Slap!

A sharp gasp was heard in the room followed by a moment of stunned silence, as if the sound itself had vanished under the weight of the moment. In the middle of it all stood a lady draped in a deep red dress that clung to her like fire—a color so bold and unforgiving which was a cruel contrast to the softness of her delicate features.

“Does it hurt?” She whispered, each word laced with ice. “You should be grateful. It’s exactly what you deserve, you filthy little slut.”

The other woman barely swayed.

The flowing white dress she wore made her seem soft and small against the backdrop of the woman in red. She looked so pure, so pitiful, as her hair spilled over her face, casting shadows where the sting had bloomed. Her lips trembled, but only for a moment.

Then, with a slow and deliberate breath, she straightened and in that split second, she embodied courage in her weak bones.

“Are you done?” She asked in a quiet, almost delicate tone but beneath her words lay something unyielding. Her hands curled at her sides, her nails biting into her palms, yet she refused to lift them to her cheek. Refused to acknowledge the pain. “Or would you like to hit me again?”

“Cut! We got it—thank God.” The director sighed, his last word nearly lost under his breath.

Then, at his cue, the crew sprang into action. They began packing up equipment and wrapping cables like a locust plague sweeping through the fields.

It was the final scene of the day and exhaustion hung in the air, mixing with a quiet, unspoken relief. The kind that comes when a long day has stretched even longer than it should have.

CeCe walked silently toward the corner of the room. She was gently but absentmindedly touching her swollen cheek when she heard a soft, apologetic voice behind her.

“Are you okay? Sorry...I guess, I got a little carried away.”

With a smile that came naturally to her, CeCe turned around and there she was—Bea Agustino, the rising star, the newest It Girl of her generation and the female lead of this drama.

Her voice was gentle, almost too gentle, laced with sugar that it made CeCe feel like she was drowning in honey.

“I didn’t think it would take that many tries, but well, accidents happen, right?” A small chuckle escaped her lips. “You were amazing, though. You really held your ground...like, really”

CeCe’s fingers that was still resting against her cheek twitched ever so slightly as they grazed the lingering heat on her skin.

“It’s okay, Ms. Bea.” She replied, the corners of her lips curving into something sweet and calm as she let her hand fall naturally on her side. “No need to apologize. I understand…not everyone thrives under pressure. It must be hard on you.”

Her eyes flickered just for a second, as she caught the way Bea’s eyes trembled. That moment lasted a beat too long for it to be just an illusion.

“I mean…it’s not like you meant it, right?” CeCe smiled innocently.

“Of course not!” Bea denied, almost too forcefully for her liking.

“Just as I thought!”

She nodded like its as expected then she paused and added, her voice light as air. “I’m sure you were just…caught up in the moment.”

Bea allowed a soft smile to appear on her face. “Well, I certainly knew you wouldn’t mind.”

She stared at CeCe with an expression that implied she was being unreasonable if she said no.

“Of course not, Ms. Bea. Why would I?” CeCe replied, tilting her head ever so slightly as she added with conviction. “It’s an honor to work with you.”

Hearing this, Bea raised a brow, clearly skeptical, but CeCe remained unfazed. She gazed gently at Bea with all the softness and sympathy she could muster, scanning her features as though she were earnestly trying to understand something.

“But if you don’t mind me saying, I just hope you’re taking care of yourself, Ms. Bea. Because when you struggle…everyone feels it.” She said, even nodding a little, wearing the perfect picture of quiet concern. “It honestly makes me feel so bad for the crew...and of course, for you as well.”

Then, before Bea could react, CeCe reached forward and took her hand, giving it a small, reassuring squeeze before continuing.

“Oh, but don’t worry. It just looks swollen—this is nothing.” Her smile widened with sincerity as she tilted her head just enough for the studio light to catch her bruised cheek. “We all have to endure a little pain sometimes… that’s what makes us stronger, right?”

A hush fell over the crew.

Their gazes shifted between the two actresses, though more often toward CeCe as they listened to her soft, sincere voice. The longer they do, the more their eyes strayed to the red spot blooming on her cheek.

They remembered how many takes Bea had ruined that day, dragging the entire crew down with her.

For someone hailed as an A-list actress, Bea’s performance had been unusually sloppy. She struggled through a simple scene that somehow needed multiple takes and yet, every single time, she slapped CeCe like there was no tomorrow.

They were all veterans, so there were things they knew without needing them spelled out. However, there was something almost angelic in the way CeCe carried herself—the slight tremble, the way she seemed to hold back tears not for her own sake but out of compassion for everyone who had to endure Bea’s antics.

She felt wrong for the whole crew and could not help but stand up for them, yet she did so while still trying not to hurt Bea’s feelings.

That—that was what didn’t sit right with them.

CeCe is such a sweetheart!

She's trying to protect everyone’s feelings and wronging herself in the process.

They took one last glance at CeCe's bruised cheek

Bea had been a little too much, today.

They thought as they couldn't help but feel a quiet sympathy bloom in their chests.

Bea, on the otherhand, felt the crew’s subtle sympathy toward CeCe settling heavier on her shoulders but she remained as composed as ever.

Her posture was still impeccably flawles, still smiling, still effortless. Still the very picture of grace.

It's as if she weren’t the one whose carefully crafted mask had cracked just moments ago.

“Your optimism is quite admirable...” Bea said, pulling her hand away gently. “But you must be tired. It's just right, my assistant’s here. How about I give you a lift?”

CeCe’s smile only brightened. “That’s very kind of you, Ms. Bea. But no need. My manager will be here soon.”

Bea said nothing more.

She simply gave CeCe a look—deep and knowing—before turning away with her skirt flowing behind her every movement.

CeCe’s smile never faltered.

It only grew stronger as she watched Bea walk away, step by step, until she disappeared from view.

Then, as if on cue, Ms. M came rushing over.

“Sorry! Traffic was a total nightmare. I should’ve left earlier. Are you done filming—” She stopped mid-huff, noticing the distant look in CeCe’s eyes. “What’s wrong?”

“Red looks better on me.”

Ms. M frowned. “Look what?”

CeCe’s lips curled into a practiced smile, the kind that seemed effortless but was anything but.

She straightened her posture, smoothing out invisible wrinkles on her white sleeve as if brushing away a part of herself she couldn’t quite grasp.

“Nothing, Ms. M.” She said lightly. “Shall we?”

Ms. M’s brows furrowed slightly but before she could ask further, CeCe was already walking ahead, making it clear she wasn’t in the mood to talk.

They had just reached the parking lot when Ms. M noticed the faint swelling on CeCe’s cheek.

“What happened to your face?”

“We had to do several takes to get the scene right. It took longer than expected,” CeCe answered, her smile mirthless.

“I see.” Ms. M gave her a brief glance. “Let’s stop by a convenience store and get you some ice.”

CeCe hummed in agreement, never bothering to explain the taping’s twists and turns. There was never a need to.

After that last-minute role-switching fiasco, CeCe went on to audition for another part. The replacement had left her in a bad mood for a few days, but she was tenacious to the bone—or maybe just naturally hardheaded. She began convincing herself that what happened was nothing but a minor hurdle. A temporary setback on her path to success.

She would find a new role soon, something no lesser than the one she lost and with enough self-hypnosis, she did.

CeCe put herself out there again, and eventually, she landed a part in this production.

It's a romance series filled with love, betrayal and revenge and she played the stereotypical mistress of the female lead’s husband.

She was actually quite satisfied with what she got. After all, no matter how generic the role, sometimes you just had to keep moving forward to reach the next level. She believed this would also be the case this time.

Things were looking rather optimistic, CeCe thought, as she listened to Ms. M recount her schedule for the month.

“You’ve got a deodorant ad shoot tomorrow. Call time’s at 3. I’ve got other appointments so I can’t drop you off. Just book a Grab or something.”

CeCe nodded absentmindedly but already considering just booking Angkas—it was a lot cheaper and could zip through traffic faster than a car.

“By the way, remember Director Cabangon?”

“Of course.” How could she ever forget the director from that failed Female Lead #2 role?

“He called and said he’s offering you a cameo in a new rom-com series. If you’re interested, that is.”

“Of course, I’ll take it!” She said, excitement bubbling up.

Finally, she had another 'little something' to look forward to again.

“By the way Ms M, are there any upcoming auditions? I’m almost done with my scenes here so I was thinking of trying out for a new role.”

“Now that you mention it, one of my sources says the Prime Time King is making a comeback movie this year. Director Kiko is set to direct and produce. He’s one of the rare ones who prioritize talent over backstage deals. If you start preparing now, this could be your big break.”

“I’ll give it a try then.”

Ms. M briefly glanced at her through the rearview mirror and in that fleeting moment, noticed how CeCe’s face seemed to glow like a flower suddenly infused with new vitality.