LOGINDexter must have realized it too because I noticed he suddenly cleared his throat and his face returned to its usual frown.That was better.For a second there I was beginning to forget who he was.A woman who appeared to be in her sixties walked toward us with a smile.I recognized her immediately.Mrs Cherry.She had aged a bit. Her white hair was more obvious and I noticed she wasn’t walking as fast as before.“Dexter. Good to see you again,” she greeted warmly.“Good to see you too, Mrs Cherry. You’re still as beautiful as I remember.”“Oh please, don’t flatter me.” She laughed softly.I leaned back in my chair watching them.They seemed to have a good relationship.I honestly didn’t remember Dexter being this nice with her back then.“You need to drop by more often. I hardly see you these days.”“Work, Mrs Cherry. Work.”She shook her head knowingly.“I understand.”Then she smiled.“You’re getting your usual, right?”“Yes.”She turned to me immediately.“Oh, where are my manners
“This can’t be real,” I whispered to myself as I parked in the diner parking lot.I blinked twice when I looked at the building.No way.I knew this spot.This used to be my favorite spot. I didn’t even know it still existed.Everything was just as I remembered.The red sign outside was still there.The same warm yellow lights shone through the glass windows.Even the giant burger picture at the entrance was still there.My fingers tightened around the steering wheel.Seriously?Dexter came here?“This place?” I asked before I could stop myself.“Yeah.” Dexter briefly looked up from his phone. “What about it?”“Nothing.”I quickly looked away.My heart suddenly felt strange.This was one of the oldest diners in Las Vegas.But this wasn’t just any diner to me.This place carried memories.Very embarrassing memories.The kind I wished my brain would permanently delete.“Are you going to get out or not?” Dexter said.Then he looked at me.“Is this your first time seeing a diner? You look
“Where have you been, Mia?” Dexter asked me as soon as I walked back into the living room. Cassie was standing beside him. It was jusThe two of them in the living room. Mr Sinclair seemed to have gone back upstairs already. I opened my mouth to answer but Mrs Sinclair beat me to it. “She wanted to use the bathroom, so I showed her where it was.” I stared at her in awe. She lied so effortlessly. Also, this was her way of telling me that Dexter shouldn’t know about what we discussed. “My mum isn’t your maid,” Cassie suddenly screamed at me. One would think I had committed a crime the way she raised her voice. “I didn’t mean it that way,” I replied calmly. “I don’t care what you mean.” She folded her arms. “How dare an assistant send my mother on errands?” I honestly didn’t have the strength for Cassie’s tantrums right now. Especially after her mother just spent ten minutes indirectly insulting me in a private room. There was no way Mrs Sinclair would randomly call me. Obv
Mrs Sinclair took me to a smaller room not too far from the living room. It was quiet. I watched her close the door before walking back toward me. My heart was pounding so loudly I was surprised she couldn’t even hear it. I could still hear Cassie’s voice from here but not clearly enough to understand what she was saying. Different thoughts were going through my mind. Would she come to me asking why I was here under a false identity? She stopped right in front of me. My hands trembled slightly, so I quickly placed them behind me. Then she raised her hand. My breath stopped. Was she about to remove my wig or slap me? “This is the end, Athena,” I said to myself. preparing my mind for what's about to surprise. To my surprise, her hands pointed to the couch beside me “Sit.” she let out. Phew. I almost breathed out in relief. I must have been mistaken but I can't conclude yet. I quietly took my seat. She sat opposite me, crossed her legs elegantly, and simply stared at me
It wouldn’t be surprising to know both families had planned this marriage to strengthen their alliance, gain each other’s trust even more, and bury their secrets deeper. But then again… What if I was wrong? What if all these were just assumptions inside my head? Maybe they were simply a couple overwhelmed with wedding preparations. I couldn’t conclude yet. As time went on, I would eventually know the truth. But then again, even if their marriage was an alliance, it wasn’t part of my mission. My mission was to create loopholes and find out how the Sinclairs, El Caminos, and Cartiers were able to take everything from my family so easily and get everything back from them. Another thing that constantly bothered me was finding out who killed my parents. The police had ruled my mother’s death an accident and my father’s death a robbery gone wrong. But I knew it was more than that. That day… My mother’s words still echoed in my head. “They are coming for you girls. Take your sis
“Why are we still standing here?” Mrs Sinclair clapped her hands lightly, smiling as she gestured toward the dining area. “Dinner is ready. This way, please.”Cassie held onto Dexter tightly, almost as if she was scared someone would appear and steal him away.I watched her quietly.For a woman like Cassie who had beauty, fame, and wealth, she was an insecure woman. I already knew her reason for not wanting female assistants was because of her insecurity.Insecurity had a way of making even the most perfect people look fragile.I saw a stool at the corner of the living room and sat there, where I could see them clearly and still move quickly to Dexter in case he called for me.On the dining table, they all sat discussing. I could hear their laughter echoing around the house.If an outsider walked in, they would think this was a perfect happy family.But to me, all I could see were beautifully dressed thieves.I took a deep breath, swallowing my rage.“Mum, you made some of Dexter’s fa
Six o’clock on the dot, I was parked outside the company waiting for Dexter. Every time the company doors opened, my head snapped toward the entrance. My fingers tapped nervously against the steering wheel. I couldn’t even remember the last time I drove. If not for Blake forcing me to practice
As the day went by, I was careful not to annoy Dexter any further.After the sandwich disaster, I gave my full attention to every task he assigned.For hours, I sorted files, followed him to meetings, carried documents, booked appointments, and ran errands around the building.By three o’clock, I f
I stared at the slice of tomato between his fingers, his face fuming with anger.My chest tightened.He asked for tomatoes, didn’t he?His order flashed through my mind.Egg-white sandwich on whole wheat bread. No cheese. No butter. Extra avocado.I thought hard, trying to remember if that was all.
I had already booked a cab while I was inside to avoid any more delay.By the time I got outside the taxi driver was already waiting.I walked over, opened the door, and got in.“Sammy’s Sandwich Shop,” I said hurriedly.The driver nodded and pulled away.On the way there, I kept checking my watch.







