"I'm afraid I won't be able to go home right now, son. I needed to finish our business plans, and the company's officers did overtime with my supervision. So, just contact your mom if you get bored," was the message his father sent to him through Wechat.
Terrence was so irritated by his mother's SMS that she stayed at her condominium for a few days for business matters and secondly, his father's work related matters. He couldn't understand why his parents sought to shut him in the house for a day and relaxed for nothing.
Jirah, who was just observing him, felt pity as she saw the man's reaction after reading a message on his phone. She resolved to put her personal issues with the actor aside and carry on with their plans.
They attempted to flee the residence in order to avoid the media who had gathered to await the actor's appearance. As they walked out the door, Jirah carried her boss's belongings. When they opened the secret passageway's barrier, they saw a mass of fans gathered and looking for a way inside the mansion.
"Oh my gosh! What the hell are they doing?"
"What's wrong Jirah? Why can't you just open it?" Terrence ordered the maiden who was holding her forehead, implying that they may have a problem, to go out of the house.
Terrence confidently opened the block to see if there was something wrong on the outside. In his great shock, they were unfortunate to continue their first plan.
They went back inside the house. The man was restless while trying to contact Piolo. But, his friend didn't answer his random call. Until he made a call for someone, Jirah created a different strategy out of her experience.
"What would Jirah do there?" the man asked.
Terrence lost his footing and plunged his face into the woman's chest when he shouted that line. Jirah was taken aback as her supervisor abruptly mentioned her, and as she turned around, Terrence's face was lying on her chest.
As his eyes glared at her, she even peered there at the guy's scarlet lips. Jirah's heart was pounding loudly enough for the man to hear.
The man even touched the portion where he felt the woman's nervousness as Jirah's eyes closed.The woman quickly averted the anxiety and embarrassment she felt while stunning her eyes with the man.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to—"
The man's sentence was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell. Jirah was shocked to think that one of the fans of the actor or reporter might want to enter. The actor rushed to open the door and let the swag outfit lady in.
"These are the things you need, Terrence. Just tell me if you are satisfied with it," the woman said.
The woman removed her hat and lowered her mask as she looked back.
The eyes of the two ladies were met as Jirah had been curious about who could be the woman who had been instructed to carry out Terrence's needs.
"You?" they said at the same time.
The actress returned her gaze to the actor just next to her. The actor’s eyes just widened, indicating that he was just calming himself. Aaliyah's eyes were clearly annoyed and angry when she found out that the two were together. She thought the actor asked for help because he was alone and no one could talk. However, she just failed to get attention and to solo the actor.
"I thought you were the only one here. You didn't say your assistant was with you," said Aaliyah, who was sitting at that time and saw the frustration on her face.
"Why? Is there a problem if Terrence and I are together? I should just be here by his side to comfort him and support him in whatever the reporters outside do," Jirah said, who was uncomfortable with their situation in the meantime.
Their conversation didn't continue because the man stopped them. Jirah's mindset was different from the two. She thought that the couple might really have a relationship when she saw Terrence squeeze Aaliyah's hand to calm her down and stop talking.
She then remembered the time when she saw the two kissing in the car. She was positive that the two really have something because the actress seemed to be jealous that her presence with the actor was there.
"Wear that, so we can leave right away. That's why you told me to buy two jackets, because that woman is part of the budget," Aaliyah said in a low voice.
"Aaliyah, please stop." The man scolded her.
"Fine. All right, I'll leave first so you can prepare yourselves, tsk."
Aaliyah brought thick, foamy jackets to protect themselves from being smacked by bystanders when they came out. This is because it provides comfortable clothing that is frequently worn so that if you fall or get harmed, scars do not form on your body right away.
Aaliyah no longer wore such clothes because she was able to control the people outside. She just encouraged the actor to speak so that the reporters would not get tired of waiting outside.
As the two fitted their attire, Aaliyah moved a little away from them to call her men.
"Leo, do what I told you before. Make sure you won't fail. I'll just follow you after I'm here."
"I'll follow, Maam Aaliyah," replied the man on the other line.
Fast forward, the three left the house. They passed the main gate where so many people were waiting there, including the actor’s fans who endured the long-day wait able they could only see the actor’s presence again. Terrence first appeared before the media and then decided to speak first before continuing to walk.
"Everyone, please be quiet first," the man shouted.
They were all silent and attentive to what the actor said. Several microphones were focused near the man's mouth even as they scrambled to capture that moment.
"I'm sorry if I kept you here for a few hours. This is all I can tell you. Terrence Johnson is not leaving the network. I'm still going on with my career. Thank you."
While Terrence was being bombarded with questions, Jirah received a call from a friend. She was nervous at those times, a sign that something bad had happened to her loved one. So, she immediately answered Gwen's call.
"Hello, Gwen?"
"Bessy, help me?" the woman cried. "They kidnapped me... help, help?" Gwen growled loudly.
Jirah could not understand how she felt then. It was as if her heart was breaking when she heard Gwen's voice calling for help. She wanted to run in the middle of a crowd, but she had nowhere to go, so she could quickly find a taxi heading to her friend.
"Bes! Hold on. I'll save you, I promise."
"Jirah, hurry up pleaaase," the friend shouted weakly on the other line.
"Gweeeeen?" she replied loudly.
Jirah heard the friend's faint plea for help, but she could do nothing but wait for the people there to disappear. People were already pushing and shoving there and they were stuck in the middle as if the people around them didn't want to let them pass. When the area suddenly vacated in front of Terrence, the actor was in time to run away from the crowd while Aaliyah pushed Jirah backwards towards the crowd.
The impact of the force pushing Jirah down was so strong that she fell and laid on the people behind her. Terrence took the actress' hand and they bowed as they ran away from the people. Poor Jirah, left alone being stoned and trampled by the fans of the two artists. People blamed her for acting like a knockdown so that their idol escaped.
"Where is Jirah?" asked the actor, who was then gasping from their run.
"I don't know. I thought she followed us. I didn't notice her in the crowd there," the woman replied.
The actor took a deep breath and said, "Just let her be. Come on, wave and stop the car."
The two boarded the taxi quietly, not talking until they reached their destination. They stopped in front of the actor’s condominium and the actress ushered him into the room. Terrence just gave him some water and drove him away afterwards in less than a minute. The woman immediately went straight to her secret hideout where she took Jirah's friend.
When she entered, she found two women who were blindfolded with their hands tied to the chair. The actress was happy to see them because she knew that her men had caught her original bait.
What happened when Jirah was ambushed by reporters and fans of the artists? She was forced to stand even though she was dizzy. She was stranded there for thirty minutes and could hardly move because people blocked him.
Unexpectedly, someone blew a horn in his car and when the man came out, he covered his face with a mask. He drove the people in his path and immediately told Jirah to run to his car. The people did nothing but let the woman escape, and they all went home.
The man delivered Jirah to the address given by the kidnapper. She told the man not to follow her first, because the people she would face were dangerous. When she entered the hideout, she saw Gwen, but instead of rescuing her, she was the one who perished because she was also captured by armed men.
"Good job guys. I can really count on you," Aaliyah said.
Jirah was familiar with that voice, so she immediately pronounced the name, "Aaliyah."
"What do you require from us, you lady?" Aren't you still satisfied with what you did to me before? What kind of person are you to hurt me like this?" an angry complaint from a newly arrived hostage.
The woman removed the blindfolds of the two hostages as she laughed in front of them. She aimed the small knife at Jirah's neck and moved it around the woman's neck.
"If you don't want to die right away, stop asking useless questions. Is that clear?" the irritated actress said.
"You can't stop me, you're an animal. All right, stick that in my neck and when the whole world finds out about the unholy things you did to me, you'd better hide yourself from them," Jirah challenged the villainous actress.
"Eh, your wish is my command. Aaaaaaaaaaa."
"Nooooo," Gwen shouted as Aaliyah was in motion to properly stab her friend's neck.
Jirah just cried and closed her eyes when suddenly someone shouted, "Stop that, if you don't want me to witness your sh*t slaying an innocent being."