Run Away from the Billionaire (COMPLETED!)

Chapter One

HINDI MALAMAN NI MAYO kung bakit ganoon na lang kalakas ang kabog ng kanyang dibdib ng mga sandaling iyon. Oo nga't hindi biro ang mga panauhing naroroon sa pinagdadausan ng fashion show kung saan isa siya sa mga rarampang modelo. It was New York Fashion Week, for crying out loud!

Bu still, it wasn't her first time. Hindi man siya matatawag na beterana sa pagrampa, hindi rin naman siya baguhan sa mundong halos tatlong taon na niyang kinabibilangan. Hindi man siya kasingsikat ni Charo Ronquillo o ni Janine Tugunon, masasabi namang unti-unti na rin siyang gumagawa ng sariling pangalan sa international fashion scene. She was actually one of the very few Filipinas who were now gracing the catwalks of New York Fashion Week.

Humugot siya ng isang malalim na hininga at saka pinakawalan iyon. Ngunit wala pa rin, hindi man lang nabawasan ni konti ang kaba sa kanyang dibdib. Para pa rin itong tinatambol mula sa loob.

Why the hell are you this nervous, Mayo? For Pete's sake, you've strut down the catwalk for like a hundred times already! ang pagalit niya sa sarili.

Bigla niyang naramdamang may biglang tumapik sa kanyang balikat at paglingon niya'y ang nakangiting mukha ni Charo Ronquillo ang sumalubong sa kanya. She actually heard that she is to work with the Filipina veteran fashion model on this project, the Levi's Fall Collection, but it was never confirmed.

So totoo nga, kinilig naman siya. First time niya, actually, itong makasama sa iisang proyekto, and she couldn't help but feel honored.

"Relax," anito sa mahinahong tono. Marahil ay kanina pa siya nito pinagmamasdan at siguradong napansin nito ang pagiging sobrang kabado niya.

Either she knew her or she must've guessed that she's a Filipina, too, based on her looks. It must be the latter.

Isang pilit na ngiti ang isinukli niya dito. Magti-thank you pa sana siya dito ngunit agad na itong tumalikod. It was her turn to go out of backstage and strut down the catwalk.

Mayo watched as the veteran model gracefully stepped out of the backstage.

Saglit niyang nakalimutan ang kaba habang pinapanood ang nagkikislapang mga ilaw mula sa pintuang nag-uugnay sa backstage at sa runway. By experience, she knew that those flashing lights were coming from the flashbulb of the many cameras that await her outside. And the flashes she was seeing right now were meant to capture every stride and every glide of probably one of the most famous Filipina runway models ever.

Yes, placing fourth place in Vogue's Top 10 list of Ford's Supermodel of the World and being dubbed as the "Asian Kate Moss", Charo Ronquillo had definitely made it big in the fashion world. Kaya parang ang sarap sa pakiramdam na makatrabaho niya ito.

Nahagip ng mga mata ni Mayo si Alain, ang manager niya. He's French and he's gay. Kasalukuyan itong may kausap sa cellphone. Her cellphone. He looked worried.

Bigla siyang kinabahan. Agad siyang lumapit dito.

"Who's that?" aniya dito.

Parang nagulat pa ito nang makita siya.

"No one," he immediately dismissed her. "We'll just call you back later," anito sa kausap sa kabilang linya.

Ngunit mabilis niya itong inagaw mula dito. "Hello?" aniya sa kausap nito sa cellphone.

"Mayo, I said no! You can just call them back later!" ani Alain habang pilit kinukuha ang cellphone mula sa kanya.

"Mayo," anang boses sa kabilang linya. She recognized the voice to be her Tita Coki's.

"Tita, what happened?" aniya dito. Ramdam niya ang biglang pagdoble ng pintig ng kanyang puso. May hindi magandang nangyayari, ramdam niya.

"Si Nikka kasi..."