THE THREE OF them made a commotion. Taking the spotlight from the birthday celebrant completely. Their father raised a toast when he saw them walking towards their table. Malaki ang ngisi na nakapaskil sa mga labi nito. Ganoon din sa Mamu nila na halos maiyak.

"I'm a proud mom," sabi ng Mamu nila.

Yumukod ang papa niya at may binulong sa mamu nila, causing their mother to blushed furiously.

"Khaila! Long time no see…" Nagulat si Khaila nang makita ang isa sa mga photographer na nakatrabaho niya noon.

"Khaila? Are you finally going back?" someone asked her.

"Ms. Miller? I have a proposal for you."

"Khaila? My studio misses you so much!"

"Are you going to go back in our industry?"

Khaila shook her head. "No, I'm not— what the hell?"

Her jaw almost dropped off on the floor when he saw the twins talking to random people, mostly designers, Ky was giving his business number. Kinukuha ng mga ito ang mga project na nagugustuhan ng mga ito para sa kanya. They became her managers, and that includes their father too.

"I'm guessing, after this night you'll work very hard." Napatingin si Khaila sa photographer na kilala niya.

"Where's your camera?" nakangiti na tanong niya sa lalaki. As far as she remembered, para itong malalagutan ng hininga kapag wala ang camera nito.

He shrugged. "My baby is in good hands. It's my day and night off too."

Gulat siyang humarap sa lalaki. "You have a girl now?"

"Shush, someone might hear you, Ms. Miller."

"For real?" hindi makapaniwala na tanong niya. Lumapit siya sa lalaki na ikinatawa nito. Yes, she's living for tea now. Khaila adopted her Tito's behaviour.

"You're too close, Khaila. And may I remind you, there's a lot of paparazzi here." Bulong nito sa kanya.

"Why? Afraid that you'll be my rumoured boyfriend?" She teased.

He pushed his tongue against his cheek and glared at her, playfully. Khaila chuckled and raised her hands in the air. Ilang beses na niya itong nakatrabaho noon, and she's glad that she could still joke like this around him.

She was talking to him lightly when Khaila felt something cold, and she became uneasy. Iginala niya ang paningin sa venue. A pair of hazel brown eyes caught her attention. She sucked her own breath as he continued to look sharply at her.

It was him. Her ex-boyfriend.

Someone was talking to him but he's sipping his wine like he has no care in this world. His eyes were fixated on her and she felt nauseous all of a sudden.

"Hey, are you good? You are pale…" nag-aalala na tanong sa kanya ng lalaki. He even wrapped his arm around her waist to support her.

Tumingin siya kay Atticus. Nakita niya kung paano bumaba ang mga mata nito sa kamay ng lalaki na nakapulupot sa bewang niya.

His eyes were dark as his jaw tightened. What was that? Khaila wanted to laugh at him.

She noticed some changes in his body but she'd rather compliment an ant than to rake her eyes on him.

"Did you see my brother?" tanong niya.

She was roaming her eyes around. Looking for her family. She wanted to enjoy the party but someone was here. Khaila thinks that she's a coward for not facing him. She's not ready.

She's still not ready.

After all, hindi maganda ang paghihiwalay nila. She doesn't need any explanation. Khaila accepted the fact that she's no longer needed.

"He's talking to— wait, he's gone?" anito na parang nalilito.

Khaila sighed. She massaged the bridge of her nose before slowly removing his hand on her waist. Ang sabi nito ay may girlfriend na ito, and if her deduction was right, his girl was just around the venue— taking pictures or what. Ayaw niya na magkaroon sila ng misunderstanding.

"I'm going," aniya. "I'll look for them. Thanks for the company! See you around." Khaila waved her hands at him as she walked away.

Looking for her brother was like finding a damn needle in a haystack. Sigurado siya na iba't ibang tao na ang nakausap nito at marami na ang trabaho na nagustuhan para sa kanya. Of course, he won't get the project if they didn't allow him to be her photographer. He's now a professional. The talent fee was all Ky thinks about now.

"Ma'am…" Her steps halted when someone grabbed her wrist and a baritone voice filled her ears. Kinilabutan si Khaila.

"Ms. Miller! I haven't seen you in a while, right? Where have you been? We've been looking for you after you retired, you know?" mahina itong tumawa at itinaas ang camera. Paparazzi.

"To catch some news?" Khaila scoffed. Tumango naman ito sa kanya. "My father won't allow it. You know that?" She asked in a mocking tone.

"Oh dear, of course we know. With all of the connections you have? Dearest, we'll be praying and praising them but we won't have any access to pry on your latest life."

Ngumisi lang siya sa kaharap at pasimple na tinanggal ang hawak sa kanya ni Atticus.

"Oh good dearest! Who do we have here? Mr. Klein, am I right?" tanong nito kay Atticus. Hindi niya ito nilingon. "Just like Miller's, I guess, Klein's were also a very private family."

"We are." Matigas na sabi nito.

"I won't pry anymore. Enjoy the night! I shall go, yeah?" Tumawa ito sa kanila. "And oh, nice catch Mr. Klein! Khaila is a self-made woman. You wouldn't dare to ask for more." The paparazzi added.

"Your date for tonight, Ms. Miller?" someone asked her. Umiling siya.

"You choose the right lady, Mr. Klein!" someone whistled too. "Although, she's uptight?"

She sighed heavily. What kind of moron would say that? If only they knew. He was his first.

"I'm sorry… Is it uncomfortable?" Klein asked her.

"Yeah, it is." Walang pagdadalawang isip na sagot niya.

Atticus held her wrist again and gently pulled her towards the balcony, kung saan wala masyadong tao.

Nang may dumaan na waiter sa harap niya, kumuha siya ng isang white wine. Atticus eyed her and sighed heavily. Right, sanay ito na Avocado milkshake lang ang iniinom niya.

"Why did you bring me here?" malamig na tanong niya sa lalaki. Nakatuon ang mga mata niya sa white wine glass na hawak.

"You're gorgeous as always. But… there's something in you while walking on the runway stage."

Gusto niyang matawa sa lalaki. Parang mabigat pa sa loob nito na i-compliment siya habang naglalakad kanina sa runway stage.

"Thanks?" hindi sigurado na sabi niya.

Khaila was so damn happy and relieved at the same time. She managed to be this cold. She managed to have a stone heart upon seeing Atticus.

She won't lie. Her heart was still yearning for him. After all, he was the only man she allowed to love her, to touch her, to own her, and to break her.

Atticus cleared his throat and asked, "How are you?"

"I'm good." Sagot niya na hindi binalik ang tanong.

She's good without him. Khaila realised that she shouldn't be the one running and pursued him. Like what she did before. Hindi na ulit siya magpapapansin sa lalaki. After what he did?

"Fleair misses you…"

Khaila's lips thinned. Tumango lang siya sa lalaki. Not voicing out how much she missed the little girl too. Napasinghap siya at mabilis na ininom ang wine niya. She raised her hand to call for the server's attention.

"We celebrated her birthday here and she was looking for you. Ahm, if you have free time… Do you want to attend her 6th birthday? She'll be so happy if you're there…"

Kumuha siya ng isa pang wine at binigay sa server ang walang laman na wine glass. She sipped a little and her mind started to calculate her time, how would she manage it?

She sighed. "I'm busy."

Khaila was actually readying herself to be more exhausted than she already was on this night forward. Ky was surely going to pull her legs and dragged her back to her modelling career. Lalo na at hindi naman siya nagtuturo.

"Then, how about dinner?"

She clicked her tongue and finally had the guts to face him. Khaila saw how nervous he looked. His eyes were moving, as if he's trying to catch her gaze and begging her to say 'yes'. Happily, she couldn't.

"I can't. Aside from we're heading to the Philippines, I'm telling you, Mr. Klein. I'm busy. Super busy that I don't have the time to sit and dine dinner with you." Khaila coldly answered him. She saw how he pushed his tongue on his cheek and avoided her gaze.

"Kahit kasama ang anak ko?" tanong nito nang hindi nakatingin sa kanya.

Khaila's side lips rose up. So, he was referring to Fleair as his daughter now and not his niece. It's good to hear that. But the pain of the past was still inside her. The pain she felt on behalf of his daughter was still lingering inside her.

"I'll see her some other time." Sagot niya.

A smile appeared on her lips when she saw the famous actor— Eli, walking towards her in a hurry.

"Excuse me." Khaila uttered. Saka niya sinalubong ng yakap si Eli. "I missed you! How are you?" masaya na tanong niya sa lalaki.

"I'm good. How about you? I was told that you won't be here, what made you change your mind?" Eli asked.

"It's not 'what', Eli. It's who." Khaila chuckled.

Eli glanced at his back. Bahagya itong yumuko saka bumulong, "Sino yung lalaki sa likod mo? Ang sama ng tingin sa akin."

Khaila patted his back and answered, "Don't mind him, okay?"

Eli just shrugged his shoulders. "Where's Mama and Papa?"

"They're with Ky and Tally. I think they're collecting works for me."

"Lalabas ba kayo? We're done shooting. Can I tag along? If gagala lang naman kayo."

"Shooting? You're filming another movie?" mangha na tanong niya rito.

Ang huling balita niya ay tapos na ang isang project nito. And then, here he was, filming another one again.

"Hindi ko pwedeng palampasin 'to, alam mo na?" He rubbed his thumb and middle fingers together.

"Money." Khaila laughed heartily.

"So? Can I tag along?" Eli asked again.

She shrugged. "Sure, Papa will surely love it."

"Great! Puntahan ko na lang kayo sa hotel room niyo bukas?"

"Alam mo?" tanong niya.

"Yes, we're staying in the same hotel. Ky already told me." Eli answered. He glanced at his phone and clicked his tongue. "I'll be back. Something came up."

Tumango lang siya at pinanood na nagmamadali na umalis si Eli. She drank her remaining wine and asked for another glass.

"Is that your boyfriend?" Atticus asked.

Hindi lumingon si Khaila. She thought he already left. Doon naman magaling ang lalaki. Ang umalis.

"I can't get over you, ma'am."

Kumalabog ang puso niya. Her heart beat leaped. The endearment he was using before for her has still an effect on her. It wasn't that good.

He saw Eli coming back. Mabilis ang lakad nito at may ngiti sa mga labi kahit na hinaharang siya ng ibang bisita. She smiled at him, assuring him that she's fine. What could she do? He's a famous actor. Everyone wants to talk to him.

Lumingon siya kay Atticus at nakita na malamlam ang tingin nito sa kanya. His eyes were telling her how deep the love he has for her. Khaila doubted if they were real. If they were, he should've talked to her, he should've waited for her to calm, he shouldn't… left her behind.

Khaila sighed and shook her head.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Mr. Klein," mapait siyang ngumiti sa lalaki. Her heart might be yearning for him but her mind was still intact. "I don't feel the same. I'm over you."

☕