" Marriage is not a hot rice , you spit out once you got burned"

"Pamamanhikan" is a Filipino custom tradition is comes from the root word "Panhik" in English is means to "climb" or ascend the house's stairs. Pamamanhikan is where the groom goes to the bride's house together with his family and asks for the hands of the bride. if the side of the bride agrees, they proceed to the discussion regarding the wedding.

"What are you reading?" Marvin asked Janet if he noticed his wife was busy reading on the internet

"Nothing, random news and suddenly appeared about this " She showed the word PAMAMANHIKAN on her tablet

Marvin chuckled

"What?" Janet smiled "You also did this...I mean your family did this after you proposed to me"

Marvin nodded "Yes, I can't forget that especially were both nervous, our hands were cold and sweating might your parents not have agreed"

Janet smiled "those days," she said " I can't imagine that our son is going to do that soon..." she was amazed "I didn't realize that he would marry Anna..."

Marvin nodded and smiled at her "Me too" he said "Maybe he is thinking something, he is a smart kid Janet"

"He loves Mildred, then why did he do that?" she's curious

Marvin shrugged his shoulders and smirked "I dunno honey !" he replied "Maybe he realized that Anna is right for her"

Janet exhaled "Honey, no...maybe Anna is the right heir of the company, he doesn't like her...even 2 percent or I don't know...all I know is they made a promise to be siblings ..." she explained "But marrying someone you don't like I bet their marriage life would be a disaster"

"Honey, since Tom was young he knew that he would marry someone that related to the company...that he would marry that involves business...our family do that since before ...except for us...I did fight for you "

"yeah...I am grateful ..." she says and smiles at him "Honey...Mildred was nice, I do really love her, I treat her as my own daughter...I thought it was Mildred that Papa would arrange a marriage for him ...She owned a business in Paris ...what else does Papa need to worry about Tom's future"

"Papa knew what he was doing in his life, he is a wise man...he is my dad maybe there is a reason why he didn't allow them to get married..." he strongly defended his father "In fact, Anna is the right heir of his company...she is the granddaughter of his best friend, he choose her because he saw something on her..."

"I know...but marrying a person is not a game...it's not like hot rice , spit out once you get burned"

"I know Honey...I know, Tom was drunk at that time...that is why Papa doesn't allow it" he says sitting beside her on the bed and turning off the lampshade on his left side. "let's sleep, !" he invited her " don't worry about him"

Janet turned off her tab and exhaled "I felt bad for him...I already called my brother in the US and tried to help Tom to escape "

she looked at David

"I know, I heard you were talking to him ..." he says

"Are you mad ?"

"No...no honey!" he replied and he kissed her on her forehead " I wanted him to be happy also...to have a perfect not literally perfect marriage life but I wanted him to be happy and enjoying his life "

Janet smiled and "I am sorry I was planning without your acknowledge, I didn't ask you about this"

Marvin held her hands and kissed the back of her palm

and shook his head "No worries honey, I love you" he said and smiled at her

Janet smiled and nodded "Thank you and I love you," she said and hug him

ANNA POV:

Meanwhile, Anna can't sleep, she remembers everything that happened that night, especially when Tom kissed her, she suddenly feels something churn in her stomach every time she thinks about it. She palpitates and feels hot flushes on her face, her blood gushing through her veins, and feels Tom's lips still on her lips.

Every time she closed her eyes, Tom's face was all over her brain, It was her first kiss, and she thought that her prince charming would kiss her in a fairy tale place, full of flowers and butterflies that the wind whispering to her ears and the moonlit kissing on them but Tom was ruined it. The reality woke her up, and Tom stole her first kiss.

she wanted her first kiss would be perfect, not full of shame and anguish from his family, thinking she was the villain in his life.

Anna rolled on her bed, exhaled, and covered her eyes, she drank a lot of water and lay down again on her bed, yet she didn't fall asleep. She positioned herself into a prone position, put her pillow at the back of her head, and covered her two ears. 

Until she falls asleep at 5 o'clock in the morning.

Tom's POV:

Tom woke up in the morning, he was surprised when he saw Mrs. Yang sitting on the chair in the corner of his room.

"Lola!" he greets him while wiping his eyes"

Mrs. Yang stood up and walked toward him then she suddenly hit him on the back

"Damn you !" she says

"Ouch! Ouch! ouch! he says every time Mrs. Yang hits him on the back

" are you out of your mind...are you sure you're doing right" she was furious "What about Mildred? ... oh dear my poor baby," she said " are you so sure about your decision....you're going to marry her?" Mrs. Yang added

Tom exhaled "I'm so sorry Lola...I disappointed you " he replied

"oh my! oh my! you're going to marry her, I didn't expect that, what about Mildred huh?"

Tom was quiet and looked at her "Can I talk to Chairman Yang and I can take it back right?" \

Mrs. Yang hit him again on the back

"Ow! Lola that is enough...I am sorry I was drunk last night, I am pissed last night "

"you proposed and kissed her last night....damn you! Tom"

"Alright alright... I will them that no one's gonna marry and there is no wedding will happen "

"ay aya aigooo this child...oh God please forgive this young man...he thought that the wedding was only a game..." she prayed

Tom smirked at her and exhaled

"and you young man...being married to someone is not a joke, that is not the hot rice, you spit out once you get burned...make sure that you are ready and she is the one...your..."

"Haissst I know Lola...I know...but I can't marry her" he says and exhales "I am tired of fighting her "

"What?" she was surprised and wanted to hit him When Tom speaks

"I am sorry... but this is the only way I could get close to her ...I don't love Anna but for now I will use someone that I could reach my goals..."

Tom...using someone is not a good idea, don't do it...I am telling you, there's a lot of ways"

Tom smiled at her " I know I am kinda desperate now..." he said

"Yes you are" she replied and stood up., " come on let's go downstairs... you need to take back your words...Marrying Anna is not helping" she suggested

Tom stood up while nodding at her

Anna's POV

Anna woke up late in the afternoon, she answered her best friend's call

"girl, we thought we lost you..."

"I am so sorry girl, I didn't get a chance to say goodbye..."

"No worries, I was worried last night, thanks to God I got your message this morning"

Anna smiled and

"Alright girl, see you next week, yay can't wait for that…our last semester and we're going to graduate "

"Yay… true…. We're registered nurses soon"

And they both laughed… "alright ba-bye" she said

And she ends the call