After All

Mang Caloy is Shot

7:00 a.m. – Innovare Headquarters

The early morning sun cast long beams of golden light through the glass façade of Innovare's towering headquarters. Most of the office was still quiet, the hum of fluorescent lights filling the silence, broken only by the steady tapping of Marie's keyboard.

She sat at her workstation, laser-focused, her brow furrowed slightly as she compiled reports and organized project files. Her eyes flicked between spreadsheets, her fingers a blur across the keys.

The doors slid open with a soft chime.

Brian walked in, coffee in hand, laptop bag slung casually over one shoulder. He paused when he saw Marie already deep in work and made his way to the desk beside her.

"Good morning," he said, settling into his chair.

"Morning, Brian," Marie replied without looking up.

Brian cocked his head. "Wow. No sarcasm, no witty remark? You're really buried in it today."

She nodded, still typing. "Deadline. Jasmine and Bianca dumped half a week's reports on me yesterday."

Brian leaned over slightly to peek at her screen. "Let me help—"

"No need," Marie cut in, still focused. "I'm almost done."

He leaned back, raising both hands in surrender. "Hardworking as ever. Let me guess—supporting your aunt and uncle?"

Marie finally paused and looked at him, her expression softening. "They've done everything for me. It's the least I can do."

Brian smiled and reached into his bag. "Well, the least I can do is make sure you don't starve." He pulled out a wrapped burger and a small sundae. "Breakfast of champions. Or dangerously overworked analysts."

Marie blinked in surprise, then smirked. "You're trying to bribe me with calories."

"Desperately."

Just as she reached for the sundae, the glass doors flew open again.

Vanessa.

She strode in like a thundercloud wrapped in designer heels, coffee in hand, eyes narrowing the moment they landed on Marie.

"So this is the woman you're replacing me with?" she spat, voice slicing through the air.

Marie jerked back, caught off guard. "Excuse me?!"

"Vanessa," Brian said, already rising to his feet, his tone warning. "It's not like that. And we're not together anymore, remember?"

"Oh, sure," she scoffed. "Not together, but you're feeding her burgers and ice cream like it's a honeymoon phase. Pathetic."

Marie stood too, but remained calm. "You don't even know me."

"I know enough," Vanessa snapped. She raised her coffee like a weapon, arm tensing—

—but a hand shot out and grabbed her wrist just in time.

Coffee sloshed, spilling onto Vanessa's own blouse, the hot liquid seeping into the expensive fabric. She gasped, stumbling back.

All eyes in the office turned toward the scene.

"Seriously?" came a sharp, unimpressed voice from across the room.

Jasmine stood in the hallway, clipboard in hand, her sleek bun immaculate, lips pressed into a frown. She was dressed in tailored corporate wear that somehow managed to say don't cross me without a word.