It's been two days since Deana arrived... in these two days, she just stayed inside her condo not to avoid the media, but she's finishing her book. After quitting show business, she pursues one of her passions, which is being a novelist.
During these two years, she spent her time on other things she wanted to achieve next. Leaving the country for good, she gained success secretly in the field she could hide her identity, and being a novelist gave her victory.
She carried out her pen name as Shadow Princess, a writer who wears mascara during her book signing. She always put this caption on her books, 'Sometimes, beauty lasts behind the shadow... it will shine when the lights are out.' that leaves her with a mysterious identity.
Deana stretched her arms upward. She massaged her shoulder and shook her neck side by side... She's been sitting in front of her laptop these past two days. She needs some exercise to improve her fitness because the wedding will hold one week from now on; it is time for beauty rest and recharging her energy.
Her nose caught the excellent aroma of her favorite dish, and so she decided to get out of her bedroom and go to the kitchen. Nanay Amalia is cooking Pork Adobo, one of her favorite Filipino foods. Her grandma used to cook them when she was a kid every time she visited Switzerland.
"Nanay, I am planning on my diet to start today, but you tempted me," she complained, putting her right arm around Amalia's shoulder. The middle-aged woman laughed.
"What are you talking about? I know, even how much you have eaten, you didn't gain weight that easily." The lady said.
That is the truth anyway. She is one of those people who doesn't quickly get fat. Aside from her regular exercises, she is perfectly fit naturally. All she needs to do is a little diet, balancing her daily food with nutritious stuff. She never had a hard time doing it because she loves vegetables.
"I am done cooking; I'll prepare the table now," Amalia stated.
"Okay, nanay. I'll make a salad," she told the lady.
She went to the double-door refrigerator and located where the fresh lettuce and cucumber has stored. She picks a lot of tomatoes and then mayonnaise. "Do we have apple cider, nanay?" she looked up and glanced on her left shoulder to ask the lady.
"Oh, yes. In the cabinet beyond my reach. Only Jana, who is often using it, so just put it away."
She chuckles. Nanay Amalia makes it sound like a joke. This average-height middle-aged woman seems small, but she knows how terrible she was when protecting her loved ones. She knew because Nanay Amalia once covered her when an anti-fan threw something at her when she and Jana checked in at the airport.
She hugged this lady and whispered, "I love you, Nanay."
"I love you too, Anak..." she replied, then continued placing the food on the table she prepared for them.
She's now done the cooking, and she was packed that she almost couldn't breathe. She needs to hit the gym later. This condo has three workout gyms. One is in Super VIP on the 40th floor, one on the 28th floor, and the economy is located on the 17th floor, and she has a membership in the Super VIP service.
Today is Wednesday, so the chances of people she'll meet in the gym later were only a tiny number. Besides, members of SVIP are mostly respectable people who don't like to gossip. They have the businesses of their lives, and it seems only those lower people love talking over the small stuff.
Deana glanced at the wall clock. Almost two in the afternoon. She put down her phone and got up from the sofa to prepare to go to hit the gym. She needs to change her workout attire. After changing, she picks up Deanna's membership card and a white face towel she hangs on her neck, leaving her phone on her bed.
She pats Nanay Amalia's shoulder to let her know she's going out. The lady, who was surprised a bit, just nodded and smiled. She is earnest about the program she is watching. She turns head to the TV and saw it was a Korean drama she was watching. She let out a soft laugh and shook her head. She is not surprised; nanay Amalia is a Gong Yo die-hard fan.
Deana is now taking the elevator to the 40th floor. The gym was located in the middle of this Solaris Twin Tower. The gym is a room alone and a full glass workout room that is visible from the outside. There is also a five to ten-foot pool of two hundred square meters. There's also a tennis and basketball court under a thick fiberglass roof.
She's walking toward the gym when a familiar figure suddenly rises from the pool. She was startled a little, then calmed down... but the person finishing a swim was more surprised than she was. She stares at his handsome face, and she wants to laugh at how his eyes want to jump out.
"Deana?" he burst out, totally shocked than being the one that surprises seeing her.
A few residents are hanging out in the pool, and they heard him bursting her name. Now they got everyone's attention, like watching a Korean drama.
What he's doing here? It's Wednesday, still office hours, so why this man, of all people? How unlucky for her to see this man today. Deana thought. She's about to say something when suddenly someone speaks behind her.
"Well, well, well... look who's here!"