"Watch out, Kiel!" sigaw ni Lauren nang muntik na nilang mahagip ang sasakyang nasa kanilang unahan nang mag-overtake dito si Kiel.Hindi umimik si Kiel, lalo lang binilisan ang pagpapatakbo.Kiel was driving like a madman for a while now. And she still doesn't know why except for the fact that they need to be at his house before his mother does. Kaya naman naroon lang siya sa passengers seat, tensiyonado habang nagdarasal that the car would reach his house in one piece.Tumunog ang cellphone nito. He cussed and quickly reached for his earpiece, answering the call with so much urgency."Josh. Oo, malapit na kami. I don't know 15 minutes, tops. What? Then fcking stall! You owe me, Josh! I have saved your damn ass a dozen times from Mom too! Dammit!" ani Kiel, marahas na kinalas ang earpiece nito, lumiko sa isang intersection. "We're taking a shortcut. Hold on tight," dugtong pa nito. Alanganin siyang tumango. She closed her eyes and did as she was told. She cannot watch him drive fas
"Right. I want answers by the end of the day," ani Aaron bago tuluyang tinapos ang tawag. Kiel's eldest brother faced them, releasing a slow breath."What are our options?" it was Madam Liza. The old woman was sitting on the sofa beside her inside the library. They were having a 'family meeting' there about yet another 'scandalous' article written about her and Kiel. Aaron huffed. "Our legal team is now on the move. Our options, legally, we can chase each and every news firm which caught up the news about Kiel and Lauren's apparent "falling out" just days after they got married. It's tidious but possible. Or we can just ignoe the rumors and just on with our lives.""No! That's preposterous, Aaron Miguel! You're a lawyer yourself. You should stand up for people facing injustice. Moreso if it is your brother and sister-in-law!" tutol agad ni Madam Liza, bumaling sa kanya. "We will get to the bottom of this, Lauren. I won't stop until that anonymous writer who has written false reports
"Thank you," ani Lauren nang iabot nito sa kanya ang goblet ng wine. Sandaling namayani ang katahimikan bago, "I'm sorry for being an ass too. I shouldn't have put all the blame on you. I'm just..." He just huffed and took a swig of his beer. "Mom took over Ace Logistics. She said it will remain that way until she had not seen me try for this marriage to work."Napakurap siya. No wonder he's always on edge."I'm so sorry, Kiel. I dragged you into this mess--""No. It's not your fault I-I'm a little... lost."Lost. The way he said the word tugged something inside her heart. Was it pity? Compassion? Or something else?She wanted to tell him that she felt lost too. Even before the scandal broke, she felt uncertain about her future. But she chose to remain silent. She had learned from their previous interactions that they are not good in talking. So in order for that conversation to work, they must take turns talking and listening. "I need your help to get back my full control over my c
"Cut!" sigaw ni Direk Noel, ang direktor sa teleserye ni Lauren. Kasunod niyon ang palakpakan mula sa crew ng teleserye. Agad na nagpunas ng luha si Lauren, nginitian ang mga katrabaho, bago hinanap agad sa kumpol ng mga tao si Micha. Ito na ang kusang lumapit sa kanya at binigyan siya ng tissue."That was a great take, Lauren. I'll surely miss working with you," ani James Santander, ang bidang lalaki sa teleserye, na siyang huli niyang kaeksena. Today is her last taping day. "Hindi na ba talaga magbabago ang isip mo? You know we can always make adjustments sa script."Pilit siyang ngumiti."Thank you, James. I will miss working with you and the rest of the team too but I've already made up my mind. It's better to leave when everything is still fine," propesyunal niyang sagot."I understand," anang lalaki, kaswal pa siyang niyakap. Gumanti rin siya ng yakap. "Goodluck, Lauren," sabi pa nito, humalik sa kanyang pisngi.Halos isang taon rin niyang nakatrabaho ito at iba pang mga taong n
"Alright, just brief Xavier on the protocols I told you about looking over Lauren," ani Kiel kay Garrett na kausap niya sa cellphone. The bodyguard has just informed him that tomorrow is the start of his week-long break from being his wife's security detail kaya naman ang kasamahan na nitong si Xavier ang magbabantay kay Lauren."Tell Xavier to call me once he arrives at my wife's house. That's all. Thanks!" sabi pa niya bago tinapos ang tawag."Missing Lauren?" nakangising tanong ni Joshua sa kanya. His brother was sitting across the round big roundtable where they were meeting a potential client for SSL. Silang dalawa ng kapatid ang inutusan ng ina na humarap sa series of client meetings ng kanilang mother company doon sa US. And that's what they were doing for the past two weeks."Sinisiguro ko lang na walang magiging aberya kay Lauren habang wala ako sa Pilipinas," paliwanag niya, isinuksok ang cellphone sa kanyang bulsa.Joshua just chuckled. "Oh c'mon, brother, you know you can
"Grabe ha, may kinuha lang ako, kinuyog ka na ng mga reporters. Iba din! Ano ba 'yang mga 'yan, naghahabol ng quota? Nakakaloka!" reklamo ni Micha, panay ang lakad sa cabin na nirerentahan ni Kristine at ng mga co-artist nito under the management of Mrs. Cabral.Doon siya pansamantalang itinago ni Kristine nang hilahin siya nito palayo sa mga reporters kanina. Until now, she still doesn't understand why those bunch of reporters are there. She'd understand kung paisa-isa lang. But there were at least 5 or 6 reporters in the area all from different tabloids when not even NTS' own reporters are there to cover the shooting. Something's really not adding up.She huffed, still confused. She watched as Micha looked over the window. Nasa labas pa ng cabin ang mga reporters but Xavier was standing there now, guarding the place.Maya-maya pa, lumapit si Kristine sa kanya at inabutan siya ng bottled water."Uminom ka muna. Your cheeks are flushed," anito.She just smiled at the woman, nodded her
"I have learned from Xavier's quick investigation that a crew from your teleserye deliberately sent your assistant an earlier call time for the station ID shooting, Lauren. It was all Jerome's scheme. I really don't know what he and his mother were up to anymore," naiiling na sabi ni Madam Liza, maingat na pinulot ang tasa na nasa harap nito at sumimsim ng tsaa.She was at the Sandejas mansion in Tagaytay. Pinapunta siya ng biyenan doon nang malaman ang tungkol sa nangyaring aberya sa huling trabaho niya sa NTS."You don't have to worry about it too much, Mom," aniya. She can see that the woman was still on edge because of what happened. "Mabuti na lang talaga at naroon din si Kristine," bumaling ito sa babae na nadatnan na niya roon nang dumating siya. "I know you and Aaron didn't work out but I'm so grateful to you for saving Lauren from those... those money-faced reporters!" anito, gigil pa rin.Kristine smiled. "It's nothing big, Tita. Far from the popular belief, in our industry
Lauren's hands were trembling as she typed in the passcode to her house's door. Hindi niya kasi alam kung paano siya sasalubungin ng kanyang tiyahin. Noong huling punta nito sa bahay niya, sinalubong siya nito ng sampal at bugbog. She doesn't want that to happen. Not when she has a contract signing event tomorrow. A day-old bruise would be too hard to cover even with make-up.Marahan niyang tinulak pabukas ang pinto. Her house was silent subalit nagkalat ang ilang laman ng ref sa may kitchen island. Bukas din ang TV sa may sala kahit walang nanonood. Maya-maya pa, nakarinig siya ng yabag sa second floor. Not a second more, her aunt came to her view, holding two big travelling bags containing only-god-knows of her things."Oh you're finally here!" anang tiyahin, nakangiti, mabilis na bumaba sa hagdan. Tumigil ito sa mismong harapan niya bago ibinagsak sa sahig ang bitbit nitong travelling bags na kanya ring pag-aari.There she saw her luxury bags, which were mostly given by fans, and h