Her Unwanted Marriage | MikhAiah

Chapter 18

Aiah's POV

The next day, I woke up feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. Today marked the start of my first-ever photoshoot for Prada. It was a big deal—a dream opportunity that could define the next chapter of my career.

Habang nasa biyahe, pilit kong kinakalma ang sarili ko. Kaya mo 'to, Aiah, I told myself. Pero kahit ilang beses kong ulitin iyon, ramdam ko pa rin ang kaba.

When I arrived at the set, everything looked glamorous. The lights, the elegant outfits, the creative team bustling around—it all felt surreal. My stylist immediately ushered me to the fitting area, handing me a sleek black dress that screamed sophistication.

"You're going to look stunning, Aiah," she said with a bright smile.

"Salamat," I replied, forcing a smile, kahit medyo nanlalamig ang mga kamay ko.

As I sat in the makeup chair, I couldn't help but let my mind wander. Sa gitna ng excitement, bigla kong naalala si Mikhael. Ano kaya ang sasabihin niya kung makita niya ako ngayon? Would she even care?

"Okay ka lang ba?" tanong ng makeup artist habang inaayos ang blush sa pisngi ko.

I nodded quickly. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little nervous."

"Natural lang 'yan," she said. "But trust me, you're going to do great. Prada chose you for a reason."

Her words helped ease some of my anxiety. Still, deep inside, I couldn’t shake off the lingering thoughts about Mikhael. Why does her opinion still matter so much to me?

The shoot finally began, and I did my best to channel confidence. I moved through each pose, following the photographer's directions.

"Beautiful, Aiah! That's perfect!" he exclaimed.

Pero habang ginagawa ko ang bawat pose, nasa likod ng isip ko pa rin si Mikhael. I could almost hear her voice—her sarcastic remarks, her ruthless praises that she didn't really say directly but I still feel them.

By the end of the day, the team clapped and congratulated me for a successful shoot. "You were amazing, Aiah!" one of them said.

"Thank you," I replied, genuinely grateful. But as I looked around the room full of strangers, I realized something.

Even with all the applause and recognition, there was a part of me that wished she was here to see this moment. Why do I keep wanting her to see me?

Habang papauwi, huminga ako nang malalim, pilit na tinataboy ang iniisip ko. Focus, Aiah. This is your moment.

Pero kahit anong gawin ko, hindi ko maiwasang tanungin ang sarili ko. Would it matter to Mikhael if she knew I succeeded today?

Pagkatapos ng photoshoot, pagod na pagod ako, pero may halo pa rin iyong excitement. I survived my first Prada shoot, and I couldn't wait to tell someone. Pero habang nasa biyahe pauwi, bigla kong na-realize na wala akong maisip kung sino ang gusto kong pagsabihan ng lahat ng nangyari ngayong araw. Naisip kong dumiretso nalang sa condo ko para makapag-pahinga ako ng maayos hindi lang sa katawan kundi para na rin sa isip ko.