separating us, didn't help. Even my shoulders are exposed. Shit."What for?" he asked."Huh?"He fell silent and assessed me. I was about to pull away when I felt his lips planting kisses on my shoulders. Instead of pushing him away, I froze in my spot. His kisses traveled up to my neck.My hair was up in a messy bun because I didn't bother wetting it again. That's why he was able to kiss my neck freely. I already washed it this morning and didn't feel like drying it again tonight. Chances are, I'll sleep with wet hair and wake up with a headache.This is not right. We haven't discussed the set-up yet. I closed my eyes and counted. I need to tell him to stop this and talk first."JL... we need to — uhmp!"My first mistake was looking up at him, and the second one was opening my mouth. He took advantage of it to crush his lips against mine in a passionate kiss. I suddenly felt my feet being lifted from the ground while our lips were still locked.With my back against the bed, he effortlessly removed the towel wrapped around me. In the dim light from the bathroom, I saw desire in his eyes."Beautiful..." he whispered. I felt so embarrassed and covered my chest with my arms. But he removed them and pulled me close for a tender kiss. All my plans to refuse melted away. I am his wife now.JLI was not expecting her to be so beautiful. Why she hid herself in those hideous clothes and big glasses. I have no idea. If I have known then, she wouldn't have needed to force me to marry her. The sexual attraction I am feeling right now is scaring me. Even the sense of ownership as if I don't want her to be away from me or out of my sight.I don't want to mistake this for love because besides not knowing each other - I know, we hate each other's guts. We've thrown unpleasant words to one another, but it will stop now that she is my wife. A few minutes from now, our marriage will be consummated and it will depend on my swimmers how fast they are and if Gia is fertile right now - then the second condition will be fulfilled. Don't we need to have a child before we hear the last condition?Her eyes were closed and her breathing is uneven. Her hand, which was on her chest earlier, is gripping my shoulder. I was kissing her at the back of her ear and her scent was intoxicating. All th
JLI immediately blocked Rolf's view. "Turn around and don't look at my wife," I said, laughing. He followed suit. I let out a sigh and glanced at Gia. "Hon, can you grab a robe in the bedroom and put it on. Sorry, I didn't know this fool is coming in today."Gia rolled her eyes but still did as I asked. She left her coffee on the table. My robe is big enough to cover her from head to toe. She wouldn't sweat since there's an air conditioner."Can I turn around now, doofus?" Rolf asked."I guess! I already sent her to our bedroom. What are you doing here?" I scratched my head."I need a place to crash," he said while walking towards the kitchen. I saw him pour coffee into a cup. I can't believe what I'm hearing right now."A place to crash? You have so much money, pick any hotel you want." I wiped my face. Rolf can be annoying sometimes, and you'll wonder why we became best friends."I don't want to. I want to stay here in your condo," he replied with a grin. He sat on the sofa with hi
I couldn't bring myself to say anything else. There are too many things on my mind. I just know we had to talk about everything before we end up sleeping together again. When we arrived at my house, I didn't wait for him to open the door for me."Just leave your car parked there, if you want. Come in, I will show you around," I invited him. I walked inside first. Our house is huge, but why do these double doors feel smaller today? Maybe it's JL's presence that's making me see it that way.After I toured him around the house for familiarity, I heard him ask a question. "Where's your bedroom?"I purposely didn't show him my bedroom because firstly, he won't be sleeping there tonight, and secondly, the guest room is ready for him. We were supposed to head downstairs to the living room now and we were already at the beginning of the staircase."Don't ask anymore. My room is messy, and I haven't had a chance to clean up," I smiled at him. I was hoping he would let it go. The truth is, my r
JLI am in the middle of the meeting and I can't concentrate. When I left, Gia was still sleeping. I lost count how many times I took her yesterday and even in the wee hours of the morning. If she's not able to walk properly when she wakes up — it's my fault. But I couldn't get enough of her.I don't understand anything in the presentation, but I acted like I am listening. I can always read my secretary's notes later. We have a French client that's very picky with the model he wants for the product. The endorser he wants is a woman with a certain beauty. No matter how many times he explained, he still didn't like any of our models. So my team brainstormed and presented their ideas today.Mr. Allaire wanted to branch out in the Philippines. They have several branches in the United States — particularly in New York and California. And last year, they opened one in Toronto. The construction here is ongoing, so they want to be prepared for the commercial. They have the money and we need t
FLASHBACK CONTINUED. . .HE gently nipped it before leaving it and reaching my lips for a kiss. JL's kiss was passionate and I couldn't help but put my arms around his neck. I pulled him closer to me. I couldn't get enough of him. We kissed for a few minutes that seemed like eternity, and when he left my mouth, I felt dizzy and lost with desire. His mouth found my other breast to give it equal attention, and as he stayed there for a while, I felt my back was not strong enough to support me.He awakened various emotions within me, and he felt the ache in my back. One of his hands was there, and when it left, it went to my stomach. He lightly pushed, and he laid me down on the table.JL kissed me on the lips again, and when he ended it, he looked at me while I was sprawled across the table."Beautiful," he whispered softly. nevertheless, I heard it and it gave me confidence no matter how small. Shame and excitement mingled together as I felt like a dish served before him. He kissed me o
GIAI drank cold water first before pressing the red button. “Sofia, can you call the finance department?" I asked my secretary."Do you need a report, Ma'am?" Sofia, one of my assistants and the oldest among them at forty-nine years old, asked. Despite her age, she's very quick on her feet and very well-organized."No. I need Kimberly Cueto in my office.""Yes, Ma'am.""Oh, and Sofia, can you call HR also? I need Leilani to be present when I talk to Kim. I need them here as soon as possible," I added. She was about to hang up the phone. Fortunately, she hadn't done so yet."No worries, Ma'am. I will call them now and ask them to come up here.""Thank you."After I spoke with Sofia, I called Cleo as well. I need her to be in the room. Kim has been in this company longer than I have. She's the same age as JL, so she was already here when my parents were still alive. She wants to be the financial chief and so far, I haven't seen any flaws in her work. It's just that her attitude sucks.
GIAAfter Cleo and I finished eating lunch, we returned to the office. I prepared my meeting with Mr. Soler in the boardroom. "Good afternoon, Mr. Soler. How are you I stood up and shook his hand as he approached. My secretary sat beside me to take notes. "I'm good, thank you. How are you?" he replied with a smile. He is in his late sixties and is acquainted with my father. He sat on the chair opposite me."Fine, thanks. Can I offer you something to drink? Coffee, tea, water?""Just water is fine," he responded. He unbuttoned his coat for comfort. I signaled my secretary to get some water. There is a built-in fridge in the conference room. The table was designed like a buffet table on the side because my father used to host dinners here. "So, let's get down to business," I said to him. We both opened the folders in front of us. "So, you have a new brandy and you wanted a commercial for it. Do you have any ideas in mind of how you want it to be?""I want something different," he c
UNKNOWN POVLook at the opportunity now. It feels like it was just yesterday when he was so timid and couldn't break a plate. Now, he's fierce and doesn't seem to accept anyone's criticism. Well, he is a Ganfornina after all. But rest assured, I will also get whatever he has.The person I am with is even more beautiful than him. Even I am more beautiful than him, so why did he choose him? I would give everything, except maybe if he's looking for a virgin, well, I can't give him that unless I fake a hymen.JL is mine. What's the point of writing love letters back then if he would end up with him? I know their marriage is only temporary. I overheard them talking in his office. I hear everything in his office, thanks to modern technology. And his stupid secretary, I just brought a report and she immediately trusted me and went to the washroom. What an opportunity. . . it's often on my side. And if he thinks he can catch me, the recording is gone. A slight touch in the security office was