Cursed

Davian was the first to break the silence with his laughter. He wasn't laughing because he was amused, he was laughing at his situation.

"Am I cursed or something? Did I sign a deal with bad luck that I have to meet jinxes wherever I go?" he said more to himself.

"I think you're the jinx yourself, Mr. Randell," Came Silvia's comeback.

"(Scoffs) I have no idea why I keep running into you," he added.

"It's your fate," Silvia replied.

"Fate is truly a sick b*tch like they say. But this meet up is a divine arrangement by Cia," he said turning his attention back to Cia.

"Explain yourself now Cia," Silvia added

"When you said you had a man for me, I never expected the man to be 'him'," she put all the gravity of sarcasm in just that one word. His lips pulled up into a small smirk, he has never met any woman this cheeky.

"I can explain guys. You are both my friends and I love you both. Whether you guys accept it or not you both need each other right now, you Silvia need a man to deceive your parents so that you won't get married to a man you don't want to get married to and you're running out of time," Cia said.

"While you Davian...look at me Davian," Cia continued and added the last part as Davian had scoffed turning his attention to another direction nonchalantly. He turned to face her again.

"You need money to pay for your mom's surgery. Can you both set aside your pride for once?!" Cia continued.

Davian's hand removed some strands of his hair from his face as the wind dishevelled it. Silvia's eyes were focused on him as he did it, his grey eyes met her amber ones.

For the first time she focused on his appearance, he was tall and even though he wore a big furry coat, you could still tell he had a perfect physique.

He was actually quite handsome, Silvia thought.

"I don't think I can stay under the same roof with this man, Cia," Silvia said and Davian laughed a short laugh.

"The feeling is mutual, Ms. Reyes," he responded.

"Tsk...you guys should go home, cool your heads and think about it. I'll be waiting for you in the car, Silvia," Cia said and walked away. Silvia had a last glance at him before she too turned to leave.

***

It was already nightfall in Asteria city. Silvia was in the balcony of her bedroom, she stood there staring at the starry skies and the beautiful lights of the city as usual as she sipped her glass of red wine slowly.

She held her arms at some point, it was a cold night and she was only wearing her thin singlet hand nightgown.

She was in deep thoughts, she had promised her parents that she would be bringing her fiancée for dinner and proper introduction and the day was just a day after tomorrow.

Maybe she should just give the offer to Davian, besides she can't deny the fact that he was more than qualified for the job. He was handsome and intelligent, but that attitude of his tends to irk her, but she will have to put up with it as she was running out of options.

But then again, what if he changes his mind? What if he backs out? No, he can't. He needs the money, he can't possibly resist this offer.

Meanwhile, Davian sat close to his mother in the ICU. He wore the required things before he was allowed in. His mother hasn't even woken up since that day. If he was told that day that his mother would end up like this in the hospital later in the day, he wouldn't have believed.

She looked so fine but he should have already known how she was. She pretends to be fine outside when she was dying inside. The brain tumor had really knocked her body out this time.

This would be the second surgery, even if he accepted Silvia's offer, how sure was he that his mother would survive the second surgery, it was rare for people to survive the second surgery of brain tumor.

He held his mother's hands. He would be completely miserable if anything happens to her. The worst day of his life was when she was diagnosed with the cancer, it broke him. Silvia's proposal was his only option, he just hopes she hasn't changed her mind due to the way he had behaved when they met earlier.

...

The following night, Silvia, Sentencia and Olivia were in their usual spot at the VIP section of the club.

"So, what did he say?" Silvia said to Cia as she sipped from her drink.

"He accepts your proposal," Cia answered. Silvia felt relieved.

"I'll see him tomorrow morning then, the contract is already ready, all it needs is his signature. There's a lot to be done, tomorrow night is already the day he meets my parents

"We need to give him that billionaire look and aura and we also have to practice what we're say in front of my parents. We need to practice how to act like real lovers in front of my parents," Silvia started uttering nonstop.

"Take it easy, Silvia. You are too excited," Cia said.

Excited? She wasn't sure if that was the right word. She was nervous, she wants this to go well, she wants it to be perfect no mistakes as a perfectionist that she was but time wasn't by their side. Her parents were as sly as her, they might easily detect any flaw.

"(Sighs) I wish I was like you, Silvia," Olivia spoke up, she had been quiet all these while. She has been unusually more quiet than she used to be these past few days, her friends noticed and when asked she insisted that she was fine.

"Why so Olivia? Trust me, you don't want to be me," Silvia responded.

"I can't help but wish. You're so independent, both of you, free to do whatever you want and to make your own decisions, me...me I'm stuck, I feel like a dumb Barbie doll," Olivia said.

She was the only daughter of a family of four and so both her parents and elder brother watches over her like hawks. It wasn't in that sweet protective manner, to them she was an asset, an investment that will be useful someday and that day has come.

Tears flowed down her cheeks, her beautiful sequin blue eyes sparkled as she cried, that was when her friends knew the issue must be serious, she doesn't easily cry. They drew closer to comfort her as she was in between them.

"What's wrong, Olivia?" Cia asked first.

"It's my father and brother," Olivia started to speak up, she couldn't bear to keep it from them any longer.

"No apologies Olivia, those two scum bags again. What do they want from you this time?" Silvia asked.

"They want me to seduce and get pregnant for Leonard Yul" Olivia answered.

"?!"