The Unexpected Encounter

I avoid looking him in the face. I don't want him reading my eyes or discovering how broken I am inside. I just exhale in resignation.

"If you'll excuse us? I'll take my daughter to her room," my stepmother says with a kind smile that doesn't reach her eyes.

"I didn't know you had two daughters," Mr. Linares remarks, in that voice of his that always sounds like he's passing judgment on everything he sees. And it infuriates me. My blood boils at the way they talk about me as if I'm not standing right here, as if my life is just some irrelevant detail.

"She doesn't," I reply without looking at any of them, my voice steady. "I'm her stepdaughter."

Without another word, they head back to the living room, laughing at some stupid comment from Estrella. I go upstairs with my stepmother. I sit on the bed, still damp, still trembling. She stays on her feet, as if coming any closer might contaminate her. She tosses the keys at me. I catch them and pocket them without meeting her gaze.

"Don't ruin this for your sister. Do you think your father would've allowed it?"

The words make my skin prickle. I feel a hollowness, a sharp ache in my chest.

"Don't even mention him. If he were alive... believe me, the one attending the best schools would be me. Not Estrella."

She crosses her arms, feigning calm.

"Is that what upsets you? You have nothing to throw in my face. Your father was the one who froze everything until the reading of the will. All we have is this house."

"Don't give me that. Working the way you do, the two of you live like millionaires. You hired a maid just to keep up appearances."

"That's so Mr. Linares thinks we have money. All of it comes from my savings. Soon we won't even have enough to eat. That's why I want Estrella to get married. And if she does... maybe we'll leave this house to you. All yours."

I go quiet, processing that last sentence.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes. But don't ruin anything."

She lets out a long breath. And for a moment, there's something in her eyes that unsettles me. Pity? Regret?

"You look so much like her... like your mother."

And then it all makes sense. I squeeze the keys in my fist.

"It must've been awful for you," I say, "seeing me every single day and being reminded that my father loved someone else. A woman you could never be."

She stands frozen, lips parted.

"If you ever wondered why I hate you so much... there's your answer," she says, turning to leave.

I already knew. I'd always known. But hearing her say it out loud is like being slapped with a truth that burns.

When she's gone, I sit in silence. My books are scattered across the floor. I pick them up carefully, but it doesn't matter anymore. Nothing matters. I close the door and wedge a chair against it. Even so, I can't sleep well. I feel vulnerable. Exposed. Watched.

The next morning, the house is silent. As always.

I walk farther than usual to catch a cheaper bus. I want to save more. I need to get out of here. My backpack is heavy, but what weighs on me most is the uncertainty of my future.

I get to school. At the break, I pull out a container of steamed vegetables. Everyone else eats like they haven't got a care in the world. Some play around like kids; others make out in dark corners. One group has a table spread like a buffet. I sit in a corner with my cheap container. I eat without looking at anyone. Without talking. Invisible.

I finish eating. I pack everything away. I put in my earbuds, but no music plays. I just need silence. I walk toward the nightclub.

I change in the locker room, same as every day. I put on the clothes that hide the real me and bring out the character of Lulu. I start my shift. At least Mr. Linares didn't report me. If he had, I'd already be out on the street.

Then I'm called to one of the most exclusive rooms. A private lounge. The moment I step inside, something tells me this place is different from the rest.

The light is dim. There's a thick, uncomfortable silence. Three men sit in the room. One smokes. Another scrolls through his phone. The third... doesn't move.

I ask what they'd like to drink. I jot down their orders quickly.

"Do you need company?" I ask, as protocol requires.

"No," one of them answers, his voice commanding.

It's him. The one in the corner. I can't see him clearly, but his presence fills the room. My skin prickles.

I step out to prepare the drinks. My hands are shaking. Something tells me I need to be careful. This is the kind of client who, if you anger him, doesn't just cost you your job. He can make you disappear.

I return with the tray. I set the drinks down with care. The two men on either side take their glasses. The one in the corner doesn't. He just watches me. His eyes follow me like blades.

"If that's everything... I'll take my leave," I murmur, turning to go.

"Out."

The word hits my back like a shockwave. I pick up my pace. But it wasn't meant for me. The other two men file out quickly, as if they understood without question. They leave me alone with him.

Then I hear it.

A voice I know. Dark. Inescapable.

"Who would've thought a Carpio would be working in a nightclub?"

And then, the killing blow.

"Does your father know his precious daughter works in a bar?"

The air drains from my lungs. My legs nearly buckle. I turn around slowly...

***This work has been signed with NovelToon, and piracy such as reprinting without permission is strictly prohibited.***

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***