“BETRAYAL is the ultimate breach of trust, encompassing acts such as cheating, divulging secrets, and lying.”

However, could concealing significant information from someone also be regarded as an act of betrayal?

 ***

A few weeks after Kassandra’s birthday, Senthie found herself without a moment’s rest. Some of Kassandra’s party guests had contacted her, seeking tailored dresses. She reserved Saturdays for Fashion Sen’s, while Cecilia handled Mondays and Thursdays. Kassandra willingly covered the other days, likely due to Kenzo, Senthie suspected.

Wanting to foster a connection between them, Senthie suggested Kenzo accompany Kassandra. Her plan bore fruit, with Kassandra calling Senthie every night after work to share her day with Kenzo. They texted and Kassandra affectionately used the nickname Kenny for Kenzo. Senthie smiled at their budding connection. How cute, she thought.

After six weeks, Senthie could finally catch her breath. She had completed all the clients’ dresses and received full payment. Overwhelmed with gratitude, she felt indebted to Kassandra, whose presence had propelled her business to new heights. She truly was her lucky charm.

Additionally, Senthie was equally appreciative of Cecilia, who had stepped in to help finish the dresses on the days when Kassandra took over. Having friends that she could rely on was a gift she cherished. Through this experience, she learned the importance of accepting help from others, realizing that being independent didn’t mean she had to shoulder everything alone.

 ~

Senthie had decided to treat her friends, including Kenzo, to dinner after closing Fashion Sen’s.

“Your treat, are you sure?” Kassandra asked three times already, making Senthie slightly nervous.

Senthie sighed, concealing a hint of irritation beneath her calm exterior, and playfully responded, “How many times must you ask, and how many times would you like to hear my answer? I’ve told you, it’s my treat. Do you want me to take it back?”

She had let Kassandra choose the restaurant, acknowledging that her support had played a significant role in Fashion Sen’s success—even though Kassandra insisted it was Senthie’s talent that shone. However, Senthie was beginning to second-guess herself about this treat thing. What if we are heading to an expensive place I couldn’t afford? What if it’s a bar, a setting I loathed due to its draining, crowded atmosphere? She quickly dismissed the unsettling thoughts with a shake of her head.

“Are you okay?” Kassandra asked, her laughter filling the car as she glanced over her shoulder at Senthie. “Feeling queasy back there?”

They had been in Kassandra’s grayish blue Toyota Vios for nearly half an hour, with Senthie and Cecilia in the back seats, and, of course, Kenzo in the passenger’s seat.

Senthie made a playful face and chuckled. “No way, Kass. I enjoy long drives; no chance of getting sick.”

Kassandra laughed and checked the rearview mirror. “Good to hear that. But brace yourselves, ladies, because I’m taking us to a super fancy diner.”

Cecilia’s excitement bubbled over. “For real? I’ve never been to a super fancy diner!” She turned to Senthie with an eager expression. “I can’t wait, but, um . . . can you . . . ?”

Senthie laughed, instantly grasping Cecilia’s unspoken concern. “If it turns out I can’t afford it, I’ll happily volunteer as their dishwasher for as long as they need me.”

“Don’t worry, Sen. That won’t happen. I’ll cover the bill,” Kenzo said with a straight face that drew laughter from the ladies.

“Of course, that was just a joke, Kenny.”

Senthie nodded, while Cecilia continued to giggle at him, remarking, “You always take things so seriously, Ken.”

“Yes, he always does,” Kassandra uttered, her gaze fixed on the road ahead. “But that’s one of the many things I love about him.”

Amid the suddenly awkward silence, it seemed as though invisible flowers were blooming all around her.

Kenzo offered an awkward smile, his hand finding its way to the back of his neck. “Thank you.”

Cecilia couldn’t resist a playful whistle, a theatrical cat-call. “That was so cheesy, I cringed!” She followed it up with a fake shiver and a laugh.

“You two look great together. You’d make an adorable couple,” Senthie chimed in. Her words carried a subtle message, implying that Kenzo should consider moving forward with her.

Kassandra picked up on this cue and added, “I’ve always thought we looked good together. Kenny’s just taking it slow . . . but we’ll get there soon. . . . Right, Kenny?” She glanced at him.

She seemed to be waiting for a particular response, an affirmation, but he only managed a small smile, followed by a silence that hung heavy in the car.

Senthie glanced in the rearview and sideview mirrors, catching glimpses of disappointment on Kassandra and Kenzo’s faces. Guilt welled up within her as she realized the unintended consequences of her words. Maybe, I shouldn’t have said that.

 ~

This marked the first time Kassandra had encountered rejection from a man. Her charm had always prevailed, and Kenzo’s response had wounded her ego and heart.

However, she had no intention of retreating. She refused to endure such humiliation. Her determination solidified; she would ensure Kenzo would fall head over heels for her sooner rather than later. In truth, this had been her plan from the very beginning. The reason she had volunteered as a part-timer at Fashion Sen’s was to get close to him and make him hers.

She reminisced about the day she had spotted Kenzo at Fashion Sen’s. She was at the jewelry store across from it, and she couldn’t help but notice that he was engaged in a serious conversation with Jimhuesh. Observing the situation, she noted Jimhuesh’s apparent irritation upon departure, but her thoughts remained solely fixated on Kenzo. His pretty face had captivated her. Then, she deduced that Kenzo, Senthie, and Cecilia, were friends, making her decision to become a part-timer at Fashion Sen’s a strategic move. However, forming friendships with Senthie and Cecilia had not been part of her initial expectations.

Initially, she saw Senthie and Cecilia as mere stepping stones toward her goal. But as time passed, and she spent more moments with them, something unexpected happened. She found herself genuinely caring for them, and to her surprise, they turned out to be the best friends she had ever had.

Moreover, what she hadn’t foreseen, though, was how her feelings for Kenzo would evolve. They had grown deeper than her initial, superficial desire for him to be her possession. He revealed himself as a true gentleman, a kind soul, a thoughtful individual, and a rare gem among men. Kassandra had never anticipated that her affection for him would progress beyond mere admiration and adoration.

She steered the car towards a swanky KTV resto bar in Makati. They had reserved a private room - a cool sanctuary from the Manila heat. Inside, it exuded luxury, with two glass tables atop pristine white marble floors, and walls so polished they doubled as mirrors. Plush black sofas, a karaoke TV, and a powerful speaker set the stage. Dim red and pink lighting added to the ambiance, setting the mood just right. They all sang their hearts out, except for Kenzo, who opted to nurse his drink throughout the stay.

After nearly two hours of nonstop singing, munching on chips, and sipping a bit of beer, Senthie and Cecilia decided to call it a night. Kassandra watched them depart, feeling a twinge of jealousy tugging at her, as she wasn’t able to join them in drinking. She had to drive back home.

The two women left Kenzo in Kassandra’s care, as he showed no signs of wanting to leave just yet. So, there they were, alone together, Kenzo with his drink, and Kassandra with an untouched glass.

A few minutes after Senthie and Cecilia had departed, Kenzo began to mumble words that were initially incomprehensible to Kassandra. Concerned, she scooted closer to him and leaned in to listen more closely, eventually deciphering the repeated word he was uttering: “Why?”

Placing a comforting hand on his back, she inquired, “What do you mean why?”

Kenzo sighed deeply, grabbed the last bottle of beer, and downed it in one gulp. Anxiety crept into her as she tried to gently take the beer away and set it on the table.

Kenzo wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. His flushed face resembled a ripe tomato. His eyes drooped as he shifted his gaze toward Kassandra, who continued to ask him what was wrong while patting his back as though consoling him after a breakup.

“What’s wrong? She really . . . drew the line. The end line,” he mumbled and let out a laugh laced with misery.

Kassandra had never felt more bewildered in her life than she did at this moment. “What do you mean by end line? Who’s she?”

He made another attempt to reach for the bottle, but she refused to yield it to him. She shook her head firmly. “No. Stop drinking and tell me what’s wrong.” She moved the bottle to the floor, just an arm’s length away from her, and out of his immediate reach. She sighed. “Help me understand. What are you trying to say?”

Kenzo sank into the back of the sofa and closed his eyes. “Sen will never come back to me. She’s pushing me away, and I can see it. It hurts so much,” he confessed, placing a hand over his heart and squeezing it as a tear trickled down his temple. “I don’t understand why it still hurts, though. I thought I had accepted that reality.”

Kassandra’s hands instinctively covered her mouth as she gasped, her eyes welling up with tears, and her heart feeling like it was shattering into a million pieces. She shook her head, unwilling to accept what she had just heard. “What are you saying?”

Kenzo, seemingly unaware of her presence, began to cry quietly. He hunched over, resting his elbows on his knees, and hid his face in his hands. The room filled with the sound of his labored breaths and sniffles, leaving Kassandra waiting anxiously for more of his response.

Finally, he managed to speak through his tears. “I loved her so deeply, and I still do. I don’t know if that will ever change. I doubt it, and I’m afraid it will last forever.”

Tears streamed down Kassandra’s face as she abruptly rose and rushed to the restroom. Inside, she made an effort to compose herself, splashing water on her face, but her emotions refused to be tamed. She was overwhelmed by feelings of hurt, deception, humiliation, and profound betrayal.

Water and tears mingled on her drenched face, her hands gripping the sink, her eyes piercing into the mirror. Her voice trembled as she whispered to her reflection, “Oh dear, Senthie has been deceiving you all along. She played you!” She let out an exasperated and shaky sigh. “How could she do this to me? She’s turned me into a laughingstock. And Cecilia? There’s no doubt she’s involved, too. How foolish I was to believe they were ever my friends!”