5

Chapter 5: After the Slip

When Zen opened his eyes, the sun was already setting. He jumped out of bed, looking at Lavínia, who was still fast asleep, showing no sign of stirring. He ran a hand through his hair, incredulous about what had happened. He became even more bewildered when he checked the time, letting out a heavy sigh of concern.

"I'm screwed..." he whispered, staring at the phone screen.

He gathered his clothes and quickly dressed. Before leaving, he spotted an envelope on the floor near the door. Lavínia's friend had slid his payment under the door. He smiled ironically as he looked around.

"I wish I could see your face... arrogant woman," he muttered, grabbing a pen and writing a brief note. He left it on the kitchen table, next to a glass of water and a pitcher, knowing it would attract her after the intense night and the likely hangover she would wake up with.

Zen left the room almost as if he were running away, repeatedly trying to call someone. Each time the call was rejected, he grew more tense.

"My God!" he exclaimed as he entered the elevator, passing a lady who was staring at him in disbelief, as if she had seen something terrifying.

He arrived home in less than twenty minutes, throwing his phone onto the dresser before heading to the bathroom for a quick shower. When he came out, he found his father holding the phone.

"Ah... he's going to answer you now," his father said, speaking to the person on the other end of the line.

"What are you doing?" Zen asked, snatching the phone abruptly, as if hiding something.

"It's nothing, I just answered because you were in the shower. It's an important call. I didn't know you had applied for a position at such a prestigious company. You should continue the conversation!" his father urged, full of expectation.

Zen stared at him, surprised, and answered the call.

"Hello, Mr. Zen Obedon?" asked a male voice.

"Yes..." Zen replied, his voice uncertain, while his father watched eagerly.

"I'm calling to congratulate you. You've been selected for an interview at Alpha Corp Lawyers," the man announced, causing Zen to frown.

"How is that possible? I didn't apply for any position," he said, even more uncertain now, with his mother standing beside him, also observing the situation.

"You're not Zen Obedon, son of Zacarias Obedon? You study psychology and work part-time as a volunteer in a shelter for victims of assault?" the man asked meticulously, causing Zen to stare at the phone with a dark expression, as if he was hearing something threatening.

"Put it on speakerphone," his mother whispered, and he obeyed.

"How do you know all this?" Zen asked.

"Your resume. You applied for the Occupational Health position. Alpha Corp Lawyers is recruiting a large number of employees for the new headquarters, and you were one of the selected ones. The interview will be at 2:00 PM. Can we confirm your attendance?" the man asked.

His parents nodded eagerly, hoping he would accept.

"Sure, I'll be there for the interview," Zen confirmed, still suspicious.

"Maybe this time you’ll get a decent job. These temporary gigs you take aren't worthy of your intelligence," his father commented.

After entering his room, Zen received another call.

"Are you having fun with women? You had a job to do. What you do in your free time doesn't interest me, but during work hours, you better follow the rules," a serious, grave voice reprimanded him.

"It was an unexpected situation... also, I’d like to ask a question..." Zen hesitated. "What if I get a job?"

"Yeah, right," the voice responded sarcastically, ending the call. Zen realized that this person was not the one who had recommended him for the job, which made him even more thoughtful.

Meanwhile, Lavínia woke up with a devastating headache. She looked around, seeing everything spin, her clothes scattered, but she was still in denial. She only came to her senses when she felt her feet step on something small. Looking down, she saw the ring.

"My ring?" she murmured, analyzing the gold piece with a real diamond. She then stared at the bed with fear, sighing with relief. There was no one there.

She wanted to believe it had all been a dream. There was no way she had spent the night with a stranger. Her hands trembled with fear as she surveyed the room. She found nothing to confirm what had happened. She went to the living room, hoping to find some clue. Despite the throbbing headache, she noticed one of the picture frames, with a photo of her and her friend Zara, was missing.

"So I really did that!" she muttered, covering her mouth with her hands, wondering why her photo had been taken by that stranger.

She headed to the kitchen, and when she saw a glass of water with a note underneath it along with an envelope, she read the note: "You probably need this money more than I do."

"Ah! Bastard!" Lavínia exclaimed, crumpling the envelope. "What does he think I am?" she murmured, feeling her head throb as if it was going to explode. Before she could grab the glass of water, her friend Zara hurried in.

"You're in trouble!" Zara announced, panicked, heading towards Lavínia.

"What happened?" Lavínia asked, confused.

"Your mom is here... and she saw that man leaving your room!" Zara warned, desperate. Lavínia almost collapsed, holding her head with her hands.