The morning sun barely touched the glass doors of Arceta-Lim Enterprises when a crowd had already gathered by the entrance, blocking the way in. Aiah, who had just parked her car, paused as soon as she saw the cluster of reporters flocking near the office entrance. With each step she took toward the door, she could feel the tension building in the air.
"Ms. Arceta, is it true that you left your modeling career because you got pregnant?" one reporter shouted over the sea of microphones pointed at her face.
Another voice quickly followed, "Ms. Arceta, what can you say about the photos from last Sunday at the UP Sunken Garden circulating online?"
The questions came one after another, growing more intense with every passing second. "Anak niyo po ba talaga ang kasama ninyo sa photos? And is that your husband?"
Aiah, stunned by the sheer number of reporters and the invasive questions, clenched her fists. She could feel her heart racing as she tried to keep her cool. All she wanted was to get inside the office, away from the prying eyes. The flashes of cameras, the incessant clicking of shutters—it was overwhelming. She kept her head down, silently praying that this would all just disappear.
The crowd, however, did not relent.
"Kayo na po ba ni MJ Lim? Totoo bang may anak na kayo?"
Before she could even muster the words to respond—or to tell them off—she heard familiar voices cutting through the noise.
"Teka nga! Alis kayo diyan! Kayo mga reporter, mga chismosa kayo ha! Kami lang dapat ang The Chizmozas!"
It was Maloi, squeezing her way through the throng of reporters, her usual energy on full blast. She pushed her way to Aiah's side, raising her voice and waving her arms dramatically. "Hoy, mga ateng! Kami lang ang certified The Chizmozas dito! Alis, bago ako magwala!"
The reporters, of course, barely paid her any mind. The chaos continued, questions flying in every direction.
Sheena, seeing that Maloi's antics weren't working, looked over at Gian and JR with wide, pleading eyes. Gian, ever the quiet one, seemed hesitant at first, but after a deep breath, he straightened up and stepped forward. His deep voice boomed over the noise, surprising everyone.
"Everyone who will not stop flocking at Ms. Arceta will be sued!" Gian's tone was calm but commanding, and the reporters, usually unphased by such threats, paused. There was something about Gian's serious expression that made them hesitate.
Slowly but surely, the reporters began stepping back, exchanging glances with one another, unsure of how to proceed. The intimidating aura Gian gave off was enough to stop the barrage of questions, at least for now.
The moment the crowd cleared, JR, with a dramatic flourish, waved his hands like he was shooing flies. "Yan, mga reporters kayo! Alis! Alam niyo ba, kami lang ang original na marites! Tabi-tabi diyan!"
As soon as they had enough space, The Chizmozas rushed to Aiah's side, gently guiding her through the entrance. She could finally breathe again, but her heart was still pounding from the experience.
By the time they made it inside, MJ, Cole, and Stacey were waiting by the entrance to the office, looking concerned. They had seen the commotion from the windows but couldn't do anything about it with the reporters blocking the doors.
The group quickly huddled and made their way to a meeting room on the top floor, leaving the chaotic scene of the reporters outside. Once the door to the meeting room closed behind them, everyone seemed to relax a little, but the tension was still palpable.
MJ immediately rushed to Aiah's side, gently placing his hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay?" he asked, his voice low and concerned.
Aiah, still shaken, nodded but didn't say anything. She sank into the nearest chair, letting out a shaky breath. MJ knelt beside her, trying to comfort her, but Aiah was still too overwhelmed to speak.
Cole, sensing the heavy atmosphere, decided to break the silence. "Ano yun? Bakit pinagkakaguluhan nila si Aiah?" His eyes darted between Aiah and MJ, waiting for an explanation.
Before either of them could answer, Maloi, as usual, was quick to jump in. "May nagkalat ng pictures ni Baby Maxene nung Sunday!" she blurted out with wide eyes, her voice filled with dramatic shock.
MJ, Aiah, and Cole immediately looked at her with confusion. JR and Stacey, on the other hand, sighed and facepalmed at Maloi's lack of tact.
"Sinong Baby Maxene?" Cole asked, his brows furrowing in genuine confusion.
Before anyone else could respond, both Aiah and MJ simultaneously blurted out, "How'd you know our Maxene?!"
The room fell silent as everyone turned to Maloi, waiting for her explanation. But instead, it was Gian, ever the quiet observer, who stepped forward and spoke in a calm, almost detached manner.
"Well, we know it's none of our business," Gian began, glancing at the rest of The Chizmozas, "but Maloi, Sheena, and JR had been so curious about what happened to the four of you after college, and especially after Aiah left her modeling career. So, for the past couple of months, we've been... following you around."
He paused, and the room collectively inhaled sharply. "We told no one, don't worry. They're just really curious lalo na kasi biglang nawala off the grid si Aiah after she ended her modeling career. She didn't even start working immediately for the company. I believe she was gone for two years."
Gian looked at Aiah and MJ. "And based on my observation, Aiah left her modeling career para magbuntis. I don't know if kasal na kayo, but you both seem very domesticated. I'm guessing you live together with your baby. And if my calculations are right, your daughter is now around 4 years old. Well... observation ko lang naman yun." He shrugged, as if it were the most normal thing in the world. "I don't talk kasi, kahit pag kami-kami lang ng The Chizmozas."
Everyone sat in stunned silence for a beat, processing Gian's eerily accurate observations.
Sheena, her eyes wide with admiration, suddenly blurted out, "OMG! Crush na ata kita, Gian! You notice all the small details! Ganyan gusto ko sa guy!" She flashed him a teasing grin.
Gian, usually stoic, smirked but turned slightly red, trying to hide his blush.
Maloi, in her typical fashion, couldn't help but chime in. "Grabe ka, Gian! Kala ko wala kang pake sa mundo. Observatory ka lang pala!"
JR, not one to be left out, slapped Gian on the back. "Pre! Ang galing mo! Na-try mo na bang mag-apply kay Gus Abelgas sa SOCO?" He laughed, giving Gian a high-five.
Meanwhile, MJ and Aiah were still speechless. They exchanged a look, stunned at how much Gian had deduced without them ever saying a word.
Cole, still trying to piece things together, turned to Stacey. "So, bakit hindi ko alam? Alam ba ni Stacey?"
Stacey, unfazed, leaned back in her chair, her arms crossed casually. "Well, yes, alam ko. I've been visiting Aiah sa US ever since nung nabuntis siya. I was also the sole witness nung kinasal sila sa US. And most importantly," she added with a smirk, "ninang ako ni Maxy, my baby girl. Duh."
Cole, his head spinning, asked again, "So bakit, MJ? Bakit galit na galit pa rin asawa mo sa akin? At bakit di mo ako ininvite?"
MJ, looking somewhat guilty, sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, you kind of... microcheated on her when you two were together. Siyempre nasaktan siya. And just because kami na ngayon, doesn't mean nawala yung trauma niya, bro. So... di ko na tinry na pag-ayusin kayo. Sorry, bro. Bawi na lang ako." He gave Cole a pat on the back.
Finally, Aiah spoke up, her voice calm but firm. "Hindi na ako galit sa'yo, Cole. Ang tagal na nun. Ang gusto ko lang naman is that mag-mature ka and matuto ka para hindi mo na ulitin sa iba. Hindi ako bitter sa'yo, ha. Masaya kami ni MJ. The reporters din sa labas? They're the least of our worries. We've got bigger problems."
Everyone perked up at her last statement. "Eh ano?" they all asked in unison, eyes wide with curiosity.
Before anyone could answer, the door to the conference room swung open, revealing two pairs of parents—MJ's parents, Michael and Myrla, and Aiah's parents, Dick and Malou.
The room fell into a heavy silence as the parents stood there, their expressions unreadable.
"Well," Myrla said, her voice cutting through the tension, "it looks like we've got a lot to discuss."
