Chapter 7 The Mayor

Mayor Calixto Olmedo Hernandez is feared by all. During his fifteen years in office, he was known as Medellin's iron hand. Several ordinances were enacted in Medellin during the Mayor's tenure. The ordinance prohibits assaulting women and sentences those caught illegally logging in any part of the municipality to prison.

Those who violate the ordinance face imprisonment or fines, as well as sanitation for the entire community.

So when she saw his solemn expression, her knees almost shook. When its sharp eyes landed on her, the color faded from her entire face.

She was afraid of the Mayor because she had witnessed Gideon's father's rage at local news. She had refused to meet with the Mayor since then. Fortunately, the Mayor was not present when his spouse came to the mansion for the first time a month ago to ask her hand in marriage. She was given time to consider the offer, but the circumstances were unkind to her that summer, when she met Gideon on the Aisle and the Mayor stood in front of her for the second time.

She clutched the hem of her gown. She realized she couldn't get away from her impending doom in Gideon's hands.

"Very beautiful child; no surprise the beauty is talked about and admired in the municipality," the Mayor said, breaking her trance.

She could hear her mother's soft laughter. Jewel gulped.

The lush and baritone voice of the Mayor contrasted the deep and cold voice of Gideon. She was not that skilled to hide her feelings but she tried hard to do so. It was as if she were being sentenced in court. She preferred to focus her attention on the fruits on the charcuterie board. She then tucked her fingers beneath the table.

It was the worst feeling for her to be sitting at that long wooden table with just the five of them. She felt suffocated by tension and was terrified of Mayor Calixto. Even though her father and mother were sitting on either side of her, the fast beating in her heart did not stop. Gideon's passing glances at her didn't help either.

"If you'd met Nilda a month ago, you wouldn't have been surprised by her charm," Don Sebastian sipped from a cup of brewed and steaming corn coffee.

"There's a lot of work in the municipality," said the Mayor, sipping his latte. He then placed the cup on the table and returned his gaze to her father. "I realized my son has been staying at your mansion for a few days, and I think the two children are doing better than I expected."

Her father chuckled. "They are," he said, clearing his throat. "How is your wife doing?"

Jewel heard the Mayor sigh softly. "She is still recovering in Mandaue, and we will leave for Manila the next day to continue her treatment there, but my wife wants to speed up the marriage, so for the second time, I am here in place of my good Nilda. The Hernandez family will take care of the wedding, reception, and other things. I have also prepared the district court, and tomorrow they can sign the marriage contract."

She sneered inwardly at the Mayor's words. 'Civil marriage, you say? But I'm only 19 years old. Aside from that, I don't want to be tied down with an old man! ' she thought.

Jewel raised her eyes to the Mayor. The man also fixed his gaze on her. His stare was intense, so Jewel quickly looked down at the table and swallowed hard. Her body shook slightly as she realized what had happened.

Mayor Calixto laughed at her actions. "You raised your daughter modestly; when I looked at her, she appeared to me to be a scared sheep!"

Her blood began to flow to her cheek. She could hear Gideon and Don Sebastian's weak laughter. In the corner of her eye, she noticed her mother's demure smile.

"It's not good for a woman to be too talkative," Donya Belinda, her mother, said. "I'm proud of Jewel, Mayor. She's a very good child. She was delicate and grew up full of lessons from her bereaved grandmother."

She would have been choked out of discomfort if she hadn't been in front of them. She felt guilty at times, especially when her mother brags about how demure she was as a child. She wished she could scratch the back of her neck. Jewel had some reservations about what her mother had said because of her secret vices.

And her body felt like it was on fire, especially when the Mayor smiled and stared at her. "Looks like I won't be sorry. You know, Belinda, I can't count the number of women who have proposed to my son. And Jewel is a lucky girl to have caught my attention." The Mayor turned to her father. "Aside from the wedding, I'd like you and Belinda to meet with me privately. I need to talk to you two about something. Allow the two children to spend time together."

"I have a question first, Mayor," her father's brow furrowed. "Is everything ready? I want to spend money for my unica hija's wedding."

"The wedding doesn't end there, Sebastian," the Mayor said with a smile. "The marriage contract will take precedence, but they must marry before God. As previously discussed, the church wedding will still take place next summer."

"Hernandez appears to have planned everything for the wedding of the two toddlers," her father smiled.

"I don't want to go without my Nilda's plea," Calixto laughed. "So, as much as possible, even if she's not there, I'll do what she wants."

"Mayor, has my daughter's dress for tomorrow's event been finalized yet?"Her mother inquired.

"Yes. My assistant will bring the clothes and jewelry for her and you to wear tomorrow. Nilda chose that, so I'd like to see Jewel in it as much as possible."

"Why does it appear that all of your decisions revolve around your family, Mayor?" Her father jokingly asked, but she knew it wasn't just a joke.