Chapter 20

CHAPTER XX

We arrived late that night. I was driving home from his building. I was exhausted but enjoyed spending my birthday with him. I parked my car in my garage and exited but something feels off.

There is something wrong with my house. I didn’t have with me the luggage. I left it in the car. I opened the main door and it is not locked.

Have I missed checking this door is locked? I went in readying myself for any attack but none came. I turned on the light to see my house was in a mess!

The sofa has been ripped, my appliances are broken even the vases. The mirror on the left side of the door has something written on it with red lipstick.

‘STAY AWAY FROM KADE OR I’LL KILL YOU MYSELF, YOU SLUT!’

Trembling, I dialed Kade’s number and called him.

“Hey, babe. Are you home?”

“B-Babe, h-help!” I cried out and dropped the phone. I just was too weak to handle and sat there, helpless.

Kade came after a few minutes and hugged me.

“I’ll call the police and you’ll stay with me until everything is under control.”

I nodded.

He carried me to his car. And minutes later, I was already in his bed while his arm is draped around my waist. Protecting me.

I woke up in the middle of the night with someone from the dark strangling me.

“Mang-aagaw ka! You seduced Kade!” she was telling me those things while strangling me.

“Stop, please. Help!”

Until I was woken up by Kade.

“Hey, that was just a bad dream.” I cried on his arms while I tried to make myself believe that it was all a dream, an illusion of my mind.

The next morning, Kade prepared breakfast for me before he set off to his meeting with the recording label.

“It’s okay. I’m fine now, babe. Baka ma-late ka pa. Go!”

He was at first hesitant to leave me but I force him that I was okay which he agreed and told me he’ll be back fast.

I engrossed myself with social media to help myself be relaxed and not bored but boy, I was wrong.

Messages after messages. Hate posts after hate posts have flooded my accounts.

‘Sana mamatay ka na!’

‘Mang-aagaw!’

‘Boyfriend stealer!’

‘Pathetic slut!’

‘Baka pinakitaan ng boobs si Kade kaya siya yung kasama ngayon.’

‘Sana ma-cancel na siya!’

There are people who wishes for my death. They wanted me buried under the ground and I don’t know the reason why!

I don’t know where all is this coming from. Minahal ko lang naman si Kade but why is everyone against it na parang may ambag sila sa relasyon na meron ako.

I know that when I entered modelling ay mawawala na ang privacy ko pero this is too much! Sino sila para i-judge ang buong pagkatao ko by something that was thrown to me? Hindi nila alam ang buong pagkatao ko. They are not God to judge the whole me.

Before I could scroll for another hate post, someone grab the phone away from me.

“K-Kade?”

“You will not see those things again. I won’t let you.”

“Is that true? Am I really a slut?”

“No, you’re not. I love you and you’re not a slut, okay?”

I started sobbing there.

“Hush now, babe. I won’t let them hurt you again. I promise.”

I cried and cried and cried some more until I can’t cry anymore and was hushed to sleep.

I once again woke up with someone strangling me. Kade was there to wake me up from the horrible dream.

“Eat your breakfast now. I’ll run to attend the incident in your house and make in under control.”

“Okay,” I weakly said.

“Huwag na huwag kang magbubukas ng pinto, okay? Call me kapag may dumating na hindi moa lam kung kanino galing.”

“Yes, babe. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

I ate my breakfast dully. I brushed my teeth in the bathroom and saw the dark bags under my eyes. I was sleepless.

I was afraid to sleep because I might dream of that woman strangling me again.

I was there in the couch watching a documentary when the doorbell rang. Sinilip ko muna sa peephole kung sino ang nasa labas.

I went to the door and opened it but no one was there, only a box wrapped in a gold wrapper with a black ribbon was there.

I picked it up and brought it with me inside. I tried to check who was the owner but I got none.

Inalog-alog koi to pero wala namang tumutunog. Balak ko na sanang buksan pero bigla akong nag-crave ng chocolate mousse cake at Chuckie.

Bumalik akong may dala-dalang dalawang slice ng chocolate mousse cake at isang gallon ng Chuckie.

Isinantabi ko na lang muna ang box at kumain habang nanonood.

It was around 2 o’clock when I finished eating. I was the dishes I used and had some cheese wafers to help me finish the chocolate drink.

Pinipigilan ko ang sarili ko na buksan ang social media accounts ko. I feel that there is too much toxicity in there as seconds passes.

Kahit news ay hindi pinapanood sa akin ni Kade. Ayoko ding ma-stress kaya sinusunod ko siya.

Ito ang hindi ko ine-expect nung pinasok ko ang industriyang ito. I received messages after messages. Calls after calls from my friends in and out of the showbiz industry, relatives and even my family.

Lahat sila worried but I told them I’m fine. I have to tell them that or else mas mag-aalala sila.

Pagkatapos ay naligo na ako. I still have some clean clothes from my luggage kaya ‘yon na ang ginamit ko.

Dahil bored na talaga ako, I remembered the box. Bumalik ako sa living room at hinahap ang kahon. Naupo ako sa carpeted floor at binuksan ang box.

I immediately dialed Kade’s number upon seeing what is inside.

“Babe?”

“911.”

He came as fast as he could and get me away from the box. May tinawagan siyang pulis at ibinigay ang box.

“Who sent that?”

“I-I don’t know. Someone rang the d-doorbell and pinuntahan ko. Y-Yun lang ang nandoon.”

“Officer, maybe this was sent by the one who went in my girlfriend’s house.”

“Okay po, sir. Babalitaan lang po naming kayo. Alis na po ako, sir.”

“Thank you, officer. Ingat po.”

He faced me.

“K-Kade what’s going on?”

“Everything will be alright, okay?”

I didn’t know what was going on but who the hell sent me a dead cat swarming with worms all over it?