C14 14

“I didn’t try to scare you away,” she corrected him. “I didn’t pretend to be a ghost. Whatever you saw a while ago, that’s part of who I am. I don diferent costumes of the characters I write as part of my internalization. I put on different costumes I can get a feel of my characters and the story more.”

His eyes squinted. “Try another one. I don’t believe you.”

“That’s the truth. On your first night here, you thought I was a white lady because that’s the story I am working on.” She passed him her sketches of the scenes itself. “I usually work during midnight. My mind is more productive and creative during that time. And even if you didn’t come here, I usually play piano in the middle of the night.”

His face twisted as he looked at her drawings. “Creepy!”

“It is a part of an artist that most people won’t understand.”

“So, you prefer to stay here and work on your art?”

She nodded her head. “I am not good in interacting with people. This is my safe place to do my art and no one would bother me.”

“But people think that you are a witch or cursed or member of a cult. Doesn’t it bother you?”

She shrugged her shoulder. “It is okay to be abnormal as long as I am not bothering the rest of the world. If they are scared of me then much better. I don’t really like other people. Same with Marina and Luna. We are more comfortabl on our own. Inside this mansion, nobody will judge us.”

He shook his head. “I don’t know. Everything is just… weird. I can’t understand why someone as beautiful as you prefers to live like a ghost. Why should you look scary and creepy? Why do you hide your beauty that other people work so hard and spend a lot of money to achieve.”

She looked at him sharply. “Beauty? THat’s not important to me. You don’t need beaty in this kind of place.”

“Are you a witch or a member of a cult?” he asked with caution.

Callea smiled sadly. “I am not shocked that’s what you were thinking. No, I am not. I don’t have plans to hurt anyone. That’s why you will never understand. Maybe that’s the reason why my grandfather wants me to marry. He doesn’t want me to be alone forever. So, if you won’t marry me I will lose this mansion. And you are my only chance to get Villa Celesta. Oras na mawala ito sa akin, di ko alam kung saan pa kami pupunta nina Luna at Marina.”

“You mean, you were just pretending to be beautiful and normal like what you are doing now?”

“You won’t even look at me without saying a prayer if I look like a witch or a ghost, right? And I don’t want my grandfather to lose face once you see the real me.”

“And do you think I will still marry you now?”

Callea clasped her hands and bowed her head in shame and pain. The disgust in his voice already inflicted enough pain in her heart. She didn’t care before about what people say on her physical appearance, whether she scared them or they stay away from her. But it was sad to hear that from Deive.

He showed her kindness… because he thought she was a goddess. He even protected her from danger. But she failed him. She pretended somone normal. Someone she’s not. And now, he couldn’t accept the real her.

“I am not forcing myself to you. I am not forcig you to marry me. You are free to leave the house and I won’t stop you. But I want to ask a favor. Please don’t my grandfather that you discovered my real identity. Just tell him that you don’t want to marry me because you are in love with someone else.”

He crossed his arms on his chest while his wearing a sour face. “And why would I lie? I am not you, Callea. I am not used to lies and deceit.”

My teeth depressed my lower lip and I felt tears prick my eyes. Her characters was already in tattered and she made things worse. “I am sorry. I just thought that once my grandfather finds out that I showed myself in a ghostlike state, he will ask me to vacate Villa Celesta.

She couldn’t live like a normal human like what her grandfather wanted. She would die in the normal world. She was protecting herself by staying at Villa Celesta.

“Even if I want to help you with your problem in the mansion, I can’t lie to my grandfather. I may be a lot of things but I am not a liar.”

Callea groaned. She never thought he had that kind of principle. “Why not? My grandfather told me that many beautiful women want a piece of you and they are like flies to horse dung wherever you go. I am sure you won’t have a hard time finding a girlfriend once you are back at the dating scene.”

That was the only way so her grandfather would still give her consideration and would let her stay at Villa Celesta. So he won’t think that it was not her fault that Deive backed out of their marriage arrangement.

He stood up and blew on his face. “I am afraid we are riding on the same boat here, Callea. Before I came here, I got into trouble. A major client of Hontiveros Coco backed out because he believed that I impregnated his daughter.”

Her eyes widened as her heart sank. “You are about to be a dad?”

“No! I didn’t even kiss the girl.”

She made a face. She didn’t like men who were good in having a good time but didn’t want to take the responsibility. “Most guys prefer to escape the burdens of fatherhood so they can enjoy their lives as a bachelor. They will tell a woman, have sex with her then leave her for another woman. What is the best punishment for a man who cheats or someone who fucks and run? You know, in my graphic novel, the white lady cut off the man’s happiness.”

“By scaring him to death?”

“By cutting off his dick literally,” sheanswered with a creepy smile.

Deive’s face reddened and hit the center table with his palm. “Hey! Are you even listening to me? And why do you want to cut off a man’s dick? What has he done to yo anyway?”

“A man who cheats deserves to dickless.

“If you know what you are missing, you won’t say that.”

Then there was a mischievous glint in his eyes. Callea looked her eyes away because it was her turn to get red-faced. She felt heat creeping her body.

She got his insinuation. As a virgin, she had no idea what pleasure a man could actually give to a woman.

“So, you quit Coco Hontiveros because of that?” Callea asked.

“I was fired! Even if I am innocent, my grandfather still kicked me out of the company.” Deive shrugged his shoulder and his look was agonizing. That must be shameful and painful especially if he worked hard for his position. “My grandfather took away the chance for me to get a new life. I can’t ask for a loan at the bank because I need his endorsement. Without my grandfather’s backing, the business that I want to build will not push through. He asked me to fix my life first.”

“But you are fixing it.”

“In all fairness to my grandfather, he won’t let me marry the woman who is claiming that she is my baby momma. He said that he won’t let me ruin his life. It means marrying the right woman. Meaning you.”

Callea pressed the ends of her forefingers. It looks like Deive’s problems were bigger than hers. Too bad she was not the right woman for him. Looks like he doesnt have the luck when it comes to women. “What will happen if you don’t marry me?”

“If you will lose Villa Celesta, my business venture with my friends won’t push through anymore. My friends will suffer as well. Our dreams will be shattered.”

It was heartbreaking. There was love in his voice whenever he mentioned about his venture with his friends. However, Callea understood where his grandfather was coming from. Deive was a womanizer.

Maybe his grandfather wants to put him in a good place by choosing the woman of his own choice. Too bad, his grandfather still made the wrong choice. Their grandfathers formed an alliance based on their decades of friendship. It was not about his compatibility with Deive.

“I don’t want you to be miserable because of me,” Callea murmured.

He was used to sophisticated and beautiful women who were outgoing and love the glamorous life. They frequent beautiful and shiny places, mingling with equally beautiful people. While Callea was used to being alone and living in a dark. She was not in her elements around people. What would he get from a woman like her?

“Where will you go once you leave Villa Celesta?”

She slowly shook her head and her vision turned misty. The idea was unthinkable and scared her a lot. “I don’t know if there’s a place that will accept me anymore. Our family is known here in Nagcarlan. No one will touch me. If we will transfer to another place, Marina would be in grave danger. People might hurt her and shun her. I don’t want her to get hurt again for being different. And Luna, you saw what happened to her. I might not be able to save her anymore.”

She could handle things herself. She was worried about the two people close to her heart. She might not be able to protect Luna and Marina anymore.

Deive looked at her for a long time. She swept her hair to cover her face because he was starting to melt her. What’s his problem? Why was he making her uncomfortable? Did he think that it was all drama?

“Don’t,” he commanded and stopped her hand when she tried to put more hair infront of her face. He swept her hair away off her face and dried her tears with his clean handkerchief. “Don’t cry, Callea. I can help you so you won’t lose Villa Celesta.”

She sniffed. “Really?”

“Yes. And that is the only way to get the money I need to start up my business and get my grandfather off my back. Let’s get married.”

Callea’s world stopped turning and her jaw dropped. “A-Are you sure? You will marry someone like me?”

“Now that we are being honest with each other, it doesn’t seem so bad at all. I just hate the deceit. And I understand why you have to hide yourself. We don’t have to make excuses why we don’t like each other. If I back out of this, my grandfather will either disown me completely or send me to another woman that I won’t like at all. And I am sure your grandfather will send another prospective groom to you. It might get uglier than this, Callea. At least with me, you don’ have to pretend who you are.”

“You are right.” It was like a huge stone was off his chest now. She didn’t have to pretend anymore.

“You told me that you want to keep Villa Celesta. I want to get out of grandfather’s clutches. Perhaps it won’t be a problem for both of us. You don’t want to get married. I don’t want to get married. But we have a common goal. Once we achieve our goals, we are free to live our own lives.”

It sounded like a good plan. They would just give their grandfather what they wanted and they could go on their own merry way afterwards.

“So it doesn’t have to be a real marriage, right?” Callea asked cautiously.

“Are you asking me if we will consummate it?”

“Y-Yes…” The idea made toes shaking. They haven’t even kissed yet.

He shrugged his shoulders then rubbed his palms. “It doesn’t really matter if it’s a real marriage or not. That is something we can decide later on. No pressure. All we need to assure is that the wedding will push through and we will reap the benefits. That is what I call partnership.”

It was a brilliant idea. It turned out better than Callea expected. There was no nooze around her neck now that Deive knew the truth. She even got him as her ally. He understood her situation now and he was even sympathetic because they are on the same boat.

“I want this marriage for convenience game. But can you really stand the real me?” she asked him. “I want to be sure. I don’t want you running scared later.”

“I think I can get used to eat. At least I know you are not a real ghost.”

“How about the women you want to date. I-I don’t really mind if you want to date other women,” Callea cleared although she felt a pinch in her heart. “You can be discreet, of course.”

He groaned. “Look, I know I have a reputation as a manwhore. Sure, I like the company of women but I am not a cheater. I am staying here with you. Do you think I would go back to Manila and to pick up women because I can’t keep it in my pants? I am invested in this partnership like you do. No other women while we are together.”

“So do we have a deal?”