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BACKSTAGE LIGHTS

Author: Ava Sinclair
last update Petsa ng paglalathala: 2026-05-22 02:39:08

Malasaña was already busy by the time Rachel arrived for her shift, even though the night had barely settled properly over Madrid. It was 9pm and the street outside the club carried that familiar mix of late noise and early tension; lovers having a nice time on the street, taxis pulling in too quickly, groups of people deciding where the night would take them, cigarette smoke hanging under the streetlights and different chitchats from every corner.

Inside, the club felt different immediately.
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  • Paid To Pretend, Destined To Love   FRIENDS DON'T KISS LIKE THIS (Part 2)

    Rachel's breath caught. She looked at his mouth before returning her gaze to his eyes."That doesn't sound very friendly.""No," he admitted. "It doesn't."She smiled despite herself. "You should probably work on that.""Would you like me to?"Instead of answering, Rachel reached for his hand. She held it for a few seconds, rubbing her thumb across his knuckles while she gathered the courage to do what she had been thinking about since the moment he told her he found her beautiful. Rachel kissed him before she could lose her nerve. Joseph's hand settled at her waist, drawing her closer as his lips moved against hers. She slipped her arms around his neck, and he kissed her again, more deeply this time. The nervousness she had felt at first gave way to something warmer, something that made her forget the sensible reasons she had promised herself she would keep her distance. When they finally parted, she barely moved away. Joseph brushed his thumb over her cheek, his gaze dropping to her

  • Paid To Pretend, Destined To Love   FRIENDS DON'T KISS LIKE THIS (Part 1)

    It was Sunday. Joseph had called Rachel earlier that morning to invite her to the cinema. It had been closed to the public for years, and although the building had fallen into disuse, it had retained much of its old charm. He had found out about it through Antonio and arranged for them to have the place to themselves for the evening. When he explained his plan over the phone, Rachel had laughed and asked whether he was secretly planning to kidnap her. He had told her she was welcome to decline the invitation, but she had agreed to meet him there. Now, standing outside the cinema that evening, Rachel wondered whether she had made the right decision. The building was tucked away on a quiet street in Madrid, its faded sign still hanging above the entrance. The posters that once advertised films had long since disappeared, leaving behind empty frames and dusty glass. Someone had cleaned the entrance, however, and warm light spilled through the doors.Joseph stood beside the entrance, look

  • Paid To Pretend, Destined To Love   THE COST OF SILENCE

    Vanessa Torres had never liked being reminded that she owed anyone anything. She preferred arrangements in which she held all the cards, where people understood what she expected without needing to be told twice. That was how she had managed most of her relationships, both personal and professional. She gave people a reason to cooperate, made sure they understood what they stood to lose, and expected them to remain useful for as long as she needed them.Señor Torres was beginning to test her patience.He had called three times that morning, and she had ignored every call. When his name appeared on her telephone again shortly after lunch, she answered with a sharp sigh.“What is it now?”“I need the rest of my money.”Vanessa leaned back in her chair. She was in her apartment, surrounded by the remains of a lunch she had barely touched. “I thought we had already discussed this.”“We discussed it last week. You told me you would pay me when things settled down.”“And things haven't sett

  • Paid To Pretend, Destined To Love   A MOTHER'S CONCERN (Part 2)

    Isabel recognised the end of that discussion when she heard it. Joseph had inherited his father's stubbornness, but he had developed a way of expressing it that made argument almost pointless. She would have to learn more about Rachel before deciding what, if anything, needed to be done.For now, she changed the subject.“I also heard that you've been reviewing some old company accounts.”Joseph's attention returned to her. “Who told you that?”“Your father mentioned that you've been asking questions about the company's financial history. I was curious.”“It's an internal review.”“Is it connected to the missing funds you've been investigating?”“I'm looking into several matters.”“Does that include the discrepancy from 2017?”The question came out more quickly than she intended.Joseph studied her for a moment. “Why are you interested in that particular year?”“I worked with your father for years. I remember that period. The company was expanding, there were financial pressures, and

  • Paid To Pretend, Destined To Love   A MOTHER'S CONCERN (Part 1)

    Isabel Delgado had not planned to visit Sterling Tech that morning until Vanessa Torres called her the previous evening. The conversation had begun with a complaint about Joseph, which Isabel had grown accustomed to hearing from Vanessa since their relationship ended. She had never understood why her son had allowed the relationship to fall apart, especially when Vanessa came from a family whose connections and social standing were well suited to the Delgado name. Still, Joseph had made his decision, and Isabel had learnt that pushing him too hard only made him more determined to do the opposite of what she wanted. Isabel remembered the young woman from the family dinner. She had been polite, perhaps a little uncomfortable among people whose wealth and influence were evident in every detail of the evening. Isabel had not thought much of her afterwards. Joseph had introduced her, and that had been enough to make her curious, but he had offered no explanation beyond the introduction its

  • Paid To Pretend, Destined To Love   THE THINGS THAT DID NOT ADD UP (Part 2)

    When the man arrived, Joseph explained that he wanted a complete copy of the access register connected to Rachel’s disciplinary file, including the original entries, the staff codes, and any available building entry records for the relevant dates.“I want the records preserved exactly as they are,” Joseph added. “No amendments, no replacement copies, and no attempts to tidy up incomplete entries. If anything has already been changed, I want to know when and by whom.”The head of records nodded. “I’ll arrange that.”“I also want the staff code from the incomplete entry identified. If it belongs to a former employee or someone who no longer has access to the building, establish that as well. I want a list of everyone who could have retrieved that file during the relevant period.”“Understood, sir.”After the man left, Joseph opened his notebook and wrote down the dates of the three incidents that had contributed to Rachel’s dismissal. Beside each one, he listed what was known, what had

  • Paid To Pretend, Destined To Love   The Saturday Shadow

    The week following the transfer of the fifty thousand euros had been a blur of antiseptic smells and hushed prayers for Rachel. Benjamin's surgery had been scheduled, and the weight on her chest had lightened just enough for her to breathe. But as Saturday approached, a different kind of suffocati

  • Paid To Pretend, Destined To Love   HOPE

    "Why do you need me to come? Why not just... hire someone? An actress, a professional. Someone who'd be better at this."Joseph's expression darkened slightly."I tried that," he said quietly. "Twice. My grandmother saw through it immediately. She's... sharp. She knows when people are lying."He pa

  • Paid To Pretend, Destined To Love   CAFÉ DEL ESPEJO

    10:30 AM the next day Rachel arrived early.She'd barely slept. After leaving the hospital at two in the morning, she'd gone home, stared at her ceiling for three hours, and given up on sleep entirely. By seven, she was showered, dressed, and pacing her tiny apartment, rehearsing what she would say

  • Paid To Pretend, Destined To Love   A Bar (Continued)

    Joseph's gaze lifted. He stared at her attentively."It's just me and my little brother now," she continued. "He's... not well. He has a heart condition."Her fingers twisted together unconsciously."He needs surgery. I've been saving. But apparently, my dad didn't die alone. His death brought more

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