~*~

"I'll pay for his orders." He said to the crew.

"Okay, sir." The crew said and left after he took the cards from him.

He looked at me.

"You!" I quickly stood up from sitting on the chair to face him. "What the hell are you doing here!" I asked him, my voice raised a little.

But instead of answering me, he sat in the chair across from me. He took the cup of iced coffee and drank it from the straw. I was shocked because I drank that straw too.

What the hell is he doing?

I immediately snatched the cup from him. "Are you crazy? This is mine. I already drank this." I said in annoyance. He’s really crazy.

"So what?"

"What? Huh! You know what, you are really crazy man!"

"Can you sit down first? People are watching you. They might think we're fighting here." He said with a calm tone of his voice.

I scoffed. Seriously.

"Are you following me?"

"Do I look following you?"

"Stop talking back and answer my question, man. Why are you here? Are you following me?" I asked him again.

"Yes." He answered instantly while looking straight into my eyes.

"And why are you following me? What do you want?"

"My mother once said, I should follow my dreams. That's why I am following you." He said, and a mischievous smile grew on his lips.

"What! You bas..." I was not able to continue my sentence when the crew approached us.

"Here comes your order, Sir." The crew gives him his order.

He stood up and took his order from the crew. "Thank you," he said to the crew and look at me. "You can pay me tomorrow. I am in a hurry right now." He said, smiling, and was about to walk away but I spoke.

"No. I’m gonna pay you right now. I don't want to see you again."

"Well, you need to." He smirks and walks away.

“Hey! Where are you going! Come back!” He ignored me.

"Bastard," I whispered.

---

[FAST FORWARD]

I parked my car in the garage when I arrived home. Getting off, my phone beeps. I took it inside the pocket of my pants and check who texted me. A smile automatically grew on my lips to see my Queen's name on the screen. I open her message.

/Thank you so much for accompanying me and Pipin today, Jake! I'm so happy! If you have time tomorrow, you can come over. I'll bake cookies for you!/

A wide smile grew on my lips after I read his message. I think I am blushing right now. Damn!

I immediately compose a text and send it to her. /Yes, I'm free tomorrow! I'll definitely come over!/

/Ok. See you tomorrow!/ She replied.

"See you tomorrow, my queen," I whispered while smiling.

Ah, she's giving me butterflies in my stomach.

I walked into the house. I saw Dad in the lounge area. He is sitting on the sofa, reading a newspaper but he stops reading and turned his attention to me when he notices me walking in his direction.

"Good evening, Dad." I greeted him.

He places the newspaper he was holding on the table and stood up.

"Eat and go to my office after. We have something to talk about." He said. His tone sounds so serious.

What's up with him?

Maybe we'll gonna talk about my date today. Yeah, it's obvious.

"I've eaten, Dad. You can talk to me right now." I asked him before he could walk away.

He looked at me. "Is that so? Follow me then." He said and he walked over to his office. I followed him.

"I heard you walked out on your date." He said when the two of us got to his office.

See? I knew it. Maybe that girl reported to Dad what happened earlier. But wait. Me? Did I walk out? Tss. She was the one who didn't show up and sent that crazy man. How dare she reciprocate the truth? But anyway, what she did was right.

Yes, Dad. Because she didn't show up.” I answered. “I think she doesn't want to marry me so I don't think I need to...”

"She's not a woman." Dad cut my line off.

"I'm sorry?"

Dad let out a sigh before speaking again, looking straight into my eyes. "It's my fault. I didn't tell you."

"What do you mean? What are you talking about?" I started to feel nervous. No way. I hope I'm thinking wrong. It can't be happening.

"The person you're going to marry is not a woman. It's a man."

---

"The person you're going to marry is not a woman. It's a man."

My forehead creased at what he said. "What? You've got to be kidding me."

"No. You're really going to marry a man."

No way. That crazy man?

"Dad!" I scoffed. "This is absurd. This can't be happening!" I yelled.

"But it is. I'm sorry, my son."

No. I can't believe this! This can't be happening! I'm a man! Why would I marry a man?

"Why... Why would you want me to marry a man? Have you lost your mind?"

"Watch out your mouth, Jake! I have no choice."

"Why don't you have a choice? What's happening, Dad? Explain it to me because I don't understand! Does it have anything to do with me having my car? If I give you back the car I asked for, you won't let me marry that man?”

"No. It has nothing to do with that. You can’t back out right now, Jake."

"Why!" I am really confused right now.

"Because this is the only way to not lose our company!"

I was speechless.

Not lose our company?

"Our business is getting bankrupt and he is the only one who can help us. He is Lukeweynn Ferrer, the CEO of Ferrer's Car Incorporation and we need his partnership so that we can not lose our company. I am not doing this for my sake, but for your sake and Jasmine's. If we lose our company, you two will suffer. So, please help me, my son."

"Wh... Why me? I'm... I’m a man. Why would you marry me to my fellow man? Shouldn't Ate Jasmine be the..."

"He doesn't need a woman."

"What does it mean?"

"He needs a man to turn down his parents' plans. This is a win-win situation for both of us. Like I told you, you don't have to start a family, just get married. Don't worry, your marriage is a secret so no one else will know. Don't worry, Jake. I will do everything to make our company successful again as soon as possible. And when that time comes, you will leave him. I promise you that. For now, you have to help me. Ok? Please.”

—