Dangerous Embrace

CHAPTER 5

A WEEK LATER, the two families—Valencia and Ramos—met to finalize Isabelle and James's wedding.

Habang nag-uusap ang lahat, tahimik lang si Isabelle na kumakain. Masarap ang mga nakahain sa mesa, kaya naman lubusin na niya ang pagkakataon na kumain.

Minsan lamang ang ganitong pagkakataon.

But even while eating, Isabelle was listening to the elders. They were talking about wedding preparations, business connections, and the future.

They were finalizing the wedding, but no one had asked what she wanted.

Isabelle could only sigh.

Hanggang sa aksidenteng nahulog ang panyo niya sa sahig. Tiningnan niya ang mga kaharap niya sa lamesa. Nakapokus ang mga ito sa kani-kanilang pag-uusap, maging sina James at Sabrina.

So, Isabelle leaned down to pick up her handkerchief, only to see her fiancé and sister flirting under the table.

Sabrina was brushing her legs against James’s.

Hindi na nagulat si Isabelle sa kaniyang nakita. After all, she had seen them being intimate before.

Isabelle didn’t say anything, nor did she make a fuss. It would just be useless anyway.

Kalmado lamang niyang pinulot ang kaniyang panyo, saka nagpatuloy sa pagkain.

If she makes a fuss, her parents would only tell her she’s overthinking and to behave.

Isabelle glanced at James.

Ayaw niyang magpakasal rito dahil hindi naman niya ito mahal. Alam niya ang magiging kapalaran niya kung magpakasal siya sa lalaking nasa harapan niya ngayon.

But… does she have a choice now?

Everything was already planned even before she could know it.

She’s just a caged bird. Unable to fly freely in this world.

She even wished she were one of those people who could choose whom they wanted to be with.

She just wanted to have a normal life and do what she wanted, but what a pity… she couldn’t do it.

Maya-maya lang, nagpaalam si Sabrina na lalabas dahil kailangan niyang makausap ang kaibigan na nasa loob din ng restaurant na kinaroroonan nila.

A few minutes later, James also excused himself.

Isabelle knew what James and Sabrina were up to.

Kaya naman nagpaalam siya na magbabanyo, pero ang totoo, gusto niyang makita sina James at Sabrina.

Pero nasa hallway pa lamang siya nang marinig niyang may nag-uusap sa hindi kalayuan. Mabilis siyang umatras nang makita niyang magkayakap sina James at Sabrina na nakatayo sa gilid.

She quickly hid herself.

“Babe, talaga bang papakasalan mo ang ate ko?” Sabrina asked.

Isabelle leaned calmly against the wall, waiting for James's answer.

“Don’t worry, babe. I will marry your sister, but I would never touch her as I do with you.”

Tumaas ang sulok ng labi ni Isabelle. Inaasahan na niya ‘yon.

“Do that. I don’t want you touching her. If you touch her, I’ll ignore you.”

Kumuyom ang kamay ni Isabelle.

“Yes, babe,” James said.

If Sabrina and James were in love, why did the marriage fall on her?

Mom, Dad, Sabrina, what tricks are you doing?

Sumilip si Isabelle sa kinaroroonan ng dalawa. Sabrina had her arms around James, and they were kissing.

Isabelle stared at them for a few seconds before she took pictures of them.

There should have been anger, tears, and confrontation, but there was nothing.

She only felt exhaustion.

Umiwas siya ng tingin, saka tahimik na umalis sa lugar na ‘yon.

Tiningnan niya ang larawan nina James at Sabrina na naghahalikan.

One day, these pictures will be useful to her.

Hindi na niya kinompronta ang dalawa at huwag na rin niyang sabihin pa ang tungkol rito sa kaniyang mga magulang dahil wala namang mangyayari.

It wouldn’t change anything.

Her father would probably tell her not to cause a scene, and her mother would call her jealous. Sabrina would cry and make herself the victim.

At lalabas na siya pa ang masama.

Her family would find a way… whenever something went wrong, somehow, Isabelle became the problem.

So why would today be any different?

Sigurado siya na hindi alam ng kaniyang magulang ang tungkol kina Sabrina at James. At hindi rin sinabi ni Sabrina.

Otherwise, the bride would have been Sabrina.

“Get prepared, Isabelle. Your wedding with James will be next month.” Wika ng kaniyang ina.

Tumango siya. “Yes, Mom.”

“Be a good girl. Don’t cause any trouble.”

Tumango lamang ulit si Isabelle.

Tumingin siya sa magulang ni James. Just like James, their smile maybe gentle, but their eyes showed their real color—cold and scheming.

Nang bumalik sina Sabrina at James, magkasabay silang pumasok.

As James looked at Isabelle, his eyes looked guilty, but Isabelle didn’t care.

While Sabrina was pretending nothing had happened.

Isabelle watched her sister sit down. She almost laughed. Just almost. But she didn’t.

Instead, she picked up her glass of water and took a slow sip.

What does it have to do with me anyway?

Kung mahal ni James at Sabrina ang isa’t isa, then let them have their way.

Isabelle had spent her entire life fighting for scraps of affection from people who never wanted to give them. She wasn’t going to fight for a man who had already chosen someone else.

Maybe this was a blessing for her.

Habang tahimik na kumakain si Isabelle, doon lamang niya na-realize ang mga bagay na dapat niyang gawin.

She knew to herself that she was timid, but Hazel, her best friend, had told her she was smart.

And right now, she was thinking about one thing.

How do I get out of this situation?

Kailangan niyang humanap ng paraan upang mabago ang desisyon ng kaniyang magulang.

Nang matapos silang kumain, nagpaalam ang kaniyang magulang sa magulang ni James.

“Isabelle, I wanted to talk to you,” James said.

Kaya naman naiwan silang dalawa.

“What do you want to talk about?” she asked in a cold voice.

James was taken aback hearing Isabelle’s cold voice.

Ito ang unang beses na kinausap siya nito ng malamig na tono. His hand turned into a fist.

“Isabelle, we’re getting married next month.”

“Hmm…” Isabelle hummed.

“So, I want to tell you what I expect in this marriage.”

Tumingin si Isabelle kay James.

“After getting married, don’t expect anything. We’ll just be a husband and wife in name only. Don’t expect me to love you—”

“Don’t worry,” putol ni Isabelle sa sasabihin ni James, “I don’t love you either. So, after getting married, it’s better to stay out of each other.”

James was stunned by Isabelle’s words and couldn’t find the right words to say.

“At oo nga pala…” sabi ni Isabelle. “If you don’t want to marry me and you want to marry someone else, you could just say it. Remember, you still have one month before the wedding.”

“Anong ibig mong sabihin?”

Nagkibit lamang ng balikat si Isabelle.

“May sasabihin ka pa ba?” tanong ni Isabelle, saka tumayo. “Kung wala na, aalis na ako.”

“Wait…”

“What?”

Tama si Hazel sa lagi nitong sinasabi sa kaniya, she needed to be brave. Because if not, people would only step on her.

I need to go out of my comfort zone.