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Celestine's POV.

"Miss President, dumating na po iyong inorder n'yong bag." Papasok pa lang ako ay sinalubong na ako ng assistant ko.

"Really?! From which brand?" I asked her.

She fixed her eyeglasses at bahagyang nag isip.

"Gucci po ata Miss President."

Bumagsak ang balikat ko at bago pa man ako mawala sa mood ay inisip ko na lang na gusto ko rin naman iyon.

"Make sure you follow up my Hermes, okay? Pakipadala na lang sa pad ko, baka gamitin ko bukas paalis," sabi ko rito, she nodded.

"Your schedule for today po is to check your VIP patients, isa po roon si Sen. Villaflor."

"Aigoo, nandito na naman siya?" I pouted a bit dahil naiirita ako sa matandang senador na iyon. "I just wish kaya siya na-ospital this time ay dahil nahuli na siya ng misis niya sa lahat ng pangangabit niya." I sighed. "Ayun lang ba?"

"And then tonight, you will attend your high school reunion."

"Ngayon ba 'yon?" Bahagya akong napakamot sa ulo ko. "Naipadala na ba sa bahay yung gown ko?"

"Kahapon pa po Miss President," she told me.

I sighed and smiled a bit.

"Thank you Cath," I told her. Tila nagulat naman ito pero ngumiti rin sa huli.

Well, hello there fellow Filipino citizen, I assume, you heard a lot of things about me, but I want to introduce myself properly.

I am Celestine Snow Montenegro, first born of Thunder and Akira Montenegro, doktora at heredera. If you will ask why on earth doktor na ako at a young age? Well, money, connections, and brain can make it a lot easier for us. So, at a young age, doktora na ako. I am the face of the Montenegro Corp. I do not intend to inherit the whole business. My younger brother is destined for that, while I am destined to spend it's income, just kidding! I run some hospitals and medical facilities. I invest my time helping people in need, volunteering, and wasting my time shopping.

I don't do boyfriends. After a not-so-major heartbreak during highschool, wherein I was so decided that I am going to marry the ace member of our basketball team na nagpa-agaw lang ng mabilis sa kakambal ng bestfriend ko. I decided that you can't take boys seriously. 'Cause if you do, they will leave you crying in the end. Well, for me, I prefer to do the opposite. I do flings and I go on dates, but once things get serious...I end things with the snap of my fingers.

"Miss President, nagpadala po ng bulaklak si Sir Randy," Cath told me kaya nahinto ako sa paggawa ng diagnosis ng pasyente ko.

"Geez Cath, sabi ko sa 'yo tanggihan mo na, mamaya ma-link na ako dyan. Iniiwasan kong ma-blind item sa showbiz. Ayaw ng daddy ng ganyang issue," I told her.

Randy, is one of the in demand actor na naka-date ko ng isang beses. Isang beses lang ha! I decided not to pursue seeing him dahil he posted something related to me on Twitter.

"Speaking of your Dad. Chairman Montenegro, wished you to join him for lunch. He said that he is around the area."

Napapikit ako ng sinabi niya iyon. Si Daddy, ano na naman kaya?

"Okay, is Dakota already in?"

"Yes Miss President, Mrs. Montenegro is already in the facility."

"Okay, make sure to let her know that I'll be out early and make sure she takes her medicine, masyadong pinapasakit ng kapatid ko ang ulo niya," sabi ko.

Dalfon Storm, my little brother married my bestfriend recently, they are expecting a baby soon. I just hope na magtino ang kapatid ko at hindi siya kagaya ng ibang lalaking dinate ko or else it will also break me if he'll hurt Dakota.

By the way, don't get confused they call me Ms. President because basically ako ang presidente ng ospital at ng Montenegro University, they used to call me Dra. Montenegro, but since Dakota married my brother, she is using the same surname as mine, so I want her to use it, people will still call me that from time to time pero mas madalas na ang tawag nila sa 'kin ay ang nauna.

Mabilis na nag bow down sa 'kin ang mga security ni Daddy ng maglakad ako papasok. Hindi naman kami korean pero nakagawian na siguro, sign ng paggalang nila.

Pinagbuksan nila ako ng pintuan and there I was met by the same brown eyes I inherited.

He stood up and pulled up a chair for me. I gently sat down.

That's what I really like about my dad, pinalaki niya ko treating me like a princess, like how girls should be treated kaya naman lumaki akong mataas ang standards.

"How's the hospital?" he asked me.

Wala si mom. Ang alam ko ay kasama ito ni Tita Luna at Tita Sanya dahil spa day nila. The main reason why Dad is here because mommy is just around the area.

"Doing great as usual, alam mo ba daddy, pasyente ko na naman si Sen. Villaflor."

Huminto siya sa pagkain and he looked at me seriously.

"Is he giving you a hard time?" he asked. Umayos ito ng upo. "Shall I give him a hard time?"

Yep, that's him. With his serious look and tone, with his power and authority, we became one of the most powerful families not just in the country but in the whole of Asia. You can never cross Thunder Montenegro. No, let me correct myself, you can never do wrong to any member of our family.

"Ani, I can take care of him dad, but I'll keep that in mind," sabi ko.

Ani means NO, in Korean.

We speak a lot of languages, kaming magkapatid even our cousins. I just frequently use French and Korean.

"Your brother got married. I am not rushing you. Your mom just wanted to ask if you are dating someone or have any plans to settle down?"

Halos masamid ako ng biglang itanong iyon ni Daddy. Mabilis ko siyang sinimangutan.

"Don't give me that look darling. Your mom asked and I can never say no to her, you know that what Akira wants, Akira gets. You should know, parehas kayo ng ugali."

"Geez, ano na namang nasagap na chismis ni mommy? Hindi ko nga dini-date yung cosmetology doctor na 'yon dad. He said he liked me kaya nakipagkita ako once. Hays..."

He laughed. My father is a growing old pero he is still handsome like before. Hindi mo halos halata ang edad nila dahil siguro masaya sila ni mom.

"See, you know it, I just want to make sure na in the right time sana nasa tamang tao ka na anak."

"I'll get married kapag may pinanganak ulit na katulad mo," I told him at halos mag choke siya sa sinabi ko.

"Celestine Snow, be careful what you wish for!," he said as he calms down. "I do not want you to meet someone like me. I want you to meet the best man, cause you deserve nothing but the best. I gave your mom a hard time, I do not wish for you to experience the same thing, my princess."

I bit my lip.

Sige nga, ano boys? May lalapit pa sa 'kin? Kaya n'yo ba yung treatment ng tatay ko sa mommy ko at sa aking anak niya. Magsi-uwi na lang kayo hays.

Our lunch date ended smoothly, si daddy pa ang sumama sa 'king pumili ng sapatos na ipapares sa gown. He kept saying na kaya nga niya iniwan si mommy dahil nababagot siya yet sinama ko siyang mag-shopping. Pero kahit nagrereklamo siya, sinamahan niya pa rin ako and paid for everything I bought.

"OMG, Celestine!"

"Namiss kita Celestine!"

"Look at you, dazzling as ever."

Ilan iyan sa mga bati sa 'kin ng mga ka batchmates ko as I entered the venue for our reunion. I just plastered a fake smile and kept nodding at them.

I never enjoyed being around them. I know what kind of people they are. Isa sila sa mga taong lihim na hinihiling na bumagsak ako at mapahiya.

"My, my, I knew you would come at hindi ako mahihindian." Salubong sa 'kin nito kaya nag-roll eyes na lang ako bago siya niyakap.

Marami mang hindi totoo, may mga naging kaibigan din naman ako.

"Cleo, I missed you, you look good," sabi ko rito.

"I know right! Ako ang nag initiate ng ball na ito, so dapat maganda ako," she answered.

"Ikaw na sana ang pinakamaganda kaso dumating itong si doktora," pang-aasar ni Nikolei, bumeso ito sa 'kin.

Our night started like that. Nagsimula na ang event, dahil host si Cleo kaming dalawa lang ni Nikolei ang magkasama. Nasa center table kami na kung saan marami kaming kasama.

We are already eating nang...

"Look at you Celestine, successful as ever, iba talaga ang nagagawa ng pera ng magulang no?" Zela, one of my batchmate started my nightmare.

"I saw one of your photoshoots. Kailangan mong kausapin yung photographer. Some angles are just ugh," Dianne said.

"Are you dating?" Rizza asked.

"May plano ka bang mag-asawa?" Sharmaine also butt in.

"May nagkakainteres ba sa 'yo? You might be successful pero you need someone," Lyka added.

"Ako, I got married last year, most of our batch got married, eh ikaw?" Pauline sarcastically said.

Hindi ko napigilan ang sarili ko at tumayo.

I pointed at Zela.

"Yeah, ang layo ng nararating ng pera ng magulang ko no? Pati kompanya n'yo, na-i-su-survive." I smirked at her, nagbaba siya ng tingin.

Sumunod kong tiningnan si Dianne.

"The last time I checked your instagram, wala ni isang nag-like sa almost naked photos mo ha. Mas okay sigurong pagtuunan mo iyon ng pansin rather my international photoshoots." Mabilis naman nitong nilabas ang phone niya.

I looked at Rizza.

"I heard your boyfriend cheated on you, nung marinig ko iyon, natakot na akong makipag date." Inis niya akong tiningnan.

Bumaling naman ako kay Sharmaine.

"Ikaw, may plano ka bang ibalik lahat ng hiniram mong gamit ko na you didn't bother returning? Ay 'wag na pala, mas busy ka pa lang malaman ang pag-aasawa ko kesa sa pagbalik ng mga bagay na hiniram mo."

Lyka panicked when I looked at her.

"I can give you a list of the guys who wanted to marry me pero 'wag na lang pala. Mas dapat mong bigyan ng interes ang pagiging mabuting ina mo."

And finally, I looked at Pauline. I hate her so much.

"So what if you all got married? Do I have ticking time bomb just because I didn't wore a fcking veil and a wedding gown. I have so much on my plate, I love to travel, I love to help people, I love myself whether I am single, dating, or married. May mga bagay na hindi minamadali. Kaya 'wag kang mag-alala kapag ikakasal na ako, papakainin kita ng marami sa reception ko." Kinuha ko ang bag ko at akmang aalis na.

"This is my life, I will do things my way, and I will achieve the milestone on my own timeframe. So, fck all of your screwed-up mentality and insecurities."

"Celestine!" I heard Nikolei called me pero masyadong mabilis ang naging lakad ko kaya hindi niya na siguro ako naabutan.

I felt like I won that battle pero something in the back of my head is shouting.

Asking me why I am really alone? Bakit wala akong kasama sa mga ganitong laban?

I don't really like getting emotional kaya mas pinili ko na lang na lumayo sa kanila. I wouldn't like them talking about my weakness.

Naglalakad na ako sa area, tila naliligaw dahil hindi ko mahanap kung nasaan naka-park ang kotse ko.

"Ano ba kasing ginagawa mo rito?!" Napukaw ng boses ng isang babae ang atensyon ko. "I told you that I do not wanna see you! Hindi naman naging tayo kaya bakit mo pa ko sinundan rito sa Maynila! Can't you get a life of your own?!"

Nanatili akong nakatayo, hindi sila malayo sa 'kin pero dahil sa tensyon sa pagitan nila ay hindi nila ako napansin.

I looked at the woman, she looks about my age. She's wearing a plain white dress, sa harap nito ay isang lalaking nakatalikod sa direksyon ko. He is tall and has a good build.

"I-I..." the man is stuttering.

"Ano ba Stephen, mag move on ka na sa 'kin, sige nga sabihin mo sa 'kin bakit ka nandito ha?!"

"Tamara—"

"Alam ko ang pangalan ko, so tell me why are you here?! Hindi mo ba maintindihan? Hindi kita talaga gusto, hindi talaga kita mahal!"

Her words somehow echoed the words in my mind, the same words that were used to break my heart before. The reason why I stopped showing affection to boys. Hindi dahil sa hindi ka naka-move on pero dahil takot ka ng masaktan.

I do not wish for him to encounter the same thing.

And even before I knew it, I just found myself walking in their direction.

"Hon, nakita mo na yung car?"

Yes, umeksena ako sa kanila at kumapit sa braso ng lalaking ito, without even looking at him.

"Oh, may kausap ka pala. Hello, I am Dra. Celestine Montenegro, Stephen's girlfriend, sinama ko siya rito for my high school reunion."

Shock is written all over that girl's face, nagsalit-salitan ang tingin nito sa amin at doon sa lalaking katabi ko na tinawag nyang Stephen.

Kinakabahan ako dahil baka ilaglag ako ng isang tao, mapapahiya pa ako, tumulong na nga kaya naman nag angat ako ng tingin sa kanya.

Kusa akong napalunok ng magtama ang paningin namin.

I was met by a serious pair of black eyes, perpektong kilay, matangos na ilong at mapupulang labi, his face is in a perfect shape, naka-clean cut din ito kaya naman kahit madilim ay malinaw ang mukha niya.

Ang guwapo.

I tried to smile at him pero kinabahan ako ng bumalik ang tingin nito sa babaeng nasa harapan namin.

Mamamatay na yata ako sa kahihiyan.

"I'm sorry hon, nahihirapan din ako hanapin yung kotse. I happen to run to an old friend." Bumaling ito ng tingin sa 'kin, he tried to smile for a bit. "Pagod ka na ba hon? Uwi na tayo?"

At doon na nagsimula ang lahat.

Ang lahat ng pangyayari sa buhay ko.

Ito na sisimulan ko na.

Handa ka na ba?