My heart was still doing acrobatics in my chest as I watched Ruoxi disappear up the stairs. I was rooted to the spot, holding a wet dishcloth, completely stunned.
What just happened? Did she just... kiss me?
And why did I like it so much?!
I ran a hand through my hair, trying to calm down before she came back down. If I looked this flustered, she'd know for sure that I was completely shaken up. Take it easy, Alice. It was just a thank you. A very, very intense thank you.
A few minutes later, Ruoxi came back down, looking effortlessly chic in a casual blouse and jeans. She didn't mention the kiss at all, which only made my heart pound faster.
"Are you ready?" she asked, grabbing her car keys.
"Y-yes!" I squeaked, trying to sound normal. "Let's go."
We drove away from the cabin, and I realized I had no idea where we were heading. The forest turned into open roads, and finally, into the bustling lights of the city.
Ruoxi drove with one hand on the wheel, looking relaxed, while I was vibrating in the passenger seat, still analyzing every second of the last hour.
"So," she said, breaking the silence. "Any preferences on where 'anywhere' is?"
"Uh, I'm okay with anything," I replied, looking out the window. "As long as it's not a place where I'll run into Camille."
Ruoxi chuckled—a rare sound that made me look at her immediately. "Consider it done. No Camilles allowed."
She drove to a high-end rooftop restaurant overlooking the city skyline. It was incredibly romantic, which was not helping my confusion. We sat at a table by the glass wall, the city lights glittering below us.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Ruoxi asked suddenly, watching me over her wine glass.
"Talk about what?"
"Running away. Your family."
I felt my heart sink a little. I didn't want to bring the drama into this beautiful night. "It's... complicated. I found out something I didn't know about myself."
Ruoxi reached across the table and covered my hand with hers. The warmth of her skin made me shiver. "Whatever it is, you're safe here. You don't have to carry the weight alone."
For the first time, I felt a genuine sense of peace. Maybe, just maybe, this weird, unexpected turn in my life wasn't so bad after all.
Thew Other Side
After dinner, Ruoxi dropped me off at the cabin, saying she had a few more things to finish up for her "appointment."
As soon as she was out of sight, Ruoxi's expression changed. The warm, kind Ruoxi evaporated, replaced by the cold, ruthless Rio.
She parked the car in a secluded alleyway and stepped out, looking completely different. She was no longer the charming girl in jeans; she was a calculated operative.
She pulled out a burner phone and dialed a familiar, menacing number.
"The plan needs to be accelerated," Rou said into the phone, her voice cold and devoid of emotion. "Alice is beginning to forget why she's really here. The emotional attachment is becoming a distraction."
The voice on the other end chuckled darkly. "Make sure she trusts you completely, Rou. Then, when the time is right, destroy her world. HAHAHAHAHA!"
"I understand," Rou replied, closing the phone.
She looked up at the moon, a look of profound hatred in her eyes—not for Alice, but for the life she was forced to lead. She had to finish this mission to free herself, even if it meant breaking the only person who had ever made her feel human.
KIANNA'S POV
"Do you really have no idea where Alice is?" Bryle asked, his voice strained as he paced back and forth like a caged animal.
It had been days. They had combed through every park, every mall, and every possible hangout spot, yet Alice remained a ghost. I bit my lip, feeling the heavy weight of the secret in my pocket. I hated lying to them, but I couldn't betray Alice's trust. If I told them about the cabin, it might just make the situation explode.
"I really don't, Bryle. Would I be out here searching with you if I knew where she was? You're her boy best friend—shouldn't you have some kind of instinct about this?"
Bryle stopped in his tracks, trying to steady his breathing. I could see the inner turmoil in his eyes. My conscience was screaming at me. Should I just tell him? They were falling apart right in front of me.
"I don't know anymore... she stopped telling me things a long time ago," Bryle whispered. Suddenly, he let out a frustrated growl and began punching the concrete wall. The sound of knuckles hitting stone echoed through the room.
"Bryle! Stop it!" I lunged forward, grabbing his arm. His knuckles were already split and bleeding, staining the gray wall with streaks of red.
"What are you doing? Do you think Alice is just going to magically appear because you turned your hands into pulp? Calm down! She probably just needs space. You know how much she's been dealing with lately. We just have to wait."
"How can I stay calm when we don't even know if she's safe? If something happened to her... I'll never forgive myself!" He gripped his hair, his knees nearly buckling from the sheer weight of his anxiety.
The tension in the room was snapped by the sudden, violent slamming of the front door.
Oliver burst in, gasping for air, his face pale as a sheet. He looked like he had just seen a ghost.
"They... they found a body," Oliver stammered, his voice trembling so hard he could barely get the words out. "A woman... in the river at Barangay Mabini. The residents said... she was raped before she was killed. I-I'm just praying to God... that it's not Alice."
The air left the room. Bryle's eyes widened, the blood draining from his face instantly. Without a single word, he bolted out the door.
"Bryle, wait!" I screamed, running after him.
Sana... Please, God, don't let it be Alice.
Bryle hopped on his motorcycle, his movements frantic as he jammed his helmet on. The engine roared to life with a desperate, aggressive kick.
"Wait, Bryle!" I shouted. He looked back at me, his eyes glazed with terror.
"I'm coming with you!" I hopped onto the back of the bike, gripping his jacket tight. He didn't wait for me to get settled before he revved the engine and sped off into the street. Oliver followed closely behind in his car, the sound of screeching tires filling the air.
As the wind whipped past us, I leaned in close to Bryle's ear. "Bryle! I know you're scared, but have faith. It's not her. I know it's not her! Nothing happened to Alice!"
I felt his back stiffen. "I hope you're right, Kianna! But I need to see it with my own eyes. I need to know!"
I closed my eyes tight as we blurred through traffic. My heart was thumping against my ribs. I knew where Alice was—she was safe at the cabin with Ruoxi. But a dark, sickening thought crept into my mind: What if she left the cabin? What if she tried to go home and ran into the wrong person?
If that body in the river turned out to be my best friend, I wouldn't just be losing Alice—I'd be the one who let her die by staying silent.