Revenge of A Beauty

Have you ever felt extremely mad at someone? Have you ever felt like you wanted revenge so badly? That's what I'm feeling right now. I wanted vengeance. I wanted those people to taste the pain I felt that time. It was heartless! It was too brutal! One thing I'm craving— Justice! Hustisya para sa mga taong mahal na mahal ko. Sampung taon na ang nakakalipas but justice wasn't served yet because I lived poorly back then. But now, maybe coming out with wealth, with a different identity, justice now will be served. Wearing a black metallic spaghetti-strapped dress that hugged every inch of my silhouette, I began my descent down the grand staircase of the Bigeriego mansion. Kumikinang ang tela sa ilalim ng chandelier, parang alon ang bawat kilos ng damit sa katawan ko. My hair was styled in soft waves, cascading down my shoulders like a waterfall. Maingat ang bawat hakbang ko; marahan at kontrolado. I didn’t need to look around to feel the shift in the atmosphere. Ramdam kong unti-unting tumahimik ang paligid, isa-isa silang napapalingon sa direksyon ko. I carried myself with confidence, with silent power, and with grace that demanded no permission. Tahimik akong bumababa pero pakiramdam ko, ako ang sentro ng bawat titig at bulungan sa paligid. Every step I took echoed lightly through the marble, like a rhythm the room unconsciously followed. Tonight marks the grand celebration of the great Lucifious Bigeriego’s 60th birthday. The entire venue is brimming with elegance and grandeur. Everyone is dressed to impress, moving through the crowd like models at a high-profile event. The massive chandelier hanging from the ceiling casts a warm, golden glow, illuminating the luxurious designs of the tables and stage. Every detail of the room—from the centerpieces to the table settings—screams wealth and impeccable taste. And scattered throughout the space are the business moguls from powerful families and political officials with influence that stretches far and wide. Bigeriegos hold power in or even in the whole country. Mas'yado silang maimpluwensya kaya gano'n nalang din ka-grande ang pagdaraos na ito. At gano'n nalang din karaming mga importanteng tao ang narito. It’s all to flaunt how powerful their bloodline is… To show off just how much wealth they have… But... I’m not here to admire their riches or try to fit in with their world. I’m here for justice. I need them to feel the pain and suffering I’ve carried for years. I've been preparing for this vendetta for almost a decade. Akala nila tapos na—na limot na ang lahat. Pero nagkakamali sila. I made a promise, and now, it's time to keep it. This is the moment I've been waiting for. I smiled in my head when I finally got their only scion's attention. Nakaupo sa gitnang table at nakahawak ng may lamang wine glass sa kaliwang kamay niya. Matiim itong nakatitig sa akin atsaka parang iniobserbahan lahat ng galaw ko pababa ng hagdan. This man! The reason why it happened! Kung pagtimbangin ang galit na naramdaman ko para sa mag-amang Bigeriego, mas mabigat ang dala ko sa anak niya. Mabigat na mabigat! This is the same man who humiliated and took advantage of me years ago, without mercy. I was so young back then, helpless, when he did that. Walang awa. And I could still clearly remember how much I cried and pleaded for him to stop. But he didn't... he had take me forcefully and without pity. Ang walanghiyang lalaki na ito. Ang walanghiyang Jacobo Andrix Bigeriego! Sila ang dahilan ng ama niya kung bakit nagdurusa ako sa loob ng maraming taon. My life was perfect back then, not until... they ruined it. His eyes—still the same. Taunting. Ruthless. Dangerous. Parang dati lang. Pero hindi ko rin maintindihan kung paano ko 'to kinakaya ngayon. Noon, konting titig niya lang, napapaatras na ako. I couldn’t even hold his gaze—sa sobrang takot ko sa kaniya. But now? Now, I’m staring back… and I’m not the same girl he used to scare. I'm no longer the sweet, weak girl they once knew. My thirst for revenge changed me completely. I am Anarina Rafael now—one of the most influential businesswomen in the country. Gaya nila, hindi na rin ako basta-basta. I can fight them head-on, stand on equal ground, and I now have the power to bring them down. Hahakbang na sana ako papunta sa kaniya nang biglang tumunog ang hikaw na earpiece na suot ko ngayon. "He has your attention now, Rina," si Nicole, kasabwat ko, nasa banda doon sa mga pagkain. Nagkukunyaring normal na bisita lang din na kumukuha ng pagkain. "Mag-iingat ka," pagpaalala ni Diego, na nagpapanggap na serving staff sa ngayon. I hope everything will turn out as it is in this plan. Nang mapansing nananatili pa rin ang titig ni Jandrix sa akin, nilapitan ko siya nang bahagya. He was looking at me intently, as if studying every inch of my face, and it left me confused. Did he recognize me? I'm certain he didn't. My appearance is nothing like before. Malayong-malayo na ang itsura ko noon sa itsura ko ngayon. It's been years. I've matured, changed completely. This version of me is unrecognizable. He won't know who I really am. I'm sure of it. Pagkababa ko sa hagdan, napansin kong sinalubong niya ako. "Hi there!" he greeted. Babaero! He's wearing a crisp blue suit that hugs his frame like it was tailored by the gods. Every detail sits perfectly on him, from the sharp lines of the blazer to the way the fabric molds around his broad shoulders. He exudes a deadly kind of charm—effortless, dangerous, and impossibly attractive. He looks like he walked straight out of a high-end men's magazine, every feature sculpted with maddening precision. He doesn’t even need to speak. He doesn’t need to move. Just by standing there, he commands the entire room. People turn to look without realizing it. And somehow, even silence bows to his presence. "That's your chance Rina!" si Diego, sa earpiece na suot ko. But I acted normally while facing Jandrix para hindi mapaghalataan. For pete's sake, I'm facing one of the most dangerous men on earth. "Good evening," I greeted back and smiled at him. "It's an immense pleasure to see you here, Ms. Rafael!" Nakipagkamay siya sa akin kaya agad ko naman iyong tinanggap. Hindi na ako nagulat nang makilala niya ako. My face has been featured in countless magazines, tabloids, and even television. While I was drowning in years of pain and suffering, I was also building a name—earning fame, power, and influence. Alam kong kung hindi ko sila mapapantayan, magiging walang saysay ang paghihiganti kong ito. "Pleasure is mine, Mr. Bigeriego!" Hindi na ako nagkunwaring hindi ko siya kilala. Their family is widely known. He is known—more famous than me, more powerful, richer, and far more influential. But the good thing is, I’m not alone in this fight. Marami kaming galit na galit sa pamilya nila. They abuse their power and take advantage of those beneath them. Hindi lang ako ang humihingi ng hustisya. Hindi lang kami nina Diego at Nicole. There are more of us—many more. Maybe others are just too afraid to fight back. Kaya kami na lang ang lalaban para sa kanila. Maybe through us, we can finally give them the justice they truly deserve. "My father reserved you a seat." "Oh, that's good..." I answered with a light nod, doing my best not to falter, not even on a single word. Matagal ko nang hinihintay ang araw na 'to. I can't afford to mess it up now. "Come." Maayos niya akong inihatid papunta sa malaking mesa sa gitna ng hall. Kumpleto na ang handa—mga pagkain, kubyertos, lahat ay perpektong nakahanay. Nandoon na rin ang ilang makapangyarihang personalidad. The Guerreros from La Naga, the Medalles, the Aquinos, at iba pang hindi ko pa masyadong kilala. Isa ako sa mga pangunahing investors sa negosyo nila. At kung tutuusin, hindi lang dahil sa pera kaya ako nandito. I made sure I'd find a way into their world. Kailangan kong maging matalino. Kailangan kong maging taktikal. Dahil iyon ang kailangan para magtagumpay sa misyon na 'to. Ilang taon na naming pinagplanuhan at inihanda ito. "You look really familiar, Ms. Rafael," he said, his voice laced with curiosity. Ngumiti lang ako ng mahinahon. "Maybe because I'm often featured in magazines and in the media, Mr. Bigeriego?" But deep inside, I can feel my chest pounding, as if my heart might just leap out of my chest. This is it. If he recognizes me, it’ll be over—our end, my end. But I wouldn't have shown myself here if I thought the chances of them recognizing me were too high, right? I couldn’t afford to risk everything. Come on. My appearance has changed. My life has changed. I’m nothing like who I was before. "Yeah, I guess you're right!" he said, pulling the chair out for me. I smiled at him in thanks, trying to keep my composure. Then he took the seat beside me. I thought it would take so much more effort for him to even notice me. I even considered... maybe seducing him. But it seemed too easy. Too effortless. Ang dali-dali ko lag nakuha ang atensyon niya. Maybe it's because he’s just a natural flirt. Or maybe, after all these years, I still had some kind of effect on him. Finally, everyone's attention shifted when Lucifious Bigeriego arrived. He wore a black suit, the fabric intricately laced with gold. He didn’t look his age—he could easily pass for someone in his forties, not his sixties. His appearance hadn't changed at all. Still the same commanding, intimidating presence, just like his son, Jandrix. "Happy Birthday, Senyor Lucifious!" "Happy Birthday, Lucifious!" Everyone greeted him with admiration, almost reverence. There was so much respect in the air, and I couldn’t help but feel my heart race as his gaze shifted toward me—or was it toward Jandrix? "Happy birthday, Dad!" Jandrix called from beside me. "Thanks, son." "H-happy birthday, Senyor!" I said, flashing a smile that I hoped concealed my nervousness. I didn’t want to seem out of place or rude. I can’t afford to raise suspicion. "Thanks, Ms. Rafael. Glad to see you here!" Lucifious replied, his voice smooth, like it was second nature for him to be admired. "I won't let this pass, Senyor..." I said, my words tinged with a fake smile. Inside, my hands were clenched, and my heart was a storm. I forced myself to stay calm, though all I really wanted was to explode—to strangle both him and his son. To hurt them the way they’d ruined my life, without mercy, without hesitation. They should know. They should feel it. The pain. The loneliness. I want them to experience the weight of losing everything, just like I did. Not just once, but over and over. Senyor Lucifious only smiled at me before turning to the other guests, his attention easily moving on. I wasn’t important enough for him to care about—not in the same way the Guerreros and Medalles were. Those families were closer to the Bigeriegos, not someone like me. "Everything’s set up already. I’ve successfully plugged in the USB..." Diego’s voice came through my earpiece. I couldn’t help but smile to myself, watching the two Bigeriegos with a growing sense of satisfaction. Enjoy it while you can. This won't last much longer. In a few moments, everyone will see what kind of people they really are. Their image, their power—it’s about to shatter. Justice is so close now... for my family, for all of us.