LOGINRachel took a slow breath as she walked through the entrance, greeting the security guards with her usual smile."Good morning”"Morning, Miss Rachel."She returned every greeting with the same warmth she always did. If anyone noticed that she looked more tired than usual, they were kind enough not to mention it. A few minutes later, Joseph entered the building. Rachel looked up instinctively. Their eyes met for only a second."Good morning, sir.""Good morning, Rachel."That was all. Joseph continued towards the lift, while Rachel lowered her eyes and rearranged the files on her desk. It was better this way. She repeated those words to herself throughout the morning. By midday, the office had become busier. Phones rang constantly, meetings came and went, and employees hurried from one department to another.Rachel was organising a file outside the conference room when the lift doors opened. Vanessa Torres stepped out. She wore a cream-coloured suit that had clearly been tailored to p
Vanessa Torres was halfway through reviewing a proposal for her new business at France when her mobile phone vibrated on the polished surface of her desk. She glanced at the screen and frowned slightly. The caller was Señor Torres. He had never called her after their last meeting. “What does this poor man wants?” She muttered, She answered after the second ring."Hello, Mr Torres.""Good afternoon, Miss Torres."His voice was unusually cautious."I hope I'm not disturbing you.""Not at all. Is something wrong?"There was a brief silence."I'd rather not discuss it over the phone."Vanessa leaned back in her chair."What is it about? If it is not about what we talked about, I am not interested.” "It's regarding Mr Delgado."Her expression immediately changed.Joseph.She had known him for years. Every piece of information concerning him caught her attention."What about Joseph?""I think it's better if we meet”Vanessa looked at the clock on the wall before replying, "Fine. The caf
Joseph woke up earlier than usual the next morning. He had barely slept, yet he did not feel tired. The previous evening stayed in his mind from the moment he opened his eyes. He lay still for a few minutes, staring at the ceiling, before a small smile appeared on his face. Even after saying the words to himself, it still didn't feel real. He got out of bed, got ready for work and walked downstairs. The housekeeper had already prepared breakfast, but he only managed a few bites before picking up his car keys.A few minutes later, Antonio arrived. As always, he stepped out of the car first and opened the rear door."Good morning, sir.""Morning, Antonio."Joseph got into the car, and the journey began in silence.Antonio had worked for the Delgado family for years. He had driven Joseph through difficult days, long nights, business trips and family gatherings. After Adrián's death, he had watched Joseph become quieter with each passing year. He had never asked questions that crossed the
Rachel did not realise she had reached home until she found herself standing in front of her apartment door with her keys in her hand. The journey back from work had passed in a blur. She remembered boarding the bus, remembered greeting an elderly woman who sat beside her, and remembered staring absent-mindedly through the window, but nothing else. Her thoughts had refused to leave Joseph's office. She unlocked the door quietly and stepped inside. The apartment was peaceful, and she was grateful for it. She slipped off her shoes, placed her handbag on the table and stood still for a minutes. She removed her phone from the handbag she dropped to call Benjamin. He texted her earlier that he wanted to go to the groceries store. He tried calling his number twice but he refused to pick. She decided to drop her phone and she sat down on the bed. Her eyes fell on the small velvet box still tucked inside her handbag. She reached for it almost immediately, smiling before she even realised she
For a few moments, neither of them spoke. Oddly enough, the silence did not feel awkward especially to Rachel. It felt peaceful because she did not even want to initiate any conversation. Joseph was the first to speak."I don't think I've ever asked a member of staff to stay behind after work."Rachel smiled. "I guessed.""You thought you were in trouble.""A little.""I'm sorry."She shook her head. "It's alright."A small smile appeared on Joseph's face. He had never found ordinary conversations interesting before. Yet, sitting across from Rachel, he realised he didn't need an important reason to talk to her."I've been meaning to give you the bracelet since this morning," he said. "The day just kept getting in the way, and…” he stuttered, “erm…I don't want people to see us together. You know what I mean?” "Yes, I'm glad you waited," Rachel replied. "And if you'd sent someone else to give it to me, I wouldn't have known it was from Abuela herself."Joseph looked at her. "She speaks
Joseph had never given much thought to work days because it was always routine, but this Monday was different. As Antonio drove through the quiet streets, Joseph sat in the back seat with a small velvet box resting in his left hand. He had opened it more times than he could remember over the weekend, only to close it again. The silver bracelet inside was simple, but Abuela had insisted that Rachel should have it. He had almost forgotten it on the bookshelf where he had kept it earlier. Joseph replayed the conversation he had with Abuela over the weekend and smiled at the memory. "Good morning, sir," Antonio said, glancing at him through the rear-view mirror. "Morning, Antonio. How are you today?” Antonio hesitated for a moment. " I'm fine, sir. I trust you're fine this morning. You seem to be in a good mood today." Joseph looked out of the window. "Do I?" "A little." A faint smile appeared on Joseph's face. "If you say so" Antonio did not ask another question. After years of w
Rachel woke up early, before her alarm went off. For a few seconds, she stayed still in bed, staring at the ceiling while her mind adjusted to the new day. Then reality came back to her slowly. Benjamín was home now. He needed rest, medication, and constant care. And she still had to go to work. No
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
"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
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







