Chapter 2

The staff started to do their things for me. They did some make-up that suited the theme of the photoshoot as well as preparing the outfit that I’ll wear. It ended after a few as they didn’t put on heavy make-up or such, and plus that I have great skin too.

I’m not overdoing it, or I am a narcissist. It was based on their comments about me. I’m not that desperate to receive such comments from them. I know myself, and I am totally aware that I’m close to perfection, except that I have scars from the past, physically and emotionally.

"Jane! Come up here now. We’ll start after Stefan finishes dressing," said Leina, who happens to be the director and hated me because of my connection to Stefan in the past. She likes him.

I couldn’t help myself mimicking her and it didn’t free me from the eyes of the staff. They giggled and looked at me, as if they were saying that I needed to be patient when dealing with this woman.

I smiled at them and went to the center.

Stefan didn’t take long and went out of his tent. You heard it right, his tent. Hello, we’re indoors.

I don’t see any reason for setting up a tent. His overflowing love for himself is showing. Yeah, he has issues. 

A clean freak that isn’t clean at all.

"I’m sorry if I kept you waiting. Should we start?" Gosh, I hated how he said it so cool. As if he’s the start of this event.

"No, no, Stefan dear. You came at the right time."

I could see how Leina’s eyes changed. It is sparkling. 

The whole room became quiet after she said that. I bit my lip to refrain from laughing, but my laughter betrayed me, and it slipped out. All eyes are on me, and I don’t give a damn.

I cleared my throat and turned my back on them.

"Let’s start. In position, please. Team!" I heard Leina say, followed by a clap and the sounds of people working.

"Can you stop that?"

I put my hand behind me and looked at the guy who had the balls to talk to me.

"Stop what?" I asked back.

"Even if you do that, I won’t come back to you."

Come back? What was this jerk trying to imply? Duh! 

Even his name makes me sick. "Don’t be naïve and clueless, Mau. We both know what I am talking about."

Wow, the confidence that he has in himself is unbelievable.

"Let me get this straight, Stefan. I don’t like you, and I’m not doing anything to make you notice me or whatever you’re thinking now. I don’t want any trouble to happen, so please, let’s be professional... even if you’re not. You impotent jerk."

Of course, I lowered my voice in the last part. But I think he heard it too and it made him silent for the whole duration of the photoshoot. I’m glad that it ended without any conflicts. 

The truth is, even I was uncomfortable throughout the whole duration because of his stares. I’m not talking about Stefan; I’m talking about the guy that I met in the cafeteria.

Is met the right word? I mean, I saw him, but I don’t think he saw me. He’s wearing sunglasses.

Gaylene discussed with me the next photoshoot that would be in the next few days, but my attention wasn’t on him. 

My thoughts are flying, and I don’t think they’ll stop... not until I see him again and have an interaction with him. I may sound despondent, but I badly need to know who he is.

There’s something in him that fills me.

"Can you stop the car, Lene?" I need to buy something from the grocery store. I don’t want to be a nuisance to you." I said, out of nowhere.

I’m tired of hearing what he’ll say. It’s all the same and it will run through before the photoshoot, so I don’t see any reason to listen. I may be a brat, but only to Gaylene. He knows me well, and I can act like myself when I’m with him. 

Except when Stefan or Timothy, or worse, Dante, my worthless father, I don’t think I can stop myself from being the real me when I’m with them. I’m building an image of an angel and it was ruined by Stefan when he made such an issue without basis. And people believed him just because he's been here in this industry before me? And he's more popular and has already had an image that can’t be destroyed because of his large fanbase.

"I could drop you off there. The nearest grocery store is still far away. Do you have cash with you?" He asked while his eyes were deposed to the road.

"No, but I’ll find a way. Don’t worry about me, Roberto. Stop with that expression and fix your eyes. Nothing will happen to me, okay? I’ll go home after this. I need to be alone. I hope you understand."

Even though I told him that I'd find a way to pay for the transportation fee, he still gave me a large sum of money. 

I can’t believe that he’s carrying so much cash. We lived in the world of credit cards, so it took me aback when he gave me ten thousand.

"I know, of course, I’m your best friend. Please call me after you visit her. And if she tries to harm you again, please have mercy on yourself. Don’t settle for that and start being you, Prun. Take care. I’ll go now," he said after I got out of the car.

I waved my hand at him and took a deep breath when his car started to become smaller.

Today is the day that my mother told me I was adopted. I was an orphan, and I was happy when I heard it from her. I mean, she did horrible things to me, and I thought I would finally be free from the chains, but I was wrong because my real mother won’t accept me as her child. She hated me, and every time she sees me, she goes hysterical and hurts me too. Which leads me to reminisce about things that I wanted to bury seven feet below the ground where no one could use them against me.

Memories that I don’t want to think about, but they just come back every time I close my eyes. And now I can’t put a halt to it.

They keep coming back…back…and back, like a train maneuvering without a trick stop.

I was gasping for air when I woke up from a very bad dream. It reminded me of how my foster mom tortured me when I failed to do what she instructed me to. I pulled the cardigan up to let it hug my body more. I was inside a taxicab, and I didn’t realize that I fell asleep while I was going to my mother’s hospital.

The sun is already down, and the blinding lights of the city are the ones that keep the city alive. It’s kind of shocking to know that there are only a few people strolling in the city.

I mean, this is the only time this place doesn’t have a large number of people. I looked out the window and saw that we’d already passed the city, and only  a few houses were there.

Yes, I still go to my foster mother. Despite what she did to me, I still want to repay her for taking me in. I thought that it would be a majestic visit, but it turned out to be a hell of a night.

I was already panicking inside when I realized we were on a different path. I’ve been closing and opening my eyes for a long time now, but I’m sure that the driver should have turned left when we were at the intersection. I'm at a loss for words. The sweat is starting to build up, and my knees are beginning to tremble. 

I won’t say that after everything I went through, this is just a piece of cake for me. Because after all of it, this kind of situation still scares me.

What am I going to do?

There’s one thing going on inside my mind. I need to call Roberto. As I was trying to get my phone out of my purse, I silently cursed when I found out that the battery was dead.

Why does my life always suck? Did I do something today that resulted in my unluckiness?

God.

"Uhm... Mr.?" I found him looking at me when I said it. Answering your question, why am I still acting as if I’m not panicking? Don’t let me begin. I have no idea why I am. Maybe because I have already perfected the act of staying calm.

"I’m sorry, miss. I was told to do this. It's just pure business."

This was the last thing I heard before everything went blurry. I wasn’t totally unconscious because I could still hear and see some of the actions of the people in front of me.

I tried moving to see where I was. My head hurts, and it’s not a good thing for me as it could trigger the incident that happened twenty years ago.

The realization hits me that I am still in the car, I was transferred to the back seat, and two people are fighting. They seemed to be experts in their own ways. I watched a lot of films and even acted in some of them—action scenes.

And then they made up? I don’t know. I was drifting. 

What is happening?

The last thing I remember is that the driver made me smell something from his handkerchief. The movement stopped, and the car is at peace. The door opened, and I saw a guy with a mask and a hoodie.

My eyes couldn’t deny that I felt an undeniable attraction towards him, even though I could only see the upper part of his face and his hypnotizing green eyes.

"Are you okay?" he asked. I couldn’t open my mouth and just stared at him. His arm went to my waist, and not long after that, I was already in the air.

"You don’t need to answer. It’s better for you to sleep so that the effects of the drug won’t be severe. It’ll help with your headaches."

I find myself nodding and smiling at him. I am in a dangerous situation, and I still have the nerve to be comfortable with this guy. I don’t even know him.

The pain that I felt earlier seemed to be more bearable... Maybe because he releases a good and soothing smell.

Shoot!

He smells very nice. A mixture of sandalwood and fresh mint. I didn’t know that I would be a sucker for someone else’s perfume.

I woke up with a severe headache. I massaged my forehead and opened my eyes. I sat and walked to my kitchen and was surprised when I couldn’t find my own cupboard. Also, I almost hit my head on the wall. 

What the hell? Did someone renovate my house without me knowing?

You're silly, Jane. No one knows where you live, except Roberto. I calmed myself and took deep breaths.

"AHHHHHH!" I screamed at the top of my lungs when I figured out that I wasn’t in my own home. It’s a different condo.

Shit, shit, shit! What happened yesterday?

Think, Jane. You need to know what happened to you last night.

Okay, I was supposed to be going to my mother’s isolation facility when the taxicab that I booked tried to harm me, and then... then...

What happened next?

The creak of the sudden door opening made me almost jump. My gaze moved from the feet to the head. Why does this man look familiar?

I jerked my head from side to side to think and to dig into my memory bank. A light bulb appeared above my head when I finally knew where it was. 

He’s the guy from the cafeteria! I didn’t know that I could see him again. I was thinking that we'd have a chance to interact in the same spot. My heart is overflowing with joy and admiration. He was so gorgeous, and he looked like a sculpture of the God of Greece. He’s perfectly done and cultivated by the artist.

"I think you’re already okay. You may go after eating this."

My eyes went to the plastic bag and up to his arms. His biceps are showing, and it’s enough to make me gulp.

"Hey," I heard him softly calling my attention, but I was busy checking his arms. How often does he go to the gym? Does he have a girl friend? I don’t want him to!

Wtf! Jane, wake up! You shouldn’t care if he has a lover or not. You have to focus. Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe o—

"Boo!"

"Oh my god!"

"You weren't answering earlier. That’s why I need to call your attention. We need to sort things out." He took the plastic bag and then put it on the table. It’s a typical congee and a cup of coffee. I’m not a morning person, but my mouth is watering from the steamy smell of the food and the sweet chocolat—y aroma of the coffee. 

I was slurping from the bowl of congee when I was distracted by his stares. I realized that I didn’t wash my face or check if I had dirt on my face. Unconsciously, I put my hands on my right cheek and smiled shyly at him. 

"Do I have dirt on my face?"

He only grinned and shook his head. He also sipped on his coffee while his eyes were already adverted from my peripheral.

I bit my lip and continued eating. I need to go home. Roberto’s going to kill me! What time is it now? Do I have an appointment? Photo — The Photoshoot! I have to go now! But, where’s my phone? 

"You are looking for something?"

"My phone. My bag." I said while I was busy looking for it all over the room. 

"It’s on the car. It’s open."

"O-okay, thank you, Mr.?" Okay, this is just a trick. I’m only getting his name. I hope this works. 

"Leonard. Travel safe, Miss Jane."

I closed the door while I quietly squeaked down the hallway. I have no idea what’s gotten into me. I should be worried about what happened to me.

Not to be giddy over someone’s name. Control yourself, Jane!