Heart Full of Sorrow

Chapter 1

EVAN

BREAKING NEWS: ACTOR LUXEIS SALVADOR AND MISS WORLD VALERIE BLEVINS SPOTTED HAVING A COFFEE DATE AT BG SHOP

THE MANAGEMENT (SILK MOON MANAGEMENT) JUST ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WERE HAVING A MOVIE TOGETHER!

NEW LOVE TEAM NA NGA BA?

I turned my phone off. It almost broke when I slammed it on the table. I saw how Cassie flinch because of what I did.

"Sisirain mo ba phone mo, Kuya? Hindi basta marami kang pera---" She stopped talking when I glared at her. Bakit ba kasi nandito 'to? Does she have a taping or photoshoot to take?

She covered her mouth when she realized why I was acting like that. Mula sa phone niya ay umangat ang tingin niya sa akin. Mas dumilim lang naman ang mga mata kong nakatingin sa kaniya. Defending myself na hindi iyon ang tinutukoy ko.

"I know, Kuya." She said with a teasing voice. "What do you want me to do?"

Tumayo ako at nagpunta sa may bar area. I purred a whiskey to my liquor glass before drinking it in one gulp. It was my way to calm myself.

Nagsalin ulit ako sa baso bago lingunin ang half-sister ko na hinihintay lang ang sasabihin ko. She really is determine to help me with this, kahit wala naman talaga akong balak.

Cassie knew everything, I slipped because she forced me to say that word. Kung saan sobra akong nagkakamaling sabihin. It wasn't my intention to feeling like that towards Valerie. Maybe I'm just infatuated? I don't know.

But seeing this... that she has a love team. Tapos si Luxeis pa? It's a hell for her.

"There's a new launch product in Golden Cement. We couldn't find a model for that. I was thinking na ikaw ulit ang ilalagay but my suppliers were tired of your face." I mocked but still has this serious face.

Napasibangot siya dahil sa sinabi ko bago magtipa sa kaniyang phone at may tinawagan. "So you want Val to be your model in this new product?"

I sip and gulped the last liquor on the glass at binaba iyon sa may tray bago humalukipkip. "You guess."

Inirapan niya ako bago itapat ang phone niya sa kaniyang tenga. From the frowning face, it changes into an acting smile and excitement. Such a good actress.

"Hi, Val! I'm sorry, did I interrupt your photoshoot with Luxe? Nandito kasi ako sa company because Kuya's secretary called me and told me na wala silang mahanap na model for the new product. Hindi kasi ako pwede, eh. I still have a lot of photoshoots to take." Umangat ang tingin ni Cassie sa akin bago ako taasan ng kilay. "Really? Where are you ba? You sure you're free? Omg! Thank you so much, Val! We really appreciate your cooperation and time. After lunch daw photoshoot here sa company. Bye! Take care!"

After that call ay naglakad ulit ako pabalik sa may swivel chair ko. Pinindot ko lang ang button sa gilid ko at agad naman na kumatok at pumasok si Collete, my secretary.

"Good morning, Sir. Good morning, Ma'am." Bati niya sa amin. Nginitian naman siya ni Cassie. "How can I help you po?"

"Cancel my lunch meeting with the LCS Company. I wanted that time to be clear. Set up the photoshoot for the new product, we had a model now." Utos ko kay Collete.

"Noted, Sir. Sino po ang model?"

I paused for a second before saying her name.

"Valerie Blevins."

***

Para akong tanga dito na nasa harap ng salamin at tinitignan ang sarili. Inayos ko ulit ang necktie ko.