Tahimik lamang siyang nakasunod dito nang silay lumabas sa elevator. Natulala agad siya nang makita ang modernong disenyo ng roof garden. Kailanman talaga ay numero uno siyang fan ng kalikasan. Green is actually her favorite because green is for nature. She got fascinated with the raised beds on the side. There was bamboo bonsai on it that serves as border while shrubs and ground plants perfectly place on some parts where she thinks she can lay down.
Her eyes stayed on the purple flowers on the basket pot. They were tiny and very catchy. Sadly, she's not into flowers and not familiar with that one.
A lady with an obvious wig appeared on her sight. She's smiling cheerfully when she offers a hand. "Hi. I am Timmy, your make-up buddy for today."
Pinaunlakan niya iyon habang pinapakilala ang sariling pangalan. Hinila siya nito papaupo sa wooden chair. She's obviously professional on how she moved fast and tidy. On the same spot, Mr. Ross taught her what she will do; to where be the cameras and what to project.
"Alright. Tell me if you're ready," Mr. Ross commanded.
Nang iwan siya ni Mr. Ross at maramdaman ang atensyon ng lahat, doon na siya ginapangan nang nag-uumapaw na kaba. Her heart was beating loud as if there was a microphone inside her body.
She surveyed the place to collect some encouragement. From Mr. and Mrs. Friis who were giving their proud smile on their lips while Timmy looks excited. Sa harapan nito si Mr. Ross at ang ilan sa mga crew ay nagbigay din ng kanilang suporta.
Natatawa niyang kinagat ang ibabang labi dahil nahuli niyang naghaharutan sila Fred at Colin, habang si Pao naman ay sinasabihan ang mga itong tumahimik. Nilipat niya ang tingin kay Shawn, kumindat ito sa kanya. Pero tumagos sa likuran nito ang kanyang atensyon.
A tingling feeling crossed her neck when she craned it to look on the silhouette from the closed window.
Sabay-sabay lumingon ang mga kasama niya sa kanyang tinitingnan. She awkwardly signaled the Director – Mr. Ross. "I'm ready!" she declared.
She saw the familiar red light. Doon agad dumiretso ang tingin niya habang namumungay ang mata at bahagyang nakaawang ang bibig. Madali lang talaga ang gustong ipagawa ni Mr. Ross, pero ngayon niya lang iyon napagtanto noong makita si Malik.
How could that guy give her a booster? He's not doing anything but the hell of her inner goddess felt the hype.
From her left side, she saw the next red dot. She stood up elegantly, while her eyes were pulling an attraction to anyone who's looking at the camera. She even wiped the backrest of the chair and looked back on the red dot.
Ramdam ng kanyang hubad na paa ang gaspang ng inaapakan pero ininda niya iyon at tumitig sa gawi ni Malik. He was now standing next to Shawn. Dashing in his corporate attire and hiding his menacing eyes through sunglasses.
She wanted to see it right now, so she stepped forward to reach for him. But the red dot from her back lit up. She has to turn there but Malik's presence was unavoidable. Marahan siyang humakbang palapit dito. At dahil sa nakaharang na bonsai ay nalungkot siya. She even clenched her heart as if she's unfortunate or unhappy with that.
She disappointingly looked down and shook her head.
"What's going on?"
She heard a voice from the crew, but Mr. Ross just lets her do her little adlib.
Muli siyang tumingin kay Malik at marahang inilahad ang kamay upang abutin ito.
"That's a wrap. Very good, Iha! I am very impressed!" Mr. Ross shouted.
Lahat ay nagpalakpakan dahil doon. Si Timmy ay agad lumapit sa kanya para ibigay ang towel.
Hindi siya makapaniwala sa nangyari. Aware siyang nagkamali siya, pero nang marinig niyang natuwa si Mr. Ross ay gusto niyang maiyak. Binalingan niya si Timmy na nahawa sa kanyang emosyon. Naluluha niyang kinuha ang towel para punasan ang kumawalang luha.
Mrs. Friis immediately hugs her. "We are very proud of you."
"Walang retake. Grabe, ang lupet!" Si Fred nakipag-appear kay Pao.
Natatawa na naluluha niyang hiniwalayan ang ina para tumingin kay Fred. Sa likuran nito ay si Mr. Ross at Mr. Friis na kapwa nakangiti.
"Congratulations, Ms. Winona!" dalawa sa mga crew ni Mr. Ross ang bumati at nakipagkamay. "Finalize lang namin ito para sa opening. See you at the main." Ani nang mga ito bago umalis.
Saglit siyang pumikit para magpasalamat sa maykapal bago dumilat. Si Malik agad ang una niyang nakita kaya inatake siya nang kakaibang kilabot sa katawan.
"You've nailed it!" Shawn opened his arm to welcome her from a bliss hug. And she took it, she hugged him back while jumping because of overwhelming happiness.
"Iha, sumunod kayo sa baba. Aasikasuhin lang namin 'yung ilang kailangang gawin." Si Mrs. Friis inagaw siya kay Shawn para humalik sa pisngi at yumakap sa anak na lalaki. "Kumain na kayo sa baba." Tumingin ito kay Malik. "Iho, buti naman at nakahabol ka."
Malik exchanged a hug from her before she leaves them.
She's talking with Timmy when she caught the two ladies from Mr. Ross team gawking at Malik.
Malik was sitting with Shawn's group. They were talking with something hilarious because of Fred's exaggerated action but his attention was on her.
Tumingin agad siya kay Timmy matapos ay pumikit. Pinapatanggal niya rito ang heavy make-up na nilagay kanina sa kanya. Timmy was suggesting some tips on re-doing the make-up on easy way. She'd requested her to re-apply her mascara. Kumalat iyon kanina noong kusutin niya.
Magkakasabay silang bumaba at kumain.
Timmy stayed on her side even if her job was already done. Umamin kasi itong crush daw nito ang kapatid niyang si Shawn.
Time run really past when her nervousness visited her chest once again. But this time she can't figure out why? Tapos naman na ang pagharap niya sa camera. Ang totoo si Mrs. Friis na ang spotlight ng opening dahil siya ang designer.
She stayed on the big screen to watch the mini clip of her. Hindi niya mapigilang mamangha sa finished product niyon. Ako ba talaga 'yan?
"O, si Ma'am Jyra nga!"
Wala sa sarili niyang nilingon ang dalawang lalaki.
TInuturo siya noong isa habang paulit-ulit na binabanggit ang totoo niyang pangalan. "Si Ma'am nga! Tara lapitan natin," pagkumbinsi nito sa kasama. He even pulled his lad's shirt to come with him.
Hindi pa man nakakalapit ay hinarang na ni Shawn ito.
"Excuse me!" Iyong isang lalaki na ang nagsalita, mababakasan nang iritasyon ang mukha.
Kumaway 'yung lalaki at muling isinigaw ang totoo niyang pangalan. Natulos siya sa kinatatayuan noong lingonin siya ni Shawn nang buong pagtataka. He seems annoyed.
Maging si Timmy ay naguguluhang tumingin sa kanya. "Ikaw 'yung tinuturo noong lalaki. Kilala mo? Sino si Jyra?" bulong pa nito.
Nakawala ang isa sa mga lalaki na hinarang ni Shawn at nakalapit sa kanya. "Ma'am Jyra, hindi po namin alam na may clothing line business na rin pala kayo."
Parang binuhusan ng malamig na tubig ang katawan niya nang mabasa ang pagkagulat sa mukha ni Shawn. Maging si Timmy ay napatakip ng bibig at bahagyang dumistansya sa kanya. Fred, Colin and Pao were speechless as she dig her grave on that spot.
Nagsimulang mangilid ang kanyang luha habang umiiling.
"Shawn—"
Hindi niya na natapos ang sasabihin nang biglang sumulpot si Mrs. Friis sa harapan niya para hawakan siya sa braso. "Iha, Mr. Ross wants to show you something." Lumingon ito kay Shawn. "You look pale, Shawn."
Parehas silang tulala ni Shawn kaya noong hilahin siya ng ginang ay saka lang siya nakahinga. Mr. Ross was explaining something but she can't comprehend it because her mind was floating somewhere. She's just nodding her head or sometimes giving a weak smile.
Malik was present too, but he was on a group of old men. Wala ito sa eksena kanina kaya habang lutang ang utak niya'y tiyak na nababasa nito sa kanyang buong mukha.
Two old woman join on their group. Medyo hindi na siya makasunod sa agos ng topic kaya agad siyang nagpaalam sa ina para mag-toilet. Ang bilis nang bawat hakbang niya. Inalog-alog din niya ang kamay, nagbabaka-sakaling mabawasan ang inaalala niya.
Nang siya'y papaliko sa isang hilera ng jeans, napahinto agad siya sa biglang pagsulpot ni Shawn. Kung kanina ay formal ito at nakangiti, ngayon ay mukha itong hindi sasanto ng kahit sino o kahit pa siya. Naka-unbutton ang first three buttons ng white bottom nito. His kind and angelic aura were now dangerous and menacing.
"You're not my sister," bulong nito.
She remains silent and guilty. Ano bang puwede niyang gawin kung hindi tanggapin ang galit nito sa kanya. She lied to him. She took someone's identity and probably he was thinking what are her reasons? Why did she do that? And where is his sister?
"Who are you?"
Tuluyang dumaloy ang luha sa kanyang mga mata. Seeing Shawn's accusing eyes makes her heart torn and ache. She's guilty of letting him think that she's truly his sister. Hindi niya kasi mapigilan. Itinuring niya na itong tunay na kapatid.
"Ano ba? Hindi ka naman pipe. Magsalita ka, sino ka?"
Nagitla siya sa biglang pagsigaw nito. Ang ilan sa mga namimili ng damit ay nakuha nila ang atensyon habang ang ilan ay nakilala agad siya dahil sa mini clip sa entrance ng Candella.
Pumikit siya nang mariin bago sumagot, "Tama ka. Hindi nga ako si Winona."
"That's bullshit. Then, who are you? Tell me!"
Nanginginig niyang kinagat ang kanyang ibabang labi. Hindi siya makatingin kay Shawn sa sobrang hiya. Para siyang criminal sa harapan nito, nagnakaw at nahuli sa akto. Walang kawala kahit ano pang gawing pag-iwas o pagtago ng katotohanan.
"I'm really sorry, Shawn. I should tell you this in the first place. Jyra. My name is Jyra."
Mapang-insultong tumawa si Shawn. "The liar's true name. Sabihin mo nga sa akin, ganito ba talaga ang kaya mong gawin? Ang magpanggap?" He mockingly cocked his head to make himself more menacing. "Do you enjoy doing this? Fooling us around? Wait... alin sa mga ginawa mo ang totoo... hmmmm, baka wala."
Parang sinaksak ng kutsilyo ang dibdib niya sa sakit ng mga pinawalang salita ni Shawn. But what else should she do? She has to endure them all. He is right. She's a liar.
"Anong ginawa mo sa kapatid ko? Nasaan siya?"
Naging malusog ang daloy ng luha niya noong hawakan ng mariin ni Shawn ang kanyang braso. Masakit iyon pero hindi siya nagreklamo. She's willing to accept his wrath because this is what she deserves.
"That's enough, Shawn!"
Gulat niyang tiningnan si Malik na siyang nakatayo sa kanyang harapan. Shawn was stilling holding her arm but with Malik's three simple words his gripped loosen until he slowly let her go.
She watched the two. They were both silent but in their eyes, she can see the imaginary electric current clashing dangerously.