My Genius Woman

"No, Dad, I didn’t know what happened. I was drunk," I explained, my voice trembling. My father’s piercing glare sent chills down my spine, and my hands were shaking as I tried to keep myself together. I truly didn’t know what had happened to me. The only thing I remembered was being with Stella, my younger sister. She had insisted we go out to celebrate my 20th birthday. "Stop lying!" Dad bellowed, slamming a stack of photographs onto the coffee table. The sound echoed in the room, making me flinch. I stared down at the images. There I was, in a hotel room, lying on the bed with an unknown man whose face wasn’t visible. My chest tightened, and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. "Dad, I can explain! I don’t even know who this man is. Stella was with me last night!" I tried desperately to plead my case. But Dad wasn’t having any of it. "Damn it, Faye! Are you still going to deny it even with the evidence staring you in the face?" Before I could respond, Stella descended the stairs, her voice laced with fake concern. "Oh, Dad, are you looking for me?" The moment I saw her, a glimmer of hope sparked within me. "Stella, please tell Dad the truth! Tell him we were together last night." She tilted her head slightly, pretending to think. "Yes, Dad. We were at the bar together," she said casually, making me exhale in relief. But just as quickly, my relief was shattered. "But… I don’t know where she went later. She just disappeared with some guy at the bar." My blood boiled at her words. I clenched my fists, struggling to keep my emotions in check. "No, Stella! You’re lying! We left the bar together. I remember passing out in the car because I was so tired and dizzy. You were there! You stayed with me!" Stella’s face contorted into an exaggerated look of confusion. "What are you talking about, Faye? If we left together, why didn’t you come home with me? And what about those photos?" "Enough!" Dad roared, his voice shaking the walls. "If you were really with your sister, Faye, why do these pictures exist? Do you think I’m stupid? This is proof of what you did!" I opened my mouth to speak, but my father raised his hand to silence me. His expression was a mixture of rage and disappointment, and it broke my heart to see him look at me that way. Then Stella added fuel to the fire. "Dad, what are we going to do now? She’s supposed to marry Justine Sandoval." Justine. Hearing his name made my heart ache. What would he think of me if he saw those pictures? How could I explain something I didn’t even understand myself? Dad paced the room, running his fingers through his hair in frustration. "I don’t know what to tell the Sandovals. They’ll think we’re a family of fools! Faye, you couldn’t even manage to secure this marriage without ruining it. You’re a disgrace!" Before I could respond, a familiar voice interrupted. "What’s going on here?" I turned to see Justine standing at the doorway. His handsome face was twisted in confusion as he took in the scene before him. Stella, ever the opportunist, immediately took the stage. "Oh, Justine, you’re here. I was just telling Dad about what happened with my sister last night. She cheated on you. Something happened between her and another man." "What are you talking about?" Justine’s voice was sharp, his eyes darting between the three of us. Stella held up the photos. "Here. See for yourself." Justine snatched the photos from her hand and stared at them, his jaw tightening as his eyes scanned each image. I stepped closer, tears streaming down my face. "Justine, I can explain! I don’t know what happened. Please believe me. I have no idea who that man is!" I sobbed, my voice breaking. But Justine didn’t even look at me. "Why should I believe you, Faye? These photos don’t lie. You were in a hotel room with another man!" "I don’t remember any of this! I swear to you, I didn’t do anything!" His face hardened as he finally met my gaze. "You disgust me. Do you think I’m stupid? This engagement is over. I don’t want to see you again." My heart shattered as he turned his back on me and walked out of the house. "It’s all your fault, Faye! What are you going to do now? Even Justine doesn’t want you anymore!" Dad yelled, his voice dripping with venom. "You’ve done nothing but bring shame to this family! You’re a worthless daughter!" I stood there, numb, unable to respond. "Dad, let’s just leave her alone," Stella said, feigning concern. "Come on, let’s eat. I’m starving." Dad nodded and followed her to the kitchen, but not before throwing one last dagger my way. "Don’t bother eating today, Faye. If you’re hungry, go find that man you were with. You’re useless, just like your mother." Their laughter echoed from the kitchen as I stood frozen in place, tears streaming down my face. --- I ran to my room and collapsed onto my bed, sobbing uncontrollably. My world was falling apart. Justine was the only person who had ever been there for me, the only one who truly understood me. And now, he was gone. "What am I going to do?" I whispered to myself. "I didn’t cheat on him. I didn’t do anything wrong." But no one believed me. Not my father. Not Stella. Not Justine. I grabbed my phone and dialed Andrea’s number. She picked up after a few rings, her voice groggy. "Hello?" "Andrea… It’s me," I choked out, my voice barely audible through my sobs. "Faye? What’s wrong? Why are you crying?" Her voice instantly became alert, full of concern. "Can we meet? Please, I need to see you," I begged. "Of course. Where are you? I’ll come to you." "No, I’ll come to your condo. I can’t stay here. I need to get out of this house," I told her. "Alright. Be careful, okay?" After ending the call, I forced myself to get up and wash my face. My reflection in the mirror was a mess—red, puffy eyes and tear-streaked cheeks. I splashed cold water on my face, hoping to hide the evidence of my breakdown. --- Flashback The events of the previous night played in my mind like a broken record. I remembered waking up in an unfamiliar room, my body feeling heavy and sore. I opened my eyes to see a man lying beside me, his back turned. Panic surged through me as I realized I wasn’t wearing any clothes. I quickly gathered my clothes, avoiding the pain that shot through my body with every movement. My underwear was nowhere to be found, but I didn’t have time to look for it. I dashed to the bathroom, locking the door behind me. As I dressed, tears welled up in my eyes. What had happened to me? How did I end up here? The last thing I remembered was being in the car with Stella. We were supposed to go home together. How did I end up in this hotel room with a stranger? --- After getting dressed, I left the house without telling anyone. I didn’t care if they noticed or not. It wasn’t like they cared about me anyway. I flagged down a jeepney and made my way to Andrea’s condo. The ride felt like an eternity, my mind racing with thoughts of what could have happened. Did Stella have something to do with this? The thought crossed my mind, but I quickly dismissed it. She was my sister. She wouldn’t do something like this… would she? The pieces didn’t add up. I only had one drink at the bar, so why did I feel so dizzy? Was it possible someone had slipped something into my drink? The idea made my stomach turn. If that was true, then someone had planned this. But who? And why? --- When I arrived at Andrea’s condo, she was already waiting for me at the door. The moment she saw me, she pulled me into a tight hug. "Faye, what happened? You look terrible!" she exclaimed, leading me inside. I sat down on her couch and burst into tears. Between sobs, I told her everything—about the bar, the hotel, the photos, and Justine. Andrea listened intently, her face growing darker with every word. When I finished, she let out a deep breath. **"Faye,