Chapter 2

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THE photoshoot was kept until three hours. After that photoshoot, I can say how the photographer looking at me intently while I am now drinking the bottled mineral water. He even gazes at how the water running down into my throat.

After I finished the water I hurriedly run into the dressing room and change into more decent as how I see those eyes flaring with l*st.

“I know that you are like a Maria Clara—conservative image. But don't think that I am pushing you just because I wanted to do so. I only doing it for you to gain popularity, not for me but you,” she said when I went out. She’s referring to a famous character of the novel that Jose Rizal made. I just don’t sure if everyone knows Jose Rizal when as far as I know he’s a famous person in our school academics.

I nod as I understand what she’s trying to say. I know Roa and I even know she’s doing everything for my best.

According to them, within three days the prestigious magazine will come out where I am on the top cover.

"You just aged enough. Maybe you can do daring photos and not just ordinary pale kiddo—just like twitums. You know how the real world is. You can’t do always the same, it should always new. I'm sure you get me. If you want your stardom to remain at the top, and the fame that we'd been taken care of, be always creative and fresh in their eyesight,” she still reminding me when she saw how silent I am.

Hearing everything from Roa is like she was my elder sister. But whatever things happening to me, I can only remain in the world I built.

I had no close friends just acquaintances. Didn't even have a boyfriend to call for, when my father—stepdad to be exact, intervene and ask not to have any man on my side other than him. I even know how gorgeous I am, men almost drooling at the school whenever look at me. They can even turn their head and stop walking when they saw me passing by. I even joined school pageants but when my stepdad step into my life, everything turns upside down.

That’s why even from school or after work either straightly go home or just go to a nearby church where my driver drove just to kill some time. Have peace and pray. Now I don’t have any drivers, one year passed. Stepdad Brent taught me how to drive and got a car as a gift from him.

I only wish one thing every time I went into the church and it will never change. No one can ever change my mind.

I can even see how stepdad waiting for me from the entrance of the house—gate, just to see me arriving safely. He’s more than a biological father can do for his daughter. Strictly crazy than my real father.

"How's the work, hija?" Why he went home early? He should have been into the office. Stepdad is a Company Executive Officer or simply CEO of a cosmetics company popular in the whole wide Philippines, distributing tons of cosmetics in every store or Mall.

"Good," I said blankly, holding my breath as I took for a quick kiss.

"Look what I told you, better to work as a model than working in the plane. There are a lot of men who can steal my beautiful daughter. You know how tight I am when it comes to this. We are good in all terms, except for you to take the work far from us,” he kept nagging at me as standing straight in front of him and yielding my head. I hope he stops talking and letting me just change my clothes. I am also tired not only from the work but from him.

"Yes, Dad. I understand,” I answered in defeat.

"Come on. Come inside. I will ask Yaya Madel to cook your favorite pork adobo.” At last! He realized how exhausted I am.

I go inside the house with a blank expression, trying to hide the emotions. The feet continue moving upstairs until I reach my room.

The house speaks wealth, from the furniture, the sofa, table, stands, and even cabinets that import from Germany. The interior design looks like a German house version but the outside is the Pinoy version. The marbled materials like big to small jars came from Thailand and Japan. Some of it worth millions as to how Brent loves fragile things and sculptures. While mom loves painting that Brent even ordered it from Italy online from a famous painter. Some of that came from a Filipino-Canadian artist named Nicolene Zane Laurence, one of the famous paint artists.

Wearing long pants and a black oversized shirt when I went downstairs to eat. That food has a powerful effect on my stomach as it growls when I smelled it—my favorite food to be exact, before. But never now. I changed my preferences from the time Brent knows what I like.

“I know how hungry you are, come on,” he invited me and pull a chair for me.

“I wanted to have some sausages. Where is Yaya Madel?” I ask as I saw how the house in an instant became quiet.

“She’s in the grocery right now, I ask her to buy something for me,” he said without blinking an eye as he kept staring at me.

We have two more maids, but even them, they are gone? Where the heck they went? “Where is Ate Luna and Ate Andeng?” I called them ate as they were older than my age and as an act of courtesy.

“I shut them to rest. Just three-day vacation for them including Madel.”

So, it wasn’t true that Yaya Madel went to do a grocery? Is this an excuse or some kind of a joke?

“But how about the house, Dad. Who will clean everything and even cook for us?” I asked abruptly as I don’t have any interest in doing household chores especially for him.

Brent stood up, turning around, and went to my back. His hands pressed my shoulders as if starting to give me a quick massaged. "It's about time to learn the household chores. Right? You are even growing old. You should learn how to do washing cleaning and including cooking. Don’t worry, I will guide you.”

"Thanks, Dad. I know you will never let me alone,” I said holding my breath.

“And about the sausage, we'll make it. I will give you right away,” he said without hesitation.

MY NIGHTMARE just started. That moment of my life that I despise the most. Many times that I wanted to cry or complain and tell mom everything. It is close to impossible. Mom will never take my side because she did it one time and she takes the side of Brent. People will easily be fooled by a saint rather than a kid’s whim.

I’m almost taking a deep sleep when suddenly I opened my eyes when the lights overflowing the room. I am sure that I closed it and even my door is lightly open when I did closing them at night before I sleep. Maybe I just forgot it today.

When I lifted my face I saw Brent standing at the edge of my bed.

“Dad, do you need something?” I even pulled up the blanket closer to me.

“Yes. Can you make me some tea? I can’t sleep,” he said starting to sit at the edge of the bed.

Hesitantly, I pulled up and leave the bed. He could have it on his own. Don’t he have feet? I’m almost having my dreams and suddenly he will go to my room without even knocking. Geez, this is hilarious!

Brent told me mom will be late for home today. She had to take overtime from the cosmetics company where my father makes her a full-time staff. Maybe that’s why he wanted to see me and do the ‘tea’ for him.

When everything is done, I hurriedly went to the toilet, next to my room. I need to take a quick shower. I need to sleep again. This is the only thing my mind at ease… again.

I just felt the lukewarm water running down onto my body as I put my head under it while I didn’t remove my clothes. I just wish everything will end, that it will alleviate my suffering and Brent will vanish like thin air from our life or even from my life.

I wish I could live or even work with Roa at her house now, so I could instantly disappear him from my sight. Just this few days. I just wanted few days of his non-existence. I would rather invest money to have a house for my own even I will waste and used my bank account.

The next day, I went early in the morning with Brent. He demanded that he’ll be going to train me in his company so I can work there and I might inherit all his wealth.

"Three-fourth of all my property and my wealth will be given to you as your inheritance," he said smiling while we are loading from his car. He said it like a commitment. “Can I get a kiss as a reward?”

I slightly lifted my body for a quick kiss. “Thanks, Dad.” and turned my head staring at the car’s window.

“You're highly welcome, hija. It might take months for you to memorize and understand how to handle my company. You're brainy, for sure it would be easy-pissy for you. It would be better to give you a position. How about a small position?” he asks again while her eyes stick on the way we are going.

“That is nice, Dad. I love to have it,” and force a quick smile while the back of my head wearing a no-interest look.

He scratches his chin. “How about giving you a secretary position? In due time, you can easily understand everything. I wanted you to make our business grow stronger, wider, and make us richer. That’s the only company I had.” He presses my hand to convince me. “I know you can do it, Celes. Will be better to focus on a career and not love life. Men are not good for your system. Your stepdad will be enough for your life, right?”

I drastically turn to gaze at him. “Yes, Dad,” I said as he doesn’t want anyone not to follow him and even not taking any answer from whatever he wanted to do.

The next day, Brent process my papers so I could work at BE Cosmetics Company. He transferred his secretary to another division so I could take his position. What a drat! He put him as my mom’s secretary so she will never take any overtime. Good for my mom, bad for me. Now I can make that over time in exchange for mom.

After three months of working under Brent's supervision. I already memorized everything and with the brain, I have been a Summa C*m Laude during school years, things are easy to do even without Brent around.

Until this morning, Brent didn't come with me to the office. I’d been alone inside his office. Everybody in the office wondering why my stepdad is not around when he didn't apply for a vacation. Asking too many questions from time to time until I heard a word from my Mom.

I took the phone call when suddenly it didn't stop ringing. My mom is crying deeply and almost choking her words as she speaks over the phone. She's also asking if I could come to the hospital right now because something happens to Brent.

I almost knocked off my chair after mom called me. My hands are throbbing and frigid as ice. My heartbeat is pumping hard almost make me deaf and unstable. The news about my father still reverberating in my head. I can't even push my feet for a walk outside the door.

Many things I wish and many things kept banging on my mind lately that Brent will come out of our life because of the misery I had to endure from him. Today is the new day of my existence. This cage that my stepdad built soon will wreck and fall hard. Because something happened to my stepdad, Brent.

Brent Echavez is dead.