Written in The Stars (Ozoa Series #1)

Kabanata 1

KABANATA 1

The studio lights flooded the small dressing room, radiating soft glows across the walls, warming the space but feeling anything but comforting. Nakaupo ako sa vanity stool, nakatutok ang mga mata ko sa aking repleksyon habang si Edison ay pinapaikot ang foundation brush sa aking mga pisngi. Mabilis ang mga galaw ng kanyang mga daliri, tinatanggal ang ilang hibla ng buhok ko at pinagsasama ang mga gilid. His lips quirked, a half-smile pulling on his face as he studied my expression.

“Aba, girl, parang hindi ka excited,” he teased, his gaze flicking between the brush strokes and my face, watching for any reaction.

“Big night kagabi, di ba?”

Sinulyapan ko ang sarili ko sa salamin—isang perpektong mukha, makinis na balat, matapang na labi, walang kahit isang pahiwatig ng basag na pakiramdam na nagtatago sa kaloob-looban. Pinilit kong ngumiti, maliit, bahagya pa, at nagkibit-balikat, umaasang maitatago ng kaswal na kilos ang ayaw kong ipakita.

“Nah,” I muttered, fingers tightening on the edge of the stool.

“Nothing special.”

His eyebrow arched, and he paused, the brush lingering by my cheek. His eyes narrowed, dark brown with flecks of gold catching the light. I knew that look—Edison’s way of dissecting every emotion, every word I didn’t say.

“Hmm, ano ’to, Venus?” he set the brush down, tilting his head, his hands resting on his hips.

He was wearing a loose white button-down with sleeves rolled to his elbows, exposing his tattooed forearms. His ripped jeans were frayed at the knees, a stark contrast to the pristine white sneakers he always made sure were spotless.

“Akala ko pa naman super special birthday surprise ‘yun for Mr. Isaiah. Anong nangyari?”

Naninikip ang dibdib ko, at tumingin ako sa ibaba, pilit na pinipigilan ang ekspresyon ko. I ran my fingers through the fabric of my dress, feeling the texture, hoping it would ground me. I was in a pale cream slip dress, simple yet elegant, with thin straps that rested on my shoulders. It hugged my frame just right, a classic choice for the shoot, though today, it felt more like armor than a fashion statement.

“Wala naman,” I murmured, trying to sound offhand, unaffected.

My gaze drifted to the vanity, skimming over the scattered makeup, the bright lipstick tubes, and foundation bottles. The vivid colors seemed to mock the muted ache that sat heavy in my chest.

Lumambot ang expression ng kanyang mukha, at umusod siya ng kaonti, crouching beside me to meet my gaze directly.

“Venus,” he said softly, his hand gently brushing my shoulder.

“C’mon, tell me. Hindi kita kayang nakikita nang ganito.”

I swallowed, the words clawing at my throat, refusing to come out. I could still see Isaiah’s cold expression, the indifference in his eyes when I handed him the cake. The way he smiled at that woman, a smile I’d never seen him direct at me. My fingers clenched tighter around the edge of the stool, the knuckles turning white.