The Billionaire's Substitute Bride

Chapter 1. Gifts

Enzo's POV

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Gifts

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"Don't smile too much, bro. It's f*****g disgusting!" Linus Leone smirked and shook his head.

"Ang sabihin mo naiingit ka lang, bro! Why don't you settle down like us, four," bukas na kamay ni Conrad.

"I don't think it will happen to the Linus soon, Conrad. Hindi naman 'yan katulad mo!" kantyaw ni Xavion kay Conrad at napailing na kami at natawa.

"Ang baliw ninyo!" Linus let out a short laugh and smirked again.

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We are here at the Monde Rock Bar. Nagtitipon para sa bachelor's party ko. Next week is the biggest event of my life. I am no longer a bachelor after that, and I'll be marrying the most beautiful woman I have meet.

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"Anong klaseng bachelor party ba ito? Wala man lang babae?" Glenn complained.

"Hindi lahat ng bachelor's party ay may mga nagsasayaw na babae, bro. Pwede naman na lalaki," ngiting biro ni Norman at napailing na ako.

"f**k! Come-on, Henrix. Do your march!"  lakas na tawa ni Marco at nakisabay na ako. 

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Lahat kami ay nakatingin sa seryosong mukha ni Henrix. He's got no expression at all and the way his eyes look is like an ice. Cold as dead!

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"Don't joke around to our cold blooded Prince Mondragon, Marco. Baka bukas wala ka ng dugo," kantyaw ni Drew.

"Nah, Henrix is a beauty and he's actually soft like a gelatine jelly. Hindi niyo lang nakikita. Puro kasi kayo babae!" awat ni Norman at mas natawa lang din ang lahat.

"What a load of crap! Am I the one getting married and be put in jail?" Henrix said sarcastically and shifted his stare at me.

"Your woman is kinda wicked, bro. I bet you are going to shed tears of blood after the wedding." Henrix smirked and looked away and I just shook my head.

"Iyan kasi ginalit ninyo," sa tahimik na tugon ni Xavion. Ininom na niya ang alak at sinunod nang tingin si Henrix, na ngayon kay kumuha ng dagdag na whiskey sa counter bar.

"Sure ka na ba, Enzo? Wala ng atrasan ito?" si Conrad sa akin.

"You should think a thousand times, man. Kapag natamaan ka ni kupido wala ka na talagang pag-asa at gusto mo ng itali ang mahal mo sa'yo," sabay iling ni Glenn.

"I second the motion!" Taas kamay ni Art Atticus at napalingon kaming lahat sa kanya. Kararating lang niya at bitbit ang isang malaking box sa kamay niya.

"How's the criminal? Ano sisimulan na natin?" sa kantyaw na tawa ni Art. Nilapag na niya ang box sa malaking mesa sa harap naming lahat.

"Yo, Art! How are you, baby?" Yumakap agad ako sa leeg niya at nag-ingay na mga walanghiya.

"This won't do. May nangyayaring dayaan dito," si Conrad sa gilid at tumayo na siya.

"What's this, Art? Kahon na ba ang regalo mo sa magiging groom?" kantyaw ni Norman.

Lumapit agad si Drew at siya na mismo ang unang bumukas nito.

"Damn it! Gold stash!" pabirong tawa niya.

"Legit? Makita nga?" Sabay tingin ni Glenn. Siya lang naman ang baliw at isip bata sa lahat.

"Don't get it out. Not yet, I will do the honour," si Art.

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Tumahimik ang lahat. Nakaupong seryosong nakatitig sa counter bar sina Linus at Henrix. Samantala kami ay nasa pinakamalaking round table. Tradisyon na namin ito. May kanya-kanya kaming regalo sa magiging groom ng taon. Ang iba na wala rito ay dapat naka-on live stream sa videocall.

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"Hang-on, Malcolm is calling," tugon ni Xavion. He answered his phone and put it on top of the table. Live na naming nakikita si Malcolm sa Australia ngayon.

"How's everyone? How are you mate?" lawak na ngiti niya kay Xavion.

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Tumayo kaming lahat at kinamusta siya. Hindi na gumalaw si Henrix at Linus, kaya si Xavion na mismo ang nag-ikot nito para makita kaming lahat ni Malcolm. Hanggang sa may tumawag pa.

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"Hang-on, I'll just put everyone on a join videocall," tugon ni Xavion at pinindot ang cellphone niya.

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Malcolm is in Australia, he's a dairy farmer. Travis join the convo and he's in Cordova, managing the Del Rio Farm. Vance pop-in with his witty look like a dark angel. Like Art, he works in the same industry and he's in Italy. Riftyn looks pathetic like a man who lives in the woods away from civilization and he's in England. While Dax is in Mexico, smiling like a s**t laying on his bed.

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"Ano magsisimula na tayo?" si Art.

"Yes, let's get this going. Hinahanap na ako ni Candy. E, wala namang babae rito dahil puro bakla ang narito." Conrad chucked and laughs and so is the others.

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I stood up in front while everyone sat down. The box is beside me and I am smiling evilly, sa wakas makakabawi na rin ako sa mga baliw na ito. Art took something out from the box and handed it to me.

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"Be happy, bro. Expand the genes and make more little doctors like you," kantyaw ni Art.

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I shook my head and accepted it. I open it and the penny drop, twenty five million pesos gold cash check. I showed it to everyone. Nag-ingay ang lahat. Sa aming lahat si Art ang pinakagalante pagdating sa regalo, at si Henrix naman ang pinakakuripot. Sunod na tumayo si Drew at inabot sa akin ang puting sobre. Binuksan ko ito at eleven million ang sa kanya, at sumunod na ang iba pa.

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"I'm sorry, bro. Ako lang 'ata ang pulubi rito. Kaya pasensya na kayo at heto lang ang nakayanan ko," pabirong tugon ni Glenn at inabot ang jack daniel whiskey sa akin. Natawa na kami at nagsitawanan ang lahat.

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He handed half a million to me. I shook my head and I am so reddish. Matatapos ang gabing ito at mahihiga ako sa kama ng pera rito. The rest of the boys wired their money on my bank account. Akala ko magiging kuripot si Henrix sa akin, pero nabigla ako nang makita na one million dollars ang isinulat niya.

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"Build your dream hospital, bro," tipik niya sa balikat ko.

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Damn it! This cold blooded Prince is a magnet of love and I didn't notice. I just shook my head and smile.

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"Ano sapat na ba para sa isang Paediatric Hospital second branch?" tanong ni Xavion na nakangiti pa.

"Kulang pa, kulang pa," pagbibiro ko at kantyaw nila.

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This is what we get as a gifts from our brothers. Naging ganito na ang tradisyon simula noon pa sa mga magulang namin. Kaya walang maiiwan sa amin. Ang iba siguro gusto ng magpakasal agad para makuha ang share nila. Pero ang totoo, takot ang mga Mondragon boys na maitali sa mga babae.

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That's why our ancestors set this type of game to encourage a Mondragon man in settling and finding a good woman. No minimum amount, and everyone can give whatever is on their profit for the year. Walang sukatan ito at pwede rin naman ang lupa ang ibibigay mo. Like Travis in Cordava, he gave me a piece of land on their massive hundreds of thousand of hectares farm.

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The night was filled with laughter and unlimited drink of beers, wine and etc. The Monde Rock Bar is shut for the night and is exclusive for us. Everyone picks on everyone's back jokingly. My phone vibrated, I stood up and fish it out from my pocket, it's Kylie calling me.

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"Hello, hon?" lawak na ngiti ko.

"Hon? Bakit wala pa ang hinihingi ko? I thought you bought it already? I am expecting it today!"

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Humakbang ako palayo sa grupo at napasandal sa gilid. I'm halfway drunk but I can still manage myself.

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"I will get it tomorrow, hon. Nabusy kasi ako sa trabaho kanina, pasensya na... And the boys are here, we are--"

"What!? What sort of excuse is that, Enzo?" putol niya sa pagsasalita ko.

"I am waiting the whole freaking day! And there you are having fun with all your crazy cousins!!"

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Inilayo ko agad ang cellphone sa tainga ko dahil sa lakas na boses niya. Napangiti na ako. 

Oh, my darling love Kylie Eve Fuentabella... Minsan hindi ko mabasa ang ugali niya, pero patay na patay ako sa kanya.

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"I'll get it tomorrow, hon..." pagpapakumbaba ko.

"You better be! Or else I won't see you until our wedding day!"

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Pinatay niya agad ang tawag at bahagyang natawa ako sa sarili. How can I not understand her? She's like one of those beautiful toddler patients of mine. Her mood swings is random but I still love her, I love my Kylie baby...

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C.M. LOUDEN/Vbomshell