LOGINSomehow, the night seemed to change for us; after that revelation, Sebastian offered to help me move more things to the new apartment. He seemed much less tense than he had been all day. And so, another night of sleeping in turned into the penultimate day before I finally moved into a new place. He lifted boxes with a quiet determination, his movements steady, almost mechanical. I watched him, wondering if he was trying to distract himself from the truth we had discovered.
<"Mia?" I asked in a low voice at first, and then louder, "MIA??"We all turned around at the same time to try and find Mia, who wasn't behind us, and we all had something in our hands. Suddenly, there was a knocking sound at the door."BOO!" yelled that wretched Mia from behind us, making all three of us jump, while she laughed hysterically."Oh, I fucking hate you, bitch."Mia was still laughing, doubled over, while Kathe shot her a murderous glare. My heart was still racing, and I was trying to catch my breath, while Sebastian looked genuinely terrified.“Seriously, Mia,” I muttered through gritted teeth, “you’re going to have a heart attack one of these days from your jokes.”Sebastian didn’t smile. He stood still, staring at the end of the hallway, where the light was still flickering. “That wasn’t her,&rdqu
Kathe and I opened our mouths almost simultaneously in a way that seemed cartoonish. As soon as we saw the bottle of wine that Mia was taking out of her backpack, it immediately changed the mood of the night."No way!" I blurted out immediately. "We're not doing that today, Mia!""Of course we are," Mia said with a mischievous grin. "It's Friday!""I agree with the blonde," Kathe said, pointing at Mia.Kathe and I exchanged a glance, both amused and resigned. Mia was already uncorking the bottle with the determination of someone who had decided the fate of the night."Okay," I said, raising my hands in surrender. "But just one glass. I don't know what time Sebastian will be here, and I don't want to be drunk when he gets here.""One glass," Mia repeated with a mocking smile. "That's how it always starts."Kathe laughed, looking at the cab
The morning dawned heavy, as if the sky itself knew what awaited me. I barely slept, my mind tangled in memories of my father and the word Sebastian had dared to utter: cousin. Aside from that, the morning had dawned cloudy, with a refreshing breeze, the kind that's actually quite enjoyable.When I arrived at the office, the atmosphere felt tense, hostile. The hallways seemed narrower, the whispers sharper. Every step was a warning, but somehow, I felt a weight lift from my shoulders. Despite it not being the answer I'd hoped for, the fact that Sebastian and I were cousins meant I was no longer waiting for an answer from the universe.I disguised myself as best I could and walked among my employees to greet them. They were the ones who had decided to stay despite the rumors. They were the ones who understood that I was human and had a past outside of my involvement with the company, and that this wasn't going to affect my professional life
Somehow, the night seemed to change for us; after that revelation, Sebastian offered to help me move more things to the new apartment. He seemed much less tense than he had been all day. And so, another night of sleeping in turned into the penultimate day before I finally moved into a new place. He lifted boxes with a quiet determination, his movements steady, almost mechanical. I watched him, wondering if he was trying to distract himself from the truth we had discovered.Now all I had to do was get rid of the things I had to donate, give away, or throw out, and I could consider myself lucky to be moving to a new house. But even as I thought that, a chill ran down my spine. James and Lucas wouldn't let me enjoy this new beginning so easily, and I was absolutely certain of it; I knew very well that tomorrow at the office, a problem was going to crash down on me like a thousand raging waves.Sebastian placed another box near the door, wiping
Suddenly, the revelation hit me like a bucket of ice water, a real bucket of ice water. It wasn't just the revelation that the man I'm attracted to is my cousin, but the fact that he IS my cousin. My stomach lurched, as if the ground beneath my feet had shifted. I placed my hands on the table, trying to stay steady, but the cold truth seeped into my bones.Sebastian's face was pale, his lips parted as if he wanted to speak but couldn't. For a moment, he seemed younger, more fragile, stripped of the anger and self-assurance that usually surrounded him."What are the chances it's a mistake or a coincidence?"Sebastian shook his head slowly, his gaze fixed on the screen. "But it isn't. It's written there. Clear. There's no getting around it."The silence weighed heavily on us, denser than the night outside. I could hear the faint hum of the refrigerator, the distant sound of a passing car, but inside th
Nightfall didn't make things any easier. Sebastian arrived at my apartment, speaking very little and with an unusual seriousness for him. He seemed to treat me with the same formality as a stranger. Having him here felt strangely reassuring yet oppressive. It was as if I wanted him here, but with everything that was happening, I really wanted him to be in another city, or another country.He sat down without asking anything, his gaze fixed on the floor, and for a moment I thought he would leave without saying a word. The silence dragged on, heavy, until I couldn't bear it any longer."Sebastian," I said softly, "what are you doing here?"He looked up, his expression unreadable. "Because you haven't finished moving in yet and... and I want to help."Those words wounded me deeply. I wanted to ask him about the email, about the message, about the truth I was too afraid to face. I clenched my hands tight
“Everyone’s heard the rumors,” I began, my voice firm despite my racing heart. “About me, about the company, about what happened last week. I won’t deny it: there’s some truth to it. I was targeted. My accounts were frozen. And yes, my personal life has been caught up in this mess.”
I closed the file and leaned back in my chair, gently drumming my fingers on the desk. Carlos was gone, but his shadow lingered, an echo of a past connection long since turned to ash. Any bond we'd ever shared was buried, and now only a fragile alliance based on necessity remained.
Carlos leaned slightly toward me, his smile seeming more like a mask than a genuine gesture.“Rumors, contracts, employees leaving… it’s all just noise. The important thing is that you and I keep going.”His words made me clench m
I was walking down the street with a bottle of soda, my feet moving with a rush I hadn't felt in a long time. My heels clicked against the pavement, one after the other, with a rapid, sharp click.I hadn't fallen asleep, but I had relaxed a little too much before leaving home







