S E L E N A
Without 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 me. I felt my heart racing, my breath caught in my throat. I had no idea what to say, or what to do. Everything felt surreal.“Selena,” he said, his voice a low whisper, almost a plea. His hand trailed down my waist, pulling me closer to him until our bodies were almost touching. I could feel his heart beating against my chest, his breath warm on my skin. I looked up into his eyes, and I saw something there that I hadn't seen before. It was fear, raw and unfiltered.His hands moved slowly, tracing patterns on my back. I could feel my heart pounding, my breath coming in short gasps. I felt like I was drowning like I couldn't get enough air. I was trapped, trapped in this embrace.I wanted to push him away, yet, I couldn't bring myself to move, to break free from his grasp.“Who are you?” I found myself asking him, my voice barely a whisper. I hadn't meant to ask the question, but it had slipped out. At that moment, I wasn't sure who I was - the girl he had known before, or the woman I had become.I didn't want to be the timid, poor girl he had left behind all those years ago, the girl he had paid off with a million-dollar check. I was no longer that person, no longer the girl who let herself be manipulated and used.I hadn't planned on coming back at all, much less as a better version of myself. But here I was, face-to-face with the man who had once meant everything to me.“What?” Pedro stammered, clearly taken aback by my words. He reached out and gently touched my chin, lifting my head to meet his gaze. I could see the confusion in his eyes, the questions swirling behind them. I knew that I had shocked him, that he hadn't expected this from me.His face hardened, his jaw set, as he asked me, “What did you mean by 'who am I'?” He sounded hurt, but I knew it was just a front. He was hiding behind a mask, trying to protect himself from the pain of our reunion. I wanted to reach out and touch him, to pull him close and show him that I still cared for him, despite everything. But I knew that wasn't what I should do.“Why are you doing this, Mr. Lopez?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper. I hadn't noticed the other men until now, but there they were, standing with their expressions stunned and confused.“What is the meaning of this, Mr. Lopez?” Christopher demanded, his face reddening with anger. He stepped closer to me, his eyes blazing as he tried to make sense of what was happening.“Lena, do you know him?” Christopher's voice was full of confusion and disbelief, his eyebrows raised as he looked at me. His question hung in the air, unanswered, as I struggled to find the words to explain. I didn't know what to say, or how to make him understand. All I knew was that I couldn't bear to see the look of hurt in his eyes.“She’s my…”“I don't know him, I don't understand what he's doing,” I interrupted Pedro, my voice trembling as I took a step back. I was standing behind Christopher, who seemed to be just as confused as I was. He looked from me to Pedro and back again as if trying to piece together the puzzle that had just been dumped in front of him.Christopher's face was full of disbelief, his brow furrowed as he turned to face Pedro. “Mr. Lopez, what's going on here?” he demanded, his voice sharp with anger. He stood tall, his shoulders tense, as he waited for an answer. But Pedro remained silent, his expression unreadable. It was as if he was frozen in place, unable to speak or move.As I watched, unable to move, Pedro's eyes met mine. I felt my heart stop, a wave of nerves flooding through me. I had no idea what he was thinking, or what he was feeling. I had no idea what he was going to do. All I knew was that I was terrified, frozen in place, unable to escape.“Y-You seriously don't know who I am?” Pedro asked, his voice soft and shaking. He was staring at me with a mixture of disbelief and hurt as if he couldn't comprehend what was happening.“I don't know who you are,” I mumbled, my eyes fixed on the floor. I couldn't bring myself to look at him, my hands trembling as I tried to calm my racing heart. The words felt like a lie, but I couldn't bring myself to admit the truth.“I haven't forgotten about what we had,” Pedro said, his voice full of emotion. “I haven't forgotten about us. I've been waiting for you to come back to me, longing for the day when we would be together again. I've been searching for you, looking for you, hoping that you would return to me.” He paused, I could feel his eyes boring into my trembling body as if trying to see into my soul.“How could you have forgotten me when I haven't forgotten about you?” he asked, his voice low and pleading.I felt my heart breaking, the weight of his words crashing down on me.My heart was beating crazily in my chest, threatening to rip off of my chest as I tried taking a step back, but his grip on my shoulders tightened stopping me from walking back.“Selena, please tell me you remember me, tell me that you haven't forgotten about us.” my head was spinning and my vision was getting blurry as I felt my tears rolling down my eyes.“I… I-I don't think you know what you're saying.” I yelled, jerking my shoulders, letting his hands drop off my shoulders. “Stop this madness, I do not know you.”Pedro made to grab my hand but Christopher grabbed him by the collar, pushing him off of me. Pedro staggered, crashing into the nearest wall.“I think you should stop right here, you're assaulting my assistant and I will call the cop on you if you don't stop right here.” I could sense anger in Christopher's tone as he growled at Pedro.My heart was pounding in my chest, threatening to break free. I felt like I was suffocating like the walls were closing in around me. I needed to get out of this hall, out of this building, out of this city. I needed to escape, to find somewhere to breathe.“I think we should reschedule this meeting,” I said, my voice shaky and uncertain. “I can't be in the same room as someone who thinks I'm someone else.”I turned to leave, my heart pounding in my ears when I heard him shout my name.“Selena, wait!” he called out.I stopped, frozen in place, my back still turned to him. I didn't know what to do, what to say. All I knew was that I couldn't face him, not like this.Before I could move, he grabbed my arm, yanking me back towards him. I stumbled, my ankle twisting as I fell against him. I let out a cry of pain as my head hit his chest. I could hear my heartbeat thudding in my ears, my breath coming in short, sharp gasps. I felt like I was going to pass out like my world was closing in around me.I tried to pull away from him, but he held me tight. “Let me go!” I cried, my voice sounding weak and pathetic even to my own ears.But he didn't let go. Instead, he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close. I struggled, fighting against him, but his grip was too strong. I felt helpless, trapped in his embrace.He was silent, his body tense against mine.“I won't let you go,” he blurted out, his voice low and determined. “I can't let you walk away again.”I felt a surge of panic, of fear. I didn't want to be trapped here, held against my will. But I was powerless, my strength sapped by my terror. I felt like I was a prisoner, caught in his web.“Please, you have to let me go,” I pleaded, my voice breaking, and my heart pounding in my chest.I was on the verge of breaking down when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned, my breath catching in my throat as I saw Christopher standing behind me, pulling Pedro away from me. I stumbled back, my legs shaking as I watched the two men struggle.Suddenly, Christopher threw a punch, catching Pedro in the jaw. He staggered backwards, his eyes wide with shock. I couldn't believe what I was seeing.“Christopher, you can't…” I began, my voice shaking. But I never finished my sentence, because Christopher had turned to face me. He took my hand, pulling me towards him. We both turned to look at Pedro, who was standing a few feet away, his hand on his cheek, and his eyes narrowed.“If your company treats its partners this way, I'm not sure I can work with you,” Christopher hissed, his voice stern and serious. I was taken aback by his words, my mind reeling. I hadn't expected him to react this way, to take my side. But I also felt guilty, like I had brought this upon myself. Like I was the cause of all this.I stood there, frozen, not knowing what to do or say. All I knew was that I had made a mess of things, and I didn't know how to fix it.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
P E D R O“I did some digging like you asked, and I think there's something fishy about the family,” the voice on the other end of the line said. I held the phone closer to my ear as I emerged from the bathroom, a towel wrapped around my waist.The voice continued, “I've got some information that doesn't quite add up. Are you sure you want to know more?”I paused, a feeling of unease settling in my stomach. Something about this whole situation just didn't feel right. But I knew I had to find out more. I exhaled slowly, bracing myself for whatever was about to come. “Tell me what you found out,” I said, as I made my way to the edge of the bed and took a seat.After a few moments of silence, the voice finally spoke again, his voice low and serious. “The family took in a girl about three years ago,” he mumbled, “and there's nothing about her in any of the articles I found. It's like she doesn't exist.”Another pause, and then they continued. “And her name is Selena.”A chill ran down my
S E L E N A“Chrissy, you seriously need to relax,” I said, trying to hide my amusement as I watched him pace back and forth across the room, a damp towel clutched in his hand. “Liam's going to be just fine. There's no need to worry so much.”Christopher stopped in his tracks and turned to face me, a look of concern on his face. Ever since the doctor had left the room, Christopher had been pacing back and forth like a caged animal. I could see the worry etched on his face, and I knew it came from a place of love. Liam meant a lot to him, and seeing him sick was difficult for Christopher to watch.Christopher sighed, a scowl forming on his face. “I thought his fever should have gone down by now,” he muttered, resting his chin on his hand. His fingers drummed against his lips as he stared at Liam, who was still sleeping peacefully on his bed.As I placed my hand on Liam's forehead, I felt the fever had indeed started to break, just as the doctor had said it would. I drew my hand away a