S E L E N A
I closed my eyes, trying to shut out the world and stop time from moving forward. But no matter how hard I wished, I knew it was futile. The hands of the clock would keep turning, the minutes would keep ticking by, and there was nothing I could do to change that. I felt like I was trapped, suspended in a moment that I couldn't escape.It was a bitter feeling, knowing that I couldn't escape the fate that had already been designed for me.Christopher must have sensed my nervousness, I felt his gentle hand take hold of mine, intertwining our fingers. I looked down to see his reassuring gaze, a soft smile playing on his lips.He brushed his thumb against the back of my hand, a small gesture that sent waves of comfort through me. At that moment, I knew I wasn't alone.I have him, a stranger who turned brother overnight.“Lena, are you okay?” he whispered, his voice barely above a murmur. I could barely hear him, but I knew what he was asking. I opened my mouth to answer, but the words wouldn't come. I just stared at him, unable to find the words to express what I was feeling.I felt lost like I was drifting in a sea of emotions with no way to find the shore. But Christopher was there, his hand in mine, and I knew that somehow, I would make it through this with him by my side.“Nothing,” I said with a forced smile, gently pulling my hand away from his. “It's nothing. I'm fine.” I added, looking out of the window and watching the cars speed past. I could feel the weight of his gaze on me, but I kept my eyes fixed on the outside world, avoiding his questioning look. I didn't want to talk about what was bothering me, not right now.As I sat there, in the passenger seat, I could hear Christopher let out a deep sigh as he put his hands back on the wheel, his attention returning to the road. “Is something bothering you?” he asked, his tone filled with concern.I bit my lip, trying to decide how to answer his question. Should I open up and share what was weighing on my mind, or keep it to myself? I knew he was only trying to help, but I wasn't sure if I was ready to talk about it. Or if he would understand me.How do I tell him we were back to the same one I had once run from? And worst, we were on our way to meet with the man who was behind my reason to flee the city.I opened my mouth to speak, but before I could get a word out, Christopher interrupted me. “You've got that look on your face, the one that says something's bothering you. Don't try to lie to me and say everything's fine. Are you tired? Would you rather postpone this meeting?” His voice was full of concern, and I couldn't help but smile at his thoughtfulness.“I'm just thinking about Liam,” I mumbled, half-truthfully. It was true that Liam was on my mind, but I didn't want to burden Christopher with the full weight of my worries. I didn't want him to worry about me when I knew he had so much else on his plate. “You don't need to worry about me,” I added, hoping he wouldn't see through my facade.“What about him? Is it about his babysitter?” he asked, his eyes flicking over to me for a brief moment. I could tell he was genuinely concerned, that he wanted to make sure everything was okay with Liam. It was endearing, the way he cared so deeply about my son. But it also made me feel guilty for not being completely honest with him.I nodded, not knowing what I would have said the issue was if he hadn't asked me that question.“Don't worry, the agency assured me that he's in good hands,” he said, his voice full of reassurance. I felt a wave of relief wash over me, knowing that my son was safe with his babysitter. But what about him? What about Pedro, the baby's father, would he still recognize me?“He's going to be just fine, now stop thinking about our boy… for now,” Christopher added, pulling into the parking lot of the conference centre.As the car rolled to a stop, my heart skipped a beat. I could feel the weight of the moment, the anticipation of what lay ahead. I turned to look at Christopher, and I could see the excitement in his eyes.“You ready?” he asked, a smile playing on his lips. I took a deep breath and nodded, ready to tackle whatever the day had in store for me.I reached for my bag and files, getting ready to step out of the car, when I felt a gentle hand on my arm, stopping me in my tracks. I turned to look at Christopher, and he was smiling at me, his eyes full of affection. He wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me close, planting a soft kiss on my cheek.“I'm here with you. You know that, right?” he whispered, his breath hot against my cheek. I could feel a lump forming in my throat, and I swallowed hard. I watched his hand crawl up to my head, which made me hold my breath.As he ruffled my hair and gave me that smile, a wave of calm washed over me. It was like he had a magic touch, able to put me at ease with just a simple gesture. I felt my body relax, and I smiled back at him, grateful for his calming presence.“Y-Yeah, thank you,” I let out, my voice still a little shaky as I gathered my bearings and stepped out of the car. I brushed my hair back into place and straightened my clothes, my eyes fixed on the ground. I felt a little self-conscious, but I looked up to see Christopher standing next to me, waiting patiently for me to collect myself. I took a deep breath, finally feeling a little more at ease.“Ready?” he asked, his eyes full of gentle concern.I nodded, and we started to make our way toward the conference centre, our steps in sync.As we walked toward the hotel, I felt my nerves getting the better of me. My hands were trembling, and I could feel my heart racing in my chest. I was sure that everyone could see how anxious I was. My pace quickened, my feet moving faster as I tried to outrun my anxiety.It wasn't the meeting that was making me nervous, it was the fact that I was about to see him again after all this time. My palms were clammy, and I felt a wave of heat wash over me, even though the air conditioning was blasting. I felt a mix of emotions - anticipation, and fear all swirling around inside me.The conference room door opened, and Christopher stepped inside. I followed close behind, my heart pounding in my chest as we entered the room. Two men were seated on a couch, their eyes fixed on the empty chairs across from them.My legs turned to jelly, and I nearly lost my footing when I saw him. He was sitting there, his back to me, but I couldn't recognise him anywhere. It had been three years, but he was still the same - the same broad shoulders, the same dark hair, the same confident posture. I felt like I couldn't breathe like I was frozen in place. I couldn't move, I couldn't speak, I couldn't do anything but stare at him in disbelief. After all this time, after everything that had happened, he was right there in front of me.I didn't know I had stopped walking until I heard a faint voice of Christopher, calling out to me.“Hey, Lena?” I heard Christopher's voice, faint and distant as if I was underwater. It was only then that I realized I had been holding my breath. I gasped, a sharp intake of air filling my lungs, and I felt the world come back into focus. I blinked, trying to get my act together, but I couldn't.I couldn't bring myself to say anything, I couldn't reply to him as my heart was beating crazily in my chest.“Lena?” he whispered yet again, his voice barely audible above the sound of my racing heart. What is the matter? Are you okay?” I could tell he was trying to keep his voice down, not wanting to draw attention to us. But I couldn't bring myself to answer him, my mind still reeling from the shock of seeing him there.“I, um,” I stammered, trying to come up with an excuse for my strange behaviour. But as I looked up, I saw that the two men were now staring at us, their eyes boring into mine. I felt a rush of panic, my heart beating even faster. I didn't know what to do, or how to react.My mouth hung open, my words caught in my throat, as I watched him stand up from the seat, his eyes wide with disbelief. It was as if he had seen a ghost as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing. I was frozen, my body refusing to cooperate as I tried to move. I felt like I was stuck in some sort of dream, unable to wake up from the nightmare that was unfolding in front of me. And then, suddenly, he was right in front of me, his hand reaching out to touch my arm.“Selena?” he whispered, his voice full of wonder and disbelief. “Is that really you?” He reached out, his fingers brushing slightly against my arm, and it felt like my world had come to an end.How can I still have a soft spot for him, even after everything that happened? After he pushed me away and chose someone else over me, why is it that when I hear him say my name, my heart still beats a little faster?S E L E N AWithout a moment's hesitation, he reached out and cupped my cheek with his hand. His eyes were locked on mine, filled with an emotion I couldn't quite place. His face was frozen in a look of complete surprise as if he couldn't quite believe what was happening. And then, I heard it - the steady, rapid beat of his heart. It was pounding so hard, it was like it might burst out of his chest. At that moment, I knew that he was just as affected by this moment as I was. "Selena, is it really you?" he asked, his voice quivering as his thumb traced my cheekbone. I could feel the warmth of his skin against mine, and I knew at that moment that my heart was in trouble with how hard it was beating against my chest.I was speechless, my mind a jumble of thoughts and emotions. I stood there, frozen in place, my eyes fixed on him. This wasn't what I had expected. I thought he would ignore me, pretend like he didn't know me. But here he was, right in front of me, asking if it was really m
S E L E N A“Chrissy,” I gasped, trying to get his attention. But he just tightened his grip on my wrist, pulling me along with him towards the door. “Wait,” I pleaded, “you can't just end the contract, we'd be the one at a loss.”Christopher paused, making me come to an abrupt stop. His head snapped at me, and for a moment, I thought he might listen, he might reconsider. But his eyes were still hard, his jaw set.“Screw the contract!” he shrieked, his voice full of rage. I felt my heart skip a beat, my breath catching in my throat. I couldn't believe what I was hearing, couldn't comprehend his words. “I can't let him keep messing with you, just because of some stupid piece of paper.”I looked away, unable to meet his gaze. I didn't know what to say, or how to respond. I was stunned, speechless.As Christopher dragged me away, I couldn't help but look back at Pedro. His eyes were fixed on me, a look of hurt and anger plastered on his face. Seeing the pain on his face, I felt my heart
P E D R OI didn't even realize how long I'd been standing there, with my hand pressed to my face until Secretary Roy appeared at my side and gently guided me to a seat. I sank into it gratefully, my legs trembling beneath me. I felt completely drained as if all the energy had been sucked out of me.The whole encounter with Selena had felt like a dream - Selena's coldness towards me, the way she'd denied ever knowing me. It had all felt so impossible, so removed from reality. And yet, here I was, sitting in a chair, my entire body shaking with the aftermath.I felt like I was in a waking nightmare, my mind struggling to process what had just happened. How could the woman I'd loved, the woman I'd thought loved me, treat me like a stranger? It was more than I could comprehend.“It was Selena. She's my Selena and I could swear she remember me.” I mumbled, my breath was shaking as I stared into space.“She denied knowing me after everything we had together?” I gasped, my hands were trembli
S E L E N AI stood at the window, staring into the night sky as my heart pounded in my chest. I knew that any minute now, Christopher would be knocking on my door. I couldn't stop thinking about what he might say to me, the anxiety weighing heavily on my mind.My chest heaved, and I felt like I was about to lose control. I tried to focus on my breathing, taking deep breaths in and out. But it was no use - a light knock came on the door and I held my breath as the door crept open.I stood still, my back to him, my eyes squeezed shut. I heard his footsteps behind me, coming closer and closer, but I refused to turn around. I couldn't face him, not like this.“Has the boy gone to bed?” I asked instead, not wanting to die of anxiety.The footsteps ceased and I felt his arms encircled my waist, his chin resting on my shoulder. I held my breath, every nerve in my body taut.“I watched him sleep before coming here,” he whispered in my ear, his breath warm on my skin. He pulled me closer to hi
S E L E N AI glanced down at my wristwatch for the umpteenth time, impatience rising in my chest. The meeting had been going on for what felt like an eternity, and I was starting to lose focus. My mind kept wandering, and I found myself checking the time every few minutes.The person speaking droned on and on, and I had to force myself to pay attention. But it was a struggle, and I couldn't help but wonder how much longer the meeting would last. How much longer I was going to last without Christopher by my side?“Shit!” I whispered to myself as I absently flipped through the file. I was trying to stay focused, but my mind kept wandering back to Pedro's gaze that glued on me.Christopher's sudden departure to attend to the company matters wasn't the issue. It was Pedro's behaviour that was causing me distress. He had been staring at me since the meeting started, and I couldn't bring myself to meet his gaze. Every time I looked up, I caught him staring at me from the corner of his eye,
S E L E N APedro’s arms were wrapped around me, and I could feel the warmth of his body through my clothes. My back pressed against his chest, and I could feel his heart beating rapidly against my back. I inhaled deeply, the scent of his cologne filling my senses. It was a heady, intoxicating smell, and it was making me feel light-headed.I found myself melting into his embrace, my body relaxing against his chest as if it were a place I had always belonged. His hand gently held me close, rocking me slightly in his arms. I felt safe and protected like nothing bad could ever happen to me while I was there. I knew I should pull away, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. Time seemed to slow down, and for a moment, it was like we were the only two people in the world. But then I heard a sharp intake of breath, followed by the sound of someone clearing their throat behind us."Uh, um," the voice stammered, and I jumped away from Pedro, breaking his hold on me. The realization of what we h
S E L E N A“I’m looking out for my property.” I scoffed, my hands leaving the steering wheel as I dropped my gaze to the file on the passenger side, the corner of my lips curved into an embarrassed smile as I grabbed the file and squeezed it gently.“You made me look like a fool in front of him.” I gritted my teeth in anger as if the file was to be blamed for my mistake.I shouldn't have asked him if I was his property because it was clear he saw me as another person… No, he shouldn't have spoken in such a manner.“Oh, shit!” I gripped the steering wheel and slammed my head against the steering wheel with the file still in my hand. I was so mortified that I couldn't bring myself to lift my head from the steering wheel. I knew Pedro was long gone, but the shame I felt was overwhelming. Pedro wasn't even anywhere in the compound; he might have left as soon as he stepped out of the company but the shame I was feeling was enough for me to disappear without a trace.‘Get home as soon as
P E D R O“I did some digging like you asked, and I think there's something fishy about the family,” the voice on the other end of the line said. I held the phone closer to my ear as I emerged from the bathroom, a towel wrapped around my waist.The voice continued, “I've got some information that doesn't quite add up. Are you sure you want to know more?”I paused, a feeling of unease settling in my stomach. Something about this whole situation just didn't feel right. But I knew I had to find out more. I exhaled slowly, bracing myself for whatever was about to come. “Tell me what you found out,” I said, as I made my way to the edge of the bed and took a seat.After a few moments of silence, the voice finally spoke again, his voice low and serious. “The family took in a girl about three years ago,” he mumbled, “and there's nothing about her in any of the articles I found. It's like she doesn't exist.”Another pause, and then they continued. “And her name is Selena.”A chill ran down my