Mr. Billionaire's Sunshine (English)
Ameiry Savar
Blurb:
Lirah Sarmiento—a simple provincial girl who grew up yearning for the love her own family never gave her. She learned to obey… even if it meant sacrificing her own happiness.Matias Gomez—a powerful billionaire and heir to the Gomez Empire. Cold, arrogant, and emotionally guarded after a bitter past that left his heart in ruins.
A marriage bound by agreement, not affection.
A relationship born out of obligation.
Two broken hearts.
Two souls who never learned how to love.
In a world tangled with lies, resentment, and a forced union, can something real still take root?
Or will they be completely consumed by the very fate that brought them together?
Disclaimer!
This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, persons, places, and incidents are only a product of my imagination. All resemblance to an actual person, whether living or dead, events, or anything, is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved! No part of this story may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the author's prior written permission, except for brief quotes and lines from the story.
Mr. Billionaire's Sunshine © 2022 by Ameiry Savar
Chapter 1
“This is unacceptable! How did this happen?!” angrily asked Don Fernan Sarmiento. He stood up from his chair and slammed the table hard. He was the owner of the most renowned shipping company in the entire country. He had just received news that his trusted vice president had flown to another country with a large sum of money from their company.
Everyone in the room fell silent and immediately turned their heads. They couldn’t meet the intense gaze of the furious gentleman. They were in the middle of a meeting when an executive of the company suddenly entered to deliver the news.
“W-We learned that he created a g-ghost company abroad. He sends the funds he acquires from the company there. H-He used fake accounts--”
“Shut up!” Don Fernan interrupted. He threw the folders in front of him. He took deep breaths and tried to calm himself. He held his chest and sat back down. “Get out,” he said softly.
The board members exchanged glances and hesitated to move immediately. But when Don Fernan gave them a menacing look, they quickly made their way out of the room. That’s when Donya Paulina Sarmiento, Don Fernan’s wife, entered the scene. She noticed her husband struggling to catch his breath in his chair.
“Fernan!” Paulina hurriedly approached Fernan. When she saw him pale, she quickly grabbed some water and prepared to give it to him. But Fernan let out a loud groan. “My God! Please help us! Don!” Paulina screamed, tears streaming down her face, as she embraced her husband who had a heart attack.
A group of men entered the room. They were Fernan’s men. They helped carry Fernan to the hospital.
Paulina prayed fervently while they were in the hospital, waiting for the doctor currently operating on Fernan. He had suffered a heart attack due to intense emotions. Fortunately, he was immediately rushed to the hospital. Their eldest daughter arrived at the hospital shortly after to find out what had happened to her father.
“What happened to Papa, Mama?” Liza, their eldest daughter, asked anxiously. At twenty-five years old, she was already a famous model. Just by her posture, many admired her. It was undeniable that Sarmiento’s eldest daughter was a beautiful woman.
“I don’t know yet, Liza. I just saw him having an attack in their meeting room.”
Liza sighed and hugged her mother, who was crying uncontrollably. “Don’t worry, Mama. Papa is a strong man.”
“He better be. I don’t know what I’ll do if your father is gone.”
“Papa! Where’s Papa? What happened to Papa?” Lirah, their youngest daughter, rushed in, panting. Unlike Liza, Lirah was a quiet child of Paulina and Fernan. She didn’t like mingling with people. She preferred spending time with her plants and the animals she took care of. But among their siblings, Lirah was the one who appreciated beauty the most. She may not enjoy dressing up like her sister, but she had a keen eye for it.
Liza arched an eyebrow and faced her sister. “Why are you here just now, Lirah? And what is that smell? Did you even wash yourself before coming here?” she asked disdainfully. She even covered her nose due to the unpleasant odor coming from Lirah.
Lirah paused. “I’m sorry, sis. Chuchay just gave birth.”
Liza rolled her eyes. She was about to say something but the door to the operating room opened, and the doctor came out. He immediately informed them that the operation had been.
However, Fernan was currently in a coma, so they couldn’t say for certain that he was safe yet.
“Oh my God, Fernan!” Paulina cried.
“We’re preparing Don Fernan’s room now.”
“Alright, doc. Thank you.”
“Liza, what should we do? Your papa! I can’t lose your papa!”
“D-Don’t worry, Mama. We will make sure that he will recover.”
Lirah bowed her head and quietly cried. She couldn’t contain the overwhelming worry she felt for her father. She couldn’t bear any harm coming to him.
Don Fernan was taken to his private room. Paulina felt even more pity and anxiety when she saw the state of her beloved husband. She lost count of how many machines were attached to his body. The sound of a machine monitoring his heartbeat was deafening. It felt like each beat of his heart was also quickening her own heartbeat.
The siblings decided not to enter the room yet and spoke to Don Fernan’s secretary to find out what had happened.
“A large amount was lost from your company, Miss Liza. And it will be difficult to recover it until you catch the thief,” said George.
“That’s probably why Papa had a heart attack,” Lirah said sadly. She bowed her head and bit her lip. She felt deep sympathy for her father. He loved their company dearly.
“What is the board doing about it? Have they caught him?”
“Sadly, no. But we have filed a case, and we have also reported it to the National Bureau of Investigation. But you need to think of something to fill the gap in your company. Otherwise, it might be lost.”
Liza exhaled heavily. She nodded. As the eldest, she knew she had to temporarily take her father’s place. She was also sure that her mother wouldn’t be able to stand as the company’s chairman because she was deeply hurt by what happened to their father.
“Okay, George. Thank you very much.”
George nodded at them and took his leave.
“Now, what are we going to do, sis?”
Liza raised an eyebrow and faced her sister. “What are we going to do? You. Go home first and clean yourself up. You don’t know anything about running a business because you’re too busy with your pets!”
Lirah froze. With teary eyes, she looked at her older sister. Unbeknownst to many, Liza and Paulina didn’t treat Lirah well. They treated her as if she wasn’t their own family. Lirah couldn’t understand why, despite her efforts to be a good daughter and sister. Her only ally in their home was her father. That’s why she was crying so much out of excessive worry.
“I-I just wanted to help, sis.”
“Then go home! You stink, Lirah. Do you want Mama to have an attack because of your smell?”
Lirah bowed her head and finally burst into tears. She quietly nodded and turned away from her sister. She peeked at her father through the door of his room.
“Dad, I’ll come back. Please, wake up.”
“Lirah! What else are you waiting for?” Liza asked irritably.
Lirah didn’t respond and walked away from the room. She wanted to go in and watch over her father, but her current smell wasn’t pleasant at all. Everyone she encountered avoided her. All Lirah wished for was her father’s speedy recovery.
Chapter 2
“You can’t let the company go away from your father, Liza. We need to find a way!” Paulina said with concern. She had just calmed down after the incident with her husband, and they were discussing their eldest child, who was the reason behind her husband’s attack. They were sitting in the small living room of Fernan’s room.
“That’s what I thought, Mama,” Liza replied, looking at her father. “Dad won’t be able to handle that. I just can’t believe that Godfather did that.”
Paulina sighed. “Ninong Fidel has been jealous of your father since a long time ago. I wasn’t surprised that he betrayed us.”
“After what we did to him? This is what he’ll do for revenge? I swear I will find him and make him pay!”
“But the company, Liza. We can’t neglect it. It’s our only hope.”
Liza sighed. Her mother was right. While she had many connections through her modeling career, she was just starting in acting. And that wouldn’t be enough to support them or revive their company. They lost more than ten billion in their company. If they couldn’t recover it soon, they wouldn’t be able to pay their employees. Not to mention the shareholders who relied on their dividends.
“Didn’t you have an agreement with someone your dad knew before?”
Liza paused at Paulina’s question. “Who?” she asked.
Paulina thought for a moment. “The child of the Gomezes.”
The Gomez family. They were the most prominent family in the country. Not only known in the country but also in other countries. They had many businesses and were also partners with the Sarmientos. The Gomezes had two children as well. As business partners, the elderly Gomez decided to arrange a marriage between their eldest and Fernan’s child, as they were also close friends and grew up together. But it never materialized because Paulina didn’t want her daughter to marry. She refused because of rumors that the Gomez’s eldest child was cursed in marriage. The reason? Nobody knew.
“Mama, no!” Liza protested immediately.
Paulina let out a sigh. She knew her daughter would refuse. Just as she wouldn’t want Liza to marry a man with a curse.
“But what can we do? They’re the only ones who can help us now.”
“You know that I can’t marry that man! I don’t want to die, you know?”
“I know what to do. When is your useless brother coming back?”
“I don’t know, Mom. And I don’t care. He smelled so bad earlier. And no matter how much he cleans up, it won’t go away. She stinks too much–” Liza stopped. “Wait. Don’t tell me...”
Paulina smiled and nodded at her daughter. “Yes,” she replied before Liza could even ask. Liza burst into laughter and nodded vigorously. “Now call her and tell her to come back. I’ll contact the Gomezes.”
Paulina immediately called the Gomezes and asked for their help with their company. In return, they agreed to fulfill Don Manuel Gomez’s wish. To marry their eldest children. Don Manuel quickly agreed and even rushed to visit Fernan that day.
Meanwhile, Liza immediately called Lirah to come back to the hospital, which the latter promptly followed.
Wearing her yellow floral dress, Lirah quickly went to the hospital. In fact, she had been ready to leave earlier. She was just worried that her mother and sister might get angry if she came back immediately. Fortunately, her older sister called her.
“Mama. Ate. How’s Papa?” Lirah asked as soon as she entered the room, placing the bouquet of flowers she brought on the table near her father and going to his side.
Paulina’s face immediately lit up upon seeing the young woman. No matter what Paulina did, she couldn’t make her youngest daughter like her. Lirah was often scolded by her. So it was strange for Paulina when she smiled.
“Papa... I feel so sorry for you,” Lirah said sadly, stroking the back of Fernan’s hand. “Pa, wake up, please.” Lirah’s tears began to fall. It seemed like just this morning she was happily talking to her father. They were planning to expand the hacienda. They had just purchased the neighboring lands, and Lirah was excited. But it was all replaced with intense sadness because her father was now lying motionless.
“Lirah, come here,” Liza called her sister, sitting on the only chair beside their mother.
Lirah looked at her sister and approached them, sitting on the long sofa.
“Why?” she asked politely.
Paulina took a deep breath, trying to soften her expression as she looked at her youngest child.
“Lirah, my dear. I have something to tell you.”
Lirah’s heart squeezed when she heard Paulina’s soft call. She had never heard her mother speak like that to her. More often than not, her mother would just shout at her. So it was strange when she smiled at her mother.
“What is it, Mama?”
“Do you love this family?”
Lirah furrowed her brows. “O-Of course, Mama.”
“Are you willing to do anything for our family?”
“Yes, Mama,” Lirah replied again, feeling confused with her mother’s questions. Her excitement was replaced with a strange nervousness.
“You heard what George had told us earlier, right?” Liza added.
Lirah looked at her sister and nodded. “Yes, Ate. The company was stolen, and it’s in danger of being lost. Dad would be devastated if that happens.”
“Good. Do you know how your father will feel, right?” Paulina said. “We need your help, Lirah.”
Lirah’s heart suddenly pounded. In her entire life, she felt useless to them. And now her family needed her help? She gladly obliged!
“What is it, Mama? Anything. I’ll help. For Papa. For the company. For us,” Lirah eagerly said.
Paulina smiled broadly, as did Liza. They exchanged glances before responding to Lirah.
“You need to marry Ninong Manuel’s eldest child.”
Lirah was stunned. “What?”
Chapter 3
Lirah knows the Gomezes. Don Manuel Gomez is her only godfather. He’s the only one she remembers who always greets her whenever he visits her father. In fact, Don Manuel is kinder to her than her own mother. However, she doesn’t know Don Manuel’s eldest child because that person is always absent from their mansion. Besides, the eldest child is ten years older than her and, as far as she knows, is already married.
“M-Mama! Please don’t joke about this!” Lirah protested.
Paulina raised an eyebrow, and Liza’s smile vanished.
“Do I look like I’m joking, Lirah?” Paulina asked.
Lirah swallowed. She exchanged glances with them and felt like she had no choice. Tears started to well up in her eyes.
“I-Isn’t Ate supposed to be the one to marry because she’s the eldest?”
Liza gasped. “Are you questioning Mama?”
Lirah clenched her hands tightly, trying to hide her trembling.
“N-No, I just–” She paused when she felt someone standing beside her. When she looked, it was Paulina, which made her shift slightly. However, Paulina held her shoulders and stared into her eyes. She was acting calm, but to Lirah, it was scarier.
“Lirah, my dear. I thought you loved your family. Your dad? Do you want the company to disappear? For us to suffer?”
Lirah hesitated before weakly shaking her head. Paulina smiled.
“See? No one likes it. You are doing this because you love this family. Your dad will be disappointed if you don’t do this.”
“B-But Mama. I’m only twenty-three. I’m too young to get married.”
Paulina laughed. “Lirah, I was twenty-one when I had your sister. Age is not a problem. Just think about your family, especially your Papa. You’re doing this for him.” Paulina settled into her chair. “Or, we could sell the hacienda, right? Maybe we can get a few million from that. I’m sure the company can recover at least a little from that.”
Lirah’s eyes widened. She suddenly felt weak. If her father couldn’t bear losing the company, it would be even worse if they lost the hacienda. Like her father, she loved their land, which had been passed down through generations. If they lost it, many of their employees would lose their jobs.
Tears welled up in Lirah’s eyes. She lowered her head and didn’t answer. The thought of marriage hadn’t crossed her mind, and she preferred to focus on taking care of her beloved animals on the hacienda rather than marrying someone. But she also loved her family. She couldn’t bear seeing her father upset with her or her family suffering because of her. Despite the strained relationship with her mother and sister, she still loved them dearly because they were her family.
“Lirah? You will do this, right? For us?”
With teary eyes, Lirah nodded. She couldn’t do anything else but listen to them; otherwise, her mother would get angry with her again.
Paulina hugged Lirah tightly and said, “Very good! At least now, you can do something for your family!”
Liza rolled her eyes. Inside, she was relieved that she wasn’t the one marrying the Gomez’s eldest child. She heard that person was the ugliest among the siblings, so they rarely showed themselves to people. That explained why none of their previous spouses stayed with them for long.
Days passed, and Lirah became sadder. Her father still didn’t wake up, and her wedding day was approaching. Until now, she couldn’t stop wondering who the person was or what kind of person that young man was. Tomorrow, Don Manuel would visit the hospital to plan their wedding.
“Lirah, I’ve already fed the horses and other animals,” Alvin, one of her hacienda workers, said.
Lirah looked up from her favorite book as she sat outside the mansion in a hammock. She often rested there during siesta time. She closed her book and glanced at him.
“What about Chuchay?”
“She’s fine now. She already rested.”
“Okay, Alvin. Thank you for your help. You can rest now.”
Alvin nodded and bid Lirah goodbye.
Hacienda Clarita. The largest piece of land owned by the Sarmientos. It was named after Don Fernan’s grandmother and had been in the family for a long time. Initially, it was small, but it gradually grew and expanded into other lands as well. Among the siblings, only Lirah showed interest in the hacienda. She loved it so much that she even chose a course close to it during college.
Lirah was about to enter the mansion when she heard some rustling nearby.
She looked toward the side of their mansion. They didn’t have a gate, just well-arranged plants around the area. Since they owned the small mountain, there was a fence surrounding it. Lirah approached the kennel of their dogs nearby. There was a German Shepherd, black and chocolate in color, which they tied up at night because it would disturb their other animals like the chickens. It was also quite alert and would bark at anything suspicious.
“Hush. What’s wrong?”
The dog continued to bark. Lirah heard some rustling again from a dark area of their land. She noticed that the other animals were also agitated and making noise.
“Why?” Lirah wondered aloud. She decided to get her flashlight and cautiously walked toward the noise. The dogs seemed to be warning her, but she had no fear as she walked closer.
“Is there someone there?” Lirah asked. She tried to illuminate the area, but she couldn’t see anything. She continued to walk a few meters until she reached the pigpen. She saw the pigs were sleeping. She then checked the chicken coop and noticed that the chickens seemed disturbed and were making noise.
“Why is that?” Lirah asked herself. She froze when she noticed that the gate was open. “Oh no! It’s Alvin, isn’t it? He didn’t properly close the gate. What’s this?” Lirah furrowed her brow when she saw a wet spot on the gate. When she touched it, it was thick and had a slight smell. “Blood?”
Her eyes widened, and she stepped back. But then, something hard hit her from behind. She quickly turned around and was about to scream when she saw a man standing there, staring at her intently. He quickly covered her mouth, and Lirah struggled. He groaned, but he didn’t let her go.
“Who are you?!” Lirah asked, trembling. She tried to illuminate the man and saw that he was lying on the ground, clutching his side and moaning. There, Lirah noticed that his polo shirt was turning red. “My goodness! What happened to you?!”
Chapter 4
Lirah hurriedly asked for help from her housekeepers. They were all staying in the mansion, and some of them lived in a house behind it, making it easy for her to seek assistance. They brought the unconscious man to one of the guest rooms in the mansion.
“He was shot, Hija!” Myrna said, one of the family’s housekeepers who helped raise Lirah since she was a baby. “I don’t think it’s right to bring him inside,” she added while tending to the man’s wound.
“But, ’Nay, he looks pitiful.” Despite her fear of the stranger, Lirah couldn’t abandon him. She saw that he needed help.
“What if he’s part of a syndicate, Bessy?” Kiray, Myrna’s only child and Lirah’s close friend, worriedly asked. They were almost the same age and had become like sisters.
Only the three of them remained in the room after calling the mansion staff to bring the man inside. Thankfully, some of them were still awake. Lirah and Kiray were the only ones besides Lirah’s father whom she trusted.
Lirah became anxious. She approached the man and observed him closely. He was unfamiliar, and he didn’t look like a local villager. Based on his appearance, he seemed well-off and not ordinary. He didn’t look like a syndicate or a thug either. He didn’t appear to be menacing. But what was he doing in their hacienda?
“He’s handsome, huh?” Kiray grinned broadly and moved closer to the bed. “Maybe we can keep him here. I’ll watch over him.” She was about to pat the man’s cheek, but she stopped when her mother spoke up.
“Stop that, Kiray! Go with Makoy and ask him to bring the doctor here. Tell him that the lady needs help.”
Kiray pouted. “I just wanted to take a closer look.”
“Hurry up!”
Lirah chuckled at her friend. She sat on the edge of the bed. “I’ll take care of him, ’nay.”
“All right, and I’ll get some water.”
Lirah took some clothes from Myrna and attended to the man’s wound. The bleeding had lessened compared to earlier, but it was still ongoing. Lirah looked at the man’s face. It was true what Kiray said; he was a handsome man. His slightly curly hair suited him well. She noticed that he was shivering, and there were beads of sweat on his forehead. When she touched him, she winced as she felt the heat of fever. Fortunately, Kiray arrived with the only doctor in the village, who also served as Lirah’s personal physician, rushing to the mansion whenever needed.
The doctor immediately attended to the man. He said that the gunshot wound wasn’t too deep, so the man wouldn’t need surgery. He cleaned the wound and attached a dextrose to administer medication. Afterward, he instructed Lirah on what medications to give the man when he woke up. The doctor didn’t stay long and soon left the mansion.
“Thank you very much, doctor.”
“You’re welcome, Senyora.”
“Um, can we keep this a secret? Even from... my mother? I still don’t know who he is.”
The doctor hesitated. He pondered for a moment but then nodded to Lirah. “You can count on me. But please be careful, Senyora. You don’t know him.”
Lirah smiled faintly. “Yes, thank you very much.”
After escorting the doctor out, Lirah returned to the room. Myrna was still there, gazing at the man.
“I wonder who he is,” Kiray said, feeling sorry for him.
“Let’s not be too complacent. Once he wakes up tomorrow, we’ll send him away. You might get involved too, Lirah,” Myrna said, concerned.
Lirah sighed. “I’ll be fine. You two can rest now, ’nay.”
“Are you sure, Bessy? If you want, I can stay and watch over him,” Kiray said with a grin, sitting on the edge of the bed. Her mother quickly pulled her away.
“Stop it, Kiray! Look at him, barely conscious, and yet you’re still thinking of mischief.”
Lirah laughed. “It’s alright, Kiray. Who knows what you might do?”
Kiray playfully stuck out her tongue. “That’s not fair!”
Myrna glared at her. Then she looked at Lirah. “Alright, Hija. We’ll rest now. You too, don’t stay up too late with him.”
“Yes, ’nay.”
Mother and daughter left the room together. Lirah stayed behind to watch over the man. She took the blanket and covered him properly. When she was sure he was comfortable, she went outside to bring her book and closed the mansion’s door. Then, she returned to the room and settled on a small sofa nearby. She had to be up early tomorrow to face her new life in the city.
Lirah looked at the still-sleeping man. “You’re lucky. Whoever you are, you’re safe now. As for me? Tomorrow, I’ll be gone. I hope Ninong’s eldest son is a good person.”
Lirah sighed again. She lay down and covered herself with the blanket. Her mother and sister didn’t come home to the hacienda since they had a house in the city. That’s why she found solace here.
After a while of reading, Lirah started to feel drowsy. She closed her eyes and fell asleep.
The young man lying on the bed groaned. He slowly woke up and felt intense pain on his side. He winced but suppressed the urge to cry out.
“Where am I?” he asked himself.
The young man gradually opened his eyes and found himself inside a room. He noticed a large needle attached to his hand. Frowning, he felt his side and realized it was bandaged.
“What happened?”
His last memory was running away from men attempting to take his life. He saw a high barrier and desperately tried to climb it even though he was already bleeding. But he felt relief when he realized he was in a safe place. He clenched his fists. He knew who tried to kill him. They were probably thinking he was already dead. But they were wrong.
There, he heard a soft snore. He tried to sit up and saw someone sleeping on a long chair. He became alert, but he didn’t move. He tried to sense if the person would wake up, but the one lying on the chair remained still. So, he carefully stood up and removed the needle attached to his hand, leaving the syringe in the dextrose and stopping the drip.
He slowly approached the sleeping girl. He was taken aback when he saw her innocent face. She was the same girl he encountered earlier, whom he initially thought was his enemy. The room was dark, but he was sure it was her. Instead of being afraid of him, she even helped him with his wound. The young man gently caressed her cheek and smiled.
“Thank you for your help,” he whispered.
He groaned again. He looked around and realized he was in a guest room. He glanced at the girl who was still sleeping soundly. He would think later about how to repay her for helping him. He looked at the medicine on the bedside table. When he found pain relievers, he quickly took a few tablets and swallowed them. Then, he quietly left the room and even the mansion. He couldn’t stay in this place; they might find the girl. He was sure they were still looking for him, and they wouldn’t stop until they found him, even if it meant finding his lifeless body.
Besides, he had something to do tomorrow. The surroundings were still dark, and he could make it in time.
Chapter 5
“I don’t want to get married, Mom. But what should I do? How do I tell Mama? I’m sure she’ll be angry with me if I don’t go today,” Lirah said tearfully while looking at herself in the mirror. She was wearing a white dress that reached just below her knees, with her hair loosely styled by Myrna.
“Don’t worry, Beshy. We can’t do anything about it anyway. So, just smile,” Kiray tried to force a smile. Myrna’s daughter and Lirah’s close friend. Despite being their household help in the hacienda, the two of them had become more like family to Lirah. “It’ll make you look good in the pictures, right?”
Lirah’s face became even sadder, and Myrna noticed, so she scolded her daughter. “Enough of that, Kiray! You’re just making Lirah even more sad. Oh, well. Okay, I’ll get your car ready, dear.”
Lirah sadly nodded, not answering, and continued to look at herself in the mirror. She applied some powder and borrowed Kiray’s cheap lipstick. She wasn’t fond of putting makeup on her face. No matter how much Kiray tried to console her now, she couldn’t find it in her to smile. Today felt like a funeral, not a joyful occasion.
After a while, Myrna returned to the room. Lirah bid them goodbye and got into the car. Today, she was going to the municipality where she would marry Matias Gomez. She still had no idea what her future husband looked like or what kind of person he was. Whether he would be kind to her or be cruel. But she hoped that by doing this, she could save their company.
They soon arrived at the municipality. An elderly man who introduced himself as the right-hand man of the Gomez family greeted her. She tried to find her Mama and sister, but they were not there. They had managed to arrange for her to marry a stranger, and now they wouldn’t even accompany her.
“Do you have an appointment with Mister Gomez? He’s waiting inside,” the man said politely.
Lirah weakly smiled at him. He opened the door, and she entered the office of the Mayor of their town. A man sitting behind a wide desk immediately stood up. It was their mayor, Mayor Enrico. Lirah’s attention was drawn to the man sitting across the table, looking at her intently.
“Are you Lirah Sarmiento?” Matias asked with a puzzled expression as the young woman approached them. He also stood up, eyeing her curiously.
Lirah’s forehead creased. “Y-Yes. I am,” she replied politely and softly.
Matias grinned. He couldn’t help but feel annoyed as if the girl was unbreakable. He despised pretense more than anything else.
“Fine. I don’t care who you are. Let’s do this.”
Lirah stopped in front of him. “You’re Matias Gomez?”
“Who else?”
Lirah pursed her lips. “Okay.” She turned to face their mayor. “Mister Mayor, let’s proceed with the wedding.”
Mayor Enrico glanced at Lirah and couldn’t help but smile. He began the ceremony without delay. Matias placed a gold ring on Lirah’s finger, and she did the same for him. Then they signed the marriage documents to make it official.
“And I pronounce you as husband and wife,” the mayor announced. “You may now kiss your bride.”
Lirah’s eyes widened. “K-Kiss?” she asked in surprise. She looked at Matias, who was also looking in another direction. Her cheeks immediately blushed. She had never been kissed by a man before. Kiray had told her that aside from being a woman, it was the most important thing for them.
“Yes, Mrs. Gomez. A kiss seals the deal that you are now one.”
“Do we really have to do that?”
Mayor Enrico nodded, and Lirah’s confusion deepened. She scratched her head. She didn’t want to be kissed by Matias, especially since he wasn’t her first love. She was about to speak up and give her reason, but Matias beat her to it.
“It’s just a kiss,” he said.
Then, to Lirah’s surprise, Matias suddenly pulled her close and kissed her on the lips. It was brief, but she felt the roughness of his action. Afterward, he didn’t even look at her and let her stand there with wide eyes.
‘My first kiss!’ Lirah screamed in her mind.
