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
P E D R OMy hand fidgeted with my tie as I waited impatiently for Andres’ to arrive for the meeting. Having waited for two days to see Selena was torture enough, and time was moving so slowly that I was losing my patience. I was becoming anxious to meet her.“Hi, Ms. Selena, could you please come with me to my office, I have something important to say to you.” I shook my head, even I could tell that what I just said didn't make any sense. If I wanted to ask her the questions that had been bothering me for days, I should at least have a good reason to call her back.I wasn't even sure if she would agree to meet me in private after what happened the last time.“Oh, could you please come with me to my office, I'm afraid I have some important things to discuss with you in private about our project.” I scratched my jaw as what I had been practising didn't seem like it would get Selena to meet with me after the meeting.I was still unsure of how to approach Selena and ask her to see me pri
S E L E N AThe car came to a stop in front of the movie theatre, and I sucked in a deep breath. As I reached for the door handle, Christopher surprised me by bringing out a face cap.“Here, I thought you might need this,” he said, his voice soft. Huh? My brows knitted in confusion as I stared at the cap in his hand. Wondering what I was supposed to do with it.“We don't want you to be recognized, so this should do the trick,” he said, with a hint of dry humour in his voice. Then, he leaned forward and placed the cap on my head. “I'm not sure if it's necessary, but it's better to be safe than sorry,” he added, his voice soft and reassuring. His hands dropped to my face, his touch was gentle, and I felt a spark of electricity as he caressed my cheek with his thumb. He gave me an assuring smile, then, he pulled away.I sighed and straightened in my seat. I couldn't help but glance at Liam, who sat silently in the backseat. When he was sick or just recovering from an illness, he always
P E D R OAs much as I wanted to spend my Friday night at home, I couldn't say no to a movie night with Roy. It had been too long since we'd had time together outside of work, and I was starting to miss our friendship. Plus, I needed a distraction from the thoughts swirling in my head, particularly the ones involving Christopher and his interactions with Selena over the phone in the morning. I needed to get my mind off of that, and a movie night seemed like the perfect way to do it.I leaned back against the headrest of my car, letting out a deep breath as I observed the scene in front of me. People were coming and going from the movie theatre, some with their partners, some with their children. It was a busy night, and I could feel the energy of the place, even from the parking lot.As I watched, I began to feel a sense of loneliness wash over me.I couldn't help but shake my head and mutter, “Lucky bastards,” as I watched the couples and families walking into the theatre. It wasn't
S E L E N A My heart pounded in my chest as I watched Pedro approach me, his eyes shining in the soft glow of the amber lights. He looked so much like our son, and for a moment I was overcome with the urge to reach out and hug him. But I knew I couldn't do that, not after everything that had happened between us. I clenched my fists, trying to keep my emotions under control.“It really is you, Ms. Selena,” he said, his smile wide and bright. The joy in his expression was contagious, and I couldn't help but let out a faint smile. But the moment I did, my heart started to race, and I could feel my pulse quicken. His smile was like a dose of medicine, but I was afraid I was taking too much. My heart felt like it was about to burst out of my chest, and I couldn't calm myself down.I tightened my grip around the cap in my hands, silently cursing at myself under my breath. I should have known better than taking the cap off. What was I expecting that I wouldn't bump into Pedro in a place lik