The Cold Billionaire's Wife

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Callista's Point of View

"Aaahh! Finally!" I shriek as soon as I get out of the car. My heart skipped a beat as I took in the stunning surroundings. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and let out a contented sigh.

My toes curled as the sand tickled my feet, and I couldn't resist spinning around with my arms outstretched, feeling alive and carefree. Fresh air, sea breeze, and the warm bright sun. Perfect na perfect for our honeymoon trip. Yes, we are at the beach today at eto ang napili naming parehas ni Ice for our honeymoon. May bahay-bakasyunan sila Ice dito sa La Union kaya dito na namin napiling mag-honeymoon.

Hindi ko pa rin maiwasang hindi mamula sa tuwing naiisip kong nasa honeymoon trip ako ngayon with Ice. Pangarap ko lang 'to noon eh ngayon nagkatotoo na.

Soon ang pangarap kong mahalin din ako ni Ice ay balang-araw magkakatotoo rin hihi.

Finally, I turned to Ice with a huge smile on my face and knew that this was going to be the best adventure of my life. "What are you giggling about?" Rinig kong tanong ni Ice sa akin. Natigil naman ako sa pagde-daydream at agad na napatingin sa kaniya. Nakababa na rin pala siya ng sasakyan at bitbit na niya ngayon ang kaniyang mga gamit. Nasaan ang mga gamit ko?

Nagpalinga-linga ako at mukhang napansin naman ni Ice na hinahanap ko ang mga gamit ko kaya naman bigla siyang nagsalita. "Your belongings are still in the trunk; you packed as if we were going to live here for the rest of our lives." Masungit na pahayag nito at naglakad na papunta sa rest house. I let out a grunt, thinking to my that Ice was such a scumbag.

Ang ungentleman nitong si Ice. Hmp! Padabog akong naglakad papunta sa likod ng sasakyan at binitbit ang mga gamit ko. Dalawang malaking bag ang dala ko. At oo tama si Ice. Ang dami kong dinala na akala mo naman eh titira kami dito habang buhay huhu.

Naglakad na ako papasok sa loob ng rest house habang bitbit ang dalawang mabibigat na bag ko. Nakakainis naman 'tong lalaking 'to. Hindi man lang ako tinulungan magbitbit porket kaunti lang 'yong dala niya tss.

Pagpasok sa loob ng rest house ay hindi ko mapigilang mamangha. Ang ganda-ganda sa loob. The walls were made of bamboo woods, as was the floor, and the equipment was also made of wood, making the house look refreshing to the sight. There were some lovely paintings on the walls, and a giant villa fan hung from the ceiling, making the room feel cozy and cool.

"Your room is on the second floor, on the left wing." Rinig kong saad ni Ice at tumango naman ako. Kita kong umakyat na si Ice patungo sa ikalawang palapag ng bahay kaya naman sumunod na rin ako.

Kaso ang bigat talaga ng mga bag ko huhu. Feeling ko matatanggal ang dalawang braso ko. Kahit hirap ay nagpatuloy ako sa pag-akyat. Mukha namang napansin iyon ni Ice kaya naman lumingon siya sa akin at kunot-noong tinignan ako. Tumingin din ako sa kaniya na para bang nagmamakaawa na tulungan ako. Mukhang effective naman dahil bumuntong hininga ito at masungit na nilapitan ako. He grudgingly took the bags from me, muttering, "Next time, don't bring as much stuff because we're not going to live here forever." Pagkatapos ay tumuloy na ito sa pag-akyat habang ako naman ay naiwan sa gitna ng hagdanan. I couldn't stop grinning. May tinatago rin palang konsensya ang isang 'yon hihi.

Nakaramdam naman ako ng kilig. Lalambot ka rin sa akin Ice Buenavista! I swear!

Pagpasok ko sa magiging kwarto ko ay mas lalo akong namangha. Kung maganda na sa salas, mas maganda pa pala sa kwarto. Hindi kalakihan ngunit hindi rin kaliitan ang kwarto ko. May malaking villa fan din sa ceiling at may hanging paintings din. May cabinet and drawers din at may sarili ring banyo sa loob. Malambot din at malaki ang kama. Pero ang the best part sa kwartong ito ay ang veranda.

May sliding door na natatakpan ng isang puting kurtina at paghawi mo no'n ay tatambad sa'yo ang asul na asul na karagatan. Binuksan ko ang sliding door at lumabas sa veranda. As I walked out onto the balcony after opening the sliding door, the warm but fresh breeze welcomed me, and I chuckled, feeling the freshness of the air for the first time in a long time.

Napatingin ako sa gilid at doon ko lang napansin si Ice na nasa veranda rin pala. Magkatabi lang ang kwarto namin at parehas kami ngayon na nasa veranda at nakatanaw sa asul na karagatan.

Hindi pa ako napapansin ni Ice at diretso lamang ang tanaw nito sa dagat kaya naman naisip kong kuhaan ito ng litrato. Inilabas ko ang aking cellphone at palihim na kinuhaan ng litrato si Ice. I smiled as an insignificant breeze moved his hair slightly, and I felt that Ice looked like a model in the candid shot. He was very attractive, and many ladies admired him, including me.

"Are you taking pictures of me?" Agad akong napatingin kay Ice nang marinig kong magsalita ito. Nakatingin ito sa akin habang kunot na naman ang noo. "Huh? H-hindi ah." Tanggi ko at agad kong tinago ang cellphone ko. I heard him hissed as he coldly looked away from me. Habang ako naman ay panaka-nakang nagnanakaw ang sulyap sa kaniya.

He's so handsome. Kahit saang anggulo mo tignan si Ice ay napakagwapo niya. He's the perfect epitome of a handsome man. Mukha siyang prinsipe kung titignan. Ang decent ng look niya at ang bango-bango niya tignan. At ako? Ito nangangarap na mahalin rin niya balang-araw.

Hindi ko alam kung kailan ako nagsimulang mahalin si Ice. We both came from the same school. I was in my 3rd year of high school when I first met him. Magkaibigan ang mga tatay namin ni Ice. Nagkakilala sila dahil sa isang business trip na parehas nilang pinuntahan that time. One day, pumunta ang family ni Ice sa bahay namin to have dinner with us. His mom is so beautiful, his dad is also as handsome as he is. Ngunit napukaw talaga ni Ice ang atensiyon ko. Tahimik na tao lang si Ice. Sasali lamang siya sa usapan kung kinakailangan. But during our dinner, tahimik lang talaga siya.

I don't believe in love at first sight, but when I saw him the moment he entered our house, biglang nagbago ang paniniwala ko. I was too starstruck by him. I fell in love with him the second I laid my eyes on him. Call me hopeless romantic pero iyon talaga ang naramdaman ko. I'm too young for that but love chooses no age, right?

Sayang lang dahil hindi kami nakapag-usap that time. I was too shy and he was so distant. Simula noong araw na nakilala ko si Ice at nalaman kong we're attending the same school ay palagi akong pumupunta sa building nila para lang makita siya. Ahead kasi ng isang taon si Ice sa akin. He was my senior. Hanggang sa grumaduate na lang ako ng high school. Sa sobrang pagkagusto ko kay Ice ay nagsumikap akong makapasok sa university na pinapasukan niya.

Hindi ako ganoon katalino pero talagang nag-aral ako mabuti para makapasok sa university ni Ice. At laking tuwa ko ng matanggap ako. In short, we both attended the same university too. Ginawa kong inspiration si Ice during my college days. Lalo na ng malaman kong our parents arranged us into marriage para sa collaboration ng negosyo ng bawat pamilya namin.

Gustong-gusto ni daddy si Ice dahil wala siyang anak na lalaki ganoon din ang pamilya ni Ice sa akin dahil wala silang anak na babae. Puro lalaki ang mga kapatid ni Ice at lahat ay bata pa. Si Fire na grade schooler at si Earth na nasa high school. I know, I know. Ang cute ng names nila.

Dahil doon ay mas lalo kong pinag-igihan sa pag-aaral. Gusto ko kasi maging karadapat-dapat na asawa ni Ice. Gusto ko maging perfect match ako para sa kaniya. Nagbunga naman ako pagsusumikap ko dahil grumaduate akong cumlaude, ganoon rin si Ice na grumaduate naman ng magnacumlaude.

At pagkalipas nga ng ilang taon ay eto na kasal na ako sa lalaking noon lang ay pinapangarap ko. Alam ko naman no feelings involved si Ice sa kasalang ito, pero katulad nga ng sinabi ko, desidido akong gawin lahat mahalin lang din ako ni Ice.

I will surely make this cold billionaire head over heels for me.

...

The salty ocean breeze swept through my hair as I busied myself with the BBQ grill. The sun was beating down on me, but I didn't care. I was lost in my own world, imagining the perfect beach party. That's when I heard Ice's baritone voice break through my reverie, snapping me back to reality.

"What are you doing?" he asked, his tone flat and emotionless. Napalingon ako sa aking likuran ng marinig ko ang boses ni Ice. Ngumiti naman ako sa kaniya at pinakita ko ang barbecue grill na hinahanda ko. "I'm planning to have barbecue party." Saad ko habang pinapaypayan ko ang uling na may kaunting apoy na. Umupo naman si Ice sa tabi ko at kinuha ang pamaypay na hawak ko. "Let me help you," he said, his voice still chilly. Napatitig naman ako sa kaniya at napangiti.

Dapit hapon na kaya naman naisipan ko na mag-barbecue kami dito sa dalampasigan. We were alone on the private beach, surrounded only by the sound of the waves crashing against the shore. The idea of having a BBQ on the beach was my fantasy, and here it was coming true.

Nang makita namin ni Ice na may apoy na ay nilagay na namin ang mga pork barbecue na dala namin sa griller. Si Ice ang tagapaypay habang ako naman ang taga-ikot ng mga barbecue.

Magkatabi kaming nakaupo habang nakatanaw kami sa malawak na karagatan. A sense of contentment washed over me. I was sitting next to the man I loved, watching the ocean and enjoying a romantic moment. It was a moment I wished I could pause and relive over and over again. A moment that I knew might never come again. Busy si Ice sa work at pasalamat na lang ako na nag-give way siya upang pagbigyan ako sa gusto kong honeymoon trip.

Suddenly, Ice's voice broke the silence, and I turned to face him. "What made you agree to this marriage?" he asked, his question catching me off guard. I paused for a moment, unsure of how to answer. Bakit niya kaya naitanong ang tungkol sa bagay na iyon? Pero ano nga bang dapat kong isagot sa tanong niya? What made me agree with this marriage?

Simple lang naman ang rason ko eh. Because I wanted to be with him. I wanted to spend the rest of my life loving him, beside him, and supporting him. Kahit alam kong ang kasal namin ay dahil lang sa negosyo at wala siyang nararamdaman sa akin.

"I wanted to help my family run our businesses," I replied, my voice trailing off. Ice's eyes bored into mine, and I felt a sudden urge to explain myself. "Gusto ko magkaroon ng pakinabang sa pamilya namin. Ayokong pagsisihan nila mom and dad na naging anak nila ako. Ayokong isipin nila na kasi bakit naging babae pa ako, wala tuloy tagapagmana ng mga negosyo namin." Natatawang sagot ko kay Ice. He listened intently, and I could tell that he was trying to understand. Well, my answer is partly true. One of the reasons why I also agreed with this marriage was because I wanted to be of help. I know to myself that I cannot run a business. Wala sa bokubolaryo ko ang magpatakbo ng isang negosyo pero ayoko ring madismaya sila daddy at mag-alala na walang sasalo ng mga negosyo namin, kaya naman pumayag ako magpakasal for the sake of our business.

"Do you think your parents will think that way?" he asked.

"I honestly don't know," I admitted, feeling vulnerable and unsure. Napatingin ako kay Ice. Siryoso siyang nag-iihaw pa rin habang ako naman ay nawala na sa focus dahil sa usapan naming ito.

"You are not your parents' investment," Ice replied, his voice softening. "They love you and will respect your life decisions. Whether you agree or not in this marriage, they will understand and will not be disappointed in you." His words touched me, and I felt a sense of relief wash over me.

So, he believes that my parents are kind. Well, they are. They really are. And honestly, they didn't force me to marry Ice. They really don't. They even asked me if it's okay with me to marry someone they thought I didn't love. Sabi pa nga nila sa akin it is okay lang daw kung hindi ako papayag. They did not force me. Pero ako mismo ang um-oo. Ako mismo ang nagsabing gusto ko pakasalan si Ice. At iyon ang hindi alam ni Ice. Akala niya nagpakasal ako dahil gusto kong tumulong. He didn't know the true reason why I married him.

But then Ice asked me a question that caught me off guard for the second time around. "Why did you marry me?" he asked, his gaze intense. I smiled coyly, feeling a sense of mischief bubble up inside me.

"I have my own reasons," I replied, biting my lip. Ice raised his eyebrow, clearly curious.

"What exactly do you mean?" I grinned, knowing that I was about to reveal a secret. "I said yes to marrying you because I wanted to," I said, feeling a sense of satisfaction in my words. Ice looked stunned, and a sense of triumph flooded over me. "And why did you marry me?" I asked, turning the tables on him.

Bumalik ang atensiyon ni Ice sa pag-iihaw atsaka sumagot sa akin. "Same reasons you have. I wanted to prove to my father that I can do everything and be willing to risk everything for the sake of our family business," he replied, his voice hardening. Napangiti naman ako. Nothing new with the answer coming from this hardworking cold billionaire.

"Then you've already proven something," I replied, feeling a sense of admiration for the man sitting next to me. Ice turned to face me and I felt my heart skip a beat. His eyes bore into me, and I found myself completely lost in the depths of his gaze. The intensity of his stare was almost too much to handle, but I couldn't look away. It was as if he was trying to tell me something, something important that I couldn't quite decipher.

Then, he spoke, his voice low and steady, yet filled with an undeniable gravity that sent shivers down my spine. "I think so, but one thing is certain," he said, his words hanging in the air between us like a thick fog. I furrowed my brow, unsure of what he meant, but unable to tear my gaze away from his.

"Ano naman 'yon?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. Ice's lips quirked into a small smile, and I felt my heart flutter at the sight. He was so handsome, so mysterious, and I couldn't help but feel drawn to him, even though I knew so little about him.

"Marrying you is not a bad thing," he said, his words hitting me like a ton of bricks. It was such a simple statement, yet it held so much weight, so much meaning. I felt my breath catch in my throat as I tried to process what he had just said. For a moment, there was silence between us as we simply stared at each other, the sound of the waves crashing against the shore the only thing filling the air. Then, slowly, a smile began to spread across my face, and I felt a warmth bloom in my chest.

Ice had never been one to show his emotions easily, but at that moment, I felt like I was seeing a side of him that he had never revealed before. I felt grateful for it, grateful for this moment of vulnerability, for this glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, we could make this marriage work.

As we sat here, watching the sun dip below the horizon, I felt a sense of peace settle over me. The future was still uncertain, and there were still many challenges that lay ahead, but for the first time in a long time, I felt like everything was going to be okay.

Because Ice had just shown me that even though we had gotten married for all the wrong reasons, there was still a chance for us to find happiness, to find love. And that, more than anything else, was worth fighting for.