The Gentlemen's Game Series 3: Alfonso Ian Zaragosa

PROLOGUE

Sometimes, love ain't enough.

The former and current generations of Lius proved that. Hindi kailanman sasapat ang pag-ibig lalo na kung pera at kapangyarihan ang kalaban nito.

Both set of my grandmother and grandfather married for wealth. It was a traditional marriage, walang kahit sinong tumutol dahil lahat ay naniniwalang iyon ang makakabuti— sa pamilya at kayamanan na mayroon ang pamilya ng mga sangkot sa pagsasamang iyon.

Years later, my father first met my mother on the night of their engagement party. Both were committed to someone but again, no one was brave enough to go against the odds. Iisa lang ang mahalaga— to hold up the family's social position and status and extends family's network.

My uncles, cousins and every Liu must marry according to the law of the family, following the tradition.

On the other hand, Ahia, even though engaged with someone else, fell in love with another woman. Akala ko nga ay magagawa n'yang maputol ang tradisyon but no, him, being a Liu, trapped him with his responsibilities.

Trying to run away from his name broke his heart. He's now unstable and still engaged with the woman the elders chose for him.

Their engagement was cancelled but it doesn't mean na hindi na iyon matutuloy. Mas komplikado kasi ang sitwasyon ni Ahia at noong babaeng kinababaliwan n'ya.

The girl is no Chinese. That reason is more than enough to force my only brother to forget his young and stupid love as stated by our Ahma.

Hindi lang naman kasi kapangyarihan at estado sa lipunan ang tinitingnan ng mga magulang namin at ni Ahma. There are so many candidates with those requirements but they needed to be Chinese first. Kung hindi Chinese, marriage is not possible.

And one should be pure Chinese, being half would not make any difference from being not.

Well, the line Chinese is for Chinese only really matters.

As Mackisig Liu's engagement was cancelled, we're having mine tonight.

The reason for my engagement is the same with those marriages from the past. Actually, the word engagement is just a lovely term. But behind that word, the event later means partnership, collaboration or maybe business deal.

Yeah, that's the perfect word to describe what was happening through the years.

If one would ask me if I'm saying yes to this engagement, I think the answer is obvious.

It's not about how I would say no, it's because I don't even know why I'll say that instead of nodding my head with a yes.

Yes, love is really not enough.

The lack of love made our families distant from each other. May mga hindi nakatiis, they cheated and betrayed their spouses. Iyong mga piniling panindigan ang desisyon nila, their life became a kind of miserable fairy tale.

My soon to be husband is my childhood friend, my family's favorite son from another family. But no, I'm not really in love with the heir of the Tans.

Kung may taong papasok sa isip ko when the word love was mentioned, there's this someone na kahit na Liu ako, hindi ko magagawang makuha for two reasons— he's not Chinese and I'm not really his type. Kahit siguro Chinese ang taong iyon, wala ring pag-asa.

"Natulala ka na, Corrine," Harper, my best friend poked my cheek. "Hours later, engagement mo na and you're still daydreaming."

Her voice woke me up from those unnecessary thoughts and memories that almost peeked on my mind.

Nasa isa kaming hotel room sa The Peninsula at katatapos ko lang ayusan para sa mangyayaring event mamayang gabi. Ilang oras na lang naman iyon. It's still five in the afternoon at ang engagement party ay magsisimula mamayang seven ng gabi. Sa pinakamalaking event hall ng hotel mangyayari ang engagement and I'm not even excited, hindi rin naman ako mukhang namatayan.

"After this engagement, ikakasal na kayo ni Lucas months later. Are you sure about this? About him?" Seryoso si Harper, mukhang iyon ang sinasabi n'ya habang nakatulala ako kanina.

"Well, that's the plan."

She hit my arm, bahagyang gigil. "Oh my God, Corrine Ayra Liu! This is your life were talking about! Wala ka bang planong tumakas man lang o kaya ay gumawa ng kahit ano so you can be out from your family's control?"

Nakangising hinarap ko ang kaibigan. Naka-dress na rin s'ya para sa okasyon at kung titingnan, handa na kaming dalawa, naghihintay na lang ng oras.

Harper is also Chinese, a pure one. But unlike me, the poor girl is a hopeless romantic. Malaki ang paniniwala n'ya sa pag-ibig.

She's hoping to marry for love which is really ridiculous. Hindi ko nga alam kung bakit hindi n'ya matanggap na we're just here to be a business tool of our families.

"Are you implying na tumakas ako? Layasan ang sarili kong engagement party?"

"Lucas is a nice guy pero hindi mo s'ya mahal, Corrine!" she shrieked.

"Mahal n'ya ako," I stated the truth.

"Of course! That's very obvious, Corrine," she responded with sarcasm. "But what about you, huh?"

Wala sa hinagap na makakaramdam ako ng guilt dahil sa tanong na iyon ni Harper.

"And what would happen to Lucas if he realized na hindi sasapat 'yong mahal ka lang n'ya?" dagdag na tanong n'ya hindi ko pa man nasasagot ang una. "He's really a nice guy but no one deserve to be left in the dark, Corrine. Until now, naniniwala s'yang pareho kayo ng nararamdaman dahil hindi ka man lang nag-effort na tumutol sa mangyayari sa araw na 'to."

Fixed or arranged marriages in Liu's household is very common. All those marriages helped the family to maintain its status in the society. In short, the reasons behind them were achieved.

But the people within the marriage? Some became distant, some cheated and some chose to be a martyr while some became so miserable.

Some of those marriages has love in it. But not between the parties involved. Minsan na nga lang umusbong ang pag-ibig sa isang arrange marriage, sa iisang tao lang.

One-sided love. And those who has that kind of love suffered immensely. They're the one associated with the miserable fairytale.

Am I prepared to put a friend like Lucas in that situation?

Hindi ko rin alam.

"You know that there's no way out here. You can't tell me to go against Ahma. They would kick me out of the family registry for sure."

"But I'm expecting you to fight even for a bit!" Frustrated na rin si Harper pero alam n'yang tama ako. "Lalabas muna ako. I need to breathe!"

Hindi ko na pinigilan ang babae nang mabilisan s'yang lumabas ng silid.

She's pissed and I'm starting to think about the things that would happen after this engagement.

The event later is the first step towards my cage. Golden but jailed-like.

Am I tired to put a fight? No. I used to rebel with every little things in the past. Iyong mga bagay na hindi ko gusto, I'm always ready to say no to them.

But...

Fighting against my family, with the tradition, is really out of the question. It's not even worth considering.

I saw how my brother fought for his love. He really fought hard to earn his freedom.

But what happened to him? Wala. Ahia's now lost and miserable. He's not even sleeping or eating properly! He's always present in every event, may it be personal or business but he looks a zombie now!

Ayokong maging katulad ni Ahia. He's barely living, a walking time bómb.

That's why I chose to play it safe. Hindi ko nga lang alam kung kaya ko pa bang ituloy. Harper's words are confusing me.

"That wîtch really use her witchcrafty through her words."

Annoyed, tumayo ako at kinuha ang purse na may lamang cellphone. Hindi ko alam kung susundan ko ba si Harper pero nakaka-suffocate sa loob ng malaking silid na ito kaya kailangan kong lumabas.

I went outside. Mabuti na lang at kahit paano ay komportable ang suot ko. I'm wearing a Chinese-inspired engagement dress. It's red and a bit tight with both modern and traditional touch.

"Harper?"

Ako lang ang nasa hallway ng floor na 'to at hindi ko gusto ang pakiramdam na parang ang creepy ng paligid.

Agad akong napatingala nang magsimulang maging christmas light ang mga ilaw. May nabasa ako sa reception desk na magkakaroon ng kaunting problema sa kuryente dahil may papalitan yata but I'm not really sure. Sandali lang naman daw iyon pero mukhang nataon pa sa kagustuhan kong magmunu-muni.

"Is this a horror?" iritang tanong ko sa hangin.

I decided to return to my room. Doon na lang siguro ako—

The lights went off. Kasabay niyon ang paghawak ng kung sino sa braso ko at bago pa ako makakilos para depensahan ang sarili, someone covered my mouth with something.

A handkerchief with an unfamiliar chemical on it.

"What an old fuckíng way of abducting someone." I managed to chuckle before my world turned pitch black.

Hindi ko alam kung gaano ako katagal na nawalan ng malay. Ni hindi ko nga namalayan kung saan o paano ako dinala ng mga kumuha sa akin. I was totally unconscious.

But not in my dreams or I should call it a nightmare. Hanggang sa panaginip kasi ay nanlalaban ako sa mga kídnapper ko.

This situation doesn't surprise me at all. As a Liu, common na ang ganitong senaryo but I never experience anything like this until this day! Sa mismong engagement ko pa!

Kaaway sa negosyo ng mga Liu or ng mga Tan? Hindi ko alam. Ni hindi ko nakita ang mukha ng mga kumuha sa akin.

My nightmare consists of a cycle of me fighting the masked men and trying to get out. Hanggang sa bangungot ay sinusubukan kong makaalis, how ironic.

"Ouch..." Napadaing ako nang magising na masakit ang balakang.

My eyes widened. Mabilis akong napabalikwas ng bangon at madiing pinagmasdan ang paligid.

Mabilis kong inalala ang nangyari sa hallway ng hotel. I was kidnappéd.

"Ow, freaking angels!"

Nagmamadali akong lumapit sa bintana nang makitang maliwanag na ang kalangitan. Gaano ba ako katagal na walang malay? Ilang araw na ba ang lumipas since I got abducted.

Abducted? Teka...

I checked myself. I'm still wearing my dress. Hindi rin nakatali ang kahit alin sa mga kamay at paa ko.

And more importantly...

I eyed the room. Maganda at maluwag, kompleto rin sa gamit ang silid na kinalalagyan ko. Maaliwalas dahil sa presko at malamig na hangin.

Mabilis na tinanaw ko ang tanawing nasa labas ng bintana. Holy crap!

Why I am seeing the sea right now? At bakit ang tarik ng kinatitirikan ng bahay na 'to? Nasaan na ba ako at sino ang walang bait na kumuha sa akin?!

Mabibilis ang mga hakbang na nilapitan ko ang pinto. To my surprise, nakabukas iyon. Mas lalo tuloy akong nalito. Hindi ako nakatali, nakabukas ang bintana at pinto na para bang welcoming ang ibinibigay na atmosphere ng lugar na ito.

But I'm not stupíd. Alam kong kaya kakaiba ang kidnapping scene na ito kaysa inaasahan ko ay dahil confident ang kung sinong kumuha sa akin na hindi ako makakaalis sa lugar na ito!

How dare they!

Hindi ko alam kung nasaang bahagi ako ng malaking kabahayang ito kaya sinundan ko na lang ang mahabang hallway. The house is huge and spacious, made of bamboo and some native-like materials. Maganda rin ang interior but I'm not here for a vacation! I was kidnappéd for Pete's sake!

The hallway brought me to the dining area. At hindi ko inaasahang makita ang taong nakaupo sa kabisera ng mahabang lamesa, feasting on the foods on the table.

"What the hell is this?!" pasigaw na kuha ko sa kanyang atensyon.

Mula sa pagkain, nagtaas s'ya ng tingin at kaagad na ngumisi nang makita ako.

"Oh, gising ka na pala. Have a seat, please."

Hindi ako nakakilos, pakiramdam ko ay naging isa akong tuod at hindi ko magawang ihakbang ang kahit alin sa mga paa.

"Are you my abductor?" madiing tanong ko, litong-lito na sa nangyayari. "Are you even aware of what you did? You kidnappéd me!"

Inilapag n'ya ang hawak na tinidor at patamad na tiningnan ako. "That's very obvious, Miss Liu."

I almost stomped my feet. "Ibalik mo ako sa hotel. Ngayon na!'

Humalakhak lang s'ya bago muling hinawakan ang kubyertos. "Wala ka sa palasyo mo, little princess. Wala kang mauutusan dito. At kung gusto mo talagang bumalik sa kung saan ka kinuha ng mga tauhan ko, feel free. You can try."

"Are you really doing this?!" Inis na lumapit ako sa kabilang dulo ng lamesa at hinampas iyon. "Nakalimutan mo na yata kung sino ang kinakalaban mo. Are you prepared to offend a Liu?"

Ikiniling n'ya ang ulo.

"Are you insinuating na hindi ko kayang harapin ang pamilya mo?" Natatawang napailing pa s'ya. "Well, you got a powerful family on your back but who cares?"

"You're Ahia's best friend, Alfonso!"

That's right. My abductor is no other than Alfonso Ian Zaragosa.

What the hell is really happening here?!

He nodded. "Well, that's right. And you owe me big time, Corrine. So, don't just stand there and be a good girl that you're not and sit here. I want a peaceful breakfast."

His voice is cold, sending chills to every bit of my body.

I owe him big time, he said. Yeah, of course. At hindi na ako magtataka kung gusto n'yang gumanti kaya kinuha n'ya ako sa sana ay importanteng araw ng mga Liu.

"Well..." Alfonso smirked. "Are you now having a trip down the memory lane, Corrine?"

His words brought me to the days I used to like and pester him. To the past, consisting of my memories of yesterday— different scenarios tackling the unrequited love I had for this man.