I didn't plan on staying long.
I told Luis that when he invited me twice, actually.
"I'll drop by," I said. "Just to hug you and steal a drink, then i'm out."
He grinned at me through the phone. "Ten minutes. I'll time it. I just want you there."
He was glowing. You could hear it in his voice, like a child unwrapping everything he ever wanted.
It was his first big break, his name finally at the top of posters and streaming charts. Luis Padilla, the boy everyone was suddenly calling a leading man and somehow, he still called me "Au."
So i went.
No glam. No stylist. Just me in black denim, a loose silk shirt, and minimal makeup.
I tied my hair up to look effortless.
The truth was, I didn't want attention tonight.
The rooftop bar in BGC was already packed when i arrived.
Familiar faces turned the moment i stepped in, actors, influencers, executives. The unholy trinity of the industry.
But this wasn't my night.
It was Luis.
He saw me and rushed over, arms wide, eyes stupidly bright. "You came!"
"You begged," I smirked, hugging him. "I couldn't exactly ghost you after that."
"You look too classy to be here," he teased.
"I'll ruin that soon enough."
And i did. Two glasses of wine in, I was tipsy enough to laugh louder than usual, to dance with Selena and strangers i vaguely recognized, to almost forget how exhausting it was to be Aurora Yaabelle Zobel.
Luis pulled me into a selfie, our cheeks pressed together, both of us flushed.
"I'm proud of you," I whispered.
He smiled, and for a second, I saw the boy i met years ago, the one who held the boom mic on my first teleserye.
Now, he was the star.
I was just a fading headline.
I remember starting a third drink, someone gave me, something strong, bitter and i remember setting it down.
Because suddenly, everything felt off.
Like i was floating a little.
Like my body wasn't mine.
I remember the warmth behind my eyes, the way the lights stretched too far.
That's when i knew.
No more.
I grabbed my purse, whispered something to Luis, and forced myself into the elevator.
I think he called after me.
I didn't look back.
I woke up the next morning with a headache, but nothing worse.
I was still wearing my clothes.
My heels were on the floor.
I was safe. Alone.
Home.
I sat up, blinking through sunlight and dry lips, reaching for my phone. A hundred notifications.
That's not unusual.
I'm used to trending for things i didn't do.
But this... this felt different.
The first banner stopped my heart.
"BREAKING: Luis Padilla Found Dead After Private Party"
I sat frozen.
The screen kept updating, almost like it was mocking me.
#JusticeForLuis
#AuroraZobelTrended
#WhatHappenedLastNight
Wait—what?
I opened Twitter.
There was a video.
From the party.
Me, walking away from Luis. A fan account captioned it: "Look at her face. She knew."
Another thread showed photos. Me laughing. Me drinking. Me whispering in Luis's ear before leaving.
"Aurora was the last person seen speaking to him."
"Some say she looked upset."
"Was there an argument?"
"Why did she leave early?"
I dropped my phone.
Luis was dead.
And somehow, they thought it was my fault.
My ears rang, even though the room was silent.
Luis is dead.
I couldn't move. Couldn't blink. The light from the window felt too harsh, too real. I stared at my phone like it was a dream i couldn't shake off.
Then the headlines started updating.
> "Aurora Zobel's under public scrutiny after Luis Padilla's death."
> "Police consider multiple angles: drugs, foul play, or suicide?"
> "Who was with Luis during his final hours?"
Three?
I scrambled for the rest of the article.
My stomach turned.
I wasn't the only one who's with Luis at that time.
But that didn't make me feel better.
I left before midnight.
Didn't i?
I unlocked my camera roll. Nothing from last night. My stories had expired. No timestamp, no proof. I scrolled through my texts, only one from Luis at 12:06 a.m.
"Thank you for showing up. I needed that. Stay safe, Au."
He texted me after i left.
My chest tightened.
More articles.
More noise.
People speculated what i said to him before leaving. They slowed down the fan-captured video like i was some villain in a true crime docu. Some claimed i looked angry. Others said Luis had tears in his eyes.
They didn't know.
They were guessing.
But in this industry, guessing becomes gospel in minutes.