Chapter 15
The grand lights of the premiere night illuminated the entire venue, creating an electrifying atmosphere. Fans screamed, cameras flashed, and the red carpet shimmered under the glow of countless spotlights. Tonight was a celebration, a culmination of months of hard work, yet for Arianne, it was beginning to feel like something else entirely.
From the sidelines, she stood with Sasha and Maeve , watching as Celine and Mavis made their way down the red carpet together.
Mavis, ever the charmer, waved at the crowd with a bright smile, her hand occasionally brushing against Celine’s arm. Celine, ever the professional, played her part—smiling, nodding, engaging with the press. Fans erupted into cheers every time they interacted, some even chanting their names.
Arianne swallowed the uncomfortable feeling creeping up her throat. She had prepared herself for this. She knew Celine had to be with Mavis tonight, knew that this was part of the industry. But no amount of preparation could shield her from the ache in her chest.
Beside her, Sasha nudged Maeve, beaming with excitement.
“Hala, look at our Mavis. She’s killing it tonight!” Sasha gushed, nudging Maeve.
Maeve chuckled, nodding. “I’m so proud of her. Bagay sila ni Celine sa screen, no?”
Arianne bit the inside of her cheek, forcing a small smile. She wasn’t the type to show her emotions so easily, but hearing that? It stung.
She glanced at Celine, and for the briefest second, their eyes met.
Celine’s grip on her clutch tightened, her carefully composed expression faltering. Even from a distance, Arianne could see the guilt in her eyes.
But before anything could happen—before Celine could take a step toward her—another reporter had already pulled her back into an interview, and the moment was gone.
The media loved Celine and Mavis together. It was obvious in the way they leaned in, microphones outstretched, eager to capture any interaction.
“Celine! Mavis! You two have been gaining a lot of attention as a love team. Can you share with us how close you’ve become behind the scenes?”
Mavis, ever the playful one, let out a small giggle. She was slightly tipsy, the drinks from earlier still lingering in her system.
“Sobrang close na namin ni Celine,” Mavis hummed, her voice teasing as she turned to Celine with a knowing look.
Celine stiffened, glancing around as if searching for an escape. She didn’t like where this was going.
The reporter smirked. “Oh? How close exactly?”
Mavis leaned her head against Celine’s shoulder, her grin widening.
“To the point na hinatid niya ako pauwi kasi tipsy.. No I mean, since the day we had a meeting para mag prepare sa premiere night, we all got drunk so ayon.. Medyo tipsy ako nung isang gabi.”
The crowd erupted into screams.
Celine felt her entire body tense. She hadn’t expected Mavis to casually drop that piece of information.
And Arianne?
For a moment, she thought she misheard.
But the instant Sasha and Maeve turned to her with raised brows, their expressions full of intrigue, she knew she hadn’t.
Her stomach twisted as she processed it.
Celine drove Mavis home? When?
Her mind raced through the past few days, trying to pinpoint which night it happened. Then it clicked—the night she had waited for Celine at her condo, the night she fell asleep at the table wearing a dress meant for their dinner.
That was the night Celine had chosen to take Mavis home instead.
Arianne’s heart clenched, but she remained composed. She didn’t flinch. Didn’t react. If she was hurt, she refused to let the cameras see it.
Maeve, who had been watching her closely, noticed the subtle shift in her posture—the way she suddenly stood a little straighter, a little colder.
"You okay?" Maeve murmured, leaning closer so only Arianne could hear.
Arianne exhaled, a practiced, steady breath.
"Yeah," she replied simply.
Maeve wasn't convinced.
Meanwhile, Celine could barely breathe.
She risked a glance toward Arianne, but her girlfriend’s face was unreadable. That scared her more than anything.
Celine knew Arianne. She knew the way her eyes softened when she was happy, the way they darkened when she was angry. But right now?
There was nothing.
And that was worse.
As the interview continued, Celine’s hands balled into fists. She wanted to explain, to reach out, to say something.
But with the cameras rolling, with the press hanging onto every word, she couldn’t.
All she could do was watch as Arianne turned away… and walked out of the venue.
As Arianne turned away, her heels clicking softly against the marble floors, Celine felt a cold panic settle in her chest.
She wanted to go after her. She needed to.
But the cameras were still on her. The reporters were still talking. Mavis was still beside her.
Mavis.
Celine clenched her jaw, frustration clawing at her insides. She didn’t blame Mavis entirely—she was tipsy, she didn’t know what that small comment would do—but damn it, she wished she hadn’t said it.
And now, Arianne was walking out.
Celine glanced toward her manager, then toward the door where Arianne had disappeared.
The choice was there. Stay here, keep up the act, play along with the media…
Or follow Arianne.
It wasn’t even a choice at all.
She took a step back.
And then another.
"Celine, where are you—"
But she wasn’t listening anymore. She turned, moving swiftly through the sea of guests and flashing cameras, pushing past bodies as she headed straight for the exit.
Outside, Arianne stood near the valet area, arms crossed, back turned to the building.
She let out a slow breath, trying to shake off the heaviness in her chest. It was just a comment. It was just an interview. She knew better than to let it get to her.
But she couldn’t ignore the sting.
That night, she had waited for Celine. She had sat at that dinner table, hopeful. She had trusted that Celine would show up, that she would choose her.
And yet, she hadn’t.
Now, she knew why.
"Arianne—"
Celine’s voice was slightly breathless as she pushed the exit doors open, stepping into the cool night air.
Arianne closed her eyes briefly, as if composing herself. When she turned, her face was calm.
"You're supposed to be inside," she said, voice unreadable.
Celine searched her eyes, her face, anything that would tell her what Arianne was truly feeling. But all she saw was the guarded look Arianne often wore when she didn’t want to talk.
And that hurt more than anything.
"I wanted to check on you," Celine admitted, stepping closer. "You left all of a sudden."
Arianne let out a dry chuckle, shaking her head. "What did you expect me to do?"
Celine swallowed.
"Arianne, it wasn’t—"
"You drove her home," Arianne cut in, her voice quiet, but firm.
Celine tensed.
"You never told me," Arianne continued, tilting her head slightly, as if studying her. "You didn’t even mention it. And then I find out like this? In front of everyone?"
Celine felt the guilt sink deeper. "It wasn’t like that—"
"Then what was it like?"
Arianne wasn’t raising her voice, but the way she said it made Celine’s stomach twist.
Celine rubbed a hand down her face, exhaling sharply. "I had no choice. Everyone was drunk. I was the only one sober. I just wanted to make sure she got home safe, and then I—"
"You promised me, Celine."
That made her stop.
"You promised we'd have dinner that night. I waited for you," Arianne said, finally letting a trace of hurt slip through her voice. "I stayed up, hoping you’d come, even when I knew I was being stupid for believing it."
"Arianne," Celine stepped closer, but Arianne shook her head.
"I get it," Arianne murmured, looking away for a second before meeting Celine’s gaze again. "This is your job. This is what comes with it. I knew what I was getting into when I let myself love you again. But Celine, when does it stop feeling like I’m the one you keep leaving behind?"
That hit like a punch to the gut.
Celine felt her throat tighten. "That’s not fair—"
"Isn’t it?"
Celine opened her mouth, but no words came out.
Because she knew Arianne had every right to feel this way.
Arianne sighed, finally looking away. "I don’t want to fight, Celine. Not tonight."
Celine wanted to fix this right now. She wanted to hold Arianne, to make her understand that she was the only one she loved.
But for the first time, she didn’t know if Arianne would let her.
"I love you," Celine whispered, desperate for her to believe it.
Arianne let out a quiet, tired laugh.
"I know," she said softly. "That’s the problem."
And then, without another word, she turned.
Celine didn’t try to stop her.
Because tonight, for the first time in a long time, she didn’t know if she could.
Celine stood frozen, her chest tightening as she watched Arianne walk past her.
She had whispered it—“Mahal...”—soft enough that only Arianne could hear.
But Arianne didn’t stop.
Didn’t turn back.
She simply kept walking, her posture straight, her expression unreadable as she smiled at Sasha and Maeve, who had called her over.
Celine clenched her jaw.
The ache in her chest was unbearable.
Arianne always understood. Always stayed.
But tonight… tonight was different.
Tonight, Arianne walked away.
“Celine!”
She flinched slightly when her manager grabbed her wrist. “They need you for the photo op before the movie starts. The director is waiting.”
Celine inhaled sharply, forcing herself to swallow the lump in her throat.
This wasn’t the time.
She had to smile. Had to face the cameras.
Even if the only thing she wanted to do was run after Arianne.
As Celine stepped onto the platform for the official photo session, the flashes were blinding.
Mavis was next to her, effortlessly smiling, posing. The perfect loveteam for the night.
Celine?
She smiled, of course. She had to.
But she wasn’t really there.
Her gaze kept searching. Kept drifting past the bright lights, past the press, past the screaming fans—
Until she found her.
Arianne was already inside the theater, sitting with Sasha and Maeve.
She wasn’t looking at Celine. Not even once.
And that? That hurt more than anything.
Because Arianne always looked at her.
Always.
Even when she pretended she didn’t care. Even when they had to be careful.
But tonight, she wasn’t pretending.
Tonight, she really wasn’t looking.
And Celine finally understood what fear felt like.
As the Movie Played…
The lights dimmed. The crowd fell silent, anticipation thick in the air.
And then, the screen lit up—Celine and Mavis’ faces appearing for the first scene.
Excited whispers rippled through the audience. Some fans let out quiet screams, others giggled, already swooning over their chemistry.
Celine, sitting somewhere in the middle, heard it all. Felt it all.
She should be happy. Should be proud.
This was the moment she had worked hard for.
But all she could think about was the girl sitting a few rows away.
Arianne.
Celine shifted slightly, stealing a glance toward Lumina’s row. She couldn’t see Arianne’s face from here, but she knew she was watching.
The movie played on. The audience reacted to every moment.
The funny scenes had the crowd laughing.
The romantic moments had them swooning.
The intense confrontations had them holding their breath.
And then, came the part that hurt.
Arianne’s Silent Tears
A soft sob broke the silence.
Arianne blinked.
She hadn’t even realized she was crying.
She bit her lip, wiping the tears quickly before anyone could notice.
The movie was emotional, sure. The scene on-screen was heartbreaking—Mavis’ character walking away from Celine’s, tears in her eyes, saying something about how love should never feel like begging.
Maybe that was why her chest ached.
Or maybe…
Maybe it wasn’t just the movie.
Maybe it was because Arianne felt like she was watching her own story.
Her fingers curled into fists on her lap.
She had always been so patient. Always understood.
Celine was busy. Celine had a career to protect. Celine had to put on a show.
But tonight, as she sat in a room full of strangers who were cheering for a love that wasn’t even real, Arianne wondered—
Until when?
Until when would she keep pretending this didn’t hurt?
She exhaled shakily, pressing her back against the seat.
Maeve, sitting beside her, leaned in and whispered, “You okay?”
Arianne forced a small smile. “Yeah.”
Maeve didn’t seem convinced but didn’t push.
Arianne turned her attention back to the screen.
But her heart?
Her heart wasn’t in the movie anymore.
It was somewhere in the room—
With the girl who kept breaking it without meaning to.
Celine felt it.
Even without looking, even without hearing Arianne’s voice—she felt it.
Arianne was crying.
And it wasn’t just because of the movie.
Celine swallowed hard, gripping the armrest.
She wanted to move. Wanted to go to her. Wanted to whisper, “I’m here. I see you.”
But she couldn’t.
Not here. Not now.
So instead, she sat there, hurting in silence.
And for the first time, she realized—maybe Arianne wasn’t the only one begging for this love to work.
Maybe Celine was, too.
Even if she was the one making all the mistakes.
The theater was filled with cheers as the credits rolled. Applause erupted from the audience, fans clapping loudly, still caught up in the emotions of the film. Some were wiping away tears, others were already discussing their favorite scenes. The media, as expected, was quick to snap photos of Celine and Mavis, capturing every moment of their supposed "chemistry."
Celine barely heard the noise around her.
Her eyes searched for one person.
And when she found Arianne, she felt her chest tighten.
Arianne stood with Lumina, Jamie, Gale, and Skylar, all of them waiting near the entrance as the crowd started to move. She looked composed, like always. Smiling. Calm. Unbothered.
But Celine knew better.
Knew the difference between Arianne’s real smile and the one she put on when she was hurt.
And tonight?
She was hurting.
Celine took a slow, deep breath, preparing herself before she walked toward them.
"You two killed it!"
As Celine and Mavis approached, Jamie was the first to react, a proud grin on her face.
"That was amazing! Seriously, you two killed it!" she said, pulling Celine into a quick hug before turning to Mavis.
"You guys really sold the romance," Gale added, smirking as she nudged Skylar. "Even Sky was watching like a lovestruck fool."
Skylar rolled her eyes, crossing her arms. "Shut up, Gale. It was a great film."
"I’ll admit," Jamie said, tilting her head playfully. "Even I got caught up in it. The chemistry was there. The audience loved it."
"Of course, Mavis paba?" Sasha chimed in, standing beside Arianne. She flashed Mavis a proud look. "We always knew you’d make a great actress."
Maeve nodded in agreement. "Yeah, you were incredible, Mavis. This is only the beginning for you."
Mavis beamed, eyes shining with excitement. "Thank you, guys. That means a lot."
She turned to Celine and playfully nudged her side. "Right, Celine?"
Celine forced a smile, nodding. "Yeah… thanks, guys. It means a lot."
But her voice lacked enthusiasm.
Because Arianne—the one person whose reaction she truly cared about—hadn’t spoken yet.
And when she finally did, it felt like a punch to the gut.
Arianne took a slow step forward.
Her gaze met Mavis first, her lips curling into a soft, unreadable smile.
"Congrats, Mavis," she said, her voice even. Controlled.
Mavis grinned. "Thank you, Arianne."
Then, finally, Arianne turned to Celine.
Their eyes met.
For a moment, the world quieted.
Celine felt something tighten in her chest.
This was it—the moment she was waiting for.
She needed to hear something from Arianne. Anything. Maybe even a teasing, sarcastic comment. Maybe a whisper of "You were good, mahal."
But instead, Arianne’s expression didn’t change.
No warmth. No playfulness. No Arianne.
Only distant politeness.
"Congrats, Celine."
Two words. That was all.
Celine’s breath caught in her throat.
She knew that tone. Knew what it meant.
Arianne was putting distance between them.
And somehow, it felt colder than if she had ignored her completely.
Celine’s fingers twitched at her sides, resisting the urge to reach out, to grab Arianne’s hand and pull her away from the group—to ask if they were okay.
But they weren’t alone.
And before she could say anything, Arianne had already turned away.
"Let’s go, girls," Arianne said, glancing at Sasha and Maeve. "I think we still have an early schedule tomorrow."
"Yeah," Sasha agreed. "But first—" She turned to Mavis. "Congrats again! We're so proud of you."
"Super proud," Maeve added, shooting Celine a quick glance before looking at Arianne.
And just like that, Lumina walked away.
Celine stood frozen.
She barely noticed Jamie talking beside her. Barely registered Mavis thanking everyone again.
Because all she could hear was Arianne’s voice.
"Congrats, Celine."
That was all she got tonight.
No teasing remark. No playful smirk. No soft whisper of "mahal."
Just a polite, empty congratulations.
Celine exhaled shakily, her hands curling into fists.
She fucked up tonight.
And the worst part?
She didn’t even know if she could fix it.