NOT A SAINT

Celestine's Point of View

THIS IS the first time that I've had been late to the venue of the photoshoot. I am a top model and my manager calls me for the last photoshoot of February.

I saw Roalyn Manduque, my manager, walking back and forth as I arrived at the location of the photoshoot for the EL Magazine. "I thought you'll not come today? Why all of a sudden you're late?"

Even if Roalyn is not talking or mentioning that she's mad at me. I knew it by the tone of her voice -annoyed and disgusted. Roalyn doesn't want people who are lazy and always having (as issues) whether professionals/top or a rookie/amateur model including me. Time is always precious for Roa.

It is my stepfather's fault, for Pete's sake! Every time I'd been thinking about it all I can do is to make a sigh. I wanted to forget but those memories kept bargaining on the precious memories I'd been scared of.

All I had to do is almost make the car flew, from Ayala until Quezon City. That's why I am late now plus the fact that I woke up late is another reason out of hell. I didn't know the alarm already passed by my alarm clock. Yes, I'm still using the old times. Alarm clock rather than my phone.

"Sorry, Roa, for my tardiness today. It will not happen again," I said in embarrassment while keeping my head down. Roa is ahead of ten years to me, as she aged thirty-four, her face almost looks like being double old as her natural age.

I started my career with Roa when I am eighteen and it became my manager.

She presses her temple as she turns her gaze at me. "It's alright. Get dressed and can you please make it fast so we can start today," strictly uttering it to command me.

She's a rigorous one especially when it comes to her handles like me. Even she's drastic sometimes, she's kind, helpful, and generous to people who need her help when it comes to money.

When there is no one I could reach ask for money Roa is there to save my a*s. Even the most intrigue or gossip scandals that can ruin my dignity, Roa is the person I could count on. She's my ideal and exact Knight and shining armor. Nevertheless, she never leaves me in any embarrassing moments.

I am Celestine Rain Marcelo Alcazar twenty-four-year-old woman. From age of eighteen, I came to be a magazine and commercial model. Now my manager starting to build my career. It's all of my billionaire father- stepfather, I mean. He'll never my biological father anyway. When I turned twenty-four that is the second day of February and today is almost the last day of the month. My Dad named Brent bought me a property to put up an agency as my first business to manage.

I couldn't do everything thanks to my manager. Roalyn will be the managing director while I'll be the CEO of the company when the construction is done. But in the meantime, it is still under construction.

"If the construction of that agency will be early done by this year, it would be easier for you to make the photo shooting." She's right. Because it was near to Ayala, the lot my stepdad gave me as a gift. Walking distance and he could guard me there twenty-four by seven.

I already brought the dress and went straight to the dressing room to change.

Maybe I need to talk to the engineer that handles the construction site so it can easily be done as my first to handle an agency.

I don't like to rush things, might the base will wreck when it's not sturdy and strong. And one thing, I'm getting older. I could have my own house and lot, a simple and small business to operate by now but not yet my priority. There is one thing I prioritize the most and all my savings went there.

Once my first plan is done, then I'll be thinking about what's next. This is how I am making plans for the future. Before making a second plan, I always had the assurance that the first plan is a victory.

I am a tourism graduate by the way and quite sometimes, boarded the airplane to practice my course. But I'm just regular in modeling specifically when the contract offer is higher. Fourteen years old when my mom, Lucia Marcelo Echavez changed my biological father and marry Brent Echavez. I even ask them that I will not take the surname Echavez because it came from my father who died when I was ten years old.

Mom told me that I got my father's perfect sculpted feature. From the almond deep shaded dark blue-green eyes that rupturing from green to blue, to my rosy white skin tone up to pointed Spanish nose, reddish seductive heart-shaped lips, and to the nice curve hourglass figure. With the height of five and eight inches, down to my slender long legs, I still maintain my Barbie doll figure for the commercial and modeling plus my near to pale white skin. I am taking care of everything as requested by my non-biological father.

I am quite as next to my father's features as others are saying. It was just a loss that my mom and my father's relatives were not on good terms. Maybe we are rich by now and I might grow on their side. But, what thing I could ask for? Nothing anymore, I have a luxurious life, thanks to Brent. Nothing to worry about tomorrow.

MY MOTHER is a singer in a club when he met my Spanish father. He then even lifted her from disgusting poverty, they got married and had an only girl child named Celestine and that is me. A name that came from my father, Celestino Valdez Alcazar. When I was a child, my father always telling me about my father's life. According to him, he just ran away from Spain because of his rigid parents until came here to the Philippines. Joined modeling, got the job and money then he met mom, they fell in love and build a family. But no way to a happy ending, because my father died early.

Just because of the financial reason that's why mom married again. If not for money, I will not let her. Even mom kept hiding it, I know in my vivid mind that there are several men she went to just because of money. This includes foreigners, political officials, and rich old men from the club where she works for the sake of my studies. Mom wanted a decent life for me, I know. But isn't it the right thing to share a body with anyone?

I even had the scholarship, but when it comes to miscellaneous, my boarding house, food, and everything when I live at Los Baños, Laguna where my school is located, isn't enough though. She can't even let me work part-time during my college days.

When my mom met my stepdad, she just found out that he is impotent, my mom had to accept everything and continue the marriage. And I am the only one who he can consider his daughter.

At first, he is the ideal guy I wanted to have. Luscious abs with the age of forty-five, while my mom is forty-one. He had a good Italian feature with a mix of Philippine blood and a well-built body. It just a waste that he didn't even have a child when his features are perfect for offspring. But it's not bad at all. Better to be. He's way taller than me of five inches difference but almost the same when I'm wearing stiletto.

When it comes to attitude, my stepdad never shouted at mom. I can't recognize if he hit my mom even just once. He's a perfect saint in any woman that could worship him. A perfect guy for every woman's dream. I even always had everything I demand. Close to becoming a spoiled daughter that's why we become close to each other, in some aspects. I even didn't protest when they are arguing for several counting of my hands. I even take my father's side and mom always kept losing from arguments.

But not until I finally reached eighteen. Puberty became fast as I grow and becoming a full-grown woman. They can't even think that I am twenty than my original age because of having a good body. Started dieting, adjusting, exercise and control my body in whatever food I am eating just avoiding not becoming big. When I say big, I mean huge fat lady.

Still thankful to my stepdad. But not everything I still wanted to thank him for. There are some things I hated the most, enough that I despise him and wanted to bury him alive, especially how he became a control freak. The kindness he had has an end, the thing that I admire the most has soon vanished. Changed to a hatred that even on his grave ain't easy to forget.

"Smile widely, Celes!" My manager shouts at me while I'm taking a good poise in front of the camera.

I did what had told. I can't even protest in whatever she wanted me to ask for.

"That's it! Perfect! Keep going." She claps her hands after I did what she said. She smiles widely with the satisfaction she gets.

Manager Roa even steps forward just to check if my cleavage was showing. She even unbuttons one of them, so my cleavage will perfectly be sculpted on the clothing I am wearing and just pop up.

"Show it, dear. It will be useless if you're not going to show how beautiful you are in the world. Post naturally and pull a little higher your dress up. It would be wasted if you didn't show how sexy and flawless your legs are," she added before turning back mentioning every bit of me I hid in the world.

Could I get a different angle after I did what she ask me for? It felt nothing is change, I will still the same Celestine. Oh yeah, things already changed after I met my stepfather and I grow up.

I felt like I'm doing a p*rn photo than a photoshoot but I did what she said. I even notice how the cameraman making a focus on those parts Roa mentioned. I can also tell that the man taking photos starting to have his hardcore. Damn! All men are the same!