CHAPTER 1

#1: Itinakda

PHILIPPINES YEAR 1896

Dear Diary,

Do you love me? I love you so much! I'll just introduce myself. I am Hermosa Solidad, son of the governor Juancho Solidad and his wife Carolina Solidad. I have two brothers, Gabrielo Solidad who is a general and Leonardo Solidad who is the manager of our business. Me? If you ask me what is going on in my life, why don't you read this story! It must be full of fun!

Happier than you think, Hermosa

I woke up early because of the noise of our maids here. They seem to be preparing for anything.

I got up from my bed and looked at the calendar. Today is April one year 1896, there is no event. It's not my birthday, neither Father nor Mother. It is also not Gabrielo or Leonardo's birthday.

To my surprise, I went down. Nana Selda, the mother of my beloved-- I mean, Graciano. Beloved? My thoughts are sickening.

"Señorita Hermosa, have breakfast!" She said while smilimg at me.

I looked at our big clock, it was only six o'clock in the morning.

"What's up, Nana? Why are you, preparing?" I asked in astonishment. She laughed causing me to see the missing tooth in front of him. I kept laughing.

"Oh! You didn't know, Señorita. Today is the appointed day." Smiling, she said. I saw the radiance in his eyes.

I frowned. Appointed day? What is Nana talking about? Maybe her sleep is not complete again.

"Hermosa, get dressed and maybe the Montealegre family will come here later." Suddenly someone grabbed my arm. Leonardo, my brother.

He is the second of our siblings. I am the youngest. His large physique shows that he is older than me. His skin was brown and his nose was piercing.

We are of Spanish descent, our mothers. Even our father has a race but not pure. So they are just like this handsome man. Me? I'm not sure if I'm beautiful.

"Montealegre family? Whose family is that?" I thought. I just heard that last name. After all, I don't care about the families here. Not being rude or plastic. Even though maybe I'm just poor, I still don't care about people I don't know.

"In the Montealegre family." My crazy brother laughed. My eyes narrowed at what he said. "Just kidding, you will know it later. Right now you should take a bath so they won't smell your strange power!"

What does he mean by that? That I stink? I approached him to tickle his side but he ran away. I chased after him.

"Hermosa!" Gabrielo shouted. Oh no! It's my fault again. I turned to smile at him but he was still annoyed with me.

Gabrielo's blank expression greeted me. He is taller than Leonardo and I. By the way, he is our eldest, my older brother. Hehe.

"You're a woman yet you're running fast. Are you stupid?" He raised his voice to me. I shrugged my shoulders in shock.

Seriously if I was the eldest of us I would slap him every day but unfortunately he is the eldest so he should be the more respectful.

"I'm sorry--"

"It's nice to apologize, but you know what's better? To see you change. You're getting older." He passed me after saying that.

To be honest he is the black sheep in our family. I don't know why he is like that, he is a really dangerous, bad man.

"Just ignore your older brother." Said the woman behind me.

Mother! Her fancy baro't saya (Filipiniana) shows that she is the wife of the gobernadorcillo and she is a Señora of this town.

Her eyes are wide and her eyelashes are long. Her nose was piercing and her skin is white.

"Mother!" I am smiling now. I approached to kiss her

"Instead, just dress nicely." Smiling she said. I frowned.

"Mother, why? There is no occasion today, why do I have to dress nicely?" She smiled widely.

"Later the man you will marry will come." My eyes widened at what Mother said. What? Married? When will I get married and I didn't know about this?! Who is the lucky man I will marry?

"Mother? I'm getting married?" My mother smiled.

"This is your father's wish, I hope you agree." She smiled sadly.

"You will go to a good family, you have nothing to worry about." I also smiled sadly. It is not possible! I still do not want to get married especially if I do not love someone. I believe you should marry the person you love.

"Where is Father?" I asked Mother with a slightly trembling voice.

"In his office." After he said that I immediately climbed our marbled staircase.

Father why are you like this? I don't want to get married yet. And one more thing, why me immediately? Leonardo should marry first before me.

I no longer knocked on our father's door. I just went straight and I caught him reading some papers.

He smiled at me causing me to see his white teeth and my father's good looks. I told you, I am the only one who is not blessed with beauty in this family.

"Hermosa, why aren't you dressed yet?" Still smiling he said.

I sarcastically smiled at him, because I am not happy with his decisions.

"Seriously, Father? I'm getting married right away?" My eyes widened and I even slapped my father's table. I held my hands. I did not mean that, do not judge me.

"Father, I do not need a kind and trustworthy family. All I need is the one I love." I explained to my father. His forehead frowned.

"Who do you love then?"

"Gra--" I stopped. Can not. You're almost there, Hermosa! "Wait a minute, Father! That's not what we're talking about." My father laughed. He laughed like a villain in the theater.

Admit it dad, have you ever been mentally ill. My eyes rolled secretly. "Daughter? it's okay and you go down and get dressed." He pointed to the door.

My father is really driving me away, isn't he? I looked at whatever was on his desk. Papers and his drinking alcohol did not escape me.

"Look, Father. We'll face a family and you'll have a drink, huh?"

"What's the matter? I'm the gobernadorcillo of this town. I am the boss and the la--"

"You are not the law. You are Gobernadorcillo, not the law." I reminded him.

"Oh! Look at my Señorita! You look very gorgeous." Nana selda said kindly. I smiled sadly at her.

"Turn around, my unica hija." Mother ordered me.

I turned like a spinning ball, but it 's slow. I was followed by my beautiful baro't saya sewn by Doña Manuela, a great seamstress here with us.

"Mother, the Montealegre family is already here." Said Leonardo. He looked at me. "Wow, our youngest is getting married." He said laughing.

"Haha!" I laughed sarcastically. "My older brother is not getting married yet because he's very ugly."

"Hermosa! Don't insult your brother!" There is authority when Mother said. My eyes widened. I am her daughter but she scolded at me!

My two siblings and I have different mothers. My father is handsome, elegant, and intelligent. The reason why he had many woman in her life.

But the good thing is, my mother is his wife. Not Gabrielo's mother nor Leonardo's mother. Leonardo's mother is also dead due to illness, Gabrielo's mother I do not know where she is. Even if I don't know where she is, it's okay.

"Mother, I am your child!" I reminded her.

"You are all my children."

Leonardo simply laughed at me. I just rolled my eyes at him.

Now, here we are at the table. With the Montealegre family. The father, son and his wife. I don't like it.

"Your daughter is a very beautiful young lady, Señor Juancho Solidad." The old man said he was probably in his 40s, with a thick mustache and a long beard. Doesn't he know how to shave?

"Oh yes, he inherited it from his mother." Father said kindly.

I fakely smiled at them all. I looked at the man I would marry who was seriously looking at his cutlery.

Being Spanish is noticeable in their family. From what I can see, it looks like his father is the Spanish .

His eyebrows are thick and they are brown. His eyes were the same, but his complexion was white. His nose was also pointed and his lips were red. He also has a mustache but not as thick as his father's mustache. His brown hair is also curly.

I look at myself. I knew I was white before, but because I was often out then, even until now, my skin has given up. But brown like a Filipina. He is whiter than I am.

"My son will study in Europe before they get married, Señor Juancho, we have already talked about this." Smiling, the mother of my fiancé said. Should I call her mother too? Hayst nevermind I should only call my Mother, Mother... and Nana Selda also.

Even if your child does not return, Señora, it doesn't matter to me. Instead, I will be happy and maybe I will prepare the whole town some foods. Just kidding.

"He should really finish his medical course. It is for their future." My mother said.

"My sister is smart too. She plans to be a doctor too, but she is just a woman so she can't but she helps the sick. people in the hospital sometimes." Gabrielo joined the conversation.

I smiled sarcastically at him. What is he saying? I don't remember saying that I wanted to be a doctor. Yes, I helped but that did not mean I want to be a doctor.

I sometimes serve as a nurse to the soldiers whenever they go to war. It was only once because it was natural for me to help even without a replacement.

"Really? So she is just like her father, the Gobernadorcillo, ready to help the people." Mr. Montealegre said with a smile.

The others laughed as well as fellowship, hmm go ahead I will laugh too. His son was still seriously looking at the cutlery.

Wait, do not tell me that my fiancé is mentally ill? Does he know what he is doing? I engulfed in my thoughts.

This family seems to be happy if we two are going to marry. But we? That man and me? I am not sure if we will be happy. I glanced at him.

My eyes widened as he also glanced back. I pretended to drink water. I was humiliated by the embarrassment.

"Slow down. Your stupidity, don't reveal it." Leonardo whispered to me. I simply kicked his foot.

-

I am currently standing in our garden. I observe the flowers planted by our gardeners. I think deeply too.

I will get married soon. I do not know what the name of the man is. Oh god! Why did I even forget to ask?

"You really are forgetful, Hermosa! Sometimes you are in your mind, but often you are out of your mind! Why didn't you ask the name of the man you are going to marry?" I shouted angrily to myself.

I also kicked the flowers which I also immediately regretted because our beloved gardeners worked hard on it.

"I am Gallardo Montealegre, Miss." It was a man's voice. When I face him, he is my fiancé.

I accidentally sat down in shock. Am I being too clumsy? Sorry, my readers.

"Oh my, Gallardo!" I said with shocked voice. There's a pain in my buttocks but I did not bear it. "What are you doing here?" I smiled even though it was fake, I was embarrassed. Embarrassing creature.

"I want to talk with you, Miss."

So, we are here at the long bench in our garden. I watch our gardeners water our plants.

"Do you want this wedding to continue?" He asked me. I laughed.

"Oh! Of course, not! I don't even know you and I especially don't love you, Sir." Smiling I said.

My words aren't hurtful right? I'm just being honest.

"Me too. I'm sorry, Miss because this is my father's wish." He said sincerely.

"Then why doesn't he just marry me--" I covered my mouth.

Hermosa, what are you? You are an embarrassing lady. It's very gross. Do you like the old man with the thick mustache and long beard? Ayayay.

"Probably because he's married, Miss." Gallardo said while laughing. Why is he laughing? Does he think we can get along?

I removed my hands that were in my mouth. "Why are you laughing? Is that funny?" I raised an eyebrow at him. He just smiled.

"Like you, Miss, I have another woman. I hope you understand me because--"

"Oh my god, Mister. Do not worry because I really understand you. Do not speak as if I am obsessed with you because I'm really not" I smiled at him.

He embarrassingly scratch his neck. As for the state of his speech I am obsessed with him. I will admit he is a gorgeous man but that is not enough for me to love him immediately as I love my Graciano.

"I just hope our marriage doesn't go through." I smiled at him. He smiled at me too.

IT IS SIX o'clock in the evening and I am outside our mansion. I am out of our mansion and walking around.

I was thinking. Gallardo Montealegre and I also get along because we both want to stop the marriage. We want the marriage not to continue because we do not love each other and we love someone else.

Also, our fathers really want it. Why can't my father and his father just get married? I laughed at my thought.

"Misssss!" A man from behind me shouted.

"Oh miss" I accidentally touched his arm.

Yes, this is wrong. Yes, it is forbidden. Yes, it is a sin. But when I saw whose arm my hand was holding I smiled. My lover, Graciano.

"Hahahaha!" He even laughed at what happened. I am very grateful because no one saw the two of us. This is a great shame to our family.

"You huh? You took advantage of me!" I accuse him. Am I right? Is he the exploiter or me. I held his arm, didn't I? So embarrassing, I was wrong. I am the one who took advantage of him.

"What are you saying, Señorita? You are the one who held my arm." He even held her arm causing me to frowned.

"You know, Mr. Graciano, I really hate your presence" I said and I clenched my jaw. He smiled at me, holding back a laugh.

"But you are talking to me, Señorita. Also, do not call me, Mister, Señorita. We are childhood best friends." He reminded me.

"So, why do you still call me Señorita when we are CHILDHOOD BEST FRIENDS, Graciano." I raised an eyebrow at him.

He laughed. "You are different, Señorita."

I was different, he said. I secretly smiled. After all, I'm really different because I'm not just an ordinary woman. I flipped my hair.

"Because you are the daughter of the gobernadorcillo."

You are the daughter of the gobernadorcillo.

You are the daughter of the gobernadorcillo.

It was as if a very big, hand had slapped my cheek. I am different because I am the daughter of gobernadorcillo. I thought ... because he loves me.

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