Callea clasped her hands and bowed her head in shame and pain. The disgust in his voice already inflicted enough pain in her heart. She didn't care before about what people say about her physical appearance, whether she scared them or they stay away from her. But it was sad to hear that from Deive.
He showed her kindness... because he thought she was a goddess. He even protected her from danger. But she failed him. She pretended someone normal. Someone, she's not. And now, he couldn't accept the real her.
"I am not forcing myself to you. I am not forcing you to marry me. You are free to leave the house and I won't stop you. But I want to ask a favor. Please don't my grandfather that you discovered my real identity. Just tell him that you don't want to marry me because you are in love with someone else."
He crossed his arms on his chest while he's wearing a sour face. "And why would I lie? I am not you, Callea. I am not used to lies and deceit."
My teeth depressed my lower lip and I felt tears prick my eyes. Her character was already tattered and she made things worse. "I am sorry. I just thought that once my grandfather finds out that I showed myself in a ghostlike state, he will ask me to vacate Villa Celesta.
She couldn't live like a normal human like what her grandfather wanted. She would die in the normal world. She was protecting herself by staying at Villa Celesta.
"Even if I want to help you with your problem in the mansion, I can't lie to my grandfather. I may be a lot of things but I am not a liar."
Callea groaned. She never thought he had that kind of principle. "Why not? My grandfather told me that many beautiful women want a piece of you and they are like flies to horse dung wherever you go. I am sure you won't have a hard time finding a girlfriend once you are back at the dating scene."
That was the only way so that her grandfather would still give her consideration and would let her stay at Villa Celesta. So he won't think that it was not her fault that Deive backed out of their marriage arrangement.
He stood up and blew on his face. "I am afraid we are riding on the same boat here, Callea. Before I came here, I got into trouble. A major client of Hontiveros Coco backed out because he believed that I impregnated his daughter."
Her eyes widened as her heart sank. "You are about to be a dad?"
"No! I didn't even kiss the girl."
She made a face. She didn't like men who were good at having a good time but didn't want to take responsibility. "Most guys prefer to escape the burdens of fatherhood so they can enjoy their lives as a bachelor. They will tell a woman, have sex with her then leave her for another woman. What is the best punishment for a man who cheats or someone who fucks and runs? You know, in my graphic novel, the white lady cut off the man's happiness."
"By scaring him to death?"
"By cutting off his dick literally," she answered with a creepy smile.
Deive's face reddened and hit the center table with his palm. "Hey! Are you even listening to me? And why do you want to cut off a man's dick? What has he done to you anyway?"
"A man who cheats deserves to dickless."
"If you know what you are missing, you won't say that."
Then there was a mischievous glint in his eyes. Callea looked her eyes away because it was her turn to get red-faced. She felt heat creeping her body.
She got his insinuation. As a virgin, she had no idea what pleasure a man could actually give to a woman.
"So, you quit Coco Hontiveros because of that?" Callea asked.
"I was fired! Even if I am innocent, my grandfather still kicked me out of the company." Deive shrugged his shoulder and his look was agonizing. That must be shameful and painful especially if he worked hard for his position. "My grandfather took away the chance for me to get a new life. I can't ask for a loan at the bank because I need his endorsement. Without my grandfather's backing, the business that I want to build will not push through. He asked me to fix my life first."
"But you are fixing it."
"In all fairness to my grandfather, he won't let me marry the woman who is claiming that she is my baby momma. He said that he won't let me ruin his life. It means marrying the right woman. Meaning you."
Callea pressed the ends of her forefingers. It looks like Deive's problems were bigger than hers. Too bad she was not the right woman for him. Looks like he doesn't have the luck when it comes to women. "What will happen if you don't marry me?"
"If you will lose Villa Celesta, my business venture with my friends won't push through anymore. My friends will suffer as well. Our dreams will be shattered."
It was heartbreaking. There was love in his voice whenever he mentioned his venture with his friends. However, Callea understood where his grandfather was coming from. Deive was a womanizer.
Maybe his grandfather wants to put him in a good place by choosing the woman of his own choice. Too bad, his grandfather still made the wrong choice. Their grandfathers formed an alliance based on their decades of friendship. It was not about his compatibility with Deive.