MARA'S POV
"You look, happy wife. You look too excited to meet my brother." Maru said a bit annoyed.
I just gave him my sweetest smile.
I am excited! I finally know why Maru's brother sounds familiar, because I know him!
He was my savior and my puppy love.
Flashback
While Maru is taking a bath, I feel a bit uneasy. I called my mom to confirm something.
My mom answered my call in just one ring.
"Hello, Mara!" She sounds happy.
"Mom, did you know that Maru has a bother?" I asked her directly.
'Yes. Why?'
"Why didn't you tell me?"
'Because you knew him already. You and Maru, I mean the older Maru, you guys already knew each other. You were very close before.' She explained.
I feel so lost. "Huh? I can't remember him."  
'Remember when you were just 10 years old, you always tell us about him. That he help you one time when you almost broke the vase in the Ottave mansion?'
My eyes widened with the realization.
"Is that him?!" I almost shout at my mom.
I heard my mom chuckle. 'Yes baby, he was your regular playmate. But you stop playing with him all of a sudden.'
"Yes, mom I remember. Thanks."
'No worries baby. Why did you ask anyway?'
"He's here in the Philippines now. As per Maru he already reconciled with his Dad."
'Wow! That's good to hear. But he came too late. He was supposed to be your husband. But you look happy now with Maru so I guess you are meant for him.'
"So it's also true that he was supposed to marry me if he wasn't chased out of their father?"
'Yes, Mara. Remember you told us that you two want to get married someday? Maru also told his parents about that, I mean James to his dad. That's why we talked about it and arrange your marriage. You two look good together when you were young that's why we agree to arrange your marriage.'
"If that's the case, then why did I think that Maru is the one I will marry?"
'When James was chased out, instead of breaking the promise they just let Maru replace James as your husband. Maru's dad doesn't want to break what we had agreed on. And since you guys still don't know that we are planning your marriage we decided to continue with the plan with their youngest son. You are already in your college when we told you about it. Also, you suddenly avoided James so we thought that maybe you don't like him anymore. And also you did not complain when we told you that Maru will be your future husband."
I just smile and said goodbye to my mom.
End of Flashback
Now everything makes sense.
I met him when I went to the Ottave mansion for the first time. I almost broke their vase. It's a good thing James came right on time, he was able to catch the vase before it fell to the ground.
Since then we became friends and I considered him my savior. I call him Maru because I find that name unique. I didn't know that he is also an Ottave because he is not there whenever I attended their family's party or celebration.
I even thought that he was the son of the Ottave's housekeeper. I often see him with Manang Lucy, she's one of the housekeepers in the mansion.
He also calls her "Nay Lucy" which is why I thought that Manang Lucy is his mom. While Maru, his mom, and dad call him Andrew.
Now I finally get it. They both have Maru in their names which is why people prefer to call them Andrew and James.
Maru and I never got close. The reason why I never bother to know his real name, was not until I found out that my parents want me to marry the son of the Ottave.
At first, I thought it was James but I realize that James is a child of a housekeeper so it can't be him.
And then I thought of Maru. I automatically assume that it was him.
After that, I chose to avoid James because we will never have a chance to be together. I was only 10 years old at that time.
Can you believe how I think at that time?!
And now that everything is clear, I feel so excited to meet him again.
I immediately went out of the car when we reach the mansion.
I was about to go up the stairs when I felt Maru's hand on my hips.
"Not so fast wife. Remember you are carrying my child." He said a bit annoyed.
I just smile at him and ignore his irritation.
When I saw James I called him.
"Maru!!!" I shouted.
I saw him smile. Recognition is seen on his face. I saw him opening his arms for me. I feel so excited to go to him and hug him.
"I miss you, Denise!" He whispered and kissed me on my forehead.
I closed my eyes and hug him again.
"I want to hug you tighter but I might crash my niece." He said teasingly.
We let go of our hug. I just look at him with a smile on my face.
"I miss you so much! You suddenly disappear!" I told him.
He scratched his head. "I assume you already know why I suddenly left."
I nodded.
I was about to ask him again when I felt my husband's presence, he put his hand on my hips.
"You really can't hide your excitement wife huh?" He whispered.
Then he makes me face his mom and dad.
I suddenly feel embarrassed. I forgot to greet them.
"I'm sorry mommy, daddy I forgot to greet you. I was so excited to see James again."
They just smile.
I think just like me, they are too overwhelmed by James' presence.
"I thought you prefer to call me Maru than James?"
I just rolled my eyes. I know he's just teasing me.
"I didn't know that you both have Maru on your names." I defended myself.
I heard him chuckle. "Yes but you owe me something."
My brow raised. "I owe you something?"
"Yes. I thought you'll marry me?"
I felt Maru's grip tighten.
"You know what happened!" I said to him.
"But you promise!"
I know he's not serious about it but I can sense that Maru is trying to calm himself.
He's not liking it.
I know that I'm also at fault because I failed to control my excitement.
"Will you please stop James?!" I said trying to stop his teasing.
"Stop it you two! The lunch is ready!"
"Manang Lucy!" I called and went to her.
I hugged her. "I miss you manang!"
She laughs while caressing my back. "I miss you too Mara!"
"Why did you also leave?" I asked her.
"When this young man left this mansion I had no choice but to go with him. You know that I treated him as my son." She explained to me.
That's why I thought that she is James' mother because when the time that James suddenly disappeared, I also haven't seen Manang Lucy.
The lunch went well. You can see the joy in their eyes because of James' return except for Maru.
He's been so quiet the whole lunch. I sometimes caught him giving a death glare to his older brother.
I don't know if they have a good or bad relationship before that is why I asked Manang Lucy about the relationship between those two.
"Manang may I ask you something? How is the relationship between Andrew and James before?" I asked her.
She gave me a warm smile first. "Those two have a great relationship. You will even mistake them as twins because their age difference is only one year."
"Really?" I said in disbelief.
"Yes. The only difference between those two is that Andrew is more sociable than James. Aside from Andrew, you are the only person he treated as a friend which is why he became so sad when you started to avoid him. So he only has Andrew as his friend after you avoided him."
I feel sorry for him. He only got me and Maru then I even left him.
"You know what? He was so happy whenever he will tell things about you to his parents and Andrew."
"Really?" She nodded.
"Yes! That is why when his Dad told him that his father agreed to arrange his marriage he was so happy. But you suddenly avoided him. He thought that you didn't like the idea of you marrying him."
"Manang we are too young at that time, and he already thought about that?! Also, I thought it was Andrew whom my parents arrange for me. I didn't know that James was also an Ottave because I thought that he was your son."
She chuckled. "James is a bit mature. You don't need to be surprised that he thinks like that even if he was so young."
"Why? If at that time you knew that it was supposedly James, will you still agree to marry Andrew?" She teased me.
I wasn't able to answer her quickly because even I don't know what will I do if I just knew what I knew today.
"I honestly don't know."