WIFE IN 365 DAYS

Chapter 04

Manuela's eyes darted back and forth, nervously tracing the hands of her wall clock. The minutes ticked by with agonizing slowness, each one bringing her closer to the moment she would have to face Uno again. The weight of their last conversation hung heavy in the air, and the unspoken questions lingered between them.

"Do mafia bosses get impatient?" she muttered to herself, her voice laced with a hint of frustration.

"He gave me a whole week to think, and now he's pressuring me? What else is there to talk about? I'm still trying to figure this out!"

Manuela took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart.

"It's okay, Manuela," she encouraged herself.

"No matter what he says, you still have a whole week to think about his offer."

Just as she finished her self-pep talk, the door opened and Suzie entered, carrying a glass of water.

"You look anxious," Suzie observed, placing the water on the table.

"I know you're worried about seeing Mr. Urquio again later. Here, drink first."

"Salamat Suzie, actually hindi talaga ako mapakali pero wala naman akong choice kung di makipagkita kay Mr. Urquio at pakinggan ang sasabihin niya. I just hope na hindi niya ako gipitin o takutin gamit ang malaking utang ng tatay ko sa kaniya." ani ni Manuela na kinuha ang baso ng tubig at ininom iyon.

"Thanks, Suzie," Manuela said, taking the glass of water and taking a long sip.

"I'm actually really nervous. But I have no choice but to meet with Mr. Urquio and hear him out. I just hope he doesn't pressure me or try to scare me with my dad's debt."

Suzie walked beside her, a thoughtful expression on her face.

"Manuela, you know I'm not just your secretary, I'm your friend. So, is it okay if I share my thoughts about Mr. Urquio's offer? Maybe it can help you figure out the decision for his offer." Manuela looked at her friend, curiosity piqued.

"Of course, Suzie. What do you want to say?"

"Even though Mr. Urquio gave you a whole week to think about what he wants in return for your dad's debt, at the end of that week, I think your decision will boil down to agreeing to become his wife for 365 days. You won't really have a choice, and I think Mr. Urquio knows that," Suzie said, making Manuela sigh.

"So what should I do? I can't afford to pay back what my dad owes him, but if I agree to be his wife, I'm sure I'll be miserable."

"I know," Suzie said, her voice laced with sympathy.

"Being the wife of a mafia boss is no joke. Their lives are dangerous, but you have no other option. Your dad owes a mafia boss, and if you don't agree, he might pressure you, and Lucas might suffer too. It's only a year, 365 days. You can endure being his wife for that long, then you'll be free, and you'll be able to pay off your dad's debt." Manuela nodded, understanding Suzie's point.

What Manuela couldn't fully accept was that she would become Mrs. to a man she barely knew, a man who was dangerous.

"Thanks, Suzie," Manuela said, as her phone on the table buzzed.

"I think I'll just enjoy this one-week reprieve before I accept Mr. Urquio's proposal."

"I'm going back to work," Suzie said, giving Manuela a reassuring smile.

"You got this, Manuela. Just think about your demands once your 365 days as his wife begin." She then left the office.

"Think about my demands? Suzie's right, I need to make sure Lucas and I are safe." Manuela muttered to herself, picking up her phone and answering the call.

As soon as Suzie left Manuela's office, she hurried to the restroom. She entered an empty cubicle and, with a slight tremor in her hand, dialed a number that had called her the previous night.

Several rings passed before someone answered Suzie's call. She swallowed nervously.

"He-Hello? M-Mr. Urquio?"

"I've been waiting for your call, Ms. Palcea," Uno's voice was cold, making Suzie's face contort with a mix of guilt, fear, and anxiety. "So, how did my request go?"

"I-I did what you asked. I encouraged her to accept your offer."

"And?"

"My friend just wants to use her one-week reprieve before she agrees. P-Please, Mr. Urquio, give my friend a chance. She'll agree because she has no other choice. A-And, your threat to my family..."

"Because you did what I asked, I'm retracting what I said last night, Ms. Palcea. You did a great job. Have a nice day." Uno said before hanging up.

Suzie felt tears welling up in her eyes. She had cooperated with Uno to encourage Manuela to agree instead of finding another way to pay off the debt.

Uno's call to her last night had been unexpected. She was surprised that he even knew her number. Suzie felt like she had betrayed Manuela because of her conversation with Uno. She hadn't had a choice, though. He had threatened her family's safety.

*FLASHBACK*

Suzie was happily playing with her three-year-old nephew when her phone rang. When she saw it was an unknown number, she ignored it. But after several calls, she answered, curious about who it was.

"Hello? Suzie Palcea speaking, who is this--?"

"--it's Uno Juaquin Urquio, Ms. Palcea. I've been calling you, and you seem to be ignoring my calls."

Suzie froze when she realized who was on the other end of the line. She felt a strange authority in Uno's voice, which made her even more surprised by his call.

"M-Mr. U-Urquio..."

"I won't beat around the bush, Ms. Palcea. From what I've gathered, you're not only Ms. Manuela Ibañez's secretary, but also her friend. I called you to help her think and choose my offer. Can you do that for me?" Uno said, his voice devoid of emotion.

"B-But Mr. Urquio--"

"If you refuse me, just think about what might happen to your three-year-old nephew. He's still young, he has so much to do in his life. It would be a shame if that didn't happen because of his aunt." Uno cut Suzie off, his words laced with a chilling threat that sent fear through her.

"I'll expect your call tomorrow, and set me an appointment for lunch with your boss at the restaurant I'll send to your email. Have a peaceful night, Ms. Palcea." Uno said before hanging up.

END OF FLASHBACK

"Forgive me, Manuela. I hope you can forgive me when you find out that I encouraged you because I did what Mr. Urquio wanted." Suzie sobbed in the cubicle, consumed by the guilt left by Uno's order, which he'd given in exchange for her nephew's safety.

Manuela was completely unaware that the moment she agreed to Uno's proposal, she would be marrying a cunning and dangerous man.