Chapter Three
1131 Words
The ballroom was alive with color and chatter, but to Simone, it all blurred into muted noise. Her champagne glass was half-empty, her smile calculated, and her attention sharp- until a familiar laugh froze her in place.
She turned slowly, already knowing who it belonged to.
Across the room, dressed in shimmering emerald silk and sorrounded by a small circle of admirers, stood Aunt Celeste- her father's half - sister, and the woman who hadn't returned a single call when the Laurents lost everything.
Katabi nito ang anak na ai Julienne, na ang huling sinabi sa kanya noon ay tumatak sa knyang isip,
" Sorry to hear. Hope you land on your feet."
Ang sarap ng tawa nila, parang mga inosente at walang nagawang masama sa kapwa- sa kanila.
The Laurent family business-the legacy her father built with sweat and twenty-hour workdays-collapsed not because of the market, not because of poor decisions. It was them. Her relatives.Partners on papers, parasites in truth. Ibenenta nila ang kanilang shares, kinalat ang mga confidential information, ang masaklap, they pulled funding overnight-and left her father to take the fall.
Sila ang dahilan kung bakit na depress ang mommy niya, kung bakit ito nawalan ng ganang mabuhay. Ah, how she wish to crush them- give them karma! But his Dad, being a good brother and a kind person told her to never get revenged. Let karma do its job.
Kaya naman kapag may pagkakataon ay iniiwasan niyang makita ang mga ito at makasalamuha sila sa iisang lugar. Ramdam niya na ang galit niya sa mga ito ay baka biglang sumabog once they triggered it.
She should've walked away. But Simone Laurent never ran from a battlefield.
She approached. They hadn't expected to see her, not as the guest of honor for a rising tech firm's fundraising gala. Not as Simone Laurent- the ice queen of East Asia's corporate world.
Celeste turned first. Her lips curled into that same condescending smile Simone remembered from childhood.
"Simone. My, my. You look...icy."
Tumawa ng mapakla si Julienne, and lazily gaze at her from head to toe.
Simone smirked. Well tonight, she ensured every detail of her screamed luxury- wrapped in a floor-length midnight- blue satin gown that hugged her curves like second skin, the slit teasing with every step. Sa leeg niya'y kumikislap ang isang eleganteng choker.
Her ears bore sapphire studs that matched her eyes. And her heels, custom Louboutins, clicked across the marble floor with the confidence of a woman who came not to blend, but to dominate.
She saw a hint of jealousy and hatred in Julienne's eyes.
" What do you want, Simone? For years you've been distant to us. You never attended our party. And now..."
Plastick! Alam na alam kasi nitong maraming taenga ang nakikinig sa kanila.
Lumapit sa kanya ng bahagya si Celeste.
"I know you're the successful Simone Laurent now, but don't be so proud darling. Alam kong ibenenta mo ang kaluluwa mo sa impyerno marating lang ang kinalalagyan mo ngayon. The poor man died without knowing your real intentions."
bulong nito sa kanyang tainga at saka nakakalokong tumawa.
Pakiramdam ng dalaga ay umakyat ang dugo sa kanyang mukha.
But she managed to stay calm and collected. Yun pa rin pala ang pilit pinaniniwalaan at ipinagkakalat ng mga ito. That she used her body to become successful. At first gusto niyang ipaliwanag ang lahat. Na wala siyang naging relasyon sa namayapa ng business tycoon na si Andrew Sy. He just helped her financially and mentally, parang naging kapatid ang turing niya dito. Lahat ng utang niya dito ay binayaran na niya, except the knowledge and the dedication he shared to her. He was a good man, ito ang naging mentor niya sa larangan ng negosyo. Pero pilit na sinisira ng tiyahin niya ang reputasyon ni Andrew.
"One more filthy word from your mouth against Andrew and I will call the security to drag you out ." she calmly warned.
Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Celeste, ganun din ni Julienne. Ang kanilang padre de pamilya na halatang sunud-sunuran sa asawa ay nanatiling tahimik sa tabi ng namumulang asawa.
She gave them a smug look before turning her back.
Bumalik siya sa mesa sa nag ngingitngit.
Naisang lagok tuloy niya ang laman ng kanyang wine glass.
Ah,her night is already ruined. Aalis na lang siya.
Nagmamadaling kinuha ng dalaga ang kanyang Valentino purse. Sinenyasan niya ang executive secretary na si France na nasa kabilang mesa. Agad itong lumapit sa kanya.
" Sumakit ang ulo ko. Kindly relay to the Escobar that I went home. You can stay here as my representative."
"Are you okay?"
Hindi siya sigurado if France asked it out of concern or her she's just obliged to ask it.
Tumango siya at nagmamadaling lumabas sa ballroom. The familiar chest pain made her nervous. Parang dumadalas na ang pananakit ng kanyang dibdib.
Pero hindi nagpahalata ang dalaga. Taas-noo siyang naglakad palabas ng ballroom.
"Hey Miss, you dropped this." says a male baritone voice.
That's when she noticed na nawawala ang kanyang purse. Napilitan siyang lumingon.
He looked like he'd stepped straight out of a luxury magazine spread. Suot nito ang isang custom-fit na itim na tuxedo na tila hinubog mismo sa katawan niya-perpektong hinubog mismo sa katawan niya- perpektong tiklop, perpektong porma. Beneath it, a white dress shirt lay open at the collar, justnl enough to suggest a hint of rebellion beneath the polished interior. Ang buhok ay bahagyang magulo ,pero halatang sinadya. Siya ang uri ng lalaking titignan mo minsan, pero hindi mo makaklimutan habang-buhay.
The type that Simone hates the most-no- despises.
An alarm sounded inside her brain.
"Thank you." she made sure she looked frigid as ice.
Then he gave her a smile.
Not the kind people wear out of politeness, or the empty kind reserved for photo ops. No- this one was different. It was slow, knowing, and dangerously confident. The kind of smile that said I see you, not just the dress, not just the diamonds, but the woman beneath it all.
Simone blinked, her expression unchanging-cool and composed on the surface. Pero sa loob-loob niya ay parang may gumuhit sa kanyang tyan pataas sa kanyang dibdib. Isang paunang babala: ang lalakeng ito ay delikado.
Before she can say a word, a flirty voice called out the man's name.
"Luca!"
Si Julienne!
Oh that'a why she feel alarmed. Magkakilala ang hudas niyang pinsan at ang lalakeng ito.
"Can I have my bag back?" she asked, her voice calm, almost bored- but her eyes scanned him like a threat assessment.
He chuckled softly. He extended his hand, confident and unhurried. "Luca Saintclaire."
Simone gasped. The name is familiar!
No..no.. It can't be!
She ignored his hand and without a word, snatched the bag and walked away hurriedly.
- Writer
