Chapter 36: Chapter 36

After I took a quick shower and changed into my pajamas, someone knocked onto my door. It was not locked so it was easy for that person to came in.

My father went in with a cold look he usually wears. He's still on his suit while taking his way to my bed. I just sat down and look at him. Silence can be felt at the four corners of the room.

It feels unreal to me that he visited me again after I got mad at him on making a way for Grandma Flores to not see me again. I accepted his apology and explanation to why he did that. Those reason were very protective of him.

I understand that it's his way of being a father. Given the cold treatment he's always giving, there are still some good side that I want to hold on to.

But now, I can't understand his intentions. He is making decisions for myself. I didn't agreed on this. All this time, I thought he would give me freedom that I wanted. I'm just a teenager but I know how to trust words. Especially since it came from my father himself. I can't still forget the line he said to me. He wants to compensate right? But why is he like this? Why is he doing it this way?

“Jane,” he spoke. He just stood up on the side of my bed that I need to look up to him just to meet his gaze. He looks tired.

"Good evening, dad."

"How are you?" he asked. He still manages to give me chills because of his voice. It was still cold, but lesser than the previous talk we had.

"I don't know." I said, truthfully. "I felt myself controlled again." He looked at me, and has that stoic expression. He was silent for a couple of minutes.

"I want to tell you something, Jane." He mouthed. “Our company is slowly going to it's bankruptcy. Our properties were already sold to the Madrigal's. ”

“W-why? What happen? ” I asked, confused.

“It was supposed to be a win-win battle for us when your brother went to Malaysia and met a businessman who’s willing to be our busineee partner. Everything was on good hand and the contract that we've signed were settled. But, the company is a hoax. Everything we invest on that company vanished.” He explained.

"For our company to be saved, we needed the Madrigal's to help us, as they are one of the big companies when it comes to plantation."

I got his point.

"But why me, dad?"

“You’re still young to be given this responsibility, Jane. It just that we needed you now to help us. You're the only daughter I have that I can think of about this agreement. That's why I'm asking sorry to you. ”

“What do you mean? Does my sister already have a boyfriend? ” I asked. It's not even me. I'm not willing to cooperate on this.

“Your sister is incapable of being on that agreement, Jane. She has her own life to begin with.” He said, sighing.

“Why are you being unfair? Jace will also inherit something to this and will be one to manage our company. Why are you using me? I also have my own life dad!” I shouted, I can't contain this feeling that being mistreated as someone who's not belong in this house. The door that dad had entered earlier also opened immediately. My mom and sister went inside with their shock expression.

"What happened?" mom asked as she went beside my dad. I looked at her.

“My sister can do it, dad! Why me?" I asked again, but I didn't have a response. They went silent and only my sister was the one to give me a hug.

"Jane..." she whispered. I didn't hugged her back and was just staring at my parents. My mom was the one to looked away first.

"Jace, why?"

"Everything will be fine." Jace said as she caressed my back to calm me down.

"Please explain, mom."

“Zandra wants to talk to you before she leaves,” my mom calmly said. "She will explain it to you."

I shrugged. I don't want to talk to her. She still insulted Cheska in any way possible. But I'm also curious as I heard it from her.

"Where is she?" I asked.

"She's downstairs." When I heard mommy's answer, I immediately let go of my sister's hug and went upstairs first.

I don't care if I'm just wearing my pajamas. All I want is to hear their reason to this agreement of them. They didn't even asked me first.

I looked at the lady in front sitting on the living room. I was supposed to feel encourage to ask her about it but my mind wants me to backfire. When I came down the stairs, she felt me ​​watching her. She slowly turned to me and gave me a wry smile.

I went near her. I give a distance for us to have a comfortable conversation. I want to hear her out.

“Aunt,” I manage to say it. "Why are you doing this?"

No more fuss. I met her gaze as she was looking at me with that sophisticated aura of her. She was simply looking at me with amazed look I saw on her eyes.

"I see... You'll be perfect for my son, Jane."

"I am not." I said firmly.

"You know that Cheska and Zaine are friends," she said. "I want you to be the one to ruin their relationship." I was stunned, unable to believe what she said. Why? What is her reason? She was so desperate to make them separate.

"What?"

“I needed to distant Zaine to that girl. She will ruin my son if I can't do anything. She will harm Zaine. ”

“What do you mean? Cheska's really nice to begin with. And she will never do bad to her friend. ”

"You got it wrong, hija."

“Kindly enlighten me,” I asked her. “I need your reason to why you’re really eager to marry both me and Zaine. It's not that easy, aunt. We don't like each other. ”

I can seem to lie on my last sentence. But that's better than saying to her that she will never succeed on their plans.

“Is that really what you feel, Jane? You don’t like my son? ” She has those cunning smile while looking at me. I felt intimidated by her for a moment. That made me also conscious to what I feel.

Does she really see the truth?

“I can see that you’re attracted to him. Does it never crossed your mind that this is your advantage to be with him? To take him from Cheska?” I was even more stunned by the last thing she said. I will never do that. I looked at her with shocked expression, not containing the things she just told me.

“No Mrs. Madrigal. I won't. ”

She smiled while nodding a bit. She stood up and fixed herself. She looked at me again for the one last time.

"How long will you be a martyr, hija?" she said, before leaving me dumbfounded.

I didn't even see her walking out. I was left stunned and confused to her actions and the way she speaks. She's really determined to give her son a heartache. And that is to make Zaine marry me.

He will get hurt for sure. I don't know the reason behind this agenda of tita, but one thing is for sure, she has deep reasons on it. She will never do this just for the sake of her business.

There's something on Mrs. Madrigal that made her that. The way she speaks and act, were different from other sophisticated woman that I've met. Everything she does seems to be being manipulated. Is she the reason why Cheska left?

I bet not...

We are too young to talk about this kind of thing. Do they need to rushed up things just for their businesses?

And Zaine... He will never accept this marriage. I am very much sure of that. I can say that he has someone on his heart and this arranged marriage thing is not the one who will give him the satisfaction to continue.

All he wants is to see Cheska, the person he's been waiting for.