The next day...
Kitchie stepped into the sleek, air-conditioned office of Expert Corporation late in the morning, her usual poised demeanor intact. Her black blazer and neatly pinned hair concealed any trace of the chaotic night she had endured. Karla, already seated at her desk, raised an eyebrow as Kitchie approached.
"You're late! Let me guess, overslept?" Karla teased.
Kitchie gave a sheepish laugh as she set her bag on her desk.
"You know me too well. I stayed up binge-watching a series and completely lost track of time. Won't happen again, promise," she said smoothly.
"You're still the same mischievous Kitchie I knew in college. Remember when we snuck into the dean's office?" Karla grinned, her eyes sparkling.
Kitchie leaned back in her chair, eyes widening as a smile stretched across her face.
"How could I forget? You wanted to see if the rumors about his secret wine stash were true!" Her eyes lit up at the memory of their college antics.
"And they were! We only took a sip, but you freaked out, saying the cameras probably caught us," Karla giggled.
"I wasn't wrong! The dean showed up the next morning with a glare that could curdle milk," Kitchie said, trying to keep a straight face but failing miserably.
"We played it off so well though—'Who, us? We were in the library all night!'" Karla waved her hand dismissively.
"And then you spilled coffee on his desk two days later. I thought he was going to explode." Kitchie burst into laughter, covering her face.
The two women collapsed into fits of laughter, tears brimming in their eyes as they recounted their reckless college days.
"Those were the days, when the biggest problem we had was passing that impossible math class," Karla sighed wistfully.
"Yeah, simpler times. But I wouldn't trade those memories for anything," Kitchie said softly.
"Agreed. We might have been naughty, but we had the time of our lives," Karla leaned forward, her grin widening.
Their laughter echoed through the office, a rare burst of joy reminding them both how far they'd come, and how much fun they'd had along the way.
Kitchie chuckled as she logged into her computer and sifted through her emails. Then, the newsroom jingle from the television mounted on the wall caught her attention.
"Breaking news! The Philippine National Police is reeling after a mysterious and deadly ambush last night in a warehouse in Quezon City. A lone assailant, referred to as 'The Phantom' by surviving officers, is believed to be responsible for the deaths of fourteen members of the Special Action Force and the serious injury of eight others."
The office grew quiet as employees turned toward the TV, curiosity piqued. Karla stood and stepped closer to the screen.
"The Phantom? Sounds like something straight out of an action movie," Karla muttered.
"Sources within the PNP reveal that surviving officers described the attacker as moving like a shadow—silent, swift, and nearly impossible to track. The motive remains unclear, but investigators are linking the incident to the abduction and death of General Edilberto, who was found at the scene. The PNP has not released any suspects or leads at this time."
"Did you hear that? A phantom. That's insane. How can one person take down all those elite officers? That's the kind of thing that only happens in movies," Karla said, wide-eyed.
YOU ARE READING
The Unbroken But Impure
RomanceA story of a young woman who, though still a virgin, already carries experiences with men because of painful events in her life. How long can she protect her honor? Will she still be able to offer what she has been safeguarding to the man she loves...
