I wept bitterly at the sight of my best friend being taken by the ambulance on her birthday party. It has caused a stir in the business world and among the people she mostly socialized with.

Her parents were shocked to see her caked with blood and had immediately ushered the guests for their privacy. If it wasn't for the police authorities, they have been out of the area but since the concern of it is to find out who the culprit was, they had it secured.

They started interrogating everyone else. Even the waiters and helpers who were around before and during the event.

"Where were you between seven to seven thirty in the evening?" SP01 Rupert Hidalgo asked Troy Lemorze, Ashley's ex-boyfriend, in an empty table set at the corner of the ballroom.

"Nandito lang ako sa baba. Sharing some drinks with our friends. I still love her but not to the point that I will kill her." He said and massaged the bridge of his nose.

I frowned. His crocodile tears seemed to be visible beneath the sad expression he's been giving.

SP01 Hidalgo signaled one of his comrades and whispered something in his ear before he turned his attention back to Troy, "thank you for your cooperation. You may go home now. We'll just let you know on the outcome as soon as we had it."

"I really hope you'll find her murderer, Sir. She has been so good to me. To her friends. She doesn't deserve to die just like that." Troy added before he left.

"Keep an eye on him. I sense something wrong with him." I heard SP01 Hidalgo muttered to SP01 Bernard Zamora who just came from the kitchen.

"Same thoughts. I just talked to Elena Uy, one of the victim's bestfriends, she said that she came out of her room to help her with her gown minutes before her death. Doesn't it sound weird?" He consulted his findings to him whose forehead began to crease with concern.

"Excuse me, excuse me." A guy with a beard and chinky eyes in leather jacket passed by me and I stepped aside.

I shivered when I felt something grazed my skin. It's like a fur and it has tingled into my nerves.

I managed to caught the eyes of the man who just left the room in an attempt to recognize him but failed.

"Tricia? Here's some juice. You might be thirsty right now. Mukhang matatagalan pa tayo rito, hija." Yaya Alaine said and offered me a drink. I smiled and thanked her then she left me to take care of the guests.

I was about to take a sip on the glass handed to me when somebody bumped into me and it spilled on the floor.

"Aray!" I complained as I was about to kiss the ground but someone caught me just in time.

I opened my eyes and saw a guy  whom I cannot identify. He has a lopsided smile and charming eyes making it easy for the girls to swoon over him.

"Got ya!" He grinned and helped me stand.

"T-thank you." I mumbled and straightened my gown. "Sorry. May bumangga sa akin and I was caught off-guard.—"

"—No fuss. I saw it. And it was an accident." He shook his head. "Ako nga pala si Herbie O'Donnell. You must be Tricia, right?"

I raised an eyebrow at him when he said my name, "how did you know?"

He chuckled, "Ashley used to talked a lot about you. She's my cousin. A close one. I came from Arizona and I wanted to surprise her tonight. Pero hindi ko inaasahang ako pala ang masusurpresa sa biglaang pagkawala niya." Then, he began crying. I tapped his shoulder to console him. "Sorry. Hindi ko lang inexpect na ito ang magiging pagkikita namin. I didn't even had the chance to say hello."

"I'm sorry." I whispered and found myself crying too. "She is my bestfriend. At mamimiss ko siya ng sobra."

"I know. I wanted to give her justice she deserves. Can you help me find the killer?" He asked and I stared at him as I wondered how I will do it.