1: A Perfect Life, a Perfect Lie

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Amber

         

It was already eight o'clock. Dang it, I'm going to be so late! Pagagalitan na naman ako ng director. Puro missed calls na from my manager. Siguro pati yung set nagwawala na rin. Bakit ba parang galit sa 'kin ang buong mundo? I set my phone down on my bedside table and sighed. It's time to get ready. After ng taping, may interview pa ako sa Buzz ng Bayan.

Kakabangon ko pa lang nang marinig ko ang door bell. Hay..... Ang aga-aga may istorbo agad!Who the heck is it? Naglakad na ko papunta sa pinto ng condominium unit ko. I turned the knob and opened the door.

CLICK. Sabay-sabay nag-flash ang cameras ng mga reporters na pumunta pa talaga nang ganitong oras sa condo ko para lang manggulo. I blinked. The flashes of their cameras are blinding, para pa kong nahihilo sa ingay ng mga boses nilang sabay-sabay nagtatanong. "Is it true that you had a fight with Ms. Tara Cortez during the taping of your TV series?" "Is there something between you and your co-star Mr. Tristan Vaughn?" "Did you go out with Bryan Kent?" Meron pa ngang: "Are you currently dating someone now?" Hay, naku naman! Hindi na lang nila hintayin ang interview ko sa Buzz ng Bayan. And how on earth did they get here? I clearly gave my strict orders to the receptionists. Sabi ko walang papapasuking reporters tapos... Haaaaayy.....They are so dead!

Grabe talaga. What a wonderful morning! I will not forget to thank these reporters for their sweet surprise. I covered my face with my right hand and reached for the knob with my left. Nung makapa ko na yung door knob, I grabbed it and closed the door.

Whew. Safe at last! Akala ko mamamatay na ko.

Welcome to my world. Ito ang buhay ko, ang buhay na kinaiinggitan nilang lahat. Every day may sumusugod sa 'kin. Kung hindi reporter, stalker o die-hard fan, or pwede ring yung manager kong makulit na may kasamang producers at casting directors na may job offers. Hirap talagang maging sikat!

By the way, I'm Amber Conrad, a famous award-winning actress slash model slash host slash commercial model slash... Ayy, ewan! Basta, you get the idea. I'm a big star. One small mistake makes the evening news and the newspaper headline. Ang dami-daming mata, bibig at tenga kung saan-saan. It's really hard to move when the world is your cat walk. Pero at the same time, it's quite delgihtful because I feel like the world is in my hands and it's spinning and spinning endlessly.

By the way, I am also an heiress. My family owns the renowned company of BRILLIANCE. It's a big corporation that manufactures jewelries. We also own the Conrad Group of Companies.That is the prime reason why I'm filthy rich.

Bukod sa kasikatan at kayamanan, I'm also freaking gorgeous and quite intelligent. Sabi nga ng mga tao, ang perfect ko daw. Lahat daw na sa akin na. Pero syempre, hindi naman ibinibigay ng Diyos sa isang tao ang lahat. I was robbed of the most important aspect in life. Yes, I have a perfect career but it would be better if I have a perfect family.

Akala ko meron din ako nito until one day, when I was seven, I got kidnapped. The kidnappers asked for a big ransom: Fifty million pesos. Of course ibinigay ito agad ni Dad at gaya nga ng instructions nila, personal niya itong inabot. Ang hindi namin alam, may personal pala na galit ang mastermind at gusto lang nito gantihan si Daddy. Nagkaroon ng aberya at nagkabarilan. Natamaan si Dad sa dibdib. The doctors said that it was a miracle that he survived. However, hanggang dun lang ang swerte namin. Pinaghirapan ni Dad na mabawi ang perang nawala. Syempre kahit na mayaman kami, fifty million pesos is still a big deal. He worked so hard until we're back and up in almost a year. Akala ko hanggang dun na lang yung malas, hindi pala.

After a week, may lumabas sa evening news na taong naglalantad ng mga documents na nagpapatunay na illegal daw ang work transactions ni Dad. I never believed it but people did. Dad didn't know what to do. Ang dami niyang kasong malabong maipanalo, nasisira na yung kompanya at medyo nagkakaproblema sa mental stability si Mom. I was so scared of everything. Tapos si Dad pa, he vanished into thin air. Tinakasan niya ang mga problema niya, ang kompanya at ang pamilya niya. My hero abandoned me. He abandoned us.

Buti na lang, my Tita Pricilla took care of everything. She miraculously saved the company and its name. But of course, hindi niya kinayang i-save pati yung name ni Daddy. Up till now, his name stays tainted at hindi pa rin namin siya nakikita. Hindi namin alam kung buhay pa ba siya o kung nasa maayos na kondisyon ba siya. Eleven years had passed since then. Gustong-gusto ko na siyang makita pero syempre but it seems possible. It's like I'm actually asking for a miracle. Haayy... Sa loob ng eleven long years, I did pray for a miracle but I never got one.

That's it. That's my life. Sobrang glamorous at perfect sa labas pero sa loob puro kasinungalingan lang pala. Ano? Naiinggit pa kayo? Palibhasa wala kayong alam. Pati 'tong mga annoying reporters, nanggugulo pa. Magulo na ang buhay ko, 'wag na kayong dumagdag please. 

Ang ingay pa rin sa labas, ibig sabihin hindi pa sila umaalis. Kung di lang masisira image ko, I would have yelled and cursed at them.

Don't get the wrong idea though. My life still got its good sides. Sometimes it's good pero hindi pa rin kasi madaling maging mayaman. Ang dali lang sa taong normal na mag-shopping. Kapag nahirapan silang pumili, titingnan lang nila yung presyo. Yung afford yung bibilhin. See? Sobrang simple! If you can afford anything, how on earth will you be able to choose? 

Most of the time I just try to focus on whatever is enjoyable in my life para worth it lahat ng sufferings na dinadanas ko.

 Pumunta na ko sa bathroom to wash my face and brush my teeth. With a toothbrush in my hand, I paused and stared at my reflection as my mind sank into deep thoughts... My world is still spinning in my hand. Kailan kaya magbabago ang ikot nito?

Kidnapped (A Romance Story for Filipino Wattpadders)Tahanan ng mga kuwento. Tumuklas ngayon