When the World Turns Against You
“This is just so unfair!” Mitch cried as she expressed her sentiments about Ada’s unceremonious termination from NTV
“If they are cutting you loose, then we will follow you, and we shall resign. Right, guys?” Roy declared, with all of Ada’s staff saying yes in unison.
Ada sharply turned to face her staff, “You guys will do no such thing!” She approached Mitch and Roy, embracing the two of them, “You all have perfectly great careers ahead of you, and none of you will waste that on my account, understood?”
She pulls Roy aside, “You are my number two, now you are the team’s number one and temporary leader. I pray that they promote you to the new team lead. Treat your team with respect and care,” Roy nodded while tears streamed from his eyes.
She then pulled Mitch, “You are now Roy’s second lead, support him the way you supported me.”
Finally, she addressed the people she had worked with and called friends, “Follow Roy and Mitch’s lead as you had done for me,” she looked at the faces of her staff, “Thank you, all of you, for the help that you gave me all these years. I could not have asked for a better team than this team right here.”
She was about to lift the box that contained her things, but Roy lifted it for her, “Let me carry this for you, Ma’am Ada.” Roy sobbed, expressing his sadness.
On their way out, they came across Zenny leaning against a pillar, watching in glee as the Queen made her last march out of NTV. Outside, Grey was waiting for her. He received Ada’s things from Roy, placed them in the back seat, and opened the door for Ada. When Ada boarded the car, she gave one last wave at her friends and one last look at her home of eight years.
On their way home, Grey could not help but notice Ada sobbing quietly as she leaned on the glass window. “I’m sorry these things happened to you, if I hadn’t returned….”
Grey was not able to continue what he was saying when Ada rested her head on his shoulders. “You know it’s not your fault, so just shut up and drive, okay?”
That night, Ferdie was watching the news when the segment about show business came out: “Adamariz Del Mundo, NTV’s former top writer, was fired today.” Ferdie accidentally spilled the cola he was drinking, hurried to Ada’s room, “Hey sis, I think you should see this,” pulled his sister out of her room, and into the living room.
Ada directed her gaze to the reporter on the screen, announcing, “Adamariz Del Mundo was released from her position at NTV earlier today amid several police investigations concerning a series of unresolved murders. Reports also suggest that Del Mundo engaged in numerous instances of power abuse, maneuvering within the NTV framework to prioritize her projects.”
Another reporter added her perspective, saying, “It’s truly unfortunate to learn about these situations, where someone idolized by the public turns out to have a troubling character behind the scenes. I’ve also heard accounts of her mistreating her team.”
A third reporter also chimed in on the conversation, “You know, when I interviewed NTV’s new lead writer Zenaida Austria, it turned out that Ms. Del Mundo is also hard to approach.”
“Really?” the other reporters chimed in
“Yes, according to Ms. Austria, she idolized Ada, but when she tried to approach her, Ada mocked Zenny and told her she would never be the lead writer for the station,” the third reporter finished.
“The universe has made its judgment and addressed the wrongs,” the three NTV reporters giggled as they concluded their segment. Their sincere demeanor and expressions were so convincing that it was easy to miss the fact that the story about Ada was a complete fabrication, designed to damage her reputation.
Ferdie heard the doorbell ring and, upon seeing Grey on the security monitor, quickly opened the door. “Where is she? Please tell me she hasn’t seen that segment.” The urgency in his voice was unmistakable. Then he heard the sound of crying, and when he looked into the living area, he saw Ada, her back to him, her eyes red and puffy from tears.
Ferdie shook his head in frustration. “It’s too late, man,” he said, witnessing the lengths to which NTV would go to destroy his sister. In a surge of anger, he struck the countertop with his fist. “Those idiots! Without my sister’s contributions, they wouldn’t even be relevant.”
Grey approached Ada and took a seat beside her. It broke his heart to see her in distress. He wrapped her in a gentle embrace, and even he wondered if it could truly soothe the chaos she felt. “I know you’ll find your way through this. For today, give yourself permission to be vulnerable and let it all out; we’re right here with you,” he said softly. Hearing his kind words, she rested her head on his chest, feeling the strength of his presence envelop her.
As if in cue, Ada’s phone started to ring incessantly. She was about to reach for it, but Grey took it and handed it to Ferdie. “Hello? Yeah…unfortunately, she saw it…she’s a bit distraught, but Grey’s here…okay, I’ll let her know. That was Mitch and Chard; they were asking how you’re holding up.”
The phone rang again; it was their parents. “Would you like to take this one?” he asked his sister, but Ada shook her head. “Hey, Mom?” Ferdie said, upon answering the phone, “Wait, I’ll put you on speaker; she will hear you, but I don’t know if she can speak right now.”
Ferdie presses the speaker mode of the phone and places it gently on the table near her. “Ada? Your dad and I saw the news…let me just assure you that none of us believe all those horrible things they are spewing about you, even our neighbors are furious that they are bad mouthing you,” Helena said on the other line.
Andy then took the phone from his teary-eyed wife and placed a comforting arm around Helena, “Princess, remember what I always told you when you were just a child?” The line went silent for a while. Andy held his breath, waiting for his daughter to reply
“It is in the darkest of times…that we should shine the brightest,” Ada replied, her voice breaking from the chaos in her heart.
Andy sighed in relief when he heard her daughter’s voice, “I know it’s hard not to be sad, even hopeless and angry when things like this happen, but that is why we are given strength and courage, so that we can rise again and vindicate ourselves. And you, my little princess, are the strongest and most courageous person I have ever known. I do not doubt in my mind that you will emerge from this stronger than ever. You can cry and lament as much as you want, just don’t lose hope in yourself, my princess. After all the hurt and tears have vanished, stand up, shine, and do what you do best, soldier on!”
“Thank you, Daddy, Mommy,” Ada said, her voice breaking from the continuous tears
“Grey? I know you’re there; I want you to listen carefully. I know that the two of you had your problems in the past and that you let go of each other just when you needed each other the most. And now time is repeating itself, I trust that the two of you will help each other to carry one another when the other can’t.” He paused for a while and talked to his son, Ferdie. “Ferdie, protect your sister, don’t let anyone hurt her.”
