MANILA - "Buti nga hindi nagsawa si Lord sa akin," actress Kaye Abad said as she admitted that she had been fervently praying for her relationship with actor Paul Jake Castillo to end in marriage.

"Sabi ko ayaw ko na nang papalit-palit," Abad, 34, told ABS-CBN News' Gretchen Fullido in an exclusive interview on Friday. "Lagi kong sinasabi na gusto ko nang mag-asawa kasi ready na ako."

The former "Tabing Ilog" star also expressed happiness that she will be marrying her "best friend."

"Magkasundo talaga kami," she explained. "Hindi rin siya iyong typical na boyfriend, iyong pa-sweet at clingy. Ayaw ko ng ganoon eh. Parang barkada lang talaga [ang turing namin sa isa't isa] kasi iyon naman ang masaya, iyong boyfriend mo ay kaibigan mo at kasundo mo."

Abad and Castillo had been close friends before admitting their relationship in April 2014. Abad even said that she had tried to set up Castillo with some of her friends. "Hinanapan ko pa siya ng dates tapos wala ring nag-work. Sa akin din pala siya babagsak," she shared.

(LOOK: Love story of Kaye, Paul Jake in 16 photos)

Castillo proposed to Abad last May 17. He surprised his girlfriend of two years when he popped the question in the middle of a party he organized for Abad atop a high-rise building in Alabang.

A photo posted by Niceprintphoto (@niceprintphoto) on May 17, 2016 at 9:29am PDT

A photo posted by Niceprintphoto (@niceprintphoto) on May 17, 2016 at 8:24pm PDT

"Hindi na ako aarte. Ang tagal ko itong hinintay! Aarte pa ba ako?" Abad, wearing a wide smile, replied when asked about her engagement. "Sabi nga nila, 'Sumagot ka na at baka umalis na iyan.' Hindi talaga ako nakasagot. Nag-nod lang talaga ako."

"Kasi nagsha-shake ako kasi akala ko talaga in two years time pa. Kasi pag tinatanong siya [Castillo] ng family ko, iiwas lang siya. So wala talaga sa personality niya na mararamdaman mo na malapit na pala. Kaya pati pamilya ko gulat na gulat," she continued.

According to both Abad and Castillo, their wedding will be held in Cebu possibly in December.

"Kung kaya this year. 'Cause gusto ko na makabuo ng family eh," Castillo, in the same interview, said.

Abad and Castillo want to raise, at most, three children.

A photo posted by Niceprintphoto (@niceprintphoto) on May 17, 2016 at 9:41am PDT

Principal sponsors of their wedding have yet to be finalized. Abad said that she will pick her sister, Sarah Jane, as her matron of honor, while Castillo, likewise, will choose a sibling to serve as his best man.

The couple said that they would like to have a private wedding.