Nakatutok si Vladimir sa screen ng kanyang laptop habang pinanonood ang interview ng kanyang ex-fiance na si Sofiya Antonova. Isa itong sikat na runway model na nagbabalak pumasok sa Hollywood. Ikakasal na ito sa bagong fiance nitong si Matthew Thompson, isang sikat na producer dahil sa mga de kalibreng pelikula na humakot ng awards sa Oscars at kumita ng ilang daang milyon. Naroon ang mga ito dahil sa press conference ng bagong pelikulang ilalabas nito. May special participation din ang babae at naging maingay ang balita tungkol sa engagement ng mga ito. Kahit siya ay hindi na magtataka na mas mababaling ang atensiyon ng mga reporters doon kesa sa pelikula at mga artista.
Muling bumalik sa pinapanood ang kanyang atensiyon nang magtanong ang isang reporter. “So Sofiya, how does it feel to be the next Mrs. Thompson? May we know the wedding date?”
“I can’t find the word that will best describe what I’m feeling right now. I’m elated as if I’m floating on clouds. I guess the one who coined the phrase seventh heaven was true to his words. Of course, married women would understand my excitement. As for the date, that's our secret for now.” Ngumiti pa ito sa camera bago hinalikan sa pisngi ang mapapangasawa nito.
“Oh, my fiance is so sweet and showy. I’m embarrassed,” natatawang sabi ng lalaki. Ito naman ang tinanong ng reporters dahil sa mga isyu nito ng pambababae. He was a notorious womanizer. “That’s all in the past now,” kampanteng sagot nito na malapad pa ang pagkakangiti bago hinalikan ang sentido ng fiance nito. “I already promised her she would be my one and only woman.” Nagkaroon pa ng masayang tuksuhan ang mga nasa press conference.
Muling tinanong si Sofiya ng mga ito. “How did your ex-fiance react to this engagement of yours? It has only been a month since you broke off your engagement with him.”
“We haven’t talked yet. But, we parted ways amicably because it was a mutual decision.”
Napaismid na lang din siya. Her ex-fiance was lying. It was only her decision to end their engagement. It has only been a month since they broke up. To say he was devastated was an understatement. He was at his rock-bottom when she left him. She left him just when he needed her most.
Natigil siya sa pagmumuni-muni nang marinig ang marahang pagkatok. Pinindot na muna niya ang pause button bago siya nag-angat ng tingin mula sa laptop. "Come in," aniya sa mahabang boses.
"Good morning, sir," bungad ni Oleksiy, ang kanyang right-hand man. Bahagyang tumaas ang isa niyang kilay bilang rekognisyon dito at kumpirmasyon kung nagawa na nito ang utos niya. Nagpatuloy ito sa pagsasalita. "I've already booked you a flight under the name of Andriy Dovzhenko. You will fly to the Philippines tomorrow at four in the morning. I've already arranged for a car to bring you to the airport."
"Good. How about you?"
"Me, sir?" Nagtataka itong tumingin sa kanya pero wala itong nakuhang sagot sa kanya. Iyon ang isa sa mga ayaw niya, ang paulit-ulit na pagtatanong. "I will take care of everything while you're in the Philippines."
"No, you and Mykola are coming with me," tukoy niya sa isa sa mga bodyguard niya.
“What?” Gusto niyang matawa nang makita ang ekspresyon nito. Alam niya naman kung bakit. Hindi ito fan ng Pilipinas dahil ayon dito ay hindi ligtas ang pumunta sila roon. May bias kasi ito dahil sa mga napapanood na balita tungkol sa mga rebelde. Hindi na lang nito itinuloy ang pagrereklamo at marahang tumango sa kanya. "Okay, sir."
Tumango lang siya at muli nang bumalik ang tingin sa laptop. Pinanood niya ang balita kung saan ibinalita na magpapakasal na ang ex-fiance niyang si Sofiya sa katabi nitong lalaki. Ang issue niya ay hindi lang dahil sa ipinagpalit siya nito. Isa rin ito sa mga major shareholders ng kumpanyang naging sponsor ng kalaban niyang si Chris Smith na umagaw ng kanyang limang heavyweight belts sa huli niyang laban noong nakaraan ding buwan.
It was a very controversial fight due to the suspicious circumstances surrounding it. His opponent was considered an underdog all throughout the promotion. It was understandable because he was seven inches above six feet while Smith was only about five feet and eleven inches. At his towering height and muscular frame, many of the previous opponents were intimidated. He was considered a boxing icon, an idol of many young men who wanted to try it. At thirty, he already proved he was capable of going head-to-head with the champions. He had fifty-two fights, all undefeated with over ninety percent won by KO and TKO. Together with his elder brother, Aleksander, they dominated the boxing world and unified the heavyweight champion belts. When he retired to focus on politics, he was determined to get all those belts and unified under his name. He succeeded and defended it more than ten times until he lost to Chris Smith. His reputation was destroyed in an instant.
He dominated the first few rounds and knocked his opponent down twice in the second round with a left hook and an uppercut. He thought the fight would be stopped, but his opponent insisted he could make it. In the fifth round, he suddenly felt tired and dizzy. A few seconds before the bell rang, he was caught with a series of left and right hooks that sent his back flat on the floor. He stood up, but he was already disoriented so the referee decided to stop the fight. What made the audience and analysts curious was the figures in the earlier rounds. Overall, he threw multiple punches with over fifty percent landing on his opponent while the other one only landed about twenty percent.
After the fight, he was not able to attend the interview. His corner had to bring him to the hospital because of his dizziness. A series of tests were done to find out what happened to him. Different findings were presented to him and his brother. The first doctor told them it was due to overfatigue and dehydration. Meanwhile, the other doctors said it was due to the sudden drop in his blood sugar. But, one of the interns secretly talked to them and told them of his hypothesis. The intern doctor told them he might have been poisoned. They discovered Rohypnol in the water bottle he used. It was a chemical used to help people with insomnia and often comes with anaesthesia. That was when he remembered his sudden sleepiness and dizziness during the fight. It would appear transparent when dissolved in water.
The news spread like wildfire all over the world when his brother asked for another series of tests. However, his samples mysteriously disappeared. He was frustrated because that was the only way he could prove the cheating. The FBI opted to intervene due to the issue. It was found out that a few hours before the match, the betting odds had a drastic change. Also, the members of his team noticed some irregularities before the fight. One of the members had to ask for another badge because someone else signed on his name.
Unfortunately, all their protests went down the drain. His request for a rematch went unnoticed because his opponent already signed for a match with the number two contender. To make things harder, a lot of fans did not believe their accusations and appeals. For them, those were just made up stories because he could not accept his defeat. He was dubbed as a ripped giant without a chin and stamina. People who used to look up to him joined the mockery. His ego was bruised, to say the least.
A few weeks later, his ex-fiance broke off their engagement. She said she lost the love and admiration she had for him. She left him when he was at his rock-bottom. Her heartless act added insult to his injury. Worse, she left him for one of his mortal enemies.
Now, his boxing career is going nowhere. His love life was already tainted and ruined. His dreams shattered. He just sighed knowing there was nothing he could do to change everything. He would like to think that the Gods must have conspired to make his life a living hell. In the past month, he had been surrounded by controversies and criticisms. He became a laughingstock because he lost all his belts, his career, and his fiance.
He was bruised physically, emotionally, and mentally. To say that he lost everything in the wink of an eye was a pure understatement. He drank all day and night. But, he realized things would not go back to the way they used to be.
Isinara na niya ang balita at in-off ang laptop. Tumayo na siya at nag-inat. Wala na siyang pakialam sa lahat ng bagay sa paligid niya. Magbabakasyon muna siya sa isa sa mga rest house ng kanyang abuela. Mukhang wala namang makakakilala sa kanya doon. Isa pa ay malayo iyon sa bayan at residential areas. Pribado iyon kaya sigurado niyang walang magiging istorbong lokal at media na bubuntot sa kanya.