Christian Martinez stood in the small, cluttered kitchen of his apartment, habang tinatamaan ng sikat ng araw ang mga luma at simpleng kasangkapan. The smell of freshly brewed coffee filled the air, mixing with the soft sounds of the city waking up outside. Isang bagong araw na naman, panibagong pagkakataon para pagbutihin ang buhay na unti-unti niyang binubuo.
At 21, Christian was no stranger to hard work. Matagal na siyang sanay sa hirap at pagod—kahit pa medyo malabo na ang mga alaala niya bago ang aksidente. All he knew was that ten years ago, everything changed in a flash of screeching tires and shattered glass. Namatay ang kanyang mga magulang, at siya ay naiwan mag-isa, isang batang walang maalalang nakaraan.
Pero kahit paano, mabait pa rin ang tadhana. Isang matandang mag-asawa ang nakakita sa kanya, sugatan at walang direksyon. Inampon siya ng mga ito at itinuring na parang tunay na apo. Kahit alam niyang hindi niya totoong lolo’t lola, ang pagmamahal at alaga na ibinigay nila ay sapat na para sa kanya. Kaya’t sa kabila ng lahat, determinado si Christian na suklian ang kabutihan nila sa pamamagitan ng paggawa ng mas mabuting buhay para sa kanilang lahat.
Christian glanced at the clock on the wall. His online live stream was scheduled to start in an hour, at kailangan pa niyang ayusin ang mga bagong produkto para sa kanyang maliit ngunit lumalaking brand. Bilang isang content creator, nahanap niya ang kanyang niche sa live selling—ipinapakita ang kanyang mga disenyo sa isang audience na mabilis na nahulog sa kanyang charm at itsura. His bright, infectious personality made him an instant hit, and soon, his little brand had taken off. Ang brand na nagsimula sa maliit na puhunan ay ngayon unti-unti nang lumalago, nagiging tunay na negosyo.
He set the mug of coffee down and began arranging the new stock on a small table near his streaming setup. Bawat piraso ng damit ay maingat niyang dinisenyo, at ipinagmamalaki niya ang bawat tahi nito. Ang kanyang brand ay parang kanyang anak, at inaalagaan niya ito ng may parehong pagmamahal at atensyon na ibinigay sa kanya ng kanyang mga nag-ampon.
Ngunit sa kabila ng tagumpay, may anino na laging nakasunod kay Christian. Ang kanyang girlfriend, kung matatawag man siyang ganoon, ay isang constant source of stress. Maganda siya at alam niyang gamitin ang kanyang itsura para makuha ang gusto niya, lagi nang hihingi ng higit pa at walang ibinabalik na kahit ano. Ang perang pinaghirapan ni Christian ay parang bula na lang nawawala sa walang katapusang shopping at magagarang bisyo, habang wala man lang itong naitutulong sa negosyo o mga pangarap ni Christian.
He sighed, running a hand through his tousled brown hair. Alam niyang dapat na niyang hiwalayan ang girlfriend, pero hindi iyon ganoon kadali. She had a way of making him feel guilty, of turning every argument back on him until he felt like he was the one in the wrong. Kaya’t nanatili siya, tinitiis ang emotional abuse, umaasa na balang araw ay magbabago rin ang lahat.
A soft knock on the door pulled Christian from his thoughts. His heart lifted as he recognized the gentle tap—it was his adoptive grandmother, Mrs. Alvarez.
“Come in, Abuela,” he called out, smiling as the door creaked open.
The elderly woman shuffled in, her warm brown eyes crinkling with a smile. She was holding a small tray with a plate of freshly baked pandesal and a dish of butter.
“I thought you might need some breakfast before you start your work, mijo,” she said, her voice soft with affection.
Christian’s smile widened as he took the tray from her. “Thank you, Abuela. You’re the best.”
Mrs. Alvarez reached up to pat his cheek, her touch light but full of love. “You work so hard, Christian. Don’t forget to take care of yourself too.”
He nodded, feeling a pang of guilt. Alam niyang nag-aalala ito para sa kanya, nakikita ang epekto ng relasyon niya sa kanyang kalusugan at kaligayahan. Pero ayaw na niyang dagdagan pa ang alalahanin ng matanda, lalo na’t marami na itong naibigay para sa kanya.
“I will, I promise,” he assured her, before guiding her to a chair. “Sit with me for a bit before I start.”
As they ate together, Christian felt a moment of peace, the warmth of his grandmother’s presence soothing his troubled mind. Pero kahit na nagkukuwentuhan sila, hindi niya maalis sa isip ang pakiramdam na may malaking pagbabago na mangyayari sa kanyang buhay, na ang mundong maingat niyang binuo ay maaaring magulo.
At tama siya. Dahil sa kabilang dako ng siyudad, sa isang sleek, modern office tower, isang lalaking nagngangalang Vrix Gallano ang magdedesisyon na magdadala sa kanilang dalawa sa isang landas na hindi na nila matatakasan.
Vrix stared at the screen in front of him, his expression as unreadable as ever. He was reviewing potential candidates for a new brand ambassador for his company, Big Gym Products. It was a task he had given to his secretary, but so far, no one had come close to meeting his exacting standards.
“None of these are good enough,” Vrix said, his voice cold and clipped. “I need someone who embodies the brand—someone with a strong personality, a good image, and a genuine connection to fitness. This is important, Kevin.”
His secretary, Kevin, nodded, though internally he was starting to despair. Vrix was notoriously difficult to please, and finding someone who ticked all the boxes was proving to be an almost impossible task.
“I understand, sir. I’ll keep looking,” Kevin replied, though he wasn’t sure where else to turn. He had scoured the usual platforms and reached out to numerous agencies, but no one seemed to fit what Vrix was looking for.
Vrix leaned back in his chair, his gaze shifting to the large windows that overlooked the city. Sa kabila ng tagumpay at kapangyarihan na naabot niya, may kakulangan sa buhay niya na walang anuman ang makapuno. He had been searching for something—or someone—for so long that he had almost given up hope.
But then, Kevin’s voice broke through his thoughts.
“Actually, sir, there’s one more profile I found this morning. I wasn’t sure if it would be what you’re looking for, but he’s got a decent following, and his engagement is through the roof. Plus, he’s a fitness enthusiast and has a really positive image.”
Vrix turned his attention back to the screen as Kevin pulled up the profile. The moment the picture loaded, Vrix felt a jolt of recognition, his heart skipping a beat.
It was him.
Vrix’s usually composed expression faltered for a split second before he regained control. Finally, nahanap na niya ang taong matagal na niyang hinahanap—ang taong matagal na niyang pinangarap na makita muli. Pero habang mabilis niyang binabasa ang profile, nagdilim muli ang kanyang pakiramdam.
Christian Martinez. Age 21. Popular content creator and entrepreneur. Single… But the rumors and pictures attached to his name told a different story. A girlfriend, someone who didn’t seem to deserve him, judging by the comments and the aura of unease Vrix felt just looking at their photos together.
His jaw tightened. Alam niyang kailangan niyang maging maingat sa paglapit kay Christian. If he pushed too hard, too fast, he might lose Christian again. But if he did nothing, he’d never get another chance to set things right.
“Reach out to him,” Vrix ordered, his voice sharper than he intended. “I want him to be our new brand ambassador. Make sure he agrees.”
Kevin blinked, slightly taken aback by the sudden change in his boss’s demeanor. But he quickly nodded, jotting down notes. “Of course, sir. I’ll handle it.”
As Kevin left the office, Vrix leaned back in his chair once more, his mind racing. Matagal na niyang hinintay ang sandaling ito, ang pagkakataong ito. But now that Christian was within reach, he wasn’t sure how to approach him, especially with the added complication of the girlfriend.
But one thing was clear: Vrix wasn’t going to let this opportunity slip through his fingers. He would find a way to reconnect with Christian, even if it meant confronting the painful memories of the past.
And maybe, just maybe, this time things would be different.
BINABASA MO ANG
Vrixian: The Missing Piece
RomanceDISCLAIMER: This fanfiction is a work of fiction inspired by the real-life couple Christian and Vrix, collectively known as Vrixian. It is not officially affiliated with or endorsed by them. All characters, settings, and scenarios in this story are...
