As they entered inside, the air was still thick with tension.

Gab, despite her anger, fetched an ice pack from the mini-fridge and handed it to Mav. "Here, put this on your cheek," Gab said, her voice laced with a mix of concern and frustration.

Gab sat between Shi and Mav, Shi sat between Gab and Mina, and Mina positioned herself next to Aya.

The silence in the room was heavy, and everyone could feel the unresolved emotions hanging in the air. Mina's gaze was fierce, her jaw clenched. She was about to lash out again, but Aya sensed it, and gently squeezed Mina's hand, signaling her to stop.

Aya then turned to Mav, her eyes filled with empathy. "Is your cheek okay?" she asked softly.

Mina rolled her eyes, clearly frustrated with Aya's kindness. "How can you be so nice after what she did?" she muttered under her breath, but Aya's grip on her hand tightened, reminding her to stay calm.

Mav nodded slightly, pressing the ice pack to her cheek. "Yeah, I'll be fine," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, her eyes avoiding everyone else in the room.

Gab, taking a deep breath, broke the silence. "I'm really sorry, Aya. I didn't know things would get this bad," she said, her voice filled with remorse.

Mina's eyes flared with anger. "It's not you who should be apologizing, Gabriella. It's Lim!" she snapped, her voice harsh and unforgiving.

Gab looked hurt but remained calm. "Mina, you're being harsh. Let's try to handle this maturely," she said, her tone steady, though there was a hint of sadness in her eyes.

Mina stood up, her temper flaring. "Handle it maturely? Like making bets on people's feelings?" she spat, glaring at Mav. She was ready to escalate the argument, but Gab stayed seated, looking unbothered.

Aya quickly pulled Mina back to her seat, her touch gentle but firm.

Shi, who had been quiet up until now, finally spoke. "Gab, why didn't you tell me about the bet? I'm your girlfriend. Nakalimutan mo na ba?" Her voice was soft.

Gab sighed, rubbing her temples. "Shi, I didn't agree to the bet. I thought Cream and Mav had dropped it when I saw how well Mav and Aya were getting along. I didn't realize Cream would take it so seriously," she explained, her voice heavy with regret.

Mav, her voice barely audible, whispered, "I didn't think Cream was that serious about the bet. I thought it was just a stupid joke..."

Mina's eyes narrowed, her tone cutting. "You shouldn't have done it in the first place, Lim. You used Aya for your amusement. Kapikon lang."

Mav looked up, her eyes meeting Aya's for the first time since the confrontation started. Her voice cracked as she spoke, "I'm so sorry, Aya. I never wanted to hurt you. I... I was stupid, and I let Cream talk me into it. Please believe me, I didn't realize how much it would hurt you." Her eyes pleaded for forgiveness, but there was a deep well of guilt and shame in them.

Aya took a deep breath, her heart heavy with the weight of the situation. She could see the remorse in Mav's eyes, but the betrayal still stung deeply. "I need to know, Mav... why? Why did you agree to this in the first place?" Her voice was calm, but there was a tremor of hurt that she couldn't hide.

Mav swallowed hard, looking down at the floor. "Akala ko kasi if I could just go along with it, maybe... maybe hindi niya na kami kukulitin ni Gab. But I was wrong. I was very wrong." Her voice was choked with emotion, tears brimming in her eyes.

Gab reached out, placing a comforting hand on Mav's shoulder. "We all make mistakes, Mav. But you need to make it right. You need to prove that you're sorry, not just say it ha," she said gently, her voice a soothing contrast to the tension in the room.

Shi nodded in agreement, her expression softening slightly. "Mav, if you want to fix this, you need to show Ate Miraya that you're truly sorry. Actions speak louder than words."

Mina took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "You better make this right, Mav. Because if you don't, you'll have to deal with me. And trust me, I won't be as forgiving as Aya," she said, her voice firm but not as harsh as before.

"Mav, I need time. I need to see that you're truly sorry and that you understand what you did was wrong. Prove to me that you'll change," Aya said, her voice steady but filled with emotion.

"I will, Aya. I'll do whatever it takes to make this right. I promise."

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