"Lauren!" nag-aalalang tawag ni Kiel sa kanya na noon ay nasa tabi niya. The fear in his voice was palpable. But she cannot even respond because the burning pain in her chest was unbearable. And just when she thought that's all there is to the confusion, a thick smoke quickly surrounded them from somewhere.Tear gas, she thought. "Get Ms. Lauren out of here, Sir," nagmamadaling utos ni Garrett kay Kiel. Kiel didn't wait to be told twice, he quickly scooped her off the floor and carried her to safety-- out of room.Paglabas nila ng conference room, nagkukumpulan na ang tao sa labas sa hallway. There were also policemen and operatives from SSA. Eric Samaniego was also there. Agad itong lumapit sa kanila nang maibaba siya ni Kiel sa carpeted floor. "I-it's burning. My chest ia burning," she managed to spoke in between gasps."She's shot. I need medic! Fcking get one, Eric!" tarantang utos ni Kiel sa lalaki. Kiel cupped her face. "Stay with me, baby. Stay with me," he said in a half worr
Tahimik na pinagmamasdan ni Lauren ang marble urn na nakalagay sa isa sa mga niche sa columbarium na kinaroroonan niya. It was the remains of her Tita Lileth.When Armando Domingo confessed everything he did for Emilie Nacionales, itinuro din nito kung saan naroon ang bangkay ng kanyang tiyahin.Honestly, she doesn't know what to feel even until now. She felt conflicted then when she learned that her aunt had died. Even now, na nabigyan na niya ito ng maayos na himlayan, hindi pa rin niya alam ang dapat niyang maramdaman para sa namayapang tiyahin.She doesn't have any good memory with her aunt. Ang tiyahin din niya ang dahilan kung bakit nawala ang anak niya. She had endured a lot of awful things because of her aunt. But even then, she was prompted to give her late aunt a proper burial, the last thing she'll ever going to do for her in this lifetime.She heaved a sigh and glanced at the marble urn for one final time before she started to walk out of the place. It's probably the last
"How could you meet Tyler behind my back, Lauren? You of all people knew what happened between me and the family that bastard belonged to!" singhal ni Kiel habang pauwi silang dalawa ni Lauren. It was just the two of them inside his car. Their bodyguards are both following behind them."It wasn't like that, Kiel. Hindi sinabi sa akin ni Mrs. Cabral na makakasama namin si Tyler ngayon. My manager was just being careful knowing the history between you two. We were supposed to talk about that Asian film because whether you like it or not that needs to be discussed. I signed the contract," paliwanag niya, pinipilit na maging mahinahon."I told you before and I'm saying it again, I don't want you working with Tyler under any circumstance!"She bit her lower lip. She doesn't want them arguing subalit hindi rin ayos sa kanya na minamandohan siya nito like she's some simpleton who cannot decide for herself. "It's my career that's on the line, Kiel. A career I've worked so hard for. Ayokong ma
"This place looks as it is when Kiel showed it to me just 8 months ago," komento ni Nicole, muling inilibot ang mata sa kabuuan ng bahay, ngumiti. "I hope you don't mind that I came here now to talk to you. Si Kiel kasi, ayaw pa 'ata sabihin sa 'yo."Napakurap si Lauren, naikuyom ang mga nanginginig na mga kamay. She had long prepared herself for this time-- meeting Nicole Gonzales, Kiel's only love. But now that she has come face to face with the woman who owns Kiel's heart, it seems like she had not prepared herself at all, moreso her heart."A-anong d-dapat sabihin sa 'kin ni Kiel?" she asked, she voice shaking."I'm not sure if you know but, Kiel and I had regained our mutual understanding when we were in Malaysia--""M-Malaysia..." she spoked just above whisper. Nagkita ito at si Kiel sa Malaysia. That's around two months ago. Ibig sabihin, dalawang buwan nang nakakabalik sa buhay nito si Nicole. And he's not telling her anything about it. "Yes. We were both in Malaysia, doon ka
"Lauren, nasaan ka ba? Sure ka ba na okay ka lang?" ani Micha sa kabilang linya. Her assistant was trying to call her since yesterday subalit nire-reject niya lahat ng tawag nito. After she had learned yesterday that Nicole was back into Kiel's life and that Kiel was more than ready now to dump her, she really didn't want to talk to anyone anymore. She just wanted to make her way out of that marriage in the best way she could while saving what would be the last of her pride and self-worth. And so yesterday, she sneaked out of Kiel's house and secretly folllowed him to wherever he will go. Gaya ng sinabi ni Nicole, nag-text ito sa kanya na baka umagahin ulit ito sa pag-uwi at na h'wag na niya itong hintayin sa pagtulog. True enough, after work, Kiel went to a house inside an exclusive subdivision and spent the night there. Well, most of it. The house was owned by the Gonzales family, the guards of the subdivision confirmed. Nanlulumo siyang umuwi. Alam niya kung anong kahihinatnan n
"We already got it for this scene! Let's have a break," ani Yuan, direktor ni Lauren sa Asian film na kanyang pagbibidahan. Agad siyang nilapitan ni Micha at binigyan ng jacket. She had been in Hongkong for two weeks now filming. And she must say it has been the most exhausting yet fulfilling two weeks of her life."That was a great shot, Lauren! And one take at that! Our foreign production crew are all impressed by you," excited na salubong ni Kristine sa kanya. Kasama rin ito sa Asian film na pinagbibidahan niya. Isiningit niya ito sa cast when Tyler agreed to make her a co-producer of the film."Thanks, Kristine. Beginner's luck?" natatawang sagot niya."Nah, you're a natural," sabi ulit ng kaibigan. "Doon muna ako sa trailer ko, may eksena ako mamaya. I'll just review the script," anito bago nagsimulang maglakad patungo sa trailer na naka-assign dito. Tumango lang siya at naglakad din sa kanyang trailer kasama si Micha. Pagdating doon, nabungaran niya si Tyler na nakaupo sa upua
"I see no problem with your pregnancy for now. Your baby is perfectly healthy at 11 weeks. But because of your prior pregnancy, I want to advice you to slow down with your activities just for precaution. Also, I'll be recommending you to take some supplements to ensure that you'll be getting the proper nutrition your body needs," ani Dr. Gao, ang OB-Gyn na kakilala ni Lyle. She and Lyle discreetly traveled to her clinic habang naka-break siya sa shooting.Tahimik si Lauren habang pinagmamasdan ang pagsusulat ng doktora ng prescription nito para sa mga vitamins niya. And while she was silent, her mind was racing. Maisip pa lang niya ang magiging reaksyon ng mga taong kailangan niyang pagsabihan ng kalagayan niya, nanlulumo na siya. She thought of Tyler. How can she tell him that they need to halt filming for a year or at least nine months, without letting him now that she really is pregnant? At si Micha, paano niya sasabihin dito na wala muna itong trabaho dahil magtatago siya ng ilang
Aaron was walking towards Kiel's office nang marinig niya ang pagdagundong ng boses ng kapatid mula sa loob ng opisina nito."This is not it! Are you dumb, Nica? I told you, it's a damn proposal!" singhal ng kapatid sa assistant nito. "Nananadya ka ba? I am not paying you to be just this stupid!" Ilang segundo lang, nakita na niyang lumabas sa opisina ng kapatid ang assistant nitong si Nica. The young lady was wiping her tears from her eyes before she walked towards her desk, which is now covered with piles of folders. Wala ang sekretarya ni Kiel na si Carmi. Nag-leave daw dahil sobrang nakagalitan nito noong nakaraang linggo.Actually, he is there to talk his brother because of that. Ilang reklamo na ang nakarating sa kanya nitong nakalipas na ilang linggo dahil sa masamang pagtrato ni Kiel sa mga empleyado nito. Hindi naman ito dating gano'n. Sa kanilang magkakapatid, ito ang may pinakamalambot na puso. Kaya nga minsan, inaabuso na ang kabaitan nito, hindi pa nito alam.But all of t