The Good Bitch

Chapter 18

18: Career over Me?

Leah's Point of View

The past 3 weeks, halos wala nang oras sa akin si Clark. He would ask me on a date tapos ika-cancel din lang naman pala niya. I've got no choice but to keep on understanding him.

I would think, "Kapag natapos naman na siguro ang concert nila, hindi na ulit siya busy." But, at the back of my mind... someone is whispering that he just wants his career over me.

"Oo, mahal ka niya. Pero parang mas mahal naman ata niya ang trabaho niya." sabi ng isip ko.

Minsan ganyan ang naiisip ko. I can't help myself not to think of that.

The ringing of my phone brings me out of my reverie. I reach my phone from my bedside table and check the caller ID.

Oh it's him.

I sigh as I answer his call.

"Hey, Clark. Wow, you called!" I say sarcastically. Ey, I didn't know I have much sarcasm in me.

[Are you mad at me, Leah?]

Woah. The usual "baby" is gone.

"I am not mad at you."

[But, you sound—]

I interrupt. "I am not, okay? I just... I love you."

He sighs. [I love you too, baby.]

"Is something wrong?"

I can feel in his voice the exhaustion. Why is he so exhausted? If I remember it right... he wasn't this tired when he was calling me during practices. But, why is his voice like this?

[Everything's alright, babe. It's just that, I miss you. I miss you so much.] he said through the line sincerely.

"I miss you, too."

[I need to see you.] he confesses.

"You can see me anytime you want."

[Got it, baby.] I can hear some voices in the background. [I'm sorry, I gotta hang up.]

I mentally sigh. Is it just me or he's really losing his time for me?

"No, it's okay, Clark. Bye."

I grab my phone and keys. I stride out of my room and down our staircase leading me to our living room. I saw my mother sitting on the couch, staring at me questioningly.

"I'm going for a road-trip, ukasan." I say, waving the bunch of keys in my hand.

Mother nods. "Be careful, honey." she says, her attention returning to the show she is watching.

"Hai~" I answer.

I continue my strides until I reach our parking lot. My cars that I bought in Japan are here already. I asked my secretary there to move them here using a cargo ship. I get in my silver convertible, buckle my seatbelt and rev it back to life.

Clark's Point of View

It's our break time. I tried to call Leah again but she's not answering. Damn.

I pick up my guitar and start to play.

Leah, oh Leah. What's the matter? What are you doing? Why are you not answering?

I strum. Clicking chords randomly but expertly. Until it's making a tune. But suddenly, I feel a hand touching my back. I put down my guitar and face her.

"Stop flirting with me." I command. I think that's the twentieth time I had said that to her.

She arches her eyebrow at me and smirks. "I am not flirting with you." She puts her hand on my shoulder. "Maybe I just have that effect on you." And she winks.

She attempted to touch up my face but I slap her hand away. "Can't you keep your damn hands to yourself?!" I scold. She retreats her hand away. I turn my back on her and walk towards the door I open it, but much to my surprise, I saw her standing there, anger written all over her face.

Crap. She must have heard us.

She walks past me.

"Uh-oh." Patrick says.

I turn and follow her. Cedric stops Leah by holding her shoulders.

"Move out of the way, Ced!" she yells.

"No, Leah. You need to calm down, first."

"How can I calm down when I just saw that bitch flirting with Clark?!"

"No, Leah. It's just a misunderstanding."

"Misunderstanding?! Hindi ba ganyan naman ang sinasabi niyong mga lalaki kapag nahuli kayong nakikipaglandian ng girlfriend niyo? At saka, anong misunderstanding?! I had been monitoring you the whole time, Clark! The whole time! And all I know is your goddamn manager is a fvcking whore!"

There, the both of them exploded. Fvck. I hate it when I see Leah angry. Especially when it is because of me.

Verah comes to Leah and shakily slaps her. I don't even know if that is really a slap or what.

"Are you trying to tickle me?" Leah says as she returns her slap a lot harder.

"Why you bitch—"

Leah cuts her off. "Oh yeah? I am The Bitch! And you are just a little cheap whore!"

I close the gap between Leah and me, pulling her to a hug. "Stop fighting, babe."

She inhales a deep breath, looking up at me. "No, no, Clark. This brat must be taught a lesson for claiming what is mine."

"I can't bear to see you angry... especially if it's because of me."

She sighs. Looks like she had calmed down.

"I'm not angry because of you. I'm angry because of that goddamn slut."

"Leah..."

She breathes deeply. "This won't be the last, Verah. Make sure you prepare your weapons for our next meeting."

Leah's Point of View

Walang nagawa ang maharot nilang manager nang umalis kami. Nagtungo kami sa parking lot at sumakay sa aking kotse. Si Clark ang magmamaneho.

He buckles my seatbelt before doing his own. He revs the car then drives out of this compound. As usual, we got stuck in traffic.

"I'm sorry." I whisper to break the silence.

He looks at me with his eyebrow raised. "For what?"

I turn my head to look at him. "For what I did earlier. I ruined your practice."

"You did not ruin it. You saved me from Verah."

Silence, then, follows, but not too long. He is the one who breaks it this time.

"How did you know her name?"

I glance at him. "Who? Verah?"

"Yes."

"She is a model of an agency of mine."

"Your agency?"

"Yeah. I have my own modelling agency in Japan and she is a model there. And anytime I want, I could remove her."

"Should I make her resign or you fire her from your agency?"

I shrug. "I don't know. Just... let her be. It's her choice."

He nods. Again, the silence envelopes us.

But, I break it. "Anyway, where are we going?"

He smirks. "Somewhere~"