Tears Of Cinderella

Chapter 38 - Royal Rumble

It was a gloomy day for Steffanie. The skies were dark and the rain had already started to fall. Mukhang nakikisama ang panahon sa kalungkutag nadarama niya.

Sariwa pa rin sa kanyang isipan ang giniwa ni Gareth sa nakaraang Nina Delarima Fashion Show. He just announced to the world what he felt for her. And for a moment, she thought his words were since. But she knew better than to trust his words.

He was asking to give him a chance, but her heart was just dead tired. Masyado nang masakit para sa kanya ang lahat nang naganap.

She felt the burning graze in her eyelids. Namumugto na naman ang kanyang mga mata. Wala kasi siyang ginawa magdamag kung hindi ang umiyak nang umiyak.

Kailan ba siya titigilan nito? Pagod na pagod na ang katawan at isipan niya, lalong-lalo na ang kanyang puso. She was battered and bruised.

She sipped through her morning coffee. She really needed to have caffeine in her system to at least calm herself down. Masyado nang maraming nangyayari sa kanyang buhay. Hindi pa nga siya gaanong nakakapag-move on sa pagkilala sa kanya ng ama, heto’t may panibago na namang naganap. Isang malaking eskandalo na naman.

She scanned through the morning paper, hoping and praying that what happened last night will not be a headliner. But her prayers were unanswered. A picture of her with Gareth on bended knees in the middle of the runway was occupying almost half of the page. The headline said, Supermodel Dupes His Highness.

Nahilot niya ang kanyang sentido. Doesn’t Pendragon have any crime related matters worthy of a headline? The press really had a field day. Mukhang mahihirapan naman siya nito. She knew she would be grilled. Marami na naman ang magtatanong at dadami na naman ang makikiusyoso.

She turned on her phone. Simula kasi kagabi ay pinatay niya iyon. She didn’t want to explain to anyone. Gusto lang niyang mapag-isa.

Floods of text messages greeted her. Galing kay Valerie, kay Sofia, kay Tristan, sa kanyang kuya at sa kanyang ama.

Lahat sila ay nag-aalala para sa kanya. Who wouldn’t be? Kahit siya ay hindi alam kung anong magyayari. Her ex of a prince just announced to the world of their past. Obviously, the press will hound her non-stop. Mas makakabuti nga siguro kung sa bahay na lang muna siya maglalalagi.

Her phone immediately rang. It was Tristan. Agad naman niya itong sinagot.

“Hello?” she asked.

“Goodness, angel! Buti naman at sinagot mo. I have been trying to reach you since last night!”

She heaved a sigh.

“I just wanted to be alone Tristan. Biglang napagod ako kagabi after Gareth…”

“Yeah, I understand. But you could at least have texted me. Nag-alala talaga ako. I even had my chevalier check on you. Mabuti na lang at nakauwi ka nang maayos.”

“Thanks Tristan.” she genuinely felt his concern for her.

“By the way, can I drop by at your home tonight?”

Napakunot ang kanyang noo, “You’re in Frontera right now?”

“Yep, I’m here.”

“Bakit mo naman ako naisipang dalawin.”

“We’ll… I missed Kylie a lot. At aakyat na rin ako ng ligaw.”

She was about to say something but Tristan had already hanged up the phone.

Somehow, amidst this miasma of chaos, napangiti siya sa biro ng kaibigan. Aakyat ng ligaw? At this age in time?

Another call came through to her mobile. Sa pagkakataong ito, ang kuya naman niya ang tumatawag sa kanya. It really looked like they were worried at her. Bigla tuloy siyang inusig ng kanyang konsensya.