Chapter 48

Primrose

I bit my lips and threw my phone on the bed.

“I told you, stop reading comments, Primrose.”

Pouting my lips, I sat beside Ate Alice and leaned on her shoulder. She giggled before her hand made its way on my cheek and tapped it lightly. “Stop torturing yourself, okay?”

She let out a sigh when I didn’t respond.

It’s been a week now and nothing has changed. Our silence was something that only angered the fans even more. The lack of projects and exposures of the SBG didn’t even help.

“I’m tired. Mentally and emotionally,” I admitted. Ate didn’t say anything, that's why I continued. “I couldn’t think of anything that would fix or even just calm the situation. I can’t kick Loey out of the group that would never be an option.” A sigh escaped from my lips. “I also can’t ignore the fact that the company’s also taking huge damage from this issue. That's why I have to do something but it was getting too exhausting.”

I wasn’t born to be the center of attraction, especially to be someone who people could judge openly.

If I was getting drained and hurt by it, what more of those who’ve been dealing with a lot of issues, harsh comments, and judgment for years or decades already? Reading the comments about the witch secret CEO made me cry for a day. What more about the other artists who’ve been receiving those kinds of comments every single day?

I remembered Kuya Rence broke down before because he read someone calling him names and even involving his family.

“It might be easier for them to ignore their haters, but seeing those who loved them for years starting to hate them won’t be easy.”

She caressed my cheek and drew a circle on it with her finger. “Is that why you’re avoiding them for the past few days?”

Tumango ako sa kanya.

Noong mga nakaraan ay hindi ako lumalabas ng kwarto kapag nasa bahay habang kinukulong ko rin ang sarili ko sa opisina. Kumakain din ako sa labas kasama si Ate Alice minsan kapag alam kong nandito lang sina Loey. 

Even in the office, they weren’t allowed to visit me. Ate was the one who told them about it. It’s the boundary I set for the time being. I couldn’t face them. I won’t be able to look them in their eyes without feeling guilty. Without blaming myself, again.

Kahit na magalit ako kay Karlin ay hindi ko pa rin maiwasan na hindi sisihin ang aking sarili.

If Loey didn’t marry me then maybe his fans won’t turn against him.

“Primrose.” There was a warning in her tone as she said my name. I pouted and sat straight.

“I’m not drowning myself in my thoughts, Ate,” I said.

She eyed me suspiciously. I quickly stood and forced a smile. “I’m kinda thirsty. I’ll just go get myself some water. Do you want some?”

“I’m good. Ayaw mo bang ako na lang kumuha?”

“It’s fine. I can do it.”

Ate let me out of my room and stayed there. She laid down on my bed and told me that she would take a nap first. I let her rest in my room. Ang dami niya rin ginawa at inasikaso para sa akin. Physically, she must be tired.

Before I could even take my last step, I heard voices coming from the kitchen.

“What do you think will happen?” 

It was Kuya Eros!

“I don’t know, Kuya. I just hope that everything will be okay.”

I stopped in my tracks as I listened to Dredleigh and Kuya Eros. My heart stopped beating when my name was mentioned.

"Primrose will have it harder than us. She’s getting more criticism. I was worried for the group and Loey, but seeing how Primrose was avoiding us means she perceived the situation as something heavy, well it is heavy,” Kuya said.

“Well, the good thing about how our projects got canceled is that we can treat it as our vacation. Still, having an almost empty schedule is somehow sad," Dred replied. "And you're right. I can't bear to see her struggling because of the situation."

Tuluyan na akong bumalik sa aking silid habang nakahawak sa kaliwang dibdib ko. They’ve been home more often since there were other projects that got canceled. To be honest, I miss them. For the past few days, I feel like I’m longing for their presence, their noise, and just them beside me. Yet, I couldn’t bring myself to even just share the same space with them anymore.

I need to distance myself from them.

Nang makabalik ako sa kwarto ay nasulyapan ko ang mahimbing na tulog ni Ate Alice. Napangiti ako nang kaonti. Inayos ko ang kanyang kumot at hindi siya ginising pa.

I don't mind sharing my bed with her. I remember how I always asked her to sleep beside me when I was younger.

I shook every negative thoughts away.

Sana nga ay maging okay din ang lahat.

Ayoko na nasa akin ang atensyon ng mga taong hindi ko naman kilala. Ayoko rin na nahihirapan ang SBG.

I have to do something now.

“Are you sure about this, Primrose?” Uncle Reylan asked. “You know that you’ll be putting the Empire in a more tight position.”

I nodded and inhaled deeply. “I know the risk of it. Still, I’ll make up to the damage the company would take once everything’s over.”

He only let out a sigh. “I understand. I’ll trust you in this, Primrose.”

Uncle left the office and talked to Ate Alice for a minute. I know that he has doubts about what I was about to do, Still, I appreciate that he supported me in the end.

Maybe I’m also putting my personal feelings into it and not being professional. But, I don’t want to let it pass that easily. Pursuing legal action was the better choice that we have during the blind item until now, however, I don’t want to be the only person in the spotlight. Since E Entertainment’s in the center of the public’s attention right now, might as well add another drama to it. At least we’ll take the damage in one go.

I thought about it for a week. It wasn’t easy to decide. Just like Uncle and Ate Alice, I was worried about the consequences of it.

I glanced at Ate and nodded. She also did the same in understanding before she picked her phone and walked out of the office to call someone.

“When will it get released?” I asked her once she came back.

“Fifteen minutes from now,” she replied. “Karlin’s also on her way here in the building. As far as I remember she’s going to practice for her performance in a music show she was invited to. No worries, I talked to the producer of the show so she’s still not aware that she was replaced by Sophie.”

A smile formed on my lips. “Thank you, Ate.”

Naisipan kong lumakad muna sa building. I even went to the practice room and monitored our rookies. We postponed the release of their second album because of the situation. Ayoko naman na maapektuhan ang pinaghirapan nila dahil sa nangyayari. 

It’s better to be careful with the release of the projects of our artists. For sure if we release new songs amidst the issue, it would only be seen as a cover or to divert the attention of people. We’ve already used our artists before to cover the matter of Vern’s company, however, we also gained benefit from it. This time, it won’t be the same if we use the rookies.

My brows raised and I stopped in my tracks when Karlin glared at me. She raised her hands and almost slapped me when Ate Alice grabbed her hand.

“What do you think you’re doing, Karlin!” she hissed.

Karlin pulled back her hand. She then pulled out her phone. “I was told that the CEO of E Entertainment was the one who gave the information about the blind item!”

I scoffed. “Oh, that?”

“Oh, that? Are you fucking insane? I am your artist! Shouldn’t you be the one protecting me?” she growled and read the blind item. “One of the soloists in the E Entertainment has sponsors. It was even said that she’s a mistress of someone in the higher-ups of a company. What’s interesting is that she is the one who has a dating scandal with the rapper that’s also involved in a blind item last time.”

The employees looked at us and I didn’t care. Karlin was the one who was causing a scene, not me.

“Now you know the feeling of being in this situation” I said, stepping closer to her. “I told you, right? If you want to stir the public using Loey and me, I’ll do the same to you.”

“I… But it’s not true! I don’t have any sponsors and I am not a mistress.”

"Really?"

Her eyes blinked.

Tiningnan ko ang mga taong nanunuod sa amin. May iba na bumalik sa trabaho pero napapasulyap pa rin sa gawi namin.

I glanced at Ate Alice. She nodded before she walked inside the office. Karlin frowned. 

Bumalik naman kaagad si Ate at inabot sa akin ang isang envelope. I mouthed thanks to her before I faced the employees. They all looked away but I only shook my head.

"You know your contracts. Whatever you hear, you'll keep it a secret for life. Understand?"

They nodded quickly.

Satisfied, I turned to Karlin again who was now staring at me with her lips parted.

Bahagya akong natawa mas lalong nagpakunot ng noo niya. Was I evil for laughing at her reaction? It's really just satisfying to see her irritated.

I opened the envelope and grabbed the copy of the pictures Kuya Rence gave me.

Karlin's eyes widened when I held the picture of her with my uncle then switched to the other pictures of her with some old producers. "I didn't know that you liked old men. But Loey's not that old to fit your taste, Karlin." I sighed dramatically and put the pictures back in the envelope. "I wonder if the media will buy these pictures. Wouldn't it be fun? But, I can't just drag my uncle and the other producers to the mess so I'll ask them to blur their faces and leave only yours. After all, I don't want my auntie to know that her husband cheated on her. I don't want her to know that an artist of E Entertainment became a mistress just to reach the top."

She gritted her teeth and stepped backward. "You can't do that."

"I can," I replied firmly. "And I will. Remember that you brought this upon yourself, Karlin. I'm going to let you experience what I experienced because of you."

I didn't wait for her to reply as I turned my back and returned to my office. I even heard Karlin groan before I slammed the door shut.

Ate Alice followed after a minute. She gazed at me proudly with a ghost of a smile on her face.

Umiling ako’t inayos ang mga papeles na nakakalat sa aking table. I sighed when my eyes went to the screen of my laptop. “Did you contact the PR team, Ate?”

She nodded, opening her tablet. “They will not say anything about Karlin’s issue. However, they are ready to release the statement that the company will take legal action against Karlin because of the breach of contract and that we will terminate her contract.”

I only nodded before I closed the tabs on my laptop.

Once we release the legal action and termination of Karlin’s contract, it might be viewed as a way of diverting the public’s attention to the issue of the secret CEO and Loey. Still, I don’t want to delay things anymore. It’s better this way.

Mahihirapan akong ayusin ulit ang lahat, pero alam ko na hindi ako nag iisa. Para na rin sa ibang artists ng Empire ay kailangan kong gumawa ng paraan para mabalik ang tiwala ng iba sa amin. 

Besides, scandals were always there in this industry. It just depends on how you would handle it and how you would clean yourself to the public. Still, it might also be a taint that you would carry for the rest of your life.

Maraming mas malala pa sa amin  ang isyu pero patuloy pa rin ang career nila sa industriyang ito. Marami rin naman na nabura na ang kanilang pangalan dahil sa isang pagkakamali at hindi na solusyunan kaagad. Sadyang iba lang siguro kapag idol ka. 

Most new fans were teenagers who could be obsessed with the idea that their idols were theirs. That they have a say with the idols dating life.

I massaged my temples. I shouldn’t think about such things. I have to let my mind rest even just for a minute.

“Oh right, the SBG has an interview next week,” said Ate Alice.

My brows furrowed at that. “Interview?”

Hindi ko na gaano tinitingnan ang schedule nila. I also let their manager accept offers on his own. Although there were times where he needed my approval on the major projects. Sa ngayon ay mas pinagtutuunan ko ng pansin ang girl group namin at ang mga rookies.

“Yeah. It was for the success of the concert. Even the other artists went there,” she replied. “Don’t worry, I’ll personally check the questionnaires of the interview.”

Even though I was not yet comfortable with the idea of letting them go out there and sit to answer questions, it was still a good thing that they have something on their schedule.

But never did I imagine that after avoiding Loey and the guys, they would come up with a decision that I wouldn’t want.

That they would do and say something without talking to me first.

***