Chapter 3

• I have been so out of myself the past few days, wondering if I made the right decision to marry him. I think it would be better to let my parents go to jail than to tie the knot with the attorney. He can choke you through his gaze!
• I carefully put down the paintbrush on the highstand table and stared lovingly at the wedding bonds that I had just finished. It was a sparkling gold that kept captivating my eyes. I wrote my name on the other one while I am still undecided about what name should be written on the other one. I planned on writing Andres, but I know that can't be.
• I sighed as I approached the window. There, I found Andres again pulling grass. Even if I am only seeing his back, I know he looks so muscular with his muscle tee. I felt bad for him. How can he manage to settle for being a gardener if he can always find a high-paying job?
• Hays, Andres. Can't you be just the Attorney?
• I leant my head against the window and stared deeply at him. But my eyes widened when he looked at me and waved his hand. I felt my heart getting out of its cage when a genuine smile left his lips. But my fantasies were interrupted when Yaya Nenita entered my room.
• "Ma'am Sage, Attorney will arrive later."
• "Pardon? Has a week already passed?"
• I I clenched my teeth. It seems like only yesterday that that sinful man came here, and now he's coming again.
• Yaya Nenita nodded slowly and smiled unsurely, "Yes, Ma'am. He asked me to ask you as to where you would like to sign the marriage contract. You can choose between a coffee shop, a restaurant, a condo, a hotel, or a motel—"
• "Yaya! Stop! Why do the places get wild as you go on with the choices?"
• She blinked and scratched her hair, which was in a ponytail.
• "Those came from Attorney Carancho, Ma'am. And he wanted me to say to you..."
• She cleared her throat and tried her best to copy the voice of the man.
• "...Savvy, don't forget to wear dark red lipstick. I want a wedding picture with you," she finished.
• I almost closed my eyes tightly with the irritation. We only agreed to sign the contract and not to take pictures!
• This time, it was the onewho cleared my throat and tried my best to calm down, "I consider the coffee shop. Please, tell him that."
• "Noted, Ma'am Sage. Please, prepare yourself for later." She turned her back and went out of the room.
• I slapped myself quietly and didn't want to believe that this was really happening in my life. I removed my apron with irritation before I marched out of the room.
• My heart was tightening with hatred, but when I reached the garden, all of my sentiments were blown away by the wind when I saw Andres.
• I bit my lip as I stared at his muscular arm. Why does he look so young and yummy even if he's one year older than me?
• I took my time gazing at him, and mostly at his small dimple that was very visible every time he smiled.
• I walked closer and didn't mind the heat of the sun that was hurting my skin. I stopped immediately in front of him.
• "Andres," I called his attention.
• He abruptly stopped cutting the grass. He shakes his hand to remove the dirt before standing and facing me.
• "Is there a problem, Miss Sage?"
• He scratched his brow and completely put his hand above his brows to protect his eyes from the sunlight.
• I was stunned and stared more at his manly face. Though he has tanned skin, he still looks like an Adonis, but Attorney Carancho looked more like a mythical God. Yummy, terrifying when angry and looks like someone who can choke you in—
• My eyes suddenly widened with what I thought. Why am I praising that ruthless lawyer?! He doesn't deserve any!
• I cleared my throat again for nth time, and tried to focus to my agenda.
• "Uhm. If possible, is there a chance that you'll agree to the other man, Andres?"
• A shock was written on his face as his lips parted.
• "What? I don't get it, Miss Sage. Are you asking me to be the other man?" he asked with confusion.
• I looked away and laughed awkwardly.
• "I'm just kidding, Andres. Don't take it seriously, but if you agree, why not?"
• I looked back at him, and maybe he didn't really understand what I was saying when his forehead knotted.
• "Uhm. You can go back to work now. Just forget what I said."
• I felt my cheeks heat up because of embarrassment. I turned my back immediately and walked quickly to the mansion and ran to my room.
• I jumped on the bed and rolled over a lot with what happened, and now my nervousness about seeing Attorney Carancho was added to the fuel.
• I stood and removed the cloth from his painting. I glared at it since the man in the painting itself was glaring at me. I have decided that after I sign the marriage contract, I will go straight to Zambales. I don't know what life is waiting for me there, but I don't care anymore for as long as I can escape.
• With that thought, I found my motivation to dress up. Yaya Nenita was even in awe after seeing me in that white puffed sleeved square neck dress and golden stilettos. I curled my hair and wore a thin white-gold chain necklace. Suddenly, I felt gloomy as I stared at the painting of white roses.
• Sorry for me that I won't be able to hold them as I walk down the aisle. I even dreamt of letting Yaya Nenita catch those after the wedding, wishing her to have a love life.
• I sighed and just covered the painting with another white cloth, as well as the wedding gown and wedding band paintings.
• I held my sling bag tightly as I went downstairs and looked for my parents, but they were nowhere to be found. I thought they were already in the parking space, but they weren't there either.
• "Miss Sage, your parents are at the office, having an important meeting. However, Attorney Santiago will accompany you," Andres informed me.
• My shoulder suddenly slumped with that. My chest was tightening and I couldn't accept that the people I wanted to save were the ones who could not attend my so-called wedding. I blinked back my tears and wore my fake smile when I realized that Andres was staring at me.
• "Andres, don't you want to come with me?"
• "Pardon? Err, Miss Sage, I'm shy. My clothes doesn't look good, and your future husband might get mad if he saw you with a man." Then, he scratched his nape.
• "There's nothing wrong with your clothes, and there's nothing wrong if that attorney gets mad. That is even better for him to back out of this wedding," I whispered.
• "What, Miss Sage? You want Attorney Delton to get mad at you?"
• I automatically pursed my lips and just took a glance at him. But when my eyes caught the entrace of the Montero spory of Attorney Santiago, the rats on my chest became alive again.
• "Huh? I didn't say anything like that, Andres. Don't mind me, bye!"
• I was tempted to pat his shoulder, but I stopped myself from doing so. Attorney Santigao might put meaning to it and might say it to Delton, so I ended up fisting my hands and walked towards the car.
• "Ma'am Sage, Attorney Delton is already at the coffee shop," he informed as I entered the car.