Chapter 6: IN A RELATIONSHIP
I woke up to my head throbbing like crazy. Last night as soon as Martin left my room I chugged the bottle of champagne he brought initially. I drank it to vibe off a little bit, have a little moment of mine at 2 am but it turns into a bloody nightmare early in the morning as soon as I opened my eyes, shit.
We are going to eat lunch all together at the restaurant downstairs probably to catch up about business matters and the conference that has happened yesterday. I got up my bed, took some cold meds to kinda reduce the headache and help me to not look like I've got fvcking insomnia all night, swollen eyes, swollen face and I reek of alcohol. Actually they might think I'm depressed at this point.
I've come with good cause last night, Martin and I worked it out, we managed to build a plan and it was so fake y'all can cry. We're planning to announce our fake relationship later and for a quick recap, after a long long process of shitting with ourselves we thought it was best to make a storyline about us meeting a couple of months ago. Like literally no one in the whole crowd is going to believe that we have fallen in love at first sight since we've only met yesterday, that's hella ridiculous.
We we're kinda drunk while talking at 1 am last night but we pulled this just fine. So basically I went to New York last November for a vacation and stayed there for 2 months before going back to the Philippines after new year's day. Martin was staying at New York because that's where he works, so we can just lie about us meeting and being a thing back in November after a couple of dates and that we spent Christmas and New Year's together which was unnecessary but really sweet that it would make our lies more sugar-coated.
That was a hundred times better than that cringey, kinda traditional love at first sight story. We could never, I would seriously laugh at that. People who believes in that needs to stop watching Netflix or something, those rom-com movies is getting through their heads.
After taking a shower, I put on a little bit of eye cream and a chapstick for my lips since it was dried out, I'm not in the mood to do a whole routine right now. I was going through my bag when Lee entered my room either to pick me up or pick a fight with me. "We need to go, we we're waiting for you" he coldly said. "Then you should've started, can't you eat without me? or we're you waiting for me to serve you?" I bluntly said then went to grab my bag and head to the door. I wasn't supposed to snap the fvck out of him like that but he was acting up so be it.
Lee was surprisingly quiet, he didn't scold me or what, he was walking a few meters away from me and I ain't complaining. This should be the safest way to go, give him a little space for himself, maybe to reflect on those couple of fights we had together. He might stop liking me after, who knows?
As we've arrived at the table, they were all happily talking as I've greeted them each one. I sat beside Lee and in front of Martin who was scrolling through his phone.
We started to eat after a while, the oldies were having a conversation to themselves as usual. Lee seems out, he wasn't paying attention to anything even though Aunt Belle kept on bugging him like every 10 seconds, they we're probably worried about they're unico hijo, what a sight to see. Is he guilt-tripping me?
I was about to pour me a glass of water when Martin reached for the pitcher himself and poured me one instead. The whole table went quiet for a moment as they watch the scene confusingly, probably shocked that we we're interacting, only the President smiled at the gesture that I personally thought was cute. I was relieved that he wasn't against us being close or what.
I was staring at him for a while, kinda using my own telepathy as to why he did that or where he got the guts to act like that.
"Kiella why did you suddenly left yesterday, I haven't prepared a speech when you texted me, thank god Mr. Benedict was kind enough to help" my mom said. I was startled for a while, OMG THIS IS IT! I went to look at Martin to let him know that we are ready to aim our lies at them. Actually I was stalling for a perfect timing all this time and it finally came, now that all the attention is focused on me, I could finally spill the goddamn tea.
"That's the case, I have something to tell everyone - " I was cut off when Lee held my hand that was on the table in front of everyone. "Tita, Ong suddenly felt nauseous during the conference so we decided to head out early, I was there with her the whole time that I didn't get the chance to go back" ASSHOLE! he smoothly managed to fabricate a lie that quick? it took us the whole night to construct one and I can't believe our efforts was wasted because of his stupid ass.
"Excuse us for a while" he said then forced me to come with him and head to the balcony of the restaurant where we could talk privately. I swiftly got out of his grip the moment we arrived and he had to close the door.
"Kiella stop playing games, I don't have that much patience left for you" he sternly said. I am not that stupid to let him threaten and gain control over me that easily. He is risking our friendship the farther he goes with this fight and I'm afraid that we won't be able to go back to how it was used to back then, he needs to realize that.
"Leroy, your patience is none of my business" I frustratingly talked back. I was about to leave him when he quickly caught my hand then dragged me again to face him. "Things will never go your way, your Dad won't allow it" he smirked, god knows how bad I wanted to wipe that confidence away from him. "Jerk, I don't care" I said then quickly stormed out of the place.
I went back to our table just to grab my bag then leave, I don't have the much tolerance left to socialize nor act around them as if nothing bad is going on. "I have to urgently go amd meet with a client, kindly excuse me" I kinda informed them, it's a false info but atleast they won't bother me anymore.
I'll probably go out to explore around the city since I don't have much to do. My mind is too clouded for judgement and I'm afraid I might explode one day just from overthinking. As long as they are still rooting for me and Lee or that dumb marriage, I won't be at peace. I might suffer from trauma at this point then have nightmares every single night of my life.
I felt someone grabbed my hand and dragged me along the hallway. "Where the hell are you going? you're not meeting with someone are you?" Martin asked. "Did you follow me? what if they notice?" I worriedly stated. But then again that's what we we're going for in the first place but then Lee decided that he wanted to be the center of attention. Such a brat.
"Whatever just go with me somewhere" he said then pulled me across the lobby and outside to the parking lot. We rode a car that had me wondering how the fvck he managed to have since we're in a foreign country. Initially I was planning to book an uber or something to go to places but guess this is better, he can be my chaperone HAHAHA.
We drove off the hotel and into the city. This is probably my fourth time visiting Thailand and I couldn't be any happier, I've been in a few cities but Bangkok is probably my personal favorite. We finally arrived at a garden looking park which looks super peaceful and relaxing, god I'm in love. I spotted a bench so I headed there to have some quiet time for myself.
"I thought you needed this so I brought you here to have a little peace of mind" he said as he sat on the bench next to me. We both stared at the lake in front as we enjoyed ourselves, I breathe in deeply while admiring the nature around me, it's like a meditation for me and naturally helped me to ease my anxiety issues. "Thank you Martin, it seems like you're the only person who understands me at the moment" I genuinely smiled at him. I haven't even officially took over the company but I've been experiencing a tremendous amount of stress, it's been dragging me down for a while. This is my first project to ever launch and I must've underestimated how hard it is to actually manage one.
The faulty side of a business except for it being extremely challenging is that you have to be committed enough, passionate enough. It's emotionally, physically and mentally draining, you do everything out of responsibility, you must be willing to risk assets, build empires, and protect the foundation. It's quite a demanding job to take part in, you gamble everytime, you either lose everything or continue to gain something.
Sometimes I deeply wish that I was not part of this family but a more simpler one, that I was not the chosen successor but the elders are, that I have siblings along my side to help and guide me. I have my parents with me but they always decide for me, meddle with me, argue with me. I don't have that much freedom in exchange of great privilege.
"Why won't you marry Lee? is he that bad?" he suddenly asked. I actually have my reasons why I insist on not marrying him. It's not just because I don't love him, or that I only see him as a friend of mine.
"I don't love him" I briefly said since I don't want to go into deeper details with Martin yet. "You don't have someone do you? but you keep on rejecting him." See that's a common misconception about our said relationship. People around us usually share the same thoughts that I am quite unreasonable with him, that I don't give him chances, that I don't want to open my heart for him. But the fact that they don't try to see through me and my reasons is just unfair. I am the one being taken for granted, they don't let me explain further and even though I open about my side of the story they won't listen, literally no one will. I'm always the outlaw, the heartless convict but no, it's always the other way around.
"Why won't you go back to America?" I asked to divert the topic to him since I was the only one sharing and I know nothing about him so might as well do it now. "Bad memories, remember the girl I was talking about last night? the one I was planning to introduce to my dad, she cheated on me. We were planning to go back here together for a long time but it never happened so-" he explained.
I'm honestly surprised that he has something like that going on, it must be tough for him. He looks way too chill to portray a person who is going through a heartbreak, like seriously. "That's why you have to help me" he grabbed my shoulders and kinda looked a lot more worried than he should be. "We can't let them have their way always, we must do something to prevent it, I have to" he said which made me nervous by his sudden approach.
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