Prologue

February 2023

Nanghihinang napatingin si Primrose sa cellphone ng nobyo niya.

It was not intentional for her to see that. It was not her intention to see that message. She was not looking for anything, it just popped up. That one message just popped up and it shattered her world.

“God, please… wake me up if this is a dream…” she closed her eyes and opened them again, pero nandoon pa rin ang message.

She unlocked Ian’s phone and deleted the message and blocked the number. She dwelled on whether what and what not to do and so, she decided to make him think that she does not know anything at all.

“Hi there, babe…” bati ng boyfriend nito sa kaniya nang makapasok siya ng condo niya. He just went outside to get some food dahil late na silang nagising at hindi na sila makakapagluto.

“Hi.”

Just how long can you possibly love a person even after they hurt you?

May matitira pa kayang pagmamahal, kahit na nasaktan na o tanging poot nalang ang mararamdaman?

Sa buong buhay niya, hindi niya inakalang mapapagod siya, pero look at her now, buong buo ang desisyon na umalis dahil sa nalaman niya, pero hindi niya magawa. Ayaw na ayaw niya sa lahat, ang nagmumukha siyang kawawa.

Kapag umalis siya ngayon, kapag pinairal niya ang galit niya ngayon, wala na siyang magagawa at siya pa ang mag-mu-mukhang kawawa sa paningin ng iba.

Prim grew up as someone who always tried her best to please others. She was afraid of disappointing people and terrified of making mistakes. Perhaps that's why she is one of the most talented artists in the Philippines today, as she is very strict with herself. She consistently aims for nothing but the best.

“Love, can you help me practice my lines for my upcoming break up scene? Para hindi na rin ako mahirapan kapag mags-script reading…” Prim asked Ian na nagp-prepare ng food nilang dalawa.

How lucky could she be to have a break up scene na mare-rehearse niya kasama ang nobyo niya?

“Oki, babe. Come over here. Food is ready. Go get your script tapos let’s do it nalang while eating.” inabot naman ni Prim ang script sa boyfriend niya atsaka umupo sa upuan across him.

“Why are you sitting there? Go sit here sa tabi ko–”

“I wanna see you face to face when you’re doing your dialogue.”

Ang totoo lang naman, hindi niya muna kayang tabihan ang boyfriend niya, dahil baka maiyak nalang siya. She can’t help but to think if everything na nagawa nila together at ang mga pangako ni Ian sa kaniya ay totoo.

“Okay…” dismayado, pero pinilit parin ni Ian na ngitian si Prim, “Go eat na.”

While eating, it was written sa script na the couple in the movie that they will portray are a type of couple na toxic na laging naghihiwalay, pero lagi rin namang nagbabalikan— not until mapuno ang girl at sumabog ito sa galit.

“Nakakapagod, nakakaubos…” — as what her line says.

“Oh, God, babe… you’re really a good actress. You’re making me feel like I am Sean and you’re Annika for real.”

“Really?”

“Mhm. I can feel the emotions, really.”

“What if this happens to us too?” Prim asked Ian kaya naman binitawan ni Ian ang script at dinaluhan ang kasintahan.

“This scene won't ever happen to us.” Ian kissed Prim’s forehead and gave her a reassuring hug.

“Go na, let’s proceed to page 4.”

“Okay…”

Prim is a good actress, pero hindi niya kayang magpanggap na okay lang siya lalo na't kapag si Ian ang pinag-uusapan. Ganoon niya kamahal ang lalaking 'to. Kaya niyang ibigay ang buong mundo niya. Kaya ngayon, isa na siguro siyang oportunista sa paggamit ng script niya na ‘to para maibuhos ang galit niya na hindi niya mailabas.

Ano ba kasing meron sa lalaking ‘to na kahit anong gawin niyang iwas, pagdedesisyon na iwan ito, hindi niya magawa?

Marami namang gwapo na nagkakagusto sa kaniya. Maraming mayayamang artista, businessman, abogado pa nga ang nagkakagusto sa kaniya, pero wala. Si Ian parin talaga.

Before, maraming kaibigan na nagsawa sa kaka-advice kay Primrose noon dahil sa paglipat-lipat niya sa mga lalaking hindi niya naman sineseryoso. Ngayon, masaya sila para sa kaniya, dahil finally, natagpuan niya ang para sa kaniya.

Ano nalang ang mukhang maihaharap niya sa mga ito kapag nalaman nila na ginagago pala siya ng lalaking ‘to?

She cannot take much of that humiliation.

After eating, si Prim na ang naghuhugas ng mga pinagkainan nila while Ian took a shower. While washing the dishes, Prim felt Ian soaking wet, hugging her from behind, of course, naked.

“I haven’t scrubbed my back yet. Do you wanna help me? Come on… let’s shower together…” he teasingly said while slowly caressing Prim’s arm.

Prim, without saying a word, kissed her boyfriend passionately and removed her clothes piece by piece. Prim successfully let Ian in her system as they f*ck each other in the bathroom until they both ran out of breath.

She loves it, she loves this, she loves Ian so much, kaya siguro grabe siyang masaktan ngayon sa nabasa niya sa phone ng nobyo niya. Grabe ‘yung sakit sa puso niya.

After the did, pagod silang nahiga sa kama.

Nang makatulog si Ian, pasimpleng kinuha ni Prim ang phone nito at dinala sa mga recently deleted messages. Saglit niyang tinignan ang message bago tuluyang i-move to trash.

Tristan: Ian, you should at least let Primrose know about your child and your wife here in Madrid.

Stella misses you and please, respond to my sister's messages, you jerk.

Prim closed her eyes and hugged Ian at sumiksik sa kaniya. This is the last warm hug she would give to the guy, dahil sisimulan na niyang alamin ang totoo.

This day is too much for her.

She will make sure na makagaganti siya sa panloloko nila sa kaniya.