Chapter 1

Khione Louelita Silay.  That was the name given to her by one of the nuns at the orphanage where she grew up. It was a name that carried no ties to a family, no connection to a past she could return to—only the identity of a girl who had learned to survive on her own. 

Now, seated in her small yet comfortable townhouse, Khione let out a deep sigh of relief. 

“Three months of pleading, begging, and finally...” She clenched her fists in excitement. “They let me work from home!”

She nearly wanted to collapse in joy. It was the best thing that had happened to her since joining the National Bureau of Investigation’s Counter Intelligence Department. The NBI had recruited her three months ago because of her exceptional skills in computer information technology.

However, what the government didn’t officially acknowledge was that she was also one of the most skilled hackers they had ever encountered.  Her job required absolute secrecy. 

Her identity had to remain protected at all costs. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) had taken Khione away from her neglectful parents at a young age.

She was no older than four or five when she was placed under their care, and from there, she had been sent to an orphanage. No one came to claim her; no relatives stepped forward to take her in.

She had spent her entire childhood within the orphanage’s walls until she graduated from school. 

It was at that orphanage where her unusual talent was first discovered. 

At the age of ten, with nothing but an old, barely functioning computer, she had hacked into a government website—without even fully understanding what she was doing. 

Her actions had caused the site to go offline for an entire week. The government, intrigued by the sudden cyberattack, traced the source back to the orphanage. But instead of punishment, they made her an offer: education in exchange for service. 

The deal had shaped her entire future.  Now, at twenty years old, she already owned her townhouse, a privilege granted by her employers. However, her salary had been significantly cut, with the excuse that her education had been an investment. It was clear to her—they had no intention of paying her what she was truly worth.

According to the agreement she had signed upon graduating from university, she was required to work for the NBI Counter Intelligence Department for five years. It was a contract she had no choice but to fulfill.  But even with her talent, even with her intelligence, there was something Khione struggled with. 

Something that made her daily life unbearable outside the safety of her home. 

Social anxiety disorder.

A persistent, overwhelming fear of being watched, judged, or ridiculed. It affected her in ways that many would never understand. Simple interactions left her paralyzed. Meeting new people sent her into a state of panic. Her mind would go completely blank whenever she was forced into a conversation.  She knew people found it strange—how could a genius hacker be afraid of talking to people?

But it was who she was. She had been like this since childhood, no matter how many psychologists had tried to help her. Even her job interview for the NBI had been a disaster. She had sat there trembling, unable to say a single coherent word in front of the department director.

She had been completely frozen, overwhelmed by the weight of their stares. But despite her failure, she had still been hired. Because the higher-ups wanted her. And now, she was finally working in the only place where she felt comfortable. 

Home. 

“This is a good life!” Khione stretched her arms with satisfaction. 

Inside her house, she was free. No awkward conversations. No judgmental stares. No anxiety eating away at her. 

Even when she had lived at the orphanage, she had always preferred to stay inside. Other children had tried to befriend her, but she would run away before they could even say a full sentence.

The only person she had ever trusted was Sister Faith, the nun who had acted as her mother figure. She had never needed friends. She was better off alone. 

Khione’s thoughts were interrupted by a message notification on her screen.  One of her coworkers had sent her a chat. She stared at the message for a moment—then ignored it. 

“Why do they keep trying? They already know what my answer will be.” She considered closing the chat tab altogether.

Instead, she logged into the NBI portal and checked her assigned tasks for the day. A large, bold word appeared on her screen: AUTHENTICATION REQUIRED

She sighed and opened her security device to verify her identity. Within seconds, the system granted her access. 

Her stomach twisted as she saw the first assignment waiting in her queue. She knew this was going to be bad.

Khione bit her lip, inhaling sharply before clicking the file open. Her screen was immediately flooded with graphic images and classified reports.

Her stomach churned. “What the hell is this?” she muttered, covering her mouth with one hand.

The photographs were horrifying. Bruised and battered children. Teenagers with vacant, lifeless expressions. Medical reports detailing sexual abuse. Documents exposing human trafficking networks selling them to wealthy clients.

Khione swallowed hard, forcing herself to keep reading. This was beyond horrifying. And then she saw something else. A list of potential suspects.

She clicked on the names—and her blood ran cold. 

Politicians.

High-ranking officials.

CEOs of powerful corporations.

She exhaled sharply. “Of course... of course they’re involved,” she whispered, gripping her desk.

This wasn’t just some underground crime syndicate. This was systematic. Organized. Protected.

“Why do I have to be the one handling this?” Khione leaned back in her chair, staring at the ceiling. 

It didn’t make sense. She was just a hacker. A specialist in cyber intelligence. And yet... They had given her this case. 

“Are they... are they using me as bait?”   The thought sent a chill down her spine.

She stood up abruptly and walked to her small kitchen, grabbing a glass of water. She needed to think. But no matter how hard she tried to shake it off, something about this case felt personal.

Then it hit her. The orphanage. She froze mid-sip. She remembered it now.  Children had gone missing. Back then, they had been told it was just bad luck.

That some kids ran away. That some were taken in by families. But...  Has that been a lie? 

Khione’s fingers trembled as she set her glass down. She forced herself to return to her desk. She couldn’t let her emotions cloud her judgment. She opened a coding window and began typing, her fingers moving with mechanical precision. 

As she worked, another thought crept into her mind. 

A memory.

A nightmare.

The very reason she was here today.  And the terrifying truth she had spent her whole life trying to forget.