Chapter 26: Another Once Upon a Time...

Steffanie adjusted her eye glasses. Hindi na kasi niya gaanong maaninaw ang kanyang pinipinta. She was currently in the veranda of her home in Frontera, trying to paint the beauty of the indigo sky during sunset.

All throughout these five years, painting pa rin ang naging ang stress reliever niya. Somehow, the paints and colors gave her a sense of peace and serenity.

Ibinaba na niya ang hawak na paint brush. Maggagabi na. Tapos na ang takip-silim. Tapos na rin ang painting session niya ngayong araw.

Iniligpit na niya ang kanyang mga gamit. Hindi na niya kasi gustong maabutan pa ng dilim. Her eye sight had gone worse. Sa gabi'y kailangan na niyang magsuot ng salamin para ganap na makakakita. Napabuntong hininga siya. Ilang taon na lang ang bibilingin bago ganap na siyang mabubulag.

Her disease, Retinitis Pigmentosa, had taken a toll to her eyesight all throughout these past years. Lalo lamang itong lumala. Sunubukan niya itong ipagamot pero pare-pareho lamang ang sinasabi ng mga dokor. They all said that her disease was currently incurable. Walang pang naiimbento ang modernong medisina para tuluyang gumaling siya. All they have right now were meds that could delay its effects. But it was just delaying the inevitable. Sooner or later, the darkness will soon consume her world. Kaya ngayon pa lang ay todo-todo na siya kung magbanat ng buto. She's paving the future of her little girl.

She may be the hottest supermodel these days, but she knew it wouldn't last. The limelight was such a delicate spot, one false move and you will be booted out. Magkaganoon man, she needed to make the best out of it. She needed to strike while the iron was still hot.

Nag-inat siya. She felt so stiff.

She could hardly get a day off these days. Palagi na lamang siyang nasa trabaho. Kung wala siya sa fashion show, nasa pictorial naman siya. It was really tiring, pero sabi nga niya, she needed this job.

She looked at the large collection of magazines in her room. Puro mukha niya ang naroroon. From the front cover, to feature story, to ads, to fashion editorials; lahat iyon ay napagdaanan na niya. In fact, ELITE magazine dubbed her as the supermodel of the year.

She suddenly felt so proud to her achievements. Who knew that the timid girl from once-upon a time will be the world's highest paid supermodel? Ni kahit siya ay hindi naisip na magaganap ito sa buhay niya.

Naalala pa niya ang mga pangyayaring nagtulak sa kaniya para marating ang kinatatayuan niya ngayon. That night when Gareth left her, she sought help from Valerie. Hindi niya alam noon kung anong gagawin. She tried contacting Sofia but she was always out of reached. Alam na niya ngayon kung bakit. May sariling pinagdadaanan pala ang kaibigan.

Valerie gave her a shoulder to cry on, a roof to shelter her and food to nourish her. Kailangang-kailangan niya iyon noon para maging safe ang ipinagdadalang anak.

She became her assistant at her shop. But after only a month's stay, napansin niyang bumaba ang sales ni Valerie. Nalaman na lang niya noon na si Gareth pala ang humahadlang para makabenta sila. Apparently, someone from the grapevine said that the Prince was spreading harmful rumours about the shop.

Galit-galit siya noon. Hindi lamang kasi ito ang unang pangingialam nito. Nagsimula ito nang hindi siya nakapagmartsa sa graduation niya sa University of Pendragon. For some unknown reasons, the guards wouldn't let her in. Pero alam niya kung sino ang nasa likod ng mga bagay na iyon. It doesn't need for a person to be smart para malaman iyon. But the good thing was, nakuha pa rin niya ang Diploma at Transcript of Records niya.

So with that, nagpaalam na siya kay Valerie. Hindi niya sinabi kung bakit. She wouldn't want her friend to hate her lalo na't siya ang dahilan ng pagkalugi nito.

Michael Angelo tried to help her. He had been sending her money anonymously for her to survive, but Her Grace intercepted it. She threatened to disinherit him, but her kuya was persistent. He was willing to defy Her Grace. She knew it was a lossing battle. She raised the white flag. She wanted to disappear, away from the people she loved. Lalo lamang napapahamak ang mga ito pag naroroon siya.

With a heavy heart, she left Camelot. Masyado nang maraming masakit na alaala ay dulot sa kanya ng lugar na ito. She travelled across the Kingdom, transferring from one place to another. It was difficult for her. She couldn't find any job because she's heavily pregnant. Tanging ikinabubuhay niya lamang ay ang pagpipinta. She accepted various painting jobs. But it paid less than what she actually needed.

During her final trimestral, doon na lamang siya nagpasyang mag-settle na isang lugar. She chose Frontera. Hindi niya alam kung bakit. It's maybe the climate. It's maybe the ambiance. She just suddenly wanted to live there.

But it was not easy for her to live in a cosmopolitan area. Fronterans were always on the go. They were business minded. Kakaunti lamang ang gustong kumuha ng kanyang serbisyo bilang pintor. The people who lived there preferred photographs.

So there she was, nine months pregnant, living alone inside a run-down apartment. Doon na niya nilunok ang kanyang pride. She contacted her father and brother. Sinabi niya rito ang kalagayan. And in fairness to them, they immediately went to find her.

Muntik na rin niyang ikamatay ang panganganak. She was thin as a skeleton for lack of sleep, insufficient nourishment and anemia, but she survived it.

The first time she held her baby brought her overwhelming joy. Her little girl had a beautiful set of amber eyes, just like her daddy. She named her Margareth. That's when she let go of everything. Hindi na dapat siya tumitingin pa sa nakaraan. What matters was the future.

Gareth may be cruel to her, unfair to her. But he had given her the greatest treasure in her life, her daughter.

Doon niya napagdesisyunan ang lahat. Isinanla niya ang buong set ng Sirius Gem. Patawarin nawa siya ng Inang Reyna but it was the best for them.

Bumuli siya ng isang kapirasong lupa at nagpatayo ng isang kumportableng tahanan. Nagpatuloy siya sa pagpipinta kahit na nga ba sangkatutuak pang salapi ang natitira sa pinagsanglaan niya. That was when a talent scout saw her. Noong una'y ayaw pa niyang maniwala dito. How can she become a model? But with a leap of fate, she trusted her words. At ngayon, heto na nga siya, living a life of a supermodel.

Natubos na rin niya ang Sirius Gems. She didn't know what actually urged her to do so, but somehow, she felt indebted to it. Aminin man niya o sa hindi, ito ang dahilan kung bakit nairaos niya ang pinakamasaklap na yugto ng kanyang buhay.

So here she was right now, on the same land that she purchased, on the same house she built. All of these were the fruition of her labor.

Tiningnan niya ang picture frame sa gilid ng kama. It was a picture of her and Margareth. This little angel was her life right now. Ito ang dahilan ng pag-inog ng kanyang mundo. Apat na taong gulang na ito. And despite growing up without a father, she became a happy child.

Biglang bumukas ang pinto ng kanyang silid.

"Mommy!!!" Agad naman siyang niyakap ng batang kapapasok pa lamang.

Pinaghahalikan siya nito sa pisngi. Wala na siyang nagawa kundi ang magpaubaya.

"Ang kulit talaga ng anak mo," it was Michael Angelo. Kapapasok lang din nito sa kanyang silid.

Kinarga niya ang anak. "Nasiyahan ka ba sa pakikipaglaro, Kylie Margareth Smithson?"

"Yep! Uncle Daddy was great."

Masuyo niyang nginitian ang anak.

She faced her big brother, "Salamat kuya sa pagbisita ah."

He stood at the doorjamb while happily watching them.

"I am actually in the vicinity for a business. I just thought I'd drop by. At isa pa, namiss ko na rin ang isang iyang."

"I miss you too, Uncle Daddy!" sigaw naman ng anak habang nilaro-laro ang buhok niya.

"I need to talk to you as well, Steff. I have something to tell you," napukaw ang atensyon niya sa seryosong tono nito.

"Okay."

"Merryna," tawag niya sa kasambahay at taga-alaga ni Margareth.

Agad naman itong lumitaw sa labas ng pintuan niya.

"Ano po yon?"

"Paliguan mo na si Kylie. Prepare her for dinner as well. May pag-uusap lamang kami ng bisita natin. By the way, ako na pala ang bahalang magluto ng hapunan."

She led his brother to her small but comfortable living room. Naupo ito sa sofa samantalang siya'y nanatiling nakatayo.

Both of them remained silent.

Napadako ang tingin niya sa broadsheet na nasa mesita. The headline said, Vermillion Strikes Again, Golden Sparrow Stolen.

Hindi man siya gaanong ka-aktibo ngayon sa pagpipinta, pero alam pa rin niya ang nagaganap sa mundo ng sining. It was her first love after all. Bigla tuloy siyang nakaramdam ng kaunting panlulumo. The Golden Sparrow was created by one of the movers during the renaissance period. It was created by Count Vladimir Einsbern. Naala tuloy niya si Valerie, isa kasi ito sa mga paborito nitong pintor.

"Steff," doon naputol ang kanyang pagmumuni-muni.

"Yes, kuya," this time, she sat opposite him. Mukhang seryoso ang pag-uusapan nila.

"I have news for you. I am not just here to visit you. May nais ding ipasabi ang Duke."

"And that is?"

Huminga ito ng malalim bago ngumiti sa kanya, "Finally, Steff. The Duke wants to declare you as his daughter."

Nanlaki ang mata niya sa narinig.

"Why?" that's all that she said.

"I don't know. Iyon lang ang pinapasabi niya sa akin."

She deeply inhaled. This was a big news for her. Anong naisipan ng ama? Why now?

"What about the Duchess?"

"What about her?" tanong nito. The bitterness in his voice was quite evident.

"Hindi na mahalaga ang opinion niya Steff. She's just married to a duke. While you, you are noble by birth. It's time to claim your birthright," pagpapatuloy nito.

Nasapo niya ang ulo. Everything was just too overwhelming.

"I'll think about it first. Okay? This is too much for me to swallow in just one night."

"I understand."

There was a minute of silence between them. And within that one minute, sari-saring emosyon na ang sumalakay sa kanya.

"By the way, His Grace had also one other request."

"What's that?"

Masuyo siya nitong nginitian, "Hinihiram niya si Kylie. He wanted to be with her. His Grace was enamoured by the little angel. But who wouldn't be? Maging ako'y tuwang-tuwa sa anak mo."

Tamang-tama ang alok nito. She would be going to Asphodel this weekend. She'll stay there for about a month. May mga nakahanay siyang photoshoots and endorsements doon. Plus, the Winter Fashion Week will be also held there.

"Can you handle her for one month?" lumiwanag ang bukas ng mukha nito.

"Sure. Pero why so long?"

"I have work to overseas. Namomroblema na nga ako kung paano ang arrangement namin doon. But since you offered, sige. Ipagkakatiwala ko sa inyo si Kylie. Isa pa, matagal na rin niyang hindi nakakasama ang Duke."

"Thanks Steff. But where are you going?"

"Asphodel."

The mood of his brother suddenly changed.

"You know who is the Viceroy of Asphodel, right?" nagtatagis na ang bagang nito.

She gave him a reassuring smile, "Alam na alam ko kuya. But I'll go there for work. Wala ng iba."

"But he might..."

"Shh... Stop it." Saway niya sa kapatid.

"Alam kong may hindi kami magandang nakaraan. But past is past. I have moved on. And I think he had moved on as well."

"Sana nga."

Gareth was now looking at one of the most beautiful noble in Asphodel. Her name is Erin and right now she was kneeling before him.

Her experienced mouth swirled around his half-aroused manhood. Kanina pa ito sa ginawa but she can't seem to get him in the mood.

She was losing patience. And so was he. Fvck this! Why won't you fvckin' stand up!

Kinaladkad na niya ang babae patungo sa kanyang kama. He roughly deposited her there.

He kissed her hard on the lips. She equalled his attack with own. Kung saan-saan gumapang-gapang ang mga kamay nito. From his back, to his buttocks and to his d-i-c-k. Her hand started to play with it. Hindi naman siya nagpatalo. He immediately inserted three of his digits in her throbbing portal. It was very easy to do. It just slipped right through it.

"Your highness, sige pa..." she shouted.

He increased the rhythm of his assault. He was finger-fvcking her none too gently now. But he knew she loved it. Umungol lamang ito ng umungol.

Finally, after almost an hour of foreplay. He became aroused. Agad naman niyang kinuha ang condom na kanina pang nasa higaan.

He withdrew his fingers from her. Agad niyang isinuot ito saka muling sinalakay ang babae. She pounded in and out of her non-stop. He wanted this to over with. Nais lang niyang makaraos. He wanted to scratch this burning itch.

Hindi na niya namalayan ang mga nangyari. He just wanted to rid himself of this libido. But on the process, he became selfish. He didn't even know if the woman already came. He just continued pumping her. A couple of minutes passed before he came. He immediately withdrew out of her. Then, he quickly disposed of the used condom.

Agad namang inayos niya ang kanyang sarili.

The woman snaked her arms on his shoulder.

"That was awesome, can we do it, again?"

He gave her a warning look. "I am not in the mood right now. Go out now."

Waring nagitla pa ang babae.

"I said, get out, now!" sigaw niya.

Rumihistro ang takot sa mga mata ng babae. She was afraid of him.

"Now!"

Mabilis nitong pinulot ang mga nagkalat na damit saka lumabas sa kanyang silid.

He laid his back on his king-sized bed. Nakatunganga lamang siya sa kawalan. Damn! He felt insanely useless.

Ganito palagi siya nang nagdaang limang taon. He never slept with the same woman twice. And his sex was just pure sex. Just a sense of release and he wasn't satisfied at all.

He immediately took a cold long bath. Muli siyanng bumalik sa kanyang kama matapos maligo, this time he took a swig of a glass of whiskey. This had already been a routine for him.

He felt like a hollow individual. He was lifeless, like a breathing corpse whose purpose was nothing.

This was the reason why he preferred to be inside the hospital. He had his own world there. Parang animo'y naglalaho ang lahat kapag may hawak siyang scalpel. In the surgical bed he was a life saver, unlike in the real word, he was nothing but a cold-hearted destroyer.

Kinuha niya ang kanyang cellphone.

"Sir Clarence," he called out.

"Yes, Your Highness," sagot nito.

"Have you arranged everything?"

"Opo. Expect your team to be in Asphodel five days from now."

He dropped his call. Somehow, he was relieved of that news. He needed to transfer his clinic here in Asphodel as soon as possible, otherwise, he will be crazy.

Binuksan niya ang telibisyon. But he immediately regretted doing so when he saw a TV ad of Steffanie.

Bile suddenly filled his mouth. He was still bitter at what she did to him. Niloko siya nito. And allthroughout the years, his anger had not subsided. Not when he practically see her everywhere.

Gusto niyang tuluyan na itong kalimutan, but he simply can't. May sakit na dala pa rin sa kanyang puso ang ginawa ng dalaga sa kanya.

Natuon ang atensyon niya sa dalaga. Five years had been good to her. Mas lalong gumanda ito. All of her curves were in the right places.

He suddenly remembered the warmth of her body against his. How she moaned in pleasure while he was inside her. How she writhe in pleasure at his every touch.

He suddenly felt his manhood grow. He was hard just at the thought of her.

Napamura siya sa dinadaloy ng kanyang isip at naiinis din siya dahil sa walang kwentang reaksyon ng kanyang katawan. He should be over her. Pinagsawaan na niya ang katawan nito. Then, why the heck did he felt this way?

Naibato niya basong hawak sa digding. May kakaibang galit pa ring lumulukob sa kanyang dibdib. He hadn't completely let go of the past yet.

A genuine smile was pasted on the lips of Steffanie. Kasalukuyan siyang sa isang sikat na talkshow. She's one of the invited guests there.

"Glad to have you here on the show, Steff," masiglang pananalita ng host ng show na si Bobbie.

"Glad to be here also, Bobbie."

"Well, how should we start? The world sees you as the mysterious temptress of the catwalk, how do you think did they arrive to that moniker?"

"Actually Bobbie, even I do not how. In the middle of my career people suddenly branded me as one. What about you? Do you think I am mysterious?"

Sanay na siyang mag-handle ng ganitong mga sandali. She'd been through thousands of talk shows already. And base on her experience, pare-pareho lamang ang tinatanong ng mga ito. Kung hindi love life or personal life, mga nauungkat na baho from the past. So far, wala pa namang nauungkat na hindi dapat maungkat sa kanyang pagkatao.

"I, for one, think that you are indeed mysterious. I mean, may aura ka kasi na kakaiba sa ilan. Plus added the fact that you are indeed very beautiful," the host said.

"I'll take that as a compliment then."

"Now, this is not actually a common knowledge, but our sources reveal that you have a very close relationship with the designer, Valerie Imperio. Is that true?"

"You know, Bobbie. Valerie is one of my closest friends."

"Kung 'di kami nagkakamali, you've worked with her during the early part of your career. Tama ba?"

"No offense meant, but I think your source is a little bit rusty..." she humoured the crowd.

"We go a long, long, way back. During my college years, isa siya sa mga naging kaibigan ko. The other one was Sofia York. We frequented her store a lot."

"Ah... Kaya pala. But it's good that your friendship lasted up until now."

"It sure is."

"Since you've mentioned about college days, confirm ko langa ah. Kasi a lot of your fans were wondering, the grapevine says that you are a college graduate. Some says that you are an under grad. Which is which?"

Naging mainit na usapin din iyang topic na yan. Several internet portals said that she's an orphan, may mga iba namang nagsabing highschool drop-out siya.

"To clear thing with everyone, I am a graduate of the University of Pendragon with a Bachelor's Degree in Fine Arts."

"Really? Eh 'di ibig sabihin magaling kang magpainting?"

"You can say that, Bobbie. Up until now, I still paint. It was and it will still be a part of my life."

"Very well said, Steff. And now, look at this picture."

Tumalikod siya upang tingnan ang malaking LED screen. It showed a picture of her, her Kuya Angelo and Margareth at a local Ice Cream parlor.

Nagpalpitate siya sa nakita. May kaunting kaba na gumapang sa kanyang dibdib.

"Is it true that that beautiful lil girl is your daughter?" tanong nito.

Huminga siya ng malalim. She knew that sooner or later, lalabas din ang issue about sa anak niya. This was showbizness after all. Nagulat nga siya at ngayon lang ito lumabas. She already had her scrip for this.

"Yes, that lil angel is my daughter. We call her Kylie."

"She looks like you. The resemblance is really uncanny."

"At least, sure na sure na kayo na ako ang biological mother niya," her tongue slipped. Huli na bago niya narealize kung anong epekto ng ginawa niya.

"What about the father? Is it this man? His Grace, Michael Angelo Sutherland? A lot of the press had seen both of you together."

She composed herself. She needed to rectify this.

"Michael Angelo is one of my close friends as well. Pero hindi siya ang ama."

"But who's the father?" diretsong tanong nito.

"Let's just put it this way. I've dated someone once upon a time. He was gorgeous but he was an asshole. Just bleep that once later Bobbie," she said in humor.

"But it didn't work out between us. He broke up with me and he left me with a very beautiful gift. My daughter."

Gulat ang mukha ng host. "What? There's a man here in the kingdom that broke up with you? The beautiful Steffanie? OH-MY-GOD! The world had gone insane."

She laughed at her antics.

"But since we are already in the issue of dating, are you dating His Grace?"

"Nope." Mabilis niyang sagot.

"Just like what I said. He's just a good friend."

"Sayang naman, bagay pa naman kayo. But..."

Kinabahan siya sa susunod nitong sinabi.

"We've heard that you once dated a royal prince charming, the Third Prince himself, Prince Gareth Pendragon?"

She could hear the oohss and aahhss from the audience.

Doon na nagsimulang magrigodon ang puso niya. How were they able to know that? But she composed herself. She couldn't let the past ruin her now.

"Prince Gareth, I mean, His Highness was a student in UP like me. He's also my personal acquaintance. We went out once para isang charity event but aside from that, wala na kaming ibang encounters."

"Bakit naman."

"Well, UP was the only thing that linked us. Pumasok siya sa UP as a med stud, at pa-graduate naman ako nun. So eventually, when I graduated hindi na kami nagkita. And that's the end of it."

She was just glad that some of their exploits were not dug up by these hounds. Gareth and her relationship should be buried and forgotten.

"Sayang naman. So final question, are you still single? What's you status?"

"I am still single as of the moment."

"You've heard that folks, the Supermodel Steffanie is still single. May pag-asa pa kayo!"

Natawa siya sa ginawi nito.

"Well, that's about it. Thank you Steff for joining us today in Talk with Bobbie. Hope you'll visit us soon again."

Nakipag-beso siya rito. "Thanks as well for having me her," she then waved the audience goodbye.