Chapter 20

Friend he said. Xiomara was just his friend. Bullshit.

I watched them talk closely and how they interacted with each other. I don't believe they were just friends. I highly believe they already fuck back in Cape Town. I don't know why I was letting this affect me, but Konstantin brought me here just to show me the girl he hooked up with and disturbed me from getting some rest. He was full of bullshit. I should get used to it.

"I still can't believe you're here, Kons!" she said lively. I tried to act nice because she really seemed so kind. If I've come off rude to her, surely Konstantin will hate me. This was her friend so I mustn't embarrass him. What should he be embarrassed about, huh? "I wasn't expecting to see you sooner. I thought you'd be flying to London where you would spend your Christmas until New Year there?"

He smirked, shaking his head. "Well, change of plans I guess. A lot of things had happened, honestly."

"I can see that. . ." Her eyes shifted on me as if I was the one she was talking about. She was smiling at me so I smiled as well. I wouldn't know, but Konstantin might be checking my behavior toward her. "I'm sorry if I kept looking at you, Atissa. You might not know about this, but I was following you on Instagram! I just saw your photo on the search page and I thought you were so pretty."

"Oh, really?! I'm sorry, I don't interact much on Instagram, but I'll check it and follow you back. . ." I said to her.

"I thought you knew her," Konstantin asked Xiomara, but she shook her head. They continued talking to each other, and somehow while I was looking at her, I remembered something. I quickly checked her Instagram profile, and she was right that she was following me. When I scrolled down on her page, I thought I was right and yes I was. It was her profile that I found on Konstantin's page because they've got a photo together back in Cape Town. I couldn't help, but laugh upon my realization. Konstantin looked at me weirdly, but I didn't give him much attention.

It seemed like he was all over her and he didn't notice if I was still around, so I tried to find a way to sneak out and get away from them. I felt like I was put on a mission by hiding and escaping them. Luckily, I was able to get out of their sight and have a chance for me to look around by myself.

I have no idea where to go or if I get lost, I don't know how to go to their mansion in Forbes Park. I'm not sure if Uber is available so I could still get back home when it was time for me to go back home. I turned my phone off because I'm sure once he figured out that I wasn't with them, he would start texting and calling me like I was his girl. He shouldn't bother himself to do that. In fact, he didn't need me when Xiomara got all of his attention.

As I escaped from them, I went to the second floor of the building and went through a Bridgeway and another Bridgeway. I started to get lost, but I didn't mind. I was mesmerized by how this mall seemed to be so different from the malls I've gone to in Mykonos. I was wearing a black dress and boots. I haven't had a chance to change my clothes and I've got this on for almost twenty-four hours now.

I thought to go to the nearest clothing shop even though I didn't have cash and local money. When I found a clothing store for women, I went inside and started looking for dresses. I haven't brought so much since we would only be here for a week or so. I wasn't even sure if Konstantin had a plan of going to Palawan. I've heard that island was so great so I'm crossing my fingers we would go there.

I checked the dresses and I thought some of them were nice. One of the staff came to me asking if I wanted to try them on. I wanted to, but I don't have the money to pay for them. But I still went on and tried them just to see if I looked good in them. They wouldn't even know that I didn't have the money to buy these expensive dresses.

I don't think I could afford them back in Mykonos.

I took a few dresses with me to the fitting room and I was so happy that they all looked so gorgeous, but I was just sad that I couldn't take them soon. After trying them all out, I told the staff that it doesn't suit me well so I don't think I would be buying them. She said, I really looked nice in them. GIRL, I KNOW. I just don't have the money.

"Excuse me," we only stopped talking when a man, I believe in his forties, came to us. "I feel like I know you. . ." he said, pointing at me.

I creased my forehead. "Are you sure? I think you might be thinking of someone else. . ."

He hummed, rubbing his chin with his fingers. "Well, I think I knew you. . . Aren't you buying all those dresses? I think they all looked good in you."

I tried not to think weirdly, but I couldn't help it. "Excuse me, if you don't mind me asking, who are you?"

He grinned. "Well, I would be so glad to introduce myself to you, I'm Harold. I'm a Talent Manager in a Talent Agency for Modelling. I think you're a perfect fit for some projects that we currently have. May I know what's your name again?"

"I'm Atissa Aramouni!"

"Right! I knew I recognized you," he said, snapping his finger. "I've found your Instagram before and I thought you could be a great model. If you may correct me, you're Greek, right?"

I nodded. "Yes, I'm Half-Filipino and Half-Greek. I won't go into details, but I don't think I'm the right person you were looking for. I'm not a Modelling material."

"No, you are, Atissa. Do you want to be my talent? I could connect you to bigger brands and you will earn a lot of money and recognition. I just have to say that. I'm based in Dubai, but I'm here in the Philippines for a quick vacation, and look where I got to meet. So, are you interested?"

I shrugged it off because I didn't know what to say. "Alright. I think I would buy those dresses for you and take these dresses to the studio and there you would make your decision if you would like to do modeling."

"What's the catch?"

He smiled and shook his head. "There's no catch, Atissa. This is a genuine offer. To tell you honestly, I often met my talents when I bumped into them in the mall or at events. Some do make their decisions quickly because they know how big of a deal this opportunity is. What do you think?"

I still didn't utter a word, but he already told the staff who were with me that he would pay for all the dresses I tried in the fitting room. He would purchase all those dresses for me. I tried to stop him because he didn't need to do that, but he insisted. We were at the counter and the cashier punched all the dresses. I was so shocked that he paid them amounting to fifteen thousand pesos. I was a little skeptical, but he said he was genuine with it so I guess I don't have to worry about it.

Before he went, he gave me his calling card which he mentioned to give him a call when I finally decided to pursue that kind of job. I left the clothing store carrying more than ten bags in both hands. I still couldn't believe how I ended up getting all this stuff when I didn't even have money on me.

Later on, someone came rushing to me and held me in my arms. I panicked a little since I thought they would do something bad to me, but I quickly figured out who they were when the man who was holding me in my arms mentioned Konstantin's name. I let out an exhausted grunt as I thought I was able to get away from them, it hadn't been an hour, and here I was.

Another of Konstantin's guards came to us and grabbed the bags from me. I tried not to give it to him, but he took them all and he was the one who carried them for me. I mean, okay, take it away.

They led me back to where their boss was and when we finally met them, I saw his his face. He was quite mad at me, but he couldn't show his true colors when Xiomara was with us. It was very subtle, but I knew when we headed back home, he would murder me.

"Where have you been? Why would you—we'll talk later," he said, and his jaw clenched. I knew he was mad at me. But I didn't ruin his date with Xiomara. I don't think he should mind me. I'm not a child anymore so I don't need his parenting.

"We were looking for you," Xiomara said.

"Well, lucky for you guys, you found me," I said blatantly, shrugging my shoulder. 

At that point, Konstantin talked to one of his guards again. I don't have any idea what was it, but the next thing I knew, this guard came to me and ordered me to follow him. When Konstantin told me to come with them as they would take me home, I didn't say anything, but turned around and followed these guards.

As I walked with them heading out of the building, I knew that I didn't do anything wrong. I wasn't rude to anyone. It was just me. I was just being myself, and if people have a hard time accepting that, I think it wasn't my problem anymore.

When we stepped out of the mall's premises, the car was waiting for us. One opened the door for me and another one put all of the shopping bags in the trunk. Once everything was settled, one of the guards sat in the front passenger seat and the driver drove the car away.

I couldn't stop heaving out a sigh as we traversed the heavy traffic heading back to the Galluccio's Mansion in Makati. I felt so exhausted and that's why when we finally reached the mansion, they woke me up and announced that we were here. I stepped out of the car and a house staff helped me carry all the shopping bags to my room.

"Do you need anything, Ma'am?" he asked.

"Uhm. . . Do you have some wine? Like any kind of wine would do."

He quickly nodded at me. "Yes, ma'am. We will deliver it to you. I'll be right back."

As soon as he left to get me some wine, I turned around to see my room and the shopping bags on the floor. I didn't have the energy to fix all of this stuff so I went to bed and lay down freely. I felt the comfort of the bed and the cold temperature inside the room brought so much chill around. I took my phone and later on, a flood of calls and messages came through and all of them came from Konstantin. I looked at his social media and there was nothing in it, but when I checked Xiomara's profile, she posted a new story. I clicked it and she posted that they were in some Ferris wheel that got a view of the sea next to the mall earlier. 

I'm sure they fucked, he wasn't just being honest with me.

Later on, the wine arrived and then I drank until I felt like my body shutting down.

***