III - The Wedding

Elaine's Point of View

“W...w-hat?” I asked, still confused. We're still looking at each other and I can say that he's so handsome. If another waitress were in my shoes, she will probably think that this man is an actor. I turned my gaze to the woman he was with. She was looking at me like she's gonna eat me alive.

Did I say something wrong?

“Baby, what are you saying?” the woman asked and held his hand that was on the table. Oh, she's his girlfriend. I thought she was his mother. Kidding.

“Are you his girlfriend?” I asked. The woman looked at me and was about to stand when the man spoke.

“Leave,” he authoritatively said while pointing at the exit of the restaurant.

Does he want me gone?

“Didn't you hear it? He said leave!” the woman shouted and held my shoulders. People went to us.

“Perry, get out!” the man shouted. The woman with too much makeup on her face turned her head at him. And what did he say? Perry? Who's Perry?

“What do you mean, baby?” Perry asked while smiling. Her smile looked more forced than genuine. Oh, and she's the Perry he was talking about.

“Are you deaf? I said leave or you want Brennon to carry you outside,” the man said. The woman rolled her eyes and intentionally hit my shoulder with hers when she walked past me.

Before she went outside, she shouted, “Fuck you, Montemayor. Yours was bigger than Kaizer's, but he was more good than you!” She stomped her feet while exiting the restaurant.

The people in the restaurant laughed because of what the woman just said. I was shocked when the man was in front of me now. Wait, what he's gonna do? My eyes closed when he went nearer. I can't stop the fear I was feeling of what he's going to do with me especially that I don't know who he is yet.

Minutes passed and a lip has still not made contact with mine. I opened my eyes and saw him looking at me. I turned around because I feel ashamed.

“Woman, I want to marry you,” he said. What? We just met and he wants to marry me? Is he mad? And he wants to marry me with this kind of face?

“Excuse me, sir?” I asked. I reached for the rug on my uniform and wiped their table even though they did not eat.

“I know that you're the daughter of Raymond Natividad, the one who has debt in our family. Marry me if you don't want to see your father in jail,” he whispered in my ear. I stilled and he left me.

I think it would be good if I will talk to my father about this. The man looked serious. I'm sure that he's not pranking me, but dad didn't mention anything about the debt the man was talking about.

I silently went to my room when I came home because Venice and Elena might scare me. It's a relief they didn't push the plan about staying overnight.

“Elaine,” Dad called me. I almost jumped in fear.

“Why, Dad?”

“Venice went here. She said that they might stay here tomorrow night because her aunt came home from Qatar,” he said. I lowered my head, I think it's good to ask him about the wedding the man in the restaurant was talking about.

“Dad, a man talked to me earlier. He said that I should marry him so you could pay your debt,” I said and sat on the now soft bed compared to the one we used in our previous room. I looked at my father and fear was evident on his face. But I want to know the truth, too.

“Elaine, don't mind him. Maybe he's just pranking you,” he said, but the urge to know the truth is still here, and why would Dad not say it to me? And what's with that man? He's mysterious.

“Oh, is that so? Maybe.” I shrugged and laid on the bed. Dad went outside and I can't stop my curiosity about that thing. I will find that man tomorrow and make him explain.

I woke up and Kaizer was outside. I remembered that Kaizer's the name the woman mentioned, but it's impossible that it was the Kaizer I know. Kaizer brought a bouquet and I'm still not brushing my teeth. I was about to go to the bathroom when he stopped me. “Elaine,” he said, his hand resting on my shoulder. I stayed silent because my breath may stink. I covered my mouth.

“Is there a problem?” he asked. He's so slow. He didn't get it.

“Uhm, Kaizer, I just woke up. I want to take a bath first,” I said with my mouth still covered.

He looked at me in the eye. “I'd still kiss you even when you don't take a bath,” he whispered. Dad was in the kitchen because I could smell the fried rice he was cooking.

I just realized what Kaizer meant when he let go of me. If that's the case, then I won't take a bath so he would kiss me. Kidding aside, I still have to do something today rather than flirt around.

Kaizer went back to his seat. Dad was holding three plates and harshly put those on the table. Is he angry?

“Eat up, Elaine. I'll deal with this man,” Dad said. I laughed a little because of Kaizer's face.

When I'm done taking a bath, I saw Dad and Kaizer talking seriously. They just stopped when I sat on the chair. “What are you guys talking about?” I asked and scooped some fried rice. I'm not wearing my glasses today, and I noticed that my pimples multiplied.

“You're beautiful, Elaine,” Kaizer complimented which made me blush. We straightened up when Dad coughed.

“Elaine, are you going to leave now? I'll drive you to school,” Dad said while dipping the bread in his coffee.

“I'll just eat first then I'll leave,” I said though the truth is, I don't have classes today. I'll go to the Montemayor's Building and their company. I want to know the truth from that man whom the woman called Montemayor.

“Kaizer, are you okay? You look pale,” I said. But he just smiled at me.

“I'm just afraid of your father, babycakes,” he answered and winked at me. We both laughed and stopped when Dad looked at us.

When I'm done eating, Kaizer insisted on driving me to school, but I refused, so he just handed me the flowers and bid me goodbye.

I was nervous while walking inside the Montemayor Building. This is my first time to come inside their properties so I have no idea where to find Montemayor. And I don't know his name yet.

The only thing I know is that he was called Montemayor by that woman. I searched for it, but I didn't find the man who talked to me about the wedding. The only results I found were their properties.

I was shocked when I was surrounded by men in black. One of them pointed his gun at me. “What do you need here?” he asked. I got more nervous.

“Come with us,” they said and dragged me inside the building and covered my eyes.

One pushed me on a chair, my back hurt because of the impact.

“So, mate, should I go first?” a man asked. Fear consumed me. What do they mean?

“Stupid. Inform our boss first, we're doomed if we didn't inform him,” another man said. I cried when they ripped my shirt.

“Please, don't,” I cried when someone shouted from the outside.

“Boss is here!”

The man who was ripping my shirt stopped.

“She's ugly. Let our boss go first,” he said. The three of them laughed.

I heard their boss went inside. I gulped. What if they do something bad at me even when their boss is here? I can't stop crying. My face was still covered when I kneeled. “Please, release me,” I begged.

“Release her,” their boss authoritatively said. I'm not sure if I should feel happy or nervous because this might be a trap.

“But, sir, she looked like a spy. We saw her outside the building,” someone answered. “She's ugly, too. You can just give her to us,” another man said. I shivered.

“Please, if you are Montemayor, please release me. I'm not a spy,” I said. Someone kicked me in the face. I fell to the ground.

“Fuck, release her!” their boss shouted. They quickly pulled me to the chair. My body was becoming weaker because of the kick someone gave me. They removed the cover of my eyes as well as the rope tied on my hands. I opened my eyes and I saw the man who was in the restaurant that night. Is he the one who ordered this?

I stood up. I don't know if I will slap him in anger, or hug him as a form of thank you. I walked to him and slapped him hard. “Did you plan this?” I asked, but he didn't answer me. The three men in black pointed their guns at me.

“Go, shoot me. That's what you want, right? I want to die rather than be raped by fuckers like you!” I shouted at them. One got angry and was about to slap me when Montemayor pointed his gun at him.

“Hurt my wife more and you'll serve Lucifer,” he shouted and kicked the man on his stomach. What he said shocked me, but my body's too weak and all that I could do was hug him.

“Thank you,” I whispered. I felt him carry me like I'm his bride and went outside that hell-like place before my eyes closed.