CHAPTER 4: Paparazzo

"And cut! All right, that's a wrap for today. Ms. Davis, please come here for your retouch," the photographer exclaims after the photoshoot. Annalia and a Filipino actor, Marco Morales, who played the lead roles in their finished film, were currently having their shoot for the poster photo to be unveiled the following week.

"So, Annalia, you're going for the celebration party tonight, right?" Marco asks with a beaming excitement in his voice. Annalia jadedly sighed while tapping her phone to message Donovan that their photoshoot was done. 

Marco asks once again, "Right?" Anna groaned and rolled her eyes at how annoying Marco was.

Anna replies quickly, "I'm not going." Although she could see that her response had disappointed Marco, she didn't care. They were going to celebrate the completion of the shooting for their movie at the party, but Anna wasn't in the mood to mingle with other guests, especially the pesky press.  

"But it's our party, and our fans expected us to come. Wouldn't it be embarrassing not to attend?" Marco insisted once again, which made Annalia arch an eyebrow. 

"I do appreciate your concern, Morales, but my answer would still be the same—No. So, please excuse me," Anna replied courteously, although it was clear that there was a tinge of impatience in her voice. Anna left the room and excused herself to the makeup artist. Donovan should be here by now. Where the heck is he?

"Give me a valid reason for your unpunctuality," Anna greeted him on the call with gritted teeth when Don picked up the phone. 

Don responds sarcastically, clearly relishing his habit of being late, "Oh, I have hundreds of them, Anna."

"Shut up. Be here in 1 minute," Annalia demanded before ending the call. Argh! This day is so exhausting that she cannot breathe! 

"Ten seconds." When Anna turned to face the owner of the voice, she discovered Donovan standing there with a package of fries and a matcha coffee. This at least made Anna's mood slightly bearable. Fuck! She's starving. 

"Wrong. It's 23 seconds."

"Oh, come on! Give me at least applause for arriving earlier than 1 minute," Donovan sneered humorously. Simply shaking her head, Anna grabs the matcha latte from him. She returned to the photoshoot room and sat in her chair alone. Donovan is conversing with the photographer as Anna is catching up with her celebrity girlfriends about her "own" party later in the midnight. That is also one of the reasons Anna cannot come to her other party with Marco; she has priorities. 

"Why aren't you going later?" Donovan asked as soon as he finished talking with the staff inside. 

"I have my own party later," Anna replied breezily and nonchalantly.

Donovan clenched his teeth and said, "Anna, I have told you it's dangerous!"

"Too late."

Donovan didn't think twice and exclaimed, "I'm your manager, Anna. Listen to me!" Anna jumped up from her seat and went outside to call the hotel venue she had booked.

Anna called the employee at the venue where her party would be hosted. "Hi. Yes. Is the venue ready? Good." While discussing some things, Anna unintentionally turned her eyes to the elevator that opened. And to her horror, she saw a familiar face exiting the elevator. Annalia couldn't believe she was seeing. Anna closes her eyes momentarily and opens them again. But to her disappointment, it had vanished. Oh, I should have booked an appointment with my doctor for my eyes. She has been seeing things—and someone—these past few days. Even after three years, she continued to see that face.

"Ma'am? You still there?" The voice on the phone roused Anna. She didn't realize she was dazed for a moment. 

"That's all, thank you," Anna said as she hung up the phone. That person can't be here in the Philippines. She learned through her father that the Delatorre family had departed the country following her celebration and had taken a three-year vacation. He cannot be around.

Anna entered the room and waited for Donovan and her other assistants to pack her things. She has been considering how she might persuade Donovan into letting her do her party later. Even though it's simple, she doubts Don will be swayed this time. Donovan won't let her miss the party with Marco Morales later since it's a significant occasion.

"Shall we leave now?"

To get ready for the celebration, they traveled to Annalia's penthouse. As an actress, protecting her privacy is her top priority, and thankfully, this apartment is reserved only for VIPs and other celebrities. She won't have any trouble trying to hide who she is to avoid the attention and turmoil caused by other people.

Donovan began quietly scolding her about her plan to stay up till midnight as soon as they entered the building. Even though she knew people were looking at her, Anna maintained her composure the entire time. He keeps urging her to stop her little party and go to the one that, according to her prediction, would be filled with reporters and fakers who will try to engage in conversation with her to get publicity. She's fed up with it.

"Don, you know what I am capable of, so you're not going to be able to stop me," Anna warned him as she checked the new clothes she had purchased earlier that had arrived at her penthouse.

Donovan says, sounding genuinely enraged, "Stop with your threats, Annalia. I'm sick of it. This is a big occasion! All the casts locally and internationally will be there, and you're not going?!" Don's protests were simply ignored by Anna as she rolled her eyes.

"They can function without me," Annalia matter-of-factly replied while trying to measure the backless plunge neck satin floor-length dress. 

"No, they can't."

"Then tell them I am sick or whatever! Give them excuses. God! You're starting to irritate me, Donovan." Anna burst out as she drops the dress harshly. 

"As much as I want to. I can't...not right now," Donovan said solemnly.

Anna let out a harsh sigh as she sat on her bed. "Can't you see? I'm doing this for myself...for the first time. I feel like celebrating according to what I want and not something has been planned for me." She heard Don groan in defeat, which made Anna surreptitiously smile triumphantly. People are no doubt easy to deceive. 

"Fine! All right, I'll take care of it. Just...just enjoy your party or whatever. Damn it! You always get me into trouble." Anna's grin broadened in response to what Don stated.

Don irritatingly remarked, "Stop with your—whatever odd fakery—you're trying to pull off. You won," as he flounced out of her apartment. She once again outclassed Donovan.

"I always win."

---

As expected, everyone is having a blast. Anna decided to have a pool party to let everyone enjoy the evening without worrying about their fancy clothes and gowns. She's throwing her first party, and guess what? She's loving it so far. In the industry, Annalia is renowned for holding her equilibrium, and many people have always loved her exquisite and refined demeanor. They were unaware that she had this aspect to her personality, which some of her supporters would have found unattractive and unpleasant. Every time someone expects something of her, especially about her character, it never fails to suffocate her. She can't whine about it since it's part of being an actress; she must instead learn to live with it.

"Annalia Davis." Anna turned to face the source of the voice as she was sipping champagne and observing other celebrities snogging each other's faces. She amusingly smirked when she realized who it was. It's Bennet Crapp, the man that she allegedly dated.

Anna looked him up and snidely stated, "I didn't invite you, though." Bennet chuckles at what she says.

Bennet answers knowingly, "I know. I'm a gate crasher." Annalia laughs at his words when she thinks back to what this jerk had done to her a year prior. Annalia was with her non-showbiz hanky-panky boyfriend making out inside the company's male restroom when this jerkass, Bennet, interrupted them and suddenly punched the shit out of her "boyfriend." She discovered that her boyfriend had been hooking up with Bennet's girlfriend at that point. Everyone saw what happened, and right after that incident, a rumor that Anna was cheating on Bennet spread all over the internet. That issue was utterly absurd!

"Don't talk to me, Bennet," Annalia spoke with trepidation. She was aware that whenever they engage with one another, rumors instantly start spreading again. And she's fed up with it. Sometimes it prevents her from moving forward with her next project because of a tiny inconvenience.

Bennet responded, sounding as if she were referring to something, "I know, but no one is looking." Annalia grumbled and rolled her eyes.

With a hint of scorn, Anna remarked, "Stop being a manwhore, Bennet. Grow up, at least." Then, she left him. Anna assumed what she said took Bennet off guard. Anna is aware of every male behavior, especially when it involves her. They're fucking easy to read...bar one. Annalia frowned as her subconscious blabbed out of the blue. What the hell, Annalia? Don't think about that guy anymore! You don't even know him except his name and his unexplainable touch and embrace that until now are affecting you!

Bennet was rendered dumbfounded by Anna's unwillingness to let him speak. She knows that if anyone saw them together again, there would be a lot of controversies. Since the beginning of her career, Bennett has always liked her—sexually. Don't get her wrong, Benner Crapp is a hunk— attractive, good-looking, and well-proportioned guy. There is no doubting that certain celebs also swoon over him romantically, yet his supporters guffaw at him. But not Anna. She finds Bennet Crapp to be troublesome. Inexplicably, his devotees are fiercely protective. They didn't scare her, though Anna just doesn't want them to be a hindrance again to her forthcoming projects.

Anna had been moving ahead without realizing where she was headed with her feet. However, as she turned around, she found herself in the lobby on the same floor as her party.

I must have been profoundly brooding, she thought to herself. She sat on the sofa and sipped the last of the champagne. The lobby is oddly quiet today; no employees are present. That's strange. She was half-dozing on the couch with her back against it when Anna suddenly felt uneasy. To check if someone was watching her, she opened her eyes. She spent years feeling her surroundings as she trained to be strong and how to fight. Nobody was in sight. She frowned when she heard tiptoes from her back approaching her.

To her relief, it was merely a bellboy as she turned to face who it was right away. She doesn't have to worry about stalkers or paparazzi because this hotel has strong security. Gosh. She remembered she had kicked her guards out. They were not present. Anna breathed a sigh of relief and leaned back on the couch, her eyes closed. She only notices a few seconds later that a shadow has been cast across the lights that had been surfacing her face. Anna opened her eyes right away, but it was already too late. She was shot by a man wearing a black mask and sunglasses while carrying a large camera. In her terror, Anna attempted to hide her face from the camera, but the man violently grabbed her elbow and covered her mouth with a handkerchief. Anna felt woozy. After a while, the strange man is already carrying Anna out while she has passed out.

On the other hand, Donovan had already arrived at the hotel where Annalia's party was being held and was distraught when he realized Anna wasn't there. While some cops spoke with Bennet, the last person Anna spoke with, and the witnesses who saw Anna leave the hotel room, he phoned all of their security guards and searched every nook and cranny of the building for Anna. When Mr. Santiago, who was in the United States, learned that Anna was missing, he immediately dispatched his private jets to look for her.

Don yells at the head of their security guards, "I ordered you to look out for her. Where the heck have you been?!" They told Don that Anna had thrown them away so they couldn't look out.

There is a commotion across the entire hotel as several police officers surround the building. Don was informed by a few security personnel that there was no sign of Annalia. They looked through the CCTV. However, they couldn't discover any footage of Annalia since some cameras had been hacked. It's clear that whoever caused this wasn't simply trying to kidnap Annalia for fun; they meant business. They have hackers as well. Fortunately, there are CCTVs outside the parking lot. These can't be accessed by anyone outside the hotel. 

The CCTV chief engineer commented when expanding the footage, "She had passed out. Maybe this person used a chloroform-dipped handkerchief on her to make her unconscious."

One of the IT staff members stated, "Here. This is the vehicle being utilized," drawing Donovan's focus to him. Donovan contacted her father right away after they saw the license plate number.

"Dad, can you verify who's the owner of the black SUV automobile, vehicle plate LAD 10**," Donovan asked his father before hanging up the phone. Fuck! I just hope she's okay.

--

"What are we going to do with her?" Anna was barely awake as the voices echoed.

"We've been told to wait," another voice spoke. Anna groaned in discomfort at the pain she was feeling. Damn it! Her head is spinning and literally squeezing her skull and brain. What on earth just happened? She quietly pondered under her breath.

"We are so doomed, dude! This is Annalia Davis!" Anna opens her eyes gradually as she tries to recall what happened.

"Don't you want money?"

"I do, of course, but this...this is bad."

"As long as we don't get caught, we're fine." Anna scoffs in disbelief when she finally processes what happened to her. These morons dared to kidnap her.

As she struggled to gather her strength, Anna mumbled faintly, "Who ordered you to do this." She took them off guard when the two heard her voice. One of them brandished a pistol at her head.

"You're awake," the guy with a tattoo on his forearm said. Woah. He's big.

"Obviously," Anna snickered while eyeing the guy who pointed a gun at her. 

"So, who's your boss? This?" Anna continues asking, pointing her finger at the big guy with tattoos. They look at each other like lost kids, and Anna rolls her eyes.

"No, he's not. You're just the one holding me hostage." Anna smugly answered. These fools are so greedy for money.

As soon as Anna noticed the hesitancy in their eyes, she secretly grinned to herself.

"Cover her mouth," the big guy ordered. While one of them went to retrieve the duct tape, the other guys who were standing behind him obeyed his command.

Anna makes a face, politely saying to them, "Oh. No, no. Wrong move. For your awareness, my guards are already waiting outside this warehouse; they're just waiting for my signal. And if you do that, I won't be able to help you. Well, I can negotiate." Some of the men appeared to be moved by it, but the majority merely looked on with contempt.

She was questioned by the fellow with the camera, "Why should we believe you?" Annalia frowned when she recalled the paparazzo from the hotel who had taken her. A large camera was also in his hands. Is he the same person?

"I am Annalia Davis. You should believe me. You don't know who accompanied my men outside this warehouse. And I give them the signal, you'll be in big trouble." Anna responded mockingly, emphasizing the last four words, giving the guys a clue of context.

The other person muttered, "Cops." Annalia heard that word and grinned triumphantly.

"Well?"

"We don't know who it was, but I saw a man wearing a suit with the AMA Entertainment emblem, and he was the one who handed us the money."

"AMA Entertainment? Are you sure?"

"Yes." Finally, the big guy seemed impacted by her threats and warnings. Upon hearing it, Anna's jaws clenched in rage, her knuckles turned white from gripping, and her veins were already evident in her hands. Assholes!

Annalia gritted her teeth and said, "Get rid of this knot." She ordered one of them to untie the knot, so he did. She rises and moves in the direction of the big guy after feeling the knot loosen. She assumed this was their leader.

Softly yet menacing, Annalia whispers, "What's your name?" She can make out the fear and reluctance in his eyes.

"Don't worry; I'll pay you the cash in appreciation for giving me a chance to live."

"Ferdie...Ferdie Ramos."

Annalia simply smiled at him and then headed out the exit door of the warehouse. Before she stepped outside, she momentarily stopped when she remembered something.

She graciously muttered, "Kindly remove the photos of me on your camera. I feel terribly hideous when I am not ready for a shot." However, contrary to the tone of her voice, the way it is conveyed almost appears like a threat. A threat of danger.