P E D R O
I looked over the last report of the day, and a wave of exhaustion crashed over me. The stress of the long hours and the mountain of paperwork had taken its toll, and my head felt like it was going to burst.I was in the middle of a particularly stressful report when a loud knock at the door jarred me out of my concentration. My head was already pounding, and the sound of the knock felt like someone was slamming an anvil against my skull. I let out a frustrated hiss and yanked my glasses off my face, glancing at the door with a scowl.“Whoever's out there, just come in,” I groaned, tossing my glasses onto the pile of files in front of me. My head dropped to my chest as I rubbed my temples, trying to massage away the tension. I was in no mood for a visitor, but I knew they would just keep knocking if I didn't say something. So I just resigned myself to my fate and waited for them to enter.With a soft creak, the door opened and my secretary stepped inside. His face was pinched with worry, and his hand clutched a brown envelope so tightly that his knuckles were white. The expression on his face did not bode well, and I braced myself for whatever bad news he was about to deliver.My secretary bowed his head and spoke in a low voice, “Sir, the Andres’ will be at the conference hall tomorrow, and everything is ready for their arrival. The preparations are complete.” His hand gripped the envelope so tightly that I wondered if it would tear. There was something about his demeanour that made me uneasy, and I could feel my tension rising. Whatever was in that envelope must be important and I had a bad feeling about it.“Oh,” I sighed wearily, leaning back in my chair and rubbing my eyes. I had been expecting bad news, but hearing about work when I was already so stressed out was the last thing I wanted. I rested my head against the headrest and tried to relax, but I could feel the tension still coiled in my muscles. I was ready for the day to be over, but it seemed like it was only just the beginning."Your schedule for tomorrow has been finalized, sir, and I'll send it over to you later. Is there anything else I can do for you?" My secretary seemed eager to get out of my office, his eyes flitting nervously around the room. The tension in the air was palpable, and I felt a surge of irritation. I wanted to be left alone, but it seemed like he had more to say.“Just tell me already if there's more you have to say to me.” I blurted out uninterested. My gut told me it would be about work but I couldn't help but ask.“Um,” Secretary Roy stammered, his gaze falling to the floor, “The search team sent their report. They said they're sorry, but they couldn't find any information about her whereabouts.” The words hit me like a physical blow, and I felt my heart drop into my stomach. I had been holding out hope that the team would be able to find something, anything, that could lead me to the woman I was so desperate to find. But now that hope was dashed, and all I could feel was despair.“Secretary Roy, what do you mean they can't find her?” I shrieked, my heart racing in my chest. “What do you mean they can't find Selena? How is that possible?” I slammed my fist on the table, the sound reverberating through the room and startling Secretary Roy, who jumped in surprise. I could feel my anger boiling over, my mind racing with questions and fears.The search team had promised me, time and again, that they would find Selena. They had assured me that it was only a matter of time before they would uncover the information I needed. So how could they possibly tell me now that they couldn't find her? The thought of it was maddening, and I felt like my whole world was crashing down around me. Selena had been gone for years, and all I wanted was to know what had happened to her. The thought that I might never find out was unbearable."Secretary Roy, are you messing with me right now?" I seethed, my anger rising to a dangerous level. Secretary Roy stood there, frozen, his gaze fixed on the floor. He wouldn't meet my eyes, and I could feel my patience wearing thin. I was furious, teetering on the edge of doing something I might regret. If he didn't leave my office soon, I wasn't sure what I might do. I could feel my self-control slipping away, and I was close to the breaking point.“Get out!” I roared, my voice echoing off the walls. Secretary Roy jumped, startled by my outburst, and quickly scurried out of my office. The door slammed behind him, and I was left alone with my thoughts. I could feel the rage pulsing through my body, and I knew I needed to calm down. But all I could think about was Selena, and how she had been away from me. How I might never know what happened to her. I felt helpless, and the anger was almost overwhelming.I turned my gaze to the table, my eyes landing on my jacket. I slipped it on, the need to escape the office growing stronger by the second. I needed to go home, to the place where I had felt closest to Selena. The place where we had first met, the place where we had shared our first kiss, and the place where we had parted ways. It was the only place that held any trace of her, and I felt drawn to it like a magnet. Home was the only place where I could feel close to her again.I don't remember getting into my car or driving home. My mind was consumed by thoughts of Selena, and it wasn't until I pulled into my driveway that I snapped back to reality. I practically ran from my car to the front door, my feet carrying me to the place where I had spent so many happy moments with her. I fumbled with the keys, my hands shaking as I unlocked the door and stepped into the house. I made a beeline for her bedroom, desperate to immerse myself in her presence.The door to her bedroom creaked open, and I stepped inside. Time seemed to have stood still, as the room was exactly as she had left it. I hadn't had the heart to clean it, knowing that doing so would erase her presence from the room. As I crossed the threshold, I was enveloped in the familiar scent of her perfume, the smell bringing back a flood of memories. My legs gave out beneath me, and I collapsed on the floor. My eyes landed on the bed, where a dusty cheque was resting on the pillow.‘I can't accept this money, not for the time we spent together,’My fists clenched in regret as I recall that horrible night, I didn't mean to do it, I didn't mean for her to misunderstand me. The cheque was a gift, not a transaction. I had sent the cheque to her, hoping that she would understand my feelings. I didn't mean to pay her for our time together, I just wanted to remember it as something special, something precious. But the cheque had been returned to me, unopened and unclaimed. I couldn't bear to look at it, so I placed it on her pillow, a reminder of what I had lost.“I'm sorry,” I mumbled, my voice breaking as what happened that night came replaying in my head.I curled into a ball, my arms wrapped around my knees as I leaned against the wall. “Please come back to me,” I whispered, the words catching in my throat. I felt so alone, so empty without her. I didn't know how to fill the void she had left in my life. I just wanted her back, more than anything in the world. But she was gone, and I was left with only my regrets.S E L E N A I closed my eyes, trying to shut out the world and stop time from moving forward. But no matter how hard I wished, I knew it was futile. The hands of the clock would keep turning, the minutes would keep ticking by, and there was nothing I could do to change that. I felt like I was trapped, suspended in a moment that I couldn't escape. It was a bitter feeling, knowing that I couldn't escape the fate that had already been designed for me.Christopher must have sensed my nervousness, I felt his gentle hand take hold of mine, intertwining our fingers. I looked down to see his reassuring gaze, a soft smile playing on his lips. He brushed his thumb against the back of my hand, a small gesture that sent waves of comfort through me. At that moment, I knew I wasn't alone. I have him, a stranger who turned brother overnight.“Lena, are you okay?” he whispered, his voice barely above a murmur. I could barely hear him, but I knew what he was asking. I opened my mouth to answer, but
S E L E N AWithout a moment's hesitation, he reached out and cupped my cheek with his hand. His eyes were locked on mine, filled with an emotion I couldn't quite place. His face was frozen in a look of complete surprise as if he couldn't quite believe what was happening. And then, I heard it - the steady, rapid beat of his heart. It was pounding so hard, it was like it might burst out of his chest. At that moment, I knew that he was just as affected by this moment as I was. "Selena, is it really you?" he asked, his voice quivering as his thumb traced my cheekbone. I could feel the warmth of his skin against mine, and I knew at that moment that my heart was in trouble with how hard it was beating against my chest.I was speechless, my mind a jumble of thoughts and emotions. I stood there, frozen in place, my eyes fixed on him. This wasn't what I had expected. I thought he would ignore me, pretend like he didn't know me. But here he was, right in front of me, asking if it was really m
S E L E N A“Chrissy,” I gasped, trying to get his attention. But he just tightened his grip on my wrist, pulling me along with him towards the door. “Wait,” I pleaded, “you can't just end the contract, we'd be the one at a loss.”Christopher paused, making me come to an abrupt stop. His head snapped at me, and for a moment, I thought he might listen, he might reconsider. But his eyes were still hard, his jaw set.“Screw the contract!” he shrieked, his voice full of rage. I felt my heart skip a beat, my breath catching in my throat. I couldn't believe what I was hearing, couldn't comprehend his words. “I can't let him keep messing with you, just because of some stupid piece of paper.”I looked away, unable to meet his gaze. I didn't know what to say, or how to respond. I was stunned, speechless.As Christopher dragged me away, I couldn't help but look back at Pedro. His eyes were fixed on me, a look of hurt and anger plastered on his face. Seeing the pain on his face, I felt my heart
P E D R OI didn't even realize how long I'd been standing there, with my hand pressed to my face until Secretary Roy appeared at my side and gently guided me to a seat. I sank into it gratefully, my legs trembling beneath me. I felt completely drained as if all the energy had been sucked out of me.The whole encounter with Selena had felt like a dream - Selena's coldness towards me, the way she'd denied ever knowing me. It had all felt so impossible, so removed from reality. And yet, here I was, sitting in a chair, my entire body shaking with the aftermath.I felt like I was in a waking nightmare, my mind struggling to process what had just happened. How could the woman I'd loved, the woman I'd thought loved me, treat me like a stranger? It was more than I could comprehend.“It was Selena. She's my Selena and I could swear she remember me.” I mumbled, my breath was shaking as I stared into space.“She denied knowing me after everything we had together?” I gasped, my hands were trembli
S E L E N AI stood at the window, staring into the night sky as my heart pounded in my chest. I knew that any minute now, Christopher would be knocking on my door. I couldn't stop thinking about what he might say to me, the anxiety weighing heavily on my mind.My chest heaved, and I felt like I was about to lose control. I tried to focus on my breathing, taking deep breaths in and out. But it was no use - a light knock came on the door and I held my breath as the door crept open.I stood still, my back to him, my eyes squeezed shut. I heard his footsteps behind me, coming closer and closer, but I refused to turn around. I couldn't face him, not like this.“Has the boy gone to bed?” I asked instead, not wanting to die of anxiety.The footsteps ceased and I felt his arms encircled my waist, his chin resting on my shoulder. I held my breath, every nerve in my body taut.“I watched him sleep before coming here,” he whispered in my ear, his breath warm on my skin. He pulled me closer to hi
S E L E N AI glanced down at my wristwatch for the umpteenth time, impatience rising in my chest. The meeting had been going on for what felt like an eternity, and I was starting to lose focus. My mind kept wandering, and I found myself checking the time every few minutes.The person speaking droned on and on, and I had to force myself to pay attention. But it was a struggle, and I couldn't help but wonder how much longer the meeting would last. How much longer I was going to last without Christopher by my side?“Shit!” I whispered to myself as I absently flipped through the file. I was trying to stay focused, but my mind kept wandering back to Pedro's gaze that glued on me.Christopher's sudden departure to attend to the company matters wasn't the issue. It was Pedro's behaviour that was causing me distress. He had been staring at me since the meeting started, and I couldn't bring myself to meet his gaze. Every time I looked up, I caught him staring at me from the corner of his eye,
S E L E N APedro’s arms were wrapped around me, and I could feel the warmth of his body through my clothes. My back pressed against his chest, and I could feel his heart beating rapidly against my back. I inhaled deeply, the scent of his cologne filling my senses. It was a heady, intoxicating smell, and it was making me feel light-headed.I found myself melting into his embrace, my body relaxing against his chest as if it were a place I had always belonged. His hand gently held me close, rocking me slightly in his arms. I felt safe and protected like nothing bad could ever happen to me while I was there. I knew I should pull away, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. Time seemed to slow down, and for a moment, it was like we were the only two people in the world. But then I heard a sharp intake of breath, followed by the sound of someone clearing their throat behind us."Uh, um," the voice stammered, and I jumped away from Pedro, breaking his hold on me. The realization of what we h
S E L E N A“I’m looking out for my property.” I scoffed, my hands leaving the steering wheel as I dropped my gaze to the file on the passenger side, the corner of my lips curved into an embarrassed smile as I grabbed the file and squeezed it gently.“You made me look like a fool in front of him.” I gritted my teeth in anger as if the file was to be blamed for my mistake.I shouldn't have asked him if I was his property because it was clear he saw me as another person… No, he shouldn't have spoken in such a manner.“Oh, shit!” I gripped the steering wheel and slammed my head against the steering wheel with the file still in my hand. I was so mortified that I couldn't bring myself to lift my head from the steering wheel. I knew Pedro was long gone, but the shame I felt was overwhelming. Pedro wasn't even anywhere in the compound; he might have left as soon as he stepped out of the company but the shame I was feeling was enough for me to disappear without a trace.‘Get home as soon as