Entangled

2

Dark Arkel Huxley had a fortune at his fingertips.

Pero bago niya makuha ang inaasam, kailangan niya ng asawa.

Naniniwala si Arkel sa maraming bagay. Pagsisikap para maabot ang mga pangarap. Pagkontrol sa galit and resulting to reason when a moment become to confrontational. At pagpapatayo ng mga buildings. Buildings that were solid, yet aesthetically beautiful. Smooth angles and sharp lines blending together. Bricks and concrete and glass attesting to solidity that people craved in ordinary life. Ang sandaling paghanga ng mga tao sa oras na masilayan sa unang pagkakataon ang final creation. Ang lahat ng ito'y may kahulugan sa kanya.

Hindi naniniwala si Arkel sa everlasting love, marriage, at pamilya. These things made no sense, at napagpasyahan niyang huwag itong ihalo sa buhay niya.

Sa kasamaang palad, his uncle Earl had changed the rules.

Napapikit siya, ang kanyang sick sense of humor ay muntik nang magpatawa sa kanya. Tumayo siya mula sa kanyang leather chair, hinubad ang kanyang navy jacket, silk tie, at ang kanyang puting polo. One flick of his wrist unbuckled his belt, and he quickly changed into a pair of gray sweatpants and matching T-shirt. Isinuot niya ang kanyang Nike Air sneakers at pumasok sa inner sanctum ng kanyang opisina, na puno ng mga models, sketches, inspiring photos, a treadmill, some weights, and a fully stocked bar. Kinuha niya ang remote ng MP3 player at pumailanlang ang La Traviata sa ere.

Ini-on niya ang treadmill habang pinipigilan ang sariling huwag manigarilyo. Kahit limang taon na ang nakaraan, when the stress kicked up a notch, he longed for a cigarette. Annoyed at his weakness when the urge hit, he exercised. Running soothed him, especially in his perfectly controlled environment. Walang malalakas na boses na iistorbo sa kanyang konsentrasyon, walang nakakapasong sikat ng araw, walang bato at graba na haharang sa daraanan niya. He set the panel and began the steady pace that would lead him towards a solution.

Kahit na naiintindihan niya ang intensyon nang tiyo the sense of betrayal slowly ate away at his peace. Sa huli, isa sa miyembro ng kanilang pamilya ay ginamit lamang siya.

Ipinilig ni Arkel ang ulo. He should have seen this coming. Uncle Earl had spent his last few months alive spouting the importance of family, and had thought Iain's response was lackluster. Arkel wondered why his uncle was surprised. After all, his family should have been an advertisement for birth control.

Habang labas pasok siya sa maraming relasyon, naging malinaw sa kanya ang isang bagay- all women wanted marriage, and marriage meant messiness. Fights about emotion. Children tearing them both at the seams, wanting more attention. Needing more space, until the end became the same as every relationship. Divorce. With children as the casualties.

No thanks. Mas pipiliin niyang maging single habang buhay kung ganun.

Tinaasan niya ang speed ng treadmill habang tumatakbo din sa malayo ang isip. Ang kanyang tiyohin ay nanatiling optimistic na sa huli ay babae ang magliligtis sa buhay ng kanyang pamangkin. The heart attack had struck hard and fast. When the lawyers finally descended like a pack of vultures on the scent of blood money, naisip niyang magiging madali ang mga legalities.

Ang kanyang nag-iisang kapatid na si Alana, ay nilinaw na wala siyang interes sa kanilang business. Walang ibang kamag anak si Uncle Earl. So, for the first time, Arkel believed in good fortune. Finally, he'd have something completely his own.

Hanggang binasa ng mga abogado ang huling habilin ng tiyo.

At napagtanto niyang nasa kanya ang biro.

Mamamana niya ang majority of the Dreamscape shares as soon as he married. The marriage must last for one year, sa kahit sinong babaeng mapili niya, and a prenuptial agreement was acceptable. If Arkel decided not to comply with his uncle's wishes, he'd retain fifty-percent; the balance would be split among the board members, and Arkel would be nothing but a figurehead. Imbes na magtayo ng mga gusali, matitigil siya sa mga meetings at corporate politics; exactly what he did not want to do with his life. To his free hustle life.

At alam iyon ng tiyohin.

So now Arkel had to find a wife.

Pinindot niya ang switch at bumagal ang takbo ng treadmill. With methodical precision, his mind cut through the emotional emptiness and scanned the possibilities. Bumaba siya sa treadmill, kumuha ng malamig na bote ng tubig mula sa mini bar, at bumalik sa kanyang upuan. Tinungga niya ang malamig, malinis na tubig, at ipinatong ang bote sa mesa. Naghintay siya ng ilang minuto habang nagmumuni-muni pagkatapos kumuha ng gold pen at pina-ikot sa kanyang mga daliri.

He printed the words, each nail banged into his own personal coffin.

Find a wife.

Hindi na siya mag-aaksaya ng oras sa pag-iisip kung gaano ito ka-unfair. Arkel decided to make a clear list of the attributes his wife would need, and see if he could think of any appropriate candidates.

Agad pumasok sa isip niya ang imahe ni Sabrina, pero kaagad niya itong pinalis. Ang napakagandang supermodel na kasalukuyan niyang dini-date ay perfect para sa social function at great s*x, but not marriage. Sabrina was a sharp conversationalist and he enjoyed her company, but he was afraid she was already falling in love with him. At nagbibigay na ito ng hint na gusto niyang magka-anak, which was a deal-breaker. No matter how he laid out the ground rules of a marriage, emotion would ruin it. She'd become jealous and demanding, like any normal wife. No pre-nup would ever stand up to her greed once she felt betrayed.

Muli siyang uminom ng tubig at pinaglaruan ang magaspang na parte ng plastic bottle. Minsan na niyang nabasa na kapag ang isang tao ay gumawa ng listahan ng mga qualities na gusto niya sa isang babae, one would appear. Arkel frowned as he grabbed at the fleeting thought. He was almost positive the theory had something to do with the universe. Getting back what you put into the cosmos. Some metaphysical crap he didn't believe in.

But today he was desperate. Desperadong makahanap ng mapapangasawa para makuha ang kayamanan hindi dahil gahaman siya kundi ayaw niyang mapunta sa maling tao ang pinaghirahan ng tiyohin. God, this is making him mad.

Huminga siya ng malalim at sinimulang magsulat.

A woman who does not love me.

A woman I do not desire to sleep with.

A woman who does not have a big family.

A woman who does not have any animals.

A woman who does not want any children.

A woman who has an independent career.

A woman who will view the relationship as business venture.

A woman who is not overly emotional or impulsive.

A woman I can trust.

Binasa ni Arkel ang mga naka-lista. He knew of his desired qualities were stubbornly optimistic but if the universe theory worked, he might as well put down everything he wanted. He needed a woman who looked upon the venture as a business opportunity. Perhaps, someone who craved a large payoff. He intended to offer many fringe benefits, but he wanted the marriage in name only. No s*x equals no jealousy. No overly emotional woman equals no love.

No messiness equals a perfect marriage.

He shifted through each woman he'd dated in his past, every female friend he'd exchange word with, every business associate he ever lunched with.

He came up with nothing. Lahat ng mga babaeng nakasama niya ay materialistic at maluho. Ayaw niya sa babaeng na ang kasiyahan ay shop till you drop.

Frustration nibbled on the edge of his nerves. He was thirty year old man, reasonably attractive, intelligent, and financially secure. And couldn't come up with one decent woman to marry. His Uncle Earl must be turning on his grave right now that he cannot come up with a solution. If he were there right now he would say just pick up any girl and deal with the consequences later. As if it's that easy.

Meron siyang isang lingo para makahanap ng mapapangasawa. Naputol ang kanyang pag-iisip nang tumunog ang kanyang telepono. "Huxley."

"Arkel, it's me. Alana." She paused. "Did you find a wife yet?"

A chuckle strangled his lips. His sister was the only woman in the world who got him to laugh on a regular basis. Even if it sometimes at his expense. "Working on it now. Why?"

"Sa tingin ko nahanap ko na siya."

Kumabog ang kanyang diddib at bumilis ang t***k nito. "Who is it?"

Napatigil ulit ito. "You'd have to meet her terms but I don't think there will be a problem. Be open-minded. I know that's not your forte, pero mapagkaka-tiwalaan mo siya."

Nilagyan niya ng tsek ang nasa hulihan ng kanyang listahan. A strange buzzing hummed in his ears as if his sister's next words. "Who is it, Alana?"

Pigil ang kanyang paghinga nang hindi nagsalita ang kapatid sa kabilang linya. Pagkuway nagsalita rin ito sa wakas. "Deniah."

The room whirled in a dizzying blur at the familiar name from his past.

His only thought flashed like a mantra in vivid neon, over and over.

No frickin' way.