*Who's My Eternal*
*Manila Bay — Night of the Burial*
The bay was asleep.
Or trying to be.
Cherry was home. Finally. After the church. After the dirt. After saying goodbye to Papa.
She and Mrs. Eva didn't talk.
Just laid down. Same bed. Like when Cherry was little and scared of storms.
Both too empty to cry anymore.
*Outside*
Cindy didn't sleep.
She waited.
When her house was quiet, she slipped out. Bare feet. Cash in her hand.
Found them. The men from the pier. The ones who drank too much. The ones who'd do anything for money.
"Pink house," she said. "The girl. Cherry."
Handed over the bills.
"Make her hurt. Like she hurt me."
They nodded.
*Pink House — 1:40 AM*
The door broke open.
Wood splintered.
Cherry and Mrs. Eva jolted awake.
Men. Three. In the dark.
Cherry opened her mouth to scream—
One of them raised a gun.
"Shut up."
They froze.
The men went for Cherry. Grabbed her arms.
"No," Mrs. Eva gasped. Tried to pull them off. "Please. She's just a child—"
"Get off!" Cherry thrashed. Kicked. Fought.
One of them got angry.
Turned.
The gun went off.
Loud.
Mrs. Eva dropped.
Didn't make a sound after.
"Mama?" Cherry's voice broke. "MAMA?"
She couldn't move. Hand over her mouth. Tears hot. Body shaking.
She looked at her mother. Not moving.
Then at the men.
Something in her snapped.
She drove her knee up. Hard.
One of them doubled over, cursing.
Cherry ripped free and ran.
Barefoot. Nightgown. Blood on her hands from scraping the floor.
"HELP!" she screamed. "PLEASE, HELP!"
She ran down the path. Toward the water. Toward voices. Toward anyone.
They ran after her.
*Manila Bay*
Doors flew open.
Noa was first. Heard her scream.
"CHERRY!"
He ran. Others behind him. Fishermen. Neighbors. Boys from the pier.
Lola Anna and the old women ran to the Pink house.
Found Mrs. Eva on the floor.
Lola Anna dropped to her knees. "Eva— Eva, child—"
But she was gone.
*The Cliff*
Cherry ran until her legs gave out.
Until her lungs burned.
She was at the edge now. Where the bay met the rocks. Where they used to swim as kids.
She looked back.
The men were close.
Help was far. Noa yelling her name, but still too far.
She couldn't breathe. Couldn't think.
Couldn't let them touch her again.
Her foot slipped.
And Cherry fell.
Over the cliff.
Down.
The men saw. Stopped.
Heard Noa and the others coming.
And ran. Disappeared into the dark.
Noa reached the edge.
"CHERRY!"
Nothing.
Just water. Just rocks. Just night.
*Harkwell mansion — afternoon*
Elian's phone was on the nightstand.
No new messages.
He was asleep.
Dreaming of contracts. Of Lola. Of a girl with muddy boots calling him _stupid_.
He didn't know anything