SELENA"Are you still at the hospital?" I asked, balancing the phone between my shoulder and my cheek as I buttoned up my shirt.A low growl came from the other end of the line, and I knew that Mitchell was not pleased with me. It had been a week since she called me to tell me about the birth of her child, and I hadn't been able to visit her at the hospital. The past week had been a struggle to get over Edward's death, and I just couldn't bring myself to leave the house."No," she sighed into the phone. I could hear the faint cries of an infant in the background. "I'm back home."I nodded, even though she couldn't see me. "I'm sorry," I blurted out, raising my gaze to look at myself in the mirror."Please, don't be sorry," Mitchell said, her voice low. "I heard what happened to Edward. I'm sorry too, he seemed like a really great person." I was surprised she thought so highly of Edward, considering she had barely known him.If Mitchell knew about Edward's death, that must mean that Pe
PEDROMy eyes were fixed on a photo I had taken of Selena and Liam on the night she stayed over at my place. In the photo, Selena was sleeping soundly, with Liam curled up next to her. The image was seared into my mind, and it felt like I could never forget it.As I looked at the picture of Selena and Liam, I felt a wave of relief wash over me. They were like a home to me, a safe haven where I could relax and be myself. I didn't want to admit it, but Selena had become a symbol of comfort and familiarity in my life.I stood in the conference room, staring out the window as I waited for Selena to arrive. Roy, my secretary, was supposed to be the one here instead of me, but he had been away on business for the past week and couldn't bear to leave his wife and newborn baby now that he had returned. So I offered to take his place, and now I was here.“I hope she didn't hate me after I tell her everything.” I gulped, watching as the car pulled into the driveway and Selena stepped out of the
SELENAHis lips pressed against mine and my heart skipped a beat. I blinked rapidly, my mind struggling to process what was happening. Part of me hoped it was just a dream, a cruel trick of my imagination. I didn't want to believe he was just using me to save himself.But as my eyes fluttered open, I knew it was real. Pedro's lips were on mine, his kiss soft and light, the same way it always was. In another time, in another place, it would have been a moment of pure bliss. But now, it only served to infuriate me. How could he think a kiss could make everything all right, when the world around us was falling apart?Without thinking, I bit down on his tongue, hard enough to make him cry out in pain. I felt a moment of panic, fearing I might have done real damage. The last thing I wanted was to hurt him, but I couldn't stop myself from reacting in anger and frustration."Selena, what are you doing?" Pedro groaned, leaning away from me. His eyes were wide, his lips red and swollen from my
PEDROI watched her sprint after him, my heart shattering into a million pieces. I had never felt like such a failure, like such a loser, in my life.Not only did I lose her, I never got to tell her the truth. I hate myself for my cowardice. I hate the weakling that my father gave birth to."I made my choice and she made hers. But why does it hurt so much?" I said, turning to the window and watching their car drive away. I felt hollow and empty, as if a part of me had been ripped away.A sob wracked my body, and a guttural cry escaped my lips. "He'll never let her see me again," I said, the words like nails in my chest.My phone buzzed in my pocket, a jarring sound in the stillness of the room. I reached a trembling hand into my pocket and pulled it out.It was my father calling. I wanted to smash my phone against the floor, to rip it to pieces. I regretted ever trying to mend things with him, regretted the day I honored his request to meet him at the penthouse. I had been a fool, and
SELENAThe drive to the villa was a silent one. Christopher gripped the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles white as he stared straight ahead, his jaw clenched. I could sense his fury, barely contained beneath the surface.He had been busy on the phone all night, and when I asked him what the project was about, he had refused to tell me anything. I had wondered what was going on, but I never imagined it would be this.Did he call off the project with Pedro? Had he paid the termination fee? Had he even reached out to the company to end the contract? Or was the project finally over, without me ever knowing anything.His silence hurt me deeply. I knew how much the project meant to him, and the thought that my actions might have caused it to fail gnawed at my conscience. I hated the idea that I might have cost him his dream. His dreame of making his plan project a success.“Chrissy, can you…”"No," he barked, his voice harsh and cold. His shoulders shook with barely suppressed rage, his
PEDROA week had passed since I'd kicked Louisa out of my apartment, and each day I found myself staring at my phone, impatiently waiting for Mr. Santos' call. I knew he would be livid, and that he would threaten to take away his share of the company.While I wasn't worried about the financial impact of Mr. Santos' withdrawal, I didn't want it to happen. Yes, my father had promised to invest in the project, but I wanted to succeed on my own merits, not because of his help. I wanted to prove to myself and to everyone else that I could make it on my own."Wait a minute," I said, halting my frantic pacing. I tugged at my damp hair in frustration, shaking my head. "Is he expecting me to call him first?" I muttered to myself."Screw him," I muttered, tossing my phone onto the dresser in frustration. I sat on the stool in front of the dresser, I glared at my reflection in the mirror, the anger and disappointment plain on my face.I let out a long, exasperated sigh, and my eyes fell on the s
SELENAWork kept me distracted, but I couldn't help but think about everything that had been going on at home. Christopher had stormed out and hadn't returned since.Margaret and Mr. Andre had been at each other's throats for the past few days, a marked change from their usual harmonious relationship.I felt like a stranger at home home. It was a strange feeling, considering that for so long I had felt like part of the family. But lately, it seemed like I was an outsider, an inconvenience even. They never said anything outright, but I could feel the tension in the air."Last file?" I groaned, then sighed deeply. Working on these difficult files was cathartic, a welcome distraction from my thoughts. They kept me focused on the task at hand, but I knew it was only a temporary reprieve. Once the files were complete, I'd be left with my thoughts, with no way to escape them."I wonder if Chrissy is still at the office," I mused, glancing at the clock on my phone. I took a deep breath.My p
PEDRO"I'll take a look around, and let you know if it meets my expectations," I said to the realtor, who gave a slow nod of agreement.Turning away from me, he looked around the living room, before turning back to face me. "If you don't like this one, I can find you another one in any location you'd like," he said, flashing a smile that was missing two front teeth."It's fine, I'm sure I'll like this one," I said, waving him off and turning my attention to the stairs."I'm at your service, Mr. Lopez," he said, a broad smile spreading across his face. He offered his hand for a handshake, and I took it, feeling a little more at ease.“Alright.” I retrieved my hand and turned away from him.As his footsteps faded away and the door clicked shut behind him, I exhaled the breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding."This is insane," I said aloud, chuckling mirthlessly as I took in the apartment that had once been home to Selena and baby Liam. A week ago, they had been living here, but now t