Showing Up
1028 Words
Chapter 2
Primrose decided to accept Ian’s follow request. It was her personal account, so only a few were allowed to follow her. Mostly, her closest friends. Her manager wasn’t part of her personal account because sometimes she posted pictures with guys on her IG story, avoiding getting reprimanded by the management.
She thought Ian might message her, but she was left waiting in vain—no message came through.
"Is this guy fooling with me?" she questioned herself, frowning while looking at the man's i********: posts.
His posts highlighted his family’s wealth, something that bothered Prim. She tended to be judgmental about such matters, especially when she knew that people were spending money that wasn't truly theirs.
It irked her.
Prim had always harbored an aversion to the dating scene. It wasn't just the concept of romance that repelled her; it was the recurring pattern she noticed in the men who showed interest. It seemed an unending parade of arrogance, with each suitor flaunting their family's wealth like a trophy, devoid of any personal accomplishments.
The sight of these individuals, boasting about their inherited privileges without a shred of genuine achievement, grated against everything Prim held dear. Having carved her own path through diligence and hard work, she couldn't fathom the allure of superficial displays of affluence. For her, true value lay in personal accomplishments, not in the shadows cast by familial prosperity.
As she scrolled through Ian's social media feed, her mind drifted into the labyrinth of her thoughts. She found herself contemplating these recurring encounters, the insufferable arrogance that often clouded potential relationships. Lost in this introspective reverie, the blue glow of the screen began to lull her into a state of drowsiness.
Her fingers, navigating through images and captions, gradually slowed as weariness seeped into her bones. The weight of her principles, the exhaustion of navigating the ostentatious personas she often encountered, became a lullaby of sorts, coaxing her into a restless slumber. In the midst of this mental turmoil, she drifted off, the phone slipping from her grasp as her consciousness surrendered to the realm of dreams.
When she woke up, her i********: and f*******: were exploding with notifications. She also had numerous missed calls from Abi—she actually woke up because of Abi's call.
"Hello?"
"Wake up. Check your social media accounts, Primrose. Oh my gosh, girl, you're in trouble..."
"Huh?"
She immediately checked her phone, discovering several articles about her and Mayor Letran's son.
"Girl, he's the mayor's son, and you were seen leaving his condo—"
"We did not do anything wrong. He just escorted me to the parking space. Nothing more, nothing less."
"Well, that’s the truth, but that's not how the media will spin it. We both know that. So, for now, let’s both think about it because I'm sure Ma’am Ji will reprimand us." Abi said, facing her laptop.
"Why did this become news? I've been with many other guys. Why am I linked like this now?"
"Who would be stupid enough to like posts from someone two years ago on i********:?" Prim's eyes widened suddenly.
"Damn!" She quickly opened her IG app and saw that she had indeed liked a topless photo of Ian and another one where he was in a tuxedo.
"His i********: account is public, Prim. You’re a celebrity. What would you expect?" Prim closed her eyes, tears forming, and ended Abi's call since there was nothing she could do with so many articles out there.
She sighed deeply. Moments later, her phone rang.
It was Ian Letran calling her on i********:. She answered, despite her annoyance.
"What do you want?" she deliberately let her irritation seep into her voice.
"I’m sorry. I just saw the news. I’m sorry I dragged you into this. I know how stressful your career alone is, so I'll take care of it. Don’t worry. I’ll update you once everything is cleared up."
He didn’t even let Prim speak, ending the call abruptly, leaving her dumbfounded. She had never experienced that before—being called and abruptly dismissed like that.
"Really? After dragging me into this, he just hangs up like that?" Prim muttered, feeling unsettled.
She went through her morning routine and filmed endorsements she had contracts with. Usually, Abigail accompanied her for these tasks, but she was probably busy, especially now with this issue.
After the endorsements shoot, she headed straight to their shooting venue for the day. To her surprise, Ian Letran was waiting by her car in the condo parking lot where she lived.
"I need your help," the man greeted, holding a paper bag of Lacoste and LV.
Silence lingered between them inside the car. They both sat in Ian’s car to discuss the papers he was carrying.
Prim couldn’t keep up with what was happening. One second, they were in the news together, now they were in a parking lot. He was so random and... handsome?
"So you need me to sign these papers?" Prim gazed at the bond papers in front of her brought by Ian, trying to distract herself from her swirling thoughts.
"My attorney wanted me to talk to you first before fixing the issue. She wants you to sign those, so she knows you've been informed since she’s not available today," he explained while sipping his coffee.
Prim read through the papers, and everything written there was exactly as she had said. Nothing excessive, nothing missing.
Prim struggled to reconcile her frustration with Ian's sudden involvement and the unexpected feelings that surfaced—confusion, annoyance, and an inexplicable fascination. His genuine apology and intention to rectify the situation contrasted sharply with her irritation, leaving her feeling conflicted and disoriented.
"Are you going somewhere?" Ian asked after Prim signed and handed back the papers. Primrose nodded in response.
"I wanted to give you something," Ian handed Prim two paper bags, possibly containing bags.
"I don’t accept gifts—"
"Well, please do, because I don’t know how else to apologize for dragging you into this mess, especially now that I know my dad's party list members are the ones spreading it," he said seriously to Prim.
- Writer
