"Need something?" Tanong niya kay Chanel Hope na nasa likuran niya. Kapwa sila nakaharap sa malaking salamin habang siya ay nakaupo at kinabit ang hikaw sa kanyang tenga.
"Y-you're so beautiful, ate Hera! Like 10 over 10. Hahaha." Chanel laughed so awkwardly that immediately hinted here she's up into something.
"Should I say thank you? Or ask you again about what you need?" She asked Chanel directly.
Hinanap ng mata niya ang pulang lipstick. Red lipstick is everything. It's the second word for seduction. Men bow down as she walk passed through them as they should. Inabot niya ang pulang lipstick at nilapat sa kanyang labi.
"I-I...the elders...uhm, I heard that they're talking about your upcoming a-arrange marriage? And they consider about giving you the privilege to marry the man you want or no marriage at all." Ilang itong nakatingin sa kanya na halos gusto ng lumiwas ng tingin.
Hindi naman 'yon sekreto sa ibang mga babaeng pinsan niya. Nakakapagtaka lang kung bakit kailangan pang makipag-usap si Chanel patungkol doon?
"Tell me what you want. I'll be late." She said and glance on her watch.
Nagulat siya ng biglang kunin ni Chanel ang kamay niya habang may nagmamakaawang tingin. Chanel is really jolly, a jolly brat but right now, she look like a mess.
"C-can you, can you request to the elders that I can be exception too? Can you request to terminate the arrange marriage tradition for me?...for the whole fourth generation?" Chanel begged.
Napatitig siya sa pinsan saka dahan-dahan itong inilingan.
"I don't think I can do that." Malamig na saad niya para matigil ang pinsan.
Hiraeth girls should never beg. Why is Chanel begging? Just because she's inlove? Love. Love can really make people insane. That's why she would never get herself associate with that word.
"Please!" Chanel sobbed.
Akmang papagalitan niya ito ng biglang bumukas ang pinto at pumasok si Hermes. What are these kids doing here?
"Chanel Hope!" Agad na alo nito sa pinsan.
"F-forgive her, Ate Hera. She's drunk, she don't know what she is doing...and she's heartbroken, too. Kakahiwalay lang nila Max Sebastian." Si Hermes na ang humingi ng paumanhin.
Tila may pumantig sa tenga niya sa narinig. Sebastian? Chanel fell in love with a Sebastian? She could've let this pass, but upon hearing a Sebastian...
"Begging...Drunk..and had a relationship with a Sebastian?" She asked in disbelief and laced with cold threat.
"You don't understand! You will only understand until you fell in love with a Sebastian!" Pagsabog ng lasing na Chanel Hope na agad namang pinigilan ni Hermes.
Her jaw clenched. Mas lalong dumagdag ang galit niya sa mga Sebastian.
"That would never happen." Mariing saad niya.
Humikbi lang si Chanel Hope at dismayadong tumingin sa kanya.
"I hope you will...so you'll know how it feels." Pagbitaw ni Chanel ng salita.
She just look at the mess Chanel in response. Bumaling siya kay Hermes na hindi alam ang gagawin sa pinsan.
"Take her into the guestroom. I'll leave." Malamig na bilin niya kay Hermes at kinuha ang maliit na bag saka lumisan sa sariling pamamahay.
Humugot siya ng hininga para kalmahin ang sarili habang binabaybay ang daan papunta sa party ng Vistal Corp. She can't believe what just happened. Hindi niya inaasahan na sasabihin 'yon ni Chanel Hope.
