He paused, letting the weight of his words settle.
"If you agree, we'll set a meeting with their legal team. You'll sign directly under the company, and from that moment on, you're officially a Modélo model."
I closed the folder slowly, my hands slightly trembling.
"This... changes everything," I said.
Sebastian smiled faintly. "Exactly. So take your time. Read every line. Ask questions. This isn't just a contract. This is a commitment."
I nodded, my thoughts racing, knowing deep down that once I signed my name, there would be no turning back.
"But I have a scandal that just recently died down. Are they still fine with it?" tanong ko, my voice low, careful, because this opportunity was too big to be careless about.
Sebastian didn't look surprised. Instead, he sighed softly and folded his hands on top of the desk, as if he had already anticipated that question.
"They know," he said calmly. "They didn't find out accidentally. Their team did a full background check before they even contacted me."
Napakurap ako. "And they still want me?"
"Yes," he answered without hesitation. "They monitored how the issue spread, how fast it cooled down, and how you handled yourself. You didn't fuel it. You didn't release statements out of emotion. You stayed quiet. From their perspective, that was the smartest move."
I leaned back against the chair, my heart still pounding. "So it's not a problem?"
"It was a concern," he corrected. "But not a deal-breaker."
He opened another page from the folder and pointed to a highlighted section.
"They added additional clauses because of it," Sebastian continued. "For the first six months, your public exposure will be controlled. No personal interviews, no live streams, and limited social media posts. Everything goes through their PR team."
"So they'll manage my image," I said.
"Exactly. They'll clean it, polish it, and redirect the narrative," he replied. "They're very good at that. By the time your first major campaign drops, most people will have forgotten the scandal completely."
I clenched my jaw. "And if it resurfaces?"
"They already planned for that," he said firmly. "There's a crisis protocol. If anything comes up, you're not allowed to respond on your own. The company handles everything. Statements, press, legal action if necessary."
There was a long pause.
"They're investing in you," Sebastian added, his voice serious. "Which means they'll protect their investment."
I let out a slow breath. "So... they're really okay with it."
"They are," he said. "As long as you follow the rules."
I stared at the contract again, the pages suddenly heavier than before.
"This isn't just about talent anymore," I murmured. "It's about discipline."
Sebastian nodded. "That's what separates models who fade out from models who last."
I looked up at him, uncertainty and excitement twisting together in my chest. "If I sign this... there's no room for mistakes, is there?"
"There's always pressure," he said gently. "But you won't be alone. Once you sign, you're under their wing."
My fingers hovered over the edge of the folder.
"Give me until tomorrow," I said quietly. "I need to think."
Sebastian smiled, understanding. "Of course. Big decisions deserve clear minds."
As I stood up, one thought kept repeating in my head. This wasn't just a comeback. This was a second chance.
"What did your manager say?" Tanong ni Zether nang paandarin na niya ang makina ng kotse niya.
I'm still in utter shock. My heart feels so heavy right now because of full happiness. I'm glad I didn't give up.
"Do you know the Modélo Company?" I asked him, which made him raise his brows.
"Yeah, what about it?" Tanong niya pabalik.
"They want me to sign a contract with them." Nang masabi ko iyon, bigla na lang niyang hininto yung kotse kaya malapit ako masubsub at buti na lang ay naka-seat belt ako.
"Really? That's good news." He faced me and hugged me kaya hindi ko mapigilang humiyaw dahil sa saya.
"We should go to Troy and share it with him," ani ko, kaya tumangi siya.
And when we got to this condo at sinubukan siyang tawagan, ay cannot be reached iyon. And when we asked the front desk, she said that she had seen him with a maleta, so the only thing that Zeth and I thought is that he would be in Cebu and he did. Mukhang dismayado pa nga siya nang makita niya kami.
"Ang tagal ni Troy, baka sinolo na niya yung pizza," sabi ko habang naghahanda na ng mga baso.
"Baka lang naghihintay sa sukli ng driver," sagot ni Zether sa akin na ikinasimangot.
"Hindi ba uso sa kaniya ang keep the change?" I sarcastically said.
"Pero Zeth, papayag ba ako sa kompanya na iyon?"
"Bakit mo naman natanong?"
"It's because you know I hate being controlled, right? But the moment I signed the papers, hawak na nila ako. Baka nga hindi na tayo masyadong magkita dahil doon at mabubusy din ako."
"But you love modeling, right?"
"Oo naman, I've come to love it."
"So go for it. Kung hindi mo na gusto at nasasakal ka na sa kanila, then don't renew the contract."
Napaisip ako sa sinabi ni Zeth, and he was right, I should at least try and take the opportunities that they gave me.
Aakmang kukuha na sana ako ng panibagong baso, but that stopped me from doing it when Troy entered the house and when I saw someone behind him, my jaw almost dropped to the floor.
Who is she or he? I can tell he's a man because of his physical build, the way his shoulders sit just a little too broad, the quiet certainty in how he stands. But the moment your eyes reach his face, all certainty blurs. Beautiful, pretty, handsome, cute, every word battles for space and loses all meaning at the same time. His features refuse to settle into just one category, as if he was sculpted without choosing a side.
Porcelain skin that looks almost unreal under the light, soft brown hair falling in gentle disarray, and those siren eyes, deep and magnetic, the kind that pull you in slowly until you don't realize you've stopped breathing. Looking at him makes my knees weaken not from desire alone, but from awe. He's like a living contradiction, delicate and dangerous, quiet yet commanding, as if angels and demons both tried to claim him and failed.
Like a painting that was never meant to exist in real life. There's something holy in the way he looks untouched by the world, and something sinful in how easily he could ruin you with a glance.
I've always been confident in my looks, in my flirty eyes, in the way people naturally gravitate toward me when I walk into a room. I know how to hold a gaze, how to smile just enough to make someone wonder. But standing near him, that confidence wavers.
Compared to him, I know that if anyone in the modeling industry ever sets their eyes on him, they wouldn't see competition, they'd see divinity. They would bow without being asked, willingly, instinctively. He wouldn't have to chase opportunities. Opportunities would chase him, trip over themselves, beg to be chosen.
"Lev, right?" I asked since I'd gotten the chance to talk with him alone.
"Right," he chuckled, which made me unable to speak further. Nahihiya ako sa kaniya at alam ko dahil yun sa ganda na taglay niya.
"You're from here?" Of course I asked the dumbest question ever.
"Mag-kapitbahay lang kami," he said as he looked back at Troy, which made me nod.
"You look really..." I paused when I said that.
Hindi ko alam ang saktong word kung paano idedescribe yung mukha niya ngayon. He was beyond any words I could imagine. Tangina talaga si Troy, hindi man lang kami pinakilala sa kaniya nang bumisita kami dito noon. Makasarili talaga.
"Weird?" he continued, which made me frown.
"No, not weird," I hurriedly said since he might think wrongly about it. "I can't totally describe it."
Shit. Shit. Shit. This is the first time I never knew how to talk with someone. Baka nawala nga yung confidence ko at yung flirty fox eyes ko nung sinabi yun ni Zeth sa akin dahil nagmumukha na akong tanga dito.
"Androgynous. I look like androgynous. Is that what you wanted to say?" he said, smiling, that made my heart beat so fast. Tangina?
"Yeah, androgynous," I said, nodding, biting my lower lip. "Gucci would love to have you with them. You should try modeling."
In Levaunni, masculinity shows in the structure: the breadth of his shoulders, the quiet confidence in the way he stands, the grounded presence that makes a room feel smaller. Femininity lives in the details: the softness of his features, the elegance in his movements, the way his expressions carry emotion without effort. One does not overpower the other. They are balanced, intentional.
When I saw how red his face was, I looked away. Did he hate that? Maybe I said something wrong.
"Sorry," I muttered as I peeked to look at his face.
"It's okay, but I'm not into modeling. I prefer being a journalist," he said, smiling, which made me smile too.
If he's just like a flower, then he's a sunflower. It's people's favorite.
They were all in the living room watching the movie. Nandito lang ako sa kitchen at hindi pa pumunta doon since I'm stuck looking at the missed calls and messages from Trevor Cole. There are plenty of them, it reaches hundreds.
Today 9:46 AM
@trevorcole: I already deleted it so could you please not drop it off?
I swear it didn't mean anything, it was stupid and careless.
I wasn't thinking. I wasn't thinking about how it would hurt you.
Please, that's not how I want this to end.
Today 10:01 AM
@trevorcole: Are we fine Yuri Damian? you could not possibly really end it right?
You're just mad. You always go quiet when you're mad.
Say something. Anything.
Tell me to fuck off if you want, just don't disappear on me.
Today 12:51 PM
@trevorcole: I'm still picking you up at 6.
I know you read this, I know you did.
Could you please just send me a message?
Even a single word.
I'm really sorry for pissing you off. I hate that I did this to us.
Today 3:27 PM
@trevorcole: I'm here asking for forgiveness, Yuri Damian Ferrari.
I know I've crossed the line.
I know how shitty I am for being such a jerk.
I wasn't trying to replace you. I was never looking anywhere else.
Will you accept my apology?
Can I still be worthy of your forgiveness?
I'll do better. I swear I will.
Today 5:05 PM
@trevorcole: I'm on my way.
Please don't shut me out.
Not this time around.
I can't lose you like this, not without even a conversation.
I need to see you. I need to explain, properly.