Who Was He?

"You're confusing me with someone else, sir," I say as I leave the room, though my legs can barely hold me up. The music, the murmurs, the lights — none of it can erase the sharp feeling that someone has figured out who I am. The people who had stepped out are filing back in, and I try to carry on with my work as if nothing happened, but every movement feels mechanical, like I no longer belong here.

The truth is... I've saved up enough. Maybe it's time to leave all of this behind.

With that thought hammering away at me, I finish my shift and head to the boss's office. I knock, take a deep breath, and step inside.

"Sir, can I talk to you for a moment?"

He looks at me with a worried expression and sets his phone aside.

"Everything okay, Luna? Did someone disrespect you? Do you need an advance?"

"It's not that. I want to quit."

He leans back in his chair as if he's just been slapped.

"That's even worse. You're one of my best workers."

"Did you tell anyone my last name?"

He frowns.

"You know I'd never do that. Did someone recognize you?"

I nod slightly, without giving names.

"It was a sign... that it's time for me to leave this job. I can't take the risk anymore."

He exhales, resigned.

"You know you can always come back if you change your mind. I'll write you a check for your severance — you've earned it."

I thank him with a lump in my throat. Then I change, pack my things, and say goodbye to the place that for months was both my refuge and my sentence.

I walk alone to the bus stop. The night is humid, heavy. Headlights blind me every few seconds. Suddenly, a car slows down beside me. I recognize it immediately.

"Luna, get in," says a voice that stops me in my tracks. It's Fernando.

"Come on, it's too late to be walking alone."

"Thanks, but the bus is coming," I reply without looking at him directly.

"If it's about your sister Estrella, don't worry. I'm not going to say a word."

His words freeze me in place. How does he know...?

"Mr. Fernando, I'd appreciate it if you pretended you didn't know me. Please forget you ever saw me here."

"Done. Already forgotten," he answers with a crooked smile that throws me off balance.

"Now get in. I won't rest until you're home safe. And if you don't... well, out of sheer concern, I might just ask Estrella how her stepsister got home last night."

I hesitate for a few seconds. If I don't work there anymore, I won't have to see him again. Maybe it's not so bad to accept the ride this one last time.

I let out a breath, open the car door, and get in, keeping my distance from him. The interior smells of new leather; everything gleams like it just rolled off the showroom floor.

"How does a Carpio end up working in a place like this?" he asks suddenly, breaking the silence.

I tense. That phrase... wasn't that exactly what someone said to me in that room? Could it have been him?

"How did you know it was me? Were you the one who spoke to me that night?"

He shakes his head, eyes still on the road.

"I recognized your voice from when I visited your house. Today I was just passing by and saw you. That's all."

I nod, though something doesn't add up. If it wasn't him... then who was it?

"What do you think of Estrella?" he asks, casual as if we were talking about the weather.

"You've got the wrong person if you're looking for a reference. Ask her mother."

"Through a mother's eyes, we're all perfect. If you want the truth, hear it from the enemy," he says, almost as if talking to himself.

"You think we're enemies?"

"I don't need to think it. The tension between you two could be cut with a knife — it was obvious. Even without a single word, it showed."

I feel a quiet wave of relief when I spot the gate of my house in the distance.

"You can drop me off here. I'll walk the rest."

"As you wish."

The car stops. I thank him, get out, and push open the gate like always. But something feels unsettled inside me. He doesn't drive away.

I reach the door and use my new keys. Inside, I hear voices. The living room is lit up, and there sit Estrella and her mother on the phone, laughing like two queens celebrating a victory.

"The little tramp is home," Estrella murmurs when she sees me, her voice dripping venom.

"What's the occasion for this witches' meeting?" I shoot back with sarcasm, and that's enough to make her leap to her feet, furious.

"I'm going to teach you some respect."

"Start by practicing it yourself," I tell her without flinching, though inside my blood is boiling.

Estrella takes a step toward me, but the doorbell rings. She stops and goes to answer it. It's Fernando.

The scene shifts instantly. Estrella puts on a shrill tone that turns my stomach and rushes to greet him as if he were a prince. He comes in, but his eyes don't leave me.

"Go to your room," my stepmother says.

"Afraid I'll catch his eye?"

"You wish. You're no competition for Estrella," she hisses through her teeth while her daughter entertains Fernando.

"Maybe not... but how long do you think it would take me to tell Fernando who his 'perfect' fiancee really is?"

She stares at me with barely contained fury.

"We had a deal," she mutters.

"And you should be thankful I was raised with manners and know how to keep my word," I whisper before turning on my heel and heading up the stairs.

***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!***