Chapter 14: Terms & Conditions

Jhoanna's POV

"So, I guess you should start practicing saying 'I love you' to me from now on."

She looked straight into my eyes.

"I love you, Jho" she said teasingly, chuckling after.

Ano ba 'to? Paano ako napasok ganito!?

I let out a deep sigh, trying to gather all my remaining patience. I can't take this anymore-she's seriously getting on my nerves. I don't even know what her problem is. Is she just bored with life? Or does she really enjoy making fun of me? Hayst! Mayayamang tao talaga, hindi marunong makuntento. Kung bored siya sa buhay niya, bakit hindi na lang niya gamitin ang pera niya para pasayahin yang sarili niya? Bakit kailangan idamay ako sa kabaliwan niya? Aissh! Hindi ko talaga siya maintindihan. Damn, crazy rich people!

"Stacey, sinasabi ko sa'yo, please lang tigilan mo ako. In case you forgot, never akong pumayag na maging kabet mo" I said, annoyed, habang minamasahe ang batok ko dahil sa stress na binibigay niya sa akin.

"Why? Am I making your heart flutter?" she smirked.

Ayan nanaman sya!

Isang asar pa at baka di ko na mapigilan ang sarili ko.

"Stacey, wag mo akong subukan! Hindi ako nakikipaglaro sa'yo. Seryoso ako, kaya please, stop this," I yelled in frustration.

Pero parang wala siyang pake sa sinasabi ko. Imbes na magreklamo, ngumiti lang siya, as if natutuwa siyang inisin ako. Nakakainis!

Mukhang napansin din niya na sobrang naiinis na ako, kaya bigla siyang nagpalit ng topic.

"This is my second time eating with someone, and I'm glad it's always with you. Isn't it amazing?" she said, smiling excitedly.

I stared at her in disbelief.

"And then so what?" I replied bluntly, hindi ko talaga ma-gets ang punto niya.

Stacey smirked and leaned her face on her hand. "The first time was with your family, and the second time is now. Don't you think that's cute?"

Nagpatuloy lang siya sa pagsasalita kahit wala akong gana makinig.

Habang siniserve ng waiter ang order namin, ngayon ko lang nalaman na "Flamiche" na inorder ko is parang simpleng pizza pero French version. Di ko talaga gets kung bakit gustong-gusto ni Stacey kumain dito, wala naman akong nakikitang espesyal! Wala, hindi ko lang talaga trip.

"Tssssk, Anong pinagsasasabi mo? As if hindi ka pa nasasabayan kumain ng parents mo. Wag kang gumawa ng kwento, please." Napatawa ako sa sinabi niya.

Kung iniisip niyang maloloko niya ako, mali siya. Walang magulang na basta na lang hahayaan ang anak nila. Kung meron man, hindi sila karapat-dapat tawaging magulang.

"Yes, my parents never did it," sagot niya, nakangiti pa rin.

Huh?

Wait, seryoso siya?

Never? Kahit minsan?

Anong klaseng magulang yun?

Tinitigan ko siya, sinubukang basahin kung nagbibiro lang ba siya o totoo ang sinasabi niya.

"You're joking, right? Kahit minsan, hindi nila nagawang samahan ka?"

She nodded, still smiling.

Silence.

What the actual fuck? Akala ko sa mga drama lang 'to nangyayari, pero si Stacey, she's living it?

Siguro nakakainis talaga sya minsan, pero she still deserves love from her parents. She needs it.

Hindi ko alam kung bakit, pero bigla akong nagkaroon ng urge na halikan siya. Baka kailangan niya ng lambing, diba? Tutulungan ko lang naman siya, wala namang malisya-

"Stacey, gusto mo ba ng kiss?" Biglang pumasok sa isip ko.

Wait! Ano ba tong iniisip ko?! Jho, tigilan mo 'yan!

Ayusin mo sarili mo!

"At least you're already here to join me" sabi niya, at mas lalo pang ngumiti.

Nakakangiti pa rin siya kahit ganun ang sitwasyon niya?

Dahan-dahan kong nilapag ang kutsara ko sa mesa at tinitigan siya.

Wala akong alam sa buhay niya. Ni isang idea wala ako. Pero isa lang ang sigurado ako ngayon-hindi kasing ganda ng inaakala ko ang buhay niya.

"He-hey! Wag mo akong tingnan ng ganyan. Mayaman ako, hindi mo kailangang maawa sa akin," she reasoned out.

"But they never gave you time. Anong silbi ng yaman mo?" I argued.

She shrugged. "At least mayaman ako."

"Tssk. Mayaman." I rolled my eyes.

"And why would I feel sad? Nandito ka naman sa tabi ko," she said habang hinawakan ang kamay ko.

"I have you now, Jho" she added, smiling sweetly.

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Wait... Waaaaiiiiit! Oxygen, please!

SHIT! Hindi ako makahinga! Hindi ko kaya 'to!

"Jho, okay ka lang? Bat napanganga ka?" Stacey asked, worried, checking my face.

Jusko! Stacey! Ikaw ang reason kung bakit hindi ako okay!

"Jho? Naririnig mo ba ako?"

"Please Stacey, wag kang lumapit," I warned her.

"Oh, so you're already okay." Mas lumapit pa siya. "Bakit ayaw mong lumapit ako?" she pouted, doing her puppy eyes.

Oh my God, ang cute niya!!!

Oh please, Sevilleja, maawa ka sa akin! Hirap na hirap na akong pigilan ang sarili ko! Kung hindi ka titigil, makakalimutan kong kasal ka na, at baka matanggap ko pa yang inaalok mong proposal sakin!

"Ang kulit mo, nakakaasar! Lumayo ka nga!" I shooed her away.

Stacey immediately pulled back, looking at me with doubt.

"Annoying? Don't you find it cute?"She exclaimed. "Why it didn't work with you? If I know whenever I did it people get crazy after this. Am I a joke with you?"

Stacey, kung alam mo lang kung paano ko pinipigilan ang sarili ko...

Beep! Beep!

Nagvibrate ang phone ni Stacey cutting our conversation. Sinilip niya ang screen, at biglang nagbago ang expression niya-mula sa teasing look, naging seryoso.

Ano kayang meron?

"Di pa tayo tapos ha. Urgent lang 'to , I have to go," sabi niya habang nagmamadaling sinuot ang coat niya.

"Hoy! Paano yung pagkain?" tanong ko.

"I already have your number, let's just talk later," she said before grabbing her phone and rushing out the door.

So iiwan niya lang ako dito? Paano ako-

Napatigil ang pag-iisip ko nang makita kong lumapit ang waiter na may hawak na bill.

"L'addition s'il vous plaît, Madame," he handed me a piece of paper.

Haysst, sigurado akong bill na 'to.

Sinilip ko yung bill.

"25,000 pesos?!"

WHAT?!

"Bakit ang mahal dalawang meal lang naman inorder namin tapos wala namang lasa pagkain niyo!"

"Opo ma'am, it's 25,000 pesos," ngumiti pa siya.

Putek! Marunong naman palang magtagalog?!

"Ahh so marunong ka naman palang magtagalog huh?" I asked sarcastically.

"Ah, yes po Ma'am," sagot niya, clueless.

"Here!" I slammed my money on the table. "Buang ka!"

"Ano po 'yon, Ma'am? French?"

"Hindi," ngumiti ako. "Sabi ko baliw! Okay, bye!"

_

Stacey's POV

"Gosh, Buti nalang andito kana Stacey. Your father has been waiting for you," Mom said seriously as soon as I entered the house.

I didn't waste any time and immediately walked toward Dad's room. The moment I reached it, I saw him lying on the bed, looking weak and exhausted.

"Dad, Andito na ako" I said softly.

His face lit up the second he saw me. "Come here, anak" he said, patting the space beside him.

I followed and sat down next to him, waiting for him to speak.

"You know that I'm getting older, right?" he started.

I nodded.

"Sooner or later, I'll be gone. And you know that you're my only heir, ikaw lahat ang magmamana ng meron ako ngayon,right?" he asked again.

I frowned at his question.

Why is he saying this all of a sudden? I have a bad feeling about this. I don't want to overthink, but something about his tone makes me uneasy.

"Your brother Akira is already disappointed me, and now, ikaw na lang ang inaasahan ko anak" he said while holding my hand. "You've never let me down. You've always been a good daughter, unlike your brother, who only thinks about himself. I know you won't fail me this time."

I felt my heart start pounding.

"Dad, just get straight to the point. Ano nanaman bang gusto nyong gawin ko?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

I waited for his answer.

"Stacey anak, I want to see my grandchildren before I die," he paused.

"That's my last order."

I knew it. I knew this conversation wouldn't go my way.

"I know you won't disappoint me. You're not like your brother."

I clenched my fists, trying to hold back the tears threatening to fall. No. Please, no. Not this. Not again. Everything in my life is finally going well, and I don't want to lose it. Once is enough. I've always done what they wanted-can't I follow my heart this time?

Dad looked at me again, waiting for my response. I swallowed hard, my eyes shaking as I fought back the emotions rising inside me. I didn't like this. But as the only remaining heir of the Sevilleja's I had no choice.

So I forced a smile and nodded.

"Good," my father said, patting my back. "I'm expecting this from you anak"

The moment he said those words, I felt my knees go weak.

I knew it. The second Mom messaged me, I knew they needed something from me again. Why? I should be used to this by now. They never call to check on me or because they care. It's always about business or something more important to them than their own daughter.

I can't even remember a time when we were a real family. Actually, now that I think about it, we never were. Not even once. And we never will be.

That's why I wasn't even surprised when my brother decided to run away. He was sick of our parents, and honestly, he had every right to be. I wish I had the courage to do the same. But I can't take this anymore.

I quickly dialed Gelo's number.

"Hello, Staku? Have you heard the news?" Gelo answered immediately.

"Yes, I heard it, nag uusap palang kami ni dad"

"Anong gagawin natin neto? God! You know I can't produce a baby. Just thinking about it makes me want to throw up. So what's next?" he said, obviously freaking out.

"We'll tell them already, pagod na akong magpanggap Gelo" I said firmly.

"What? Seryoso ka ba? Where's the obedient daughter I knew for the past year? Well, I've always been ready, but what about you? I thought you didn't want to disappoint your parents?"

"Yes, but not anymore. This time, I've decided to follow what my heart wants," I said with certainty.

"Oh my God! So no more pretending? That means I can finally date freely! Yeeeeeess!" he screamed in excitement.

I rolled my eyes.

"Yes, and please, calm down," I said in irritation, pulling the phone away from my ear.

"Sorry! Di lang ako makapaniwala sa mga sinasabi mo ngayon, You know I've been waiting for you to be ready. But, Stacey, can I ask you something?"

"What is it?" I asked.

"Are you really sure about this? I mean alam mo na ibig kong sabihin" His tone turned serious.

I knew exactly what he meant.

"Of course, I am."

"Really? In case you forgot, nung sumuway si Akira sa parents niyo, they froze all his bank accounts, took everything he had, and left him with nothing. From being a rich Sevilleja, he became a nobody. I just want to warn you. Alam kong hindi mo gustong mangyari 'yun sa'yo."

I know. I know all of it, and I will never forget.

I know the consequences of disobeying my parents. But like I said, I'm ready to face them now. I don't care anymore if my parents ruin my life. The only thing I care about is doing what I want-to finally be free from this cage they built around me.

"Wala na akong pake Gelo. The only thing that matters to me is Jhoanna. This time, I'm willing to fight."

"You're really in love with her huh," Gelo commented out of nowhere.

"Yes," I smiled as I spoke on the phone. "As long as she's by my side, I'm willing to do anything just to be with her. I will never forget my promise to her."

I don't know what the future holds. Maybe it will be good, or maybe... bad. But one thing I do know is that I have Jhoanna. And as long as we're together, I know I can face anything.

So that's it. I've decided.

⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ── End of Chapter 14 ── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆