Behind The Lights (Montereal Series # 4)

Prologue

This is the fourth installment of the Montereal Series.

NOTE: This story may contain inaccuracies with the real profession, grammatical errors, conflicting timelines, mature scenes and language which may not be suitable for young readers. Read at your own risk. Will edit once I find the time to do so.

DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

***

BTLPrologue

Flashes of lights filled my vision while I'm being escorted to my vehicle. Nanatili akong nakayuko, habang nakasunod sa mga bodyguards ko. Sinubukan ko ring hindi pakinggan ang mga tanong nila.

"Miss Montereal, can I get your statement regarding the news circulating about you, four years ago?"

"Miss Montereal, is it true that you're back to the Philippines for good?"

"Totoo bang nagbuntis ka, kaya ka nawala ng apat na taon?"

"Do you have a new boyfriend?"

My forehead creased, hearing all their baseless questions. I never thought that they'll hear about me coming home here, after four years. And what did they say? I was pregnant? If I was pregnant during my hiatus, then why am I not carrying a child, right now?!

"Miss Claudia!" tawag nila, bago sinara ang pinto. I sighed heavily and viewed their desperate attempts of getting a statement from me. Halos makalimutan ko na kung ano nga ba ang pakiramdam non dahil sa tagal kong hindi na umuuwi dito. It's still stressful as always...

I rested my back on my seat, before removing my sunglasses. Nagkakagulo pa rin sila sa labas at hindi magkaintindihan. Even the airport guards are helping out to mediate the situation.

"These media people, surely don't have respect for personal space..." Lindsey, my manager said, while shaking her head. She looked at me and smiled. "Are you okay, Nikki?"

Nikki.

Huh, it's been awhile since I heard someone call me with that name.

"Yep. When I told you that I'll come back now, I knew I was ready." nakangiti kong sabi sa kanya. "But how did they even know about my arrival? Did someone spill?"

She raised her hands. "I don't know! Nagulat din kami at ang daming media dito! I promise that we didn't spill anything. Tuwang-tuwa nga kami nung nalaman na babalik ka e. Baka isa sa mga kaibigan mo?"

"I don't have friends," sagot ko at bumuntong-hininga. "Ikaw at ang kapatid ko lang ang nasabihan ko tungkol dito."

Is it Prince, then? He's a talkative guy, but I don't think he'll spread news of me coming home. I strictly told him, not to tell anyone about my arrival. Most especially that one person...

"They have their ways..." Lindsey said and smiled at me. "Anyways, sa mansion niyo tayo didiretso no?"

I nodded and smiled.

Four years. I have been away from the limelight for four years. I wasn't sure if I made the right decision now, but I'm done hiding. This is what I should've done the moment those news broke out years ago. I shouldn't have hid and pitied myself. Pakiramdam ko, ang dami kong panahon na sinayang, nang dahil lang doon. Just because of one mistake.

I arrived in our mansion at around afternoon. Hindi ko nasabi kina Mommy na dadating ako, dahil gusto ko silang sorpresahin. Only Prince knew about it, because he's the only person I kept in contact with, in all those years. Siya lang din ang nag-iisang nakakaalam kung ano ang naging buhay ko sa apat na taon na iyon. None of my cousins nor my so-called friends knew about this.