Alice Zhang stepped into the Senate committee room, the sharp scent of her coffee mingling with the tension that clung to the air. Her short hair framed her face in a neat, almost detached way, as though it belonged to a stranger.
But she wasn’t a stranger—not here, not now. The last time she’d been in this room, things had been different. Her eyes flicked to Risa Navarro, the woman who once held her heart, now standing at the helm of the committee.
Risa's gaze lingered just a moment longer than necessary, and Alice felt the weight of unspoken words pressing on her chest. The years of separation, the unresolved tension, it all came flooding back in an instant.
"The Senate committee is now starting. Please take your seats as indicated," Risa's voice rang out, steady, yet something flickered behind her composed expression. Her eyes betrayed her, showing a flicker of something—recognition, perhaps, or resentment. Either way, Alice wasn’t sure she was ready to face it.
The murmur of papers and shuffled seating was interrupted by the loud voice of Senator Jinggoy. "Are you lovers in pogi with Alice Zhang?" he asked, his tone a teasing challenge as he directed the question to Dong Calungay, a man who had been rumored to be Alice’s boyfriend.
“Nako, hindi po,” Dong replied, looking embarrassed as the room filled with laughter.
"Ano call sign nyo? Nang love mo?" Jinggoy pressed, his grin widening.
“Hindi naman po ‘love,’ your honor. Miss Alice po,” Dong responded, clearly struggling to keep a straight face.
“Sinungaling na nga itong gf mo, sinungaling ka rin,” Jinggoy joked, prompting another round of laughter.
“Hindi po ako sinungaling, your honor. Hindi ko rin po siya gf,” Dong insisted, his flustered tone only making things more amusing.
The light-hearted teasing masked the tension that simmered beneath the surface, especially for Risa, who sat there with a stony expression, eyes flashing with jealousy. She could feel her heart pounding, each word slicing through her composure, a reminder of the competition for Alice's affections.
-&-&-&-
Later, after the hearing had concluded, Risa's mind was in turmoil. The pressure of the Senate meeting had been intense, but it was Dong’s presence, his proximity to Alice, that gnawed at her. The victory of seeing Dong removed from the picture was bittersweet—he wasn’t the only obstacle she had to face. There was Alice, who had once been hers, now seemingly drifting further away.
She walked home, her thoughts a mess of anger and betrayal. She sat on the edge of her bed, phone in hand, trying to steady her nerves. The screen lit up with a new message, pulling her from her spiraling thoughts.
"Yes, hello?" she answered, her voice barely masking her inner chaos.
"Hello ma'am, the job was done," came the calm voice on the other end.
Risa's heart skipped a beat. "Oh? Then good, thank you. The payment will transfer to you right away."
"Thank you po, ma'am," the voice replied, cool and emotionless.
The conversation ended, but Risa didn't hang up immediately. She stared at the wall, the full weight of her decision settling over her. The hearing was over, Dong had been dealt with, but the aftermath of her choices was only just beginning.
-&-&-&-
Flashback to the call:
The room was dim, shadows dancing across the walls. Alone, Risa had sat with her hands trembling, her mind racing. She couldn’t afford to be caught in the middle of this—Dong knew too much. Desperation had led her to make the call.
“Is it done?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
“Almost, just waiting for the right moment,” the voice on the other end assured her, calm as ever.
“Once it’s done, I'll make sure you get your money,” Risa replied, trying to suppress the panic rising in her chest.
"Just trust me, ma'am. It'll be taken care of," came the reply, cold and final.
The weight of the situation hit her hard, and for the first time, she questioned her choices. But it was too late now.
-&-&-&-
Back in her living room, Risa sat in stunned silence as her phone vibrated once more. A single message: "He's gone. Payment received."
Her stomach churned. She had won, but at what cost? The victory felt hollow, the guilt gnawing at her insides. Dong was out of the picture, but the consequences of her actions would follow her for the rest of her life.
She glanced at the photo of Alice and Dong on her desk—once a symbol of her love for Alice, now a reminder of how far she had fallen.
Risa wasn't just part of a love triangle anymore. She had become something darker, a player in a deadly game where there were no winners. As the shadows closed in, Risa realized the truth: she was trapped in her own web, consumed by jealousy, regret, and the growing fear that no matter what she did, she could never escape her past.
The killer had done his job, but the true cost of Risa's decisions had yet to be paid.
