What Belongs to Me [COMPLETE]

Chapter 28 "Come back is real!"

2018

Before going back to my hometown, I remembered my encounter with the artist of the painting that I was so absorbed with, when I visited an art exhibit at SM during my university days. Mark, the painter told me about the simple story behind the painting hanging on the wall. It was a story behind a man who chose his career over his girlfriend, he did become successful at the end but there was missing, and he felt empty and lonely. I didn’t tell anyone about me coming home for good to surprise my family of my comeback, but I informed my bro secretly to meet me at the airport near our hometown. After fixing few business matters in Manila. The extravagant and scorching heat welcomed me as I exited the airport, and I almost didn’t recognize my bro because I wasn’t wearing my glasses. He pulled forward from leaning on his orange Ford Ranger as soon as he sees his stunning little bro coming his way. He was wearing a yellow jersey with purple outline and a bold letters of Lakers printed on it with his loose six pocket white short, he sure looks different from me. When we are finally in front of each other, he was smiling widely with his beautiful teeth, he swayed his arms enormously, grabbed my shoulders pulling me to him and hugged me tightly for some long seconds while rubbing my long straight ash-gray hair going down- caressing my back.

My bro enjoyed driving me home, asking too many questions excitedly while we’re on our way, which made me constantly reminding him to watch the road every time he giggled in amazement. As soon as our maid who was looking at me intently and quizzically opened our gigantic black gate with creeping veins all over, my bro pulled up flawlessly to our carport which was designed for five cars, between our Papa’s old orange Subaru Forester and our blue onyx  pearl Toyota Land Cruiser V8 family car. As I was standing on the lanai, I could see Mama spraying something on her colorful orchids at the garden of our old house while Papa was seeping his coffee, cross-legs talking to her. My bro shouted at them calling their attention which made them looked on our direction, they were glancing to each other maybe talking about who is the long haired guy with their son. My bro was now laughing hysterically when Mama dropped what she was holding, covering her mouth with her hands which startled Papa with her sudden gesture. I could follow and read her mouth saying my name and so she grabbed Papa and then they jumped out of the garden and blazed out over to us.

Mama hugged me tightly kissing my head, my cheek to my hair, sobbing on my shoulder and she just couldn’t let go of me for few minutes. Until my now blushing Papa joked at her, telling her to give him a chance as well, and so they hugged me together, with my bro grinning at us, he also joined the group hug. We spent the afternoon on our family room talking about me without realizing that the surrounding was already at peace and the dinner was already served by our two helpers on the dining table. We continued talking while they’re devouring the different dishes on the table which was while I could barely eat a thing because they wouldn’t let me stop talking. The day ended with us telling stories and recollecting memories from the past, laughter and giggles filled every corner of our house. Until my bro silently went to his room and Mama dozed off on my Papa’s lap, leaving me and Papa talking heart to heart just like before when I was still a kid. When Mama woke up, she took me and showed me to my room that was prepared by our helper in a rush because my coming home was very sudden. I checked out my empty room with a king-sized bed and just the built-in cabinets when Mama left me. I personally asked them to leave my room empty squared, just leaving an allotment for my personal library, painting corner, mega walk-in closet and a huge bathroom because I wanted to design it personally when I come home.

While I was in Milano, I asked my closed interior designer friend to supervise the implementation of my design that I sent for my house, while working with the fifteen by twenty meters modern design of my trusted friend who is also an Architect. The house was a two-story in bare cement finish with massive glass walls and picture windows all over it to welcome the natural lighting and overlooking the beautiful landscapes clouding us. A five by ten meters swimming pool on the second floor for some pool party and the lawn is covered in plain healthily growing meadow of bermuda grasses perfect for a family event once in a while or just a normal outdoor breakfast and supper. The interior design was a trying hard Scandinavian but I wanted to give a sense of traditional touch to the built-ins for Papa and a classical to the furniture for my Mama. That’s why the total design was a struggle in order to create a happy place and a happy home for the entire family.

Staring at myself in the floor to ceiling mirror on our hallway, it feels like I was gazing at myself when I was still a young soul, with precise dreams and goals. It wasn’t easy, stones were thrown on my way causing me to stumble at some points but I gave my best effort to face and accept them all. Realizing that it adds up to the building of my persistence to be more driven in pursuing my passion. It’s all thanks to Mr. Destiny for the realization that he taught me along the rough road to my success. But it’s sad to think that in order for me to be where I am, I made such cruel decisions to myself, I made sacrifices just to fulfill my ambition. Yes, fulfilling my ambition is making my family happy and giving our family the pride, but I know deep inside the something is missing, there’s a big space for someone. But I was afraid that, that someone is already filling a space somewhere in anyone's heart and couldn’t be reclaim anymore.

Weeks of vacation in different places with my family before I went to Manila to finish the construction of my condo unit and my own design firm studio that were both situated at Ortigas Center, Pasig City. While the two months’ timeline construction is ongoing, I was busy interviewing applicants to form a strong team apart from my trusted friends that I met along the way who volunteered to work for me. I also looked personally for trusted business partners, design collaborators, good suppliers and best furniture makers/producers. I hired several interior designers, furniture designers, industrial designers, lighting designers, draftsman, architects, engineers and I also formed a solid HR and accounting department. To wrap everything, I made a website for my company with my personal collection of furniture and my past interior design projects in Milan. Highlighting that Skrivo which is my past company is my direct supplier and business partner, advertising my company in all social media platforms.

After putting the company under hard pressure for several months, taking multiple projects at the same time which we think we’re capable of doing. Our projects began to attract high end clients, and more complex projects, we even started to go beyond the metro, accepting projects in Cebu city and Davao city. Finally, I had decided to launch the first exhibition of my furniture and all furniture designs of our company with a twist, showcasing all my painting collections that I made both in Milan and in my studio. I invited my family to seat on the front row with the VIP; I sent personal invitations to the circle that have their own successful careers by now. My classmates and instructors back in my university and the schools and institutions that I had attended. I especially invited Jumar, Dharyl and Sir Jaime over dinner in Shangri-la hotel, recollecting all our simple happiness when we are still working together. Jumar and Sir Jaime became partners and had established their own general contractor company already and Dharyl became the CEO of her father’s construction company. And I made private invitations for some of my available celebrity designer friends who are the pioneers in furniture design in the Philippines and some of the famous artist who appears on television.

My chest was pounding in excitement when my portable alarm clock that I set at ten o’clock a.m. was roaring with my favorite “Shape of You by Ed Sheeran”. I dawdled out of my art deco black and gold king-sized bed on my black Calvin Klein boxer-brief, tapping my alarm clock off on my side table. Going to the bar counter- skidded my fingers on the backrest of my customized L-shaped navy blue sofa and grabbed the coffee maker. I was leaning in the sliding door on the terrace while sipping my black coffee and reading some reports on our company’s viber group chat. Reports are saying that everything was already set, and so I thank them all and told them to be at the event or else I’ll be mad, kiddingly. I took off my Crocs and went inside my walk-in closet, running my hands on my unused hanging clothes and grabbed a pair and placed it on top of my glass-top closet island. I inched to the bathroom, feeling the warmth of the laminated wood chevron parquet flooring, poured some soap on my white portable bathtub gilded with gold ornament beside the tinted glass window and setting myself inside. I lay on the tub for the longest time letting the water sipped through my body; I was submerging my head from time to time and lifting it breathing heavily to ease myself from thinking of the night’s event. When I finished rejuvenating, I toweled my hair and body, lounging on my Le Corbusier cassina leather chaise lounge LC4 for another thirty minutes after applying creams and spraying things on my body. I lingered back to my walk-in closet and ware my pair of white Christian Dior long-sleeved and silk gray pants from their fall 2020 menswear collection, putting my feet on my YSL brown leather shoes. Grabbing my grey square Salvatore Feraggamo shiny gunmetal sunglasses and my time automatic blue-grey dial watch and then I went back to the living room turning on the t.v. to HGTV channel.

The afternoon was still under the scorching sun with a dusty heat as I was along Shaw Blvd driving my Daytona gray pearl effect Audi A8 sedan, turning right at the Crossing in EDSA along Shangri-la Plaza heading to MegaMall. I parked my car at SM Mega Carpark C, ascending the elevator with some group of young students who are looking me in the eyes through my glasses with amazement. My secretary immediately went to my direction as soon as she saw me entering the hall. I could recognize so many faces through my glasses among the crowds who are checking out every displayed item and hanged painting, but they doesn’t seem to recognize me. I went directly to my family’s table and Mama in her Chanel embroidered silk dress in black, red and white with her Gucci handbag started hugging me tightly, emotional as soon as I sat beside her. I joked at her to stop it before she could ruin my get up and then Papa and our other family on our table laughed. I could feel that some eyes were lingering on me, when the guests had arrived already.

The host was already speaking on the stage, welcoming everyone inside the hall and making some introduction, explaining the purpose of the event and praising the exquisite arrangement of the masterpieces,
“Ladies and Gentlemen, I am honored to introduce the star of the night, a figure that could be our idol and inspiration, the person who could be someone’s business partner in here, could be our friend and our family, the rising name who is behind this successful event, the CEO and owner of “W”, Let’s all welcome with a big hand, Mr. Lheam Lamarca.”
“I sighed deeply while everyone was applauding and stood up from my chair, all eyes were now rested on me smiling brightly. I gestured them to take their seat and I ascended the stage fixing the button of my black Balmain blazer and finger combing the side of my hair putting it at the back of my ears. I thanked everyone for making their effort and giving time to celebrate my success with me because without my journey with them, I couldn’t have achieved the place where I am standing. Some were just nodding because they were already used to how I dressed myself, maybe they’re one of my 300K followers on my Instagram account. But some were still shocked on how I transformed my get up, from wearing secondhand clothes in college to being wrapped in complete designer brands. I talked briefly about my experiences and sacrifices before I gained the fruit of my hard work. And then I talked about the inspirations of my furniture and how we made them with specific materials but I never talked about the subject on my paintings. After my somewhat inspirational talk, I spent the rest of the evening taking pictures with everyone who’s coming to me. Listening to the appreciation and praises of the guest and with me non-stop thanking them. We continued the after party, drinking and laughing until one by one was already exiting the hall.

The exhibit continued for the whole week with me always present on the exhibition assisting the people who are purchasing furniture and some of the paintings. I was talking to my secretary when my attention was taken by someone on the far corner of the hall staring at the painting for few minutes already. I dropped my pen when I realized that the person was very familiar to me, I stood immediately from my chair but my knees were weak. The person turned his gazed to me; we were now maintaining eye contact for some seconds. But I wasn’t sure because my sight were blurry, I wasn’t wearing a contact lense or even my glasses. That’s why I came back to the table and grabbed my glasses, I put it on my eyes with my hands shaking but the person was already gone as soon as I had my clear vision back. I rushed to where he was standing before when I heard the group of student talking how the man who looked like their “oppa” earlier, looked exactly like the person on all the painting. The young girls asked to have a picture with me but I told them that I was in a hurry, they’re faces turned sour, but I just ignored them. I stormed out the hall looking for the person on the crowd, I was panting, skidding through the multiple escalators from the fourth floor to the ground in a hurry but I couldn’t see him, I lose hope and so I sat at the fire exit staircase with my head rested on my knees, frustrated and my heart was breaking at the moment. And then I remembered my dream before, “when I was wandering everywhere with Cizar but I accidentally let go of his hand and I lose him on the crowd”. But it wasn’t the same anymore, now is the reality and not a dream, before he was waking me up from my horrible dream and now he was no longer there. How I wished that he was in front of me extending his hands to me and pulling me to him and kissing away my tears like before. But no, I was all alone now with my heart in pain and sufferings.

Throughout the whole week of my exhibit, I received so many kind words from different people that I do not know, from my thousands followers on my Instagram. But as soon as I got the new issue of “Real Living” magazine, I was surprised on what I saw on the “Top Designers” section. My photo was on the page beside a picture of my painting and a picture of my exhibition that took place. I was shocked at first but as soon as I saw the name of the photographer and writer, it was my close friend who had attended the event. And I remembered him telling me that he’s going to write about me soon, what I didn’t know was that he was serious about it but I didn’t know where he took the details unless he interviewed my mom, and the article says,

“LHEAM LEADS LATEST DESIGN”
Photo and article by Xandex Favo
Hunger for a change could lead a person to keep striving in earning what he wants. In the case of Lheam Lamarca, the latest talk of the town in design world, he had made several decisions and sacrifices in order to reach his dreams and goals. He studied “Bachelor of Science in Interior Design” at University of Saint Anthony in a city on the outskirts of metro Manila in the far north. He failed his thesis when he was about to graduate but that didn’t stop him from persevering and pursuing his destiny. As soon as he graduated, he flew to Manila immediately and applied for a work because he wants to gain experience before taking his board exam. For he believes that actual knowledge in designing plus a devoted review, could guarantee him in passing the three long days of board exam. He didn’t just passed the board exam but he also topped the board being the top nine. Who might have thought that a repeater from college could become a topnotcher at the end, unless him failing was a sabotage. After receiving multiple work offers for being a topnotcher, he courageously let them slides and enrolled himself in a one-year course of furniture design at “SoFA Design Institute” and took some units in fine arts at AdMU. After studying while freelancing in design and busy building his portfolio until he got his certificates. He flew to Milan Italy, Yes! One of the best furniture center in the world, he took his Master’s degree at one of the best institutes in Milano while having a part time job at one of the most famous furniture studio in Italy. While doing things at the same time; studying, working and freelancing. After he had his MA certificate at Istituto Magaroni, he continued working as full-time manager at Skrivo, his company. He stayed there for another four years to save for his future plans, and after six years in Milano, he made a grand comeback to the Philippines. He established his own brand and company, expanded his target market in just a year and here he was advertising his brand. He is now making a mark in the global scene after following the steps of Kenneth Cobonpue, Ito Kish, Buji Layug, Vito Selma, Milo Naval and the likes. In just the age of twenty-eight, he is now soaring high, making everyone to keep their eyes on his next move.”
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After appearing in the real living magazine, several home magazines also came knocking to me for a personal interview and asking to feature some of my furniture pieces, artworks and my company’s latest projects on their pages. Articles mentioning my name kept on popping on our website and everywhere, attracting even more elite clients. Headlines with, “SELF-MADE SUCCESS IN AN EARLY AGE.” Kept hitting the design pages and sections on every magazines until “Condo Living” launches my first ever magazine cover.