Chapter 4

I watched the video Finn sent me, over and over, my eyes tracing the blurry lines on the screen. The footage was grainy, but the terror in my sister's voice was crystal clear, a sound that sliced through me and settled deep in my bones. I didn't know where she was, but one detail burned into my memory: a tattoo. Five men, each with the same ink: a cross with a snake coiled beneath it.

A sudden knock on the bathroom door startled me. "Chef Chan, nandiyan ka ba?" a voice called out.

"Oo, teka lang lalabas na ko." I wiped the hot tears from my face with the back of my hand, a silent vow forming in my mind. Whoever did this to my sister would not get away with it. They would find out what it means to dance in fire.

I walked out of the bathroom as if nothing had happened, my face a carefully constructed mask of indifference. I passed Trisha, whose eyebrows were furrowed in a deep scowl.

She started to speak, "What the fuck is wrong with you, Chanty!? Alam mo ba kung paano kita pinagtakpan kanina..."

I didn't listen. My gaze was already fixed on the restaurant floor, scanning the people sitting at the board's table. My eyes landed on Gabriel, who was now holding a woman by each arm, his smile wide and confident as if he was campaigning. I swore under my breath. Why didn't I see this coming? He was famous, but I never expected him to be friends with Travis.

Travis was there, too, watching from the table with a quiet intensity. Now, I have a feeling that sooner or later, I’ll be dancing in my own fire. Burning.

It was an ironic twist of fate. I had done everything to get away from him, to make sure our paths never crossed again after that night. It was just a one-night stand, a fleeting moment in a dark room. It was nothing. But my heart knew better. He was my first time. He was so impossibly good, and in a weak moment, I had allowed myself to grasp at the hope that he was different. That he was an exception to all my past deceptions.

I shook my head, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. Why was I getting ahead of myself? As long as he didn’t interfere with my business, we were fine.

After my shift, exhausted, I drove home and parked in the empty lot of my apartment. The light was on in my window, and a message from Jellay confirmed my suspicion. She was there. She was the only one with a spare key. We used to be roommates in college, competing for the top spot. Then she got pregnant by a womanizer and dropped out. I graduated first, but she became an executive chef before me.

"Nandito na 'ko," I said, my voice heavy with fatigue as I walked through the door.

A girl with short pink hair stood in my kitchen, wearing one of my aprons, a disapproving look on her face. It was Jellay. "Ano itong nabalitaan ko na nag-resign ka raw!?" she exclaimed, hands on her hips.

"Tita Chanty!" Abigail, Jellay's daughter, pouted and ran toward me.

I dropped my bag and scooped her up into a hug. "Oh my baby angel." I carried her to the living room, passing her mother as if she wasn't there.

"Hoy Chantydoll! Bakit ka ba nag-resign? Your turn was next to take my place. It was your time," Jellay said, joining our tea party with Abigail.

"Ang bilis naman nakarating ng balita." I laughed softly as Abigail poured imaginary tea into Jellay's toy cup. The little girl shushed her mother, telling her not to be loud because "Mr. Bear" didn't like noise.

"Travis is here," I said, my voice low. Jellay's eyes widened.

"Cheers!" Abigail raised her cup, and we followed suit.

"This tea party is so much tea, huh?" Jellay's eyebrow shot up.

"Mommy, carefull its hot," Abigail said.

"I'm careful, baby." Jellay mouthed to me, "We'll talk about this later."

After three minutes of playing, Abigail fell asleep on my shoulder, happy that she got to see my new hair. I carefully put her down on the sofa and covered her with a blanket. I kissed her forehead before Jellay pulled me to the balcony, away from the sleeping child. She had already tidied up the kitchen.

"Are you serious!?" she hissed, closing the glass door.

"Alin doon? Ang pag-resign ko ba o ang pagkikita namin ulit ni Travis?" I pulled a cigarette from the box and lit it.

She snatched it from my mouth and took a drag. “Both!”

"Yeah. I heard from Trisha earlier that Travis was the one who suggested you to resign. What the fuck is wrong with that guy?” I leaned against the railing and grabbed the cigarette back.

“Fuck it! Siya pala ‘yon? Bakit parang iba ata sa sinabi mong maamo pero wild? You should have seen how he said it straight into my eyes! Madulas ang dila ng isang 'yon!”

A small laugh escaped my lips. “I don’t remember that, but I remember how good his tongue was.”

She gave me a withering look. I raised my hands in surrender. I knew how much she hated him, and his encounter with her at the restaurant had only made things worse.

I blew out a puff of smoke, watching it dissipate into the night sky. I remembered Travis's face when he heard my name earlier. I didn't know if he remembered me or that night, but the way he called my name felt like a door swinging open, pulling me back to that moment.

“Sinabi mo ba sa kaniya?” she asked.

“Para saan pa?” I blew another puff of smoke. "I don’t need anything from him. What happened to us was just a one-night stand.”

“And the baby?”

I froze. A sudden cold emptiness filled my chest. My mind flashed back to the two lines on the pregnancy test. I carried his baby. I didn't get an abortion. I wanted to be a mother. But my chance was ripped away. I survived the accident, but my son didn't.

I looked at Abigail, so full of life, and imagined my son. He would have been her age, just as lively, maybe just as handsome as his father.

"He wouldn’t know about it. I’ll make sure."

"Small world, huh?" she said.

"About my sister... may lead na ako."

"What do you mean?" Jellay's eyes widened.

"Finn had the video."

"Saan daw galing?"

"Lost Angel."

"Lost Angel? The fuck is that name?"

"It's a group chat. It's like a cybercrime group. The victims? Students between twelve and sixteen. Novices."

"Hindi ba nag-aaral din si Melisa maging madre?"

"Hindi lang si Melisa ang biktima rito. I think my mom is involved, too. My sister knows it, but she refuses to tell me."

"The fuck is this people. So, mga pari ang gumahasa sa kaniya?"

"I'm not sure, pero ito..." I showed her the picture of the tattoo on the assailants' arms. I browsed through the other videos Finn had sent from the group chat.

"I'm really confused. Saan mo naman nakuha ang video na ito at bakit parang napakarami naman ata nito?"

"Remember Remy from the university?"

"Iyong weirdong prof natin dati?"

"Yup!"

"Paano mo nalaman?"

"I saw it on his phone. Fuckbuddy niya si Samantha noon. He used the same kind of phone as Samantha's."

"The angelic face who used to bitch about you being first in our exams? Gosh that girl is sus."

"Yeah. Because she copied my style, pati phone ni Remy ginaya niya rin. Tatanga-tanga kasi itong si Samantha, pati password ko ginaya niya. Kaya ayun nagkapalit kami ng cellphone."

"Damn... That girl is fucking obsessed with you. Buti na lang at hindi na kayo ulit nagkita."

"I know it's crazy, right?"

"Yeah. Hindi mo ba ito ipapakita sa mga pulis?"

"Hindi na muna. I need stronger evidence."

After we talked, Jellay said she had to go home to prepare for her daughter's day care tomorrow. To be honest, I felt jealous of her. Even though she got pregnant by a womanizer, she still managed to raise her daughter.

I looked at the tattoos again. I'm pretty sure I've seen it before. I pulled out my laptop and searched the news. The first thing that came out was the board meeting. They were famous stakeholders of the religious school where my sister was studying. I noticed something. The tattoo from the video was the same as the one on Gabriel and the other board members. My hands clenched into fists as I stared at Gabriel’s happy face. If he had anything to do with my sister’s assault, he better start praying. Because hell itself would be coming for him.

I texted my sister, but my phone rang. Speaking of the devil. It was Gabriel. My probabilities don't fail me again. I had also seen the texts from him from yesterday, but I ignored them. I didn't know how he got my number. I guess Finn gave it to him.

“Hey who’s this?” I closed my laptop and jumped on my bed.

“Hey, it’s me. Gabriel,” he said, his voice a low breath.

“Oh, good evening, father. How did you get my number?”

“I asked your cousin.”

I licked my lips. Of course, you would.

"Ano pong kailangan ninyo?"

"Uhm. Nothing. I want to check on you." He paused. "It’s nice seeing you today. Are you free tomorrow?”

“Uhm. Let me check.” I stared at the ceiling, smiling. We're down to the exciting part.

“Yeah. I guess.”

“Right. Cool. Can I pick you up tomorrow?”

“Wait, are you asking me on a date?” I laughed softly.

“I’m not really used to it. So, are you down to it?”

“I don’t know. Wala ka bang date bukas kasama ang girlfriend mo?”

“Francisca? No. She’s not my girlfriend.”

Jerk!

I nodded. “If you say so. I’ll send you my address.”

“See you tomorrow, Chanty.”

The sound of my name made my body shiver. I nodded again before ending the call.

This is it.

I tried to close my eyes, hoping my insomnia wouldn't kick in again. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't sleep. I ended up cleaning my entire house, throwing away the trash, and even taking a shower again. I did everything, but nothing worked. The more I got tired, the more I couldn't sleep.

I only had one option left. I pulled up my laptop, opened my secret files, and watched the video of him crying in my hands. It was the only memory I had left of my son before he was taken away. Tears welled up in my eyes as I looked at his smile. If I had known he would be taken so soon, I would have taken more pictures. So even just through the screen, I could feel like a mother.

The tears wouldn't stop, and neither would the ache in my heart. I still dreamed of being a mother, but it was all taken away. Motherhood is the most exciting part of being a woman. From being nine months pregnant to pushing until your veins pop, it's all worth it.

I slowly closed my eyes, cuddling my favorite pillow, when a knock on my door startled me. At this hour? I glanced at the clock beside me. It was fucking 2:00 AM! Who the fuck would knock on my door this late? It couldn't be Jellay, because she wouldn't miss a chance to get a good night's sleep after a tiring day taking care of her daughter.

I jumped out of bed, annoyed. I put on my robe and wrapped myself tightly. I quickly opened the door without even thinking.

"Yes?" I said.

I froze. He was there. His Irish eyes met mine, and a smile crept onto his lips. I was immediately transported back to the VIP room where we first met. The moans, the sweat that he licked from my body. His tongue. How could I ever forget what it felt like?

My heart raced. No! I have moved on.

"I know it's you," he said.

"Wha—I'm sorry, do I know you?" I blinked, trying my best to win.

Pain flashed in his eyes, but he quickly hid it.

"I think you have the wrong room, Mister," I said, a forced smile on my face.

"Don't you recognize me?" he hesitated.

"Excuse me? I think you mistake me for someone."

"Yeah, I guess so. Uhm. Sorry," he said, and gave me a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

I watched him as he walked to the next door. My eyes widened, and I cursed under my breath.

Did he fucking live next door?

I slammed my door shut, almost breaking the knob. What the fuck? I didn't know if the heavens were playing with me. He's here! Right next door! How am I supposed to live a peaceful life?

"Is this my Karma?"