Tears Of Cinderella

Chapter 21 - Mars Ultor

Steffanie's exhibit was doing fine. Maraming mga tao ang dumadaan sa kanyang booth at nagtatanong tungkol sa kanyang centrepiece. Marami na rin ang nagtangkang bilhin ito, but she politely declined. Those two paintings were not for sale. It was hers. This was her expression of herself. Inilabas niya lamang ito para makita ng madla ang kanyang sining. 

He heard her phone rang. Agad naman niyang sinagot ito nang makitang si Gareth ang tumatawag.

"Hello, sweetheart?" she heard from the other line.

She couldn't help herself but to be enamoured by his voice. He sounded so masculine over the phone. His voice is just sending a huge wave of electric waves on her spine.

"Hello... Bakit?" she asked.

"It seems that I might be a little late today."

"It's okay. Maayos naman ako dito," she said while smiling.

"I wish I was there for your big day. But no worries, I'll be there by the end of the day."

"Sure thing. Nandito naman si Sofia para samahan ako."

"Good to know that. You know what, Steff? I want to be with you today," his voice turned a little bit husky.

"That's okay. I'll be with you tonight. And that's more exciting."

Narinig niya ang paglunok nito. "Damn it, Steff! You just made hard. I'll punish you tonight for your naughtiness."

She imagined his mode of punishment and how it would be excruciatingly delicious it would be for her. She suddenly felt a strong quenching desire in her most feminine part. It was brewing inside her, like a ticking time bomb waiting to explode.

"See you tonight then. I am looking forward to it."

"Naughty. Naughty." She heard his bemused laugh over the phone and it made her anticipate more of him.

"Bye, sweetheart."

"Bye." Saktong pagbaba ng kanyang telepono ay ang pagdating naman ng isang hindi niya inaasahang tao.

It was Natalya and her croons. And judging by look on her face, she was up to no good. She stood her guard. She knew Natalya could be dangerous. She got firsthand experience to prove that.

Agad siyang lumingon sa paligid. Matao pa naman. Several people were still just a few blocks away. Kahit papaano naging kampante siya, but was still this underlying fear inside her.

The sight of Natalya brought her the memories that she wanted to completely burry in the sands. Naalala niya kung paano siya nito pinapanood habang pinagsasamantalahan siya ng mga tauhan nito. She was so helpless. She was screaming. She was fighting them. But everything was futile. In the end, kung hindi dahil kay Gareth, she would have been violated, or worse, baka isa na siyang malamig na bangkay.

Now, she just wished that Sofia was there. But alas, Sofia was called by the Queen Dowager earlier.

She suddenly felt suffocated.

"Cat got your tongue?" Natalya said to her.

Binigyan siya nito ng isang mapang-uyam na tingin bago pumasok sa kanyang booth.

"So what do we have here?"

Umikot-ikot ito sa maliit na espasyo.

"Please, Natalya. Ayoko ng gulo," she weakly said. Somehow, all of her energy was deserting her. Nangangatog na ang kanyang mga tuhod.

"Gulo? Mangugulo ba tayo, girls?" she said to her croons. Sabay-sabay namang umiling ang mga ito, waring inaasar pa siya.

"We are actually here to buy something from these pieces of trash," Natalya sarcastically said.