JOAQUIN was lying on his bed when he heard a series of knocks on his bedroom door. The young man immediately sighed.
He knew his father was outside his room. And he also knew his purpose would be either of the two. About him leaving early and not going to the office for work. Or maybe it's about him getting marriage that his father has been asking him for a long time.
A few moments later, Joaquin was forced to get up.
“What happened and why didn't you go to the office today? Where have you been?" Joaquin Sr was angry with him the moment he opened the door.
Then the young man sighed and then lazily lay down again on his still messy bed.
"I feel like Papa, I'm stressed out and I won't be productive, so I decided not to go to work and rest here instead," he replied, which is half true in fact.
When he said that he saw the aura of his father's face soften. Then he sat down on the chair inside his room.
"I'm getting bored," a moment later, that's what he heard him say.
At that point, Joaquin already knew and he could already guess where their conversation was going. That is why he did not hesitate to answer his father for what he knew he would say.
“Papa, why are you in such a hurry? And one more thing, what you want to happen is impossible. I cannot just marry anyone just like that. I don't want to,” he said, getting up completely because the drowsiness he was feeling was gone.
“Listen to me, Joaquin. I'm not ignorant of everything you do to women. And if you don’t stop you won’t be far off getting them pregnant! So whether you like it or not you have to marry Tanya!”
Not angry but emphatically his father pronounced each of those words. Just proof that his father was not joking about what he wanted to happen.
“What? Tanya?” he asked in a tone of disbelief.
"Yes, I want you to marry her!" his father replied.
"No," he shook his head.
"Yes, and you probably don't want me to feel bad for you if you refuse?" Joaquin Sr replied to him.
That was when the young man stared at his father with so much confusion in his eyes. Why was his papa doing this to him? he didn’t know.
"I cannot do it. And one more thing it also won’t be fair for Tanya with what you want to happen. You know, don't manipulate my life. I knew I was also coming to the point like that, marriage. But I don't see myself marrying a woman I don't love,” he explained.
“I just want to let you know in advance. As a matter of fact, Tanya's parents don't know about it yet. But once I asked them that, you probably know that I won't have a hard time convincing them. Is it not?"
In the tone of Joaquin Sr.'s speech, it was obvious the seeming challenge he knew for him. And that is how the young man really felt. So again, Joaquin could do nothing but sigh.
“Alright, give me another option. Just, not Tanya, please,” he said.
It really can't Tanya because she's the girlfriend of his best friend.
And when what his father demanded happened, he knew it would be difficult for the two. And for him as well.
He didn't want to ruin his friendship with Patrick. And most especially, he wouldn’t tie himself to a situation he knew he would regret for the rest of his life.
“Other option? Are you sure?” his father asked him.
He knew and he memorized that tone.
Most likely he already has a conceivable plan or answer to what he is asking for.
His father was always like that.
He has always been a quick thinker and that is one of the qualities he can say he has used so their business has been successful.
"Of course," he replied.
A smile of victory saw Joaquin tear at his father's lips. Then it seemed as if nothing had happened as the old man leaned back against the back of the chair he was sitting on.
"Alright, I want you to find a woman to marry in a span of three months’ time," he told him.
“Seriously? Papa, do you really want me to get married?” he asked in a tone of intense disbelief.
“To stop all your bullshit with women. Because if I don’t act and I don’t do it, I won’t be surprised if one day I’ll hear that you impregnated one of them. What about the name and reputation of this family that I have kept for so long? Don’t you know how many women tried to approach and seduce me after your mother died? But did I say anything to them? No, isn't it? It is because of my love for my wife and also for the pure name of this family that I do not want to be tarnished.”
That was his father's long and serious explanation to him.
"But it's still not fair, Papa," Joaquin insisted.
“Why son, do you think what you do to the women you sleep with is fair? How many famous women have just passed through your life? But they all have gone now, and nothing left. After doing what you want to do with them, you just leave,” his father once again replied to him.
To what Joaquin Sr. said the young man secretly agreed.
But it is different from his belief. All the women who passed by him, well, he made them very happy. Not just in his ability to make a woman satisfied in bed but as well in the financial aspect. Because all of them, that was and has always been what they wanted and chasing after him.
At the thought, Joaquin couldn't help but grin. And his father didn't like that.
"And what's funny?" serious question of his father.
Joaquin seemed to wake up from a deep sleep when he heard his father say that. He then shook his head in succession before opening his mouth to speak.
“Nothing, I just remembered something. I’m sorry,” he added.
“You don't have to let the woman you're going to marry know about the real social status of your life. In other words, you have to pretend,” continued his father as if he had not heard what he said and he apologized.
If he happened to be drinking water at that moment, Joaquin would have choked. And that was because of shock. Shock or more correctly to say he couldn’t believe what he heard his father say.
“What? Why do I have to pretend?” he asked still standing up from sitting on the side of his bed.
A faint laugh was let out by Joaquin Sr before he proceeded to answer his question.
"To make sure the woman isn't after your money," was the short answer of his father who stood up afterward.
He knew that Joaquin Sr. was coming out of the door. But because he was feeling rebellious about what he wanted to happen, he chased after his father again.
“What if I refuse?” he asked.
"It's either you're going to marry Tanya, or I'm going to sell everything we have?"
"Are you serious, Papa?" he said staring hard at his father's kind face.
"Of course. If this is the only way for you to be well, I will. Don't try me, son,” he finally said in a threatening tone.