7 - The News

VERENA CIELLE LEE

“Rouge—!”

Then, before I could even scream properly, I was met with a sudden, violent splash of icy water.

“AHHH!” napasigaw ako sa gulat.

Cold. Sobrang lamig na parang tumusok sa balat ko ang bawat patak. I gasped for air, choking slightly as the freezing water drenched me from head to toe, soaking my dress, my hair, my skin.

“Mainit ba kamo?” he said, his tone sharp and biting. “Ayan. Magpalamig ka muna.”

My lips trembled—not from lust this time, but from shock. From frustration. From humiliation.

I screamed again, this time not from desire but from rage. From the helplessness crawling all over my body.

“Put*ngina mo, Rouge!” I cried, fists clenching at my sides, soaked and shivering. “You don’t fvcking understand—”

“And what do you want me to do, Cielle? Kiss you?” he snapped back, his tone laced with mockery—sarcastic and sharp, like a blade twisting inside me.

His voice echoed in the cold, tiled room. Nakakabingi. Nakakainis. Nakakagigil.

Damn him.

Damn this jerk.

Kanina lang, I was burning alive—like my skin was on fire—and now I was freezing, every inch of me shaking. What the fvck is happening to me?! Was I losing my mind?

Naninigkit ang mga mata kong tinignan ang lalaki. I glared so hard I swear I could’ve set him on fire if looks could kill. But the bastard? He just raised one perfectly smug eyebrow at me, arms crossed, expression unreadable. 

Like his face was shouting, “the fvk I care?”

Napamura ako sa inis. Pinunasan ko gamit ng kamay ko ang tumutulong tubig sa mukha ko galing sa ulo ko. 

My eyes—sharp and dead—didn’t leave Rouge’s face. Not now. Not when I could see him so clearly, standing there like he always does. Cold. Unshaken. Like he wasn’t watching me fall apart in front of him.

I took a shaky breath and pointed a trembling finger at him. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

Nanginginig ako. Hindi na sa galit o sa inis. But my body is shaking from the cold water. Naramdaman ko muli ang panlalabo ng mga mata ko and the trembling and shaking are becoming worser than earlier.

“Cielle!”

“I hate you, Rouge,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “I hate you, forever.” 

Huling salita ko bago ako tuluyang nawalan ng malay. My body crumpled, ready to hit the cold tiles, I expected it—but it never did.

Strong, familiar arms caught me just in time. His scent hit me—leather, mint, and fury. His warmth pressed against my soaked skin. The same arms I hated, the same arms I craved.

I heard voices. Muffled at first, like they were far away—blurred by the pounding in my skull.

Nagkukunot ang noo ko habang unti-unting bumabalik ang pakiramdam sa katawan ko. My head throbbed painfully, like it was being split in two, and my body felt heavy, like I’d been dragged through fire and ice all at once.

Then, I felt it—isang tuwalya, malamig at bahagyang basa, dahan-dahang pinupunasan ang leeg at braso ko. The soft cloth against my skin made me flinch.

Napadilat ako. And f*ck—I wish I hadn’t.

“Cielle!” a familiar voice gasped. May narinig akong paggalaw, kasunod ang tunog ng isang upuang umurong. I didn’t need to look. I knew she had stood up.

“Don’t you even realize what you did this time, Cielle?!”

My father.

The weight of his words crashed into me harder than the fever coursing through my veins. As usual, he didn’t even ask if I was okay. No ‘Are you in pain?’, no ‘What happened to you?’. Just pure anger. Judgment. Disappointment.

I didn’t even have the energy to fight back.

Pagod ako. Sobrang pagod.

My body trembled uncontrollably beneath the sheets. My lips were dry, throat sore. Mainit ang buo kong katawan, but I was still shaking like hell. Was I… running a fever?

Damn that bastard Rouge! And that Cassius! They did this to me, and now I have to take the fall for it!

“Hon, pagpahingahin mo muna si Cielle,” I heard Tita Mavy say gently, her voice like a breeze in the middle of a storm.

“Pahingahin?” My father’s voice spiked again, furious. “She doesn’t deserve to rest after what she’s done! It’s her fault! Kung bakit siya nagkakaganyan!”

I swallowed hard. Every word felt like a nail against my skin. I wanted to disappear.

But then, his tone changed. Darker. Sarcastic.

“Ah, okay. Pahinga ba kamo? Sige.”

I could feel the sarcasm dripping off his words. So typical.

Go on. Blame me again. That’s what you’re good at anyway.

I shut my eyes again and wished this fever would take me to sleep—or somewhere farther. Somewhere quieter.

Somewhere, I wasn’t always the villain.

Kahit ang buong silid ay punô ng ingay—mga yabag, palitan ng galit na tinig, ang tunog ng monitor sa tabi ko—I somehow managed to drift into sleep. Or maybe I just shut everything out. Too tired to care. Too tired to listen to another word of blame.

Kasalanan ko raw lahat. Well, maybe it was. Maybe I was always meant to be the screw-up in this perfect little empire. As if I chose this path. As if I asked for it. They never saw the pressure, the silence between my breaths, or the weight of living a life already written for me.

“Cielle, baby, wake up,” I heard a soft voice echoing through my head.

Sa sobrang lambing ng kanyang boses ay napatulo ang luha ko. That voice pierced something deeper in me. It wrapped around my heart like warm arms pulling me back into a memory I tried so hard to bury.

That voice was too gentle to be real. Too kind.

And yet, so achingly familiar.

“I miss you, Mommy…” I whispered brokenly into the dark.

If dreams could hold me longer, gusto ko nalang manatili dito.

Because for the first time in what felt like years, I didn’t feel judged. I didn’t feel like a disappointment. I was just her little girl again—small, messy, loud, flawed—but loved. Unconditionally.

Just loved.

"FLASH NEWS: International model and fashion mogul Cassius Montereal was caught in possession and under the influence of illegal substances during a high-profile party at his private residence last night," the anchor announced, her voice crisp and urgent, cutting through the background noise of the hospital TV.

"The party, held at Montereal's three-story luxury mansion in an exclusive gated village, was reportedly attended by several A-listers, socialites, and prominent figures in the modeling and fashion industry."

Lumipat ang eksena sa isang video clip—kuha ng footage ang media sa labas ng mansyon. Maraming police cars ang naka-park, may ilang bisitang naka-shades pa habang inaakay palabas ng bahay, apparantldisoriented.

"Authorities confirmed that Montereal was arrested at the scene after failing to comply with questioning and showing signs of intoxication. Traces of illegal substances were recovered inside the property, including in the drinks served at the event."

Drinks.

The word alone made my stomach twist.

"As of this morning, several attendees have been brought in for questioning. The list includes rising supermodels, actors, and influencers—many of whom have yet to issue statements. No official comment has been released from Montereal’s legal team."

Muling lumipat ang camera sa anchor, mas seryoso na ang ekspresyon.

"Medical assistance was also required for at least one female guest who was reportedly found unconscious in one of the rooms. Sources say she may have been drugged, but the investigation is still ongoing."

Napalunok ako. My name wasn't mentioned, but I knew. That girl they were talking about? That was me.

I clenched my fists under the blanket.

Of course, they wouldn't say my name—not yet. But it wouldn’t be long.

The camera panned back to the anchor, who ended with: "We will continue to follow this developing story. For now, partygoers remain under scrutiny as authorities dig deeper into the disturbing events of last night."

Bumukas ang pintuan at pumasok ang ama ko na nasa kanyang likuran ay si Rouge. Walang emosyon akong napatingin sa kanila.

“Look what kind of mess you put yourself into this time, Cielle! Hindi ka ba matututo?” Dad’s voice colder this time, pero bakas ang stress sa kanyang mukha.

“Mabuti na lang ay pinigilan ni Rouge ang pagkalat ng mukha at pangalan mo sa medya, Cielle! You’re a well known supermodel! You should protect your identity not to destroy it!” He paused, trying to calm himself.

“Ano ba ang gusto mong mangyari sa buhay mo? I could sent you to jail para naman matauhan ka ano?”

I blinked slowly. Dead eyes. I couldn’t even bring myself to talk back—not because I agreed, but because what’s the point? I’ve tried explaining before. I’ve begged before. And still, lagi akong mali.

They never listened.

And then… he said it.

“I decided,” Dad declared, his voice leaving no room for protest. Lahat kami napalingon sa kanya.

“From now on, Rouge will be in charge of you, Cielle. I will let him control and discipline you. Siya na ang bahala sa’yo.”