My name is Alana Forbes. And if I could choose a single moment to freeze in time, to never move forward, it would be one where my mother could hug me. Aurora... that was her name. I never met her. She died the day I was born. A high-risk birth, they said. And yet, for as long as I can remember, I have felt her love as if it were tattooed on my skin.

My dad, Leonardo Forbes, told me more than once that she begged him, if anything were to happen to her, to take care of me, to love me with all his soul. And he certainly did. Dad was both father and mother. He never remarried. He never allowed anyone to fill that place. And although many times I saw sadness in his eyes, he never made me feel alone. "Your mother already loved you when you were the size of a seed, Alana," he used to tell me with a broken voice. "And I also learned to love you from that very moment."

I didn't have a typical childhood, but I was happy. I had everything I needed: a family, friends, and big dreams. Although sometimes, being the daughter of the powerful Leonardo Forbes could be a constant pressure. People assumed I had it all figured out, that I lived in a perfect world. But nobody sees the cracks when the walls are well painted.

Fortunately, I had Sofia. I met her in kindergarten. We attended the same school and since then we have never separated. Our friendship withstood time, changes, even my worst days. Her mother, Maria, was the closest thing to a mother figure in my life. She was always there, for her and for me, with wise advice, warm hugs, and those soups that cured any sadness. Maria made me feel like another daughter. In her house there was always a place for me at the table... and in her heart.

I also met Nick Altamirano in high school. He was the typical guy that everyone wanted: handsome, popular, with that crooked smile and confidence that disarmed. From the first year he chased me, looked for me, brought me flowers. And I, without having known love before, believed that he was it. I thought that someone who made you feel special should be the one who deserved your heart. What did I know? I had never loved anyone else, and I confused attention with love. Or at least I thought so...

Although I was always a beautiful girl - or so everyone said - I never saw it as a weapon. I had long hair, as black as night, and brown eyes that I inherited from my mother. My skin, fair with a soft tan, seemed to shine when I really laughed. But I was never haughty. I was rather low-key. I liked to work hard, to stand out for merit, not for appearance.

I finished university at 21 years old. I had entered young, ahead of my age, thanks to my effort. And I was finally graduating in Business Administration. My father was proud, and so was I. Not only for fulfilling, but because deep down, I wanted more. I always dreamed of managing my family's company, having an active professional life, and also... a nice home, full of love. That's why, with three years of engagement to Nick and the wedding just around the corner, I thought I had it all figured out. Or so I thought.

That night, to celebrate my graduation, we decided to go out. I wasn't much of a party person, but Sofia convinced me. There was a new bar in the city, "Eclipse," that had become popular. Sofia picked me up, as always, punctual and full of enthusiasm.

"But look at you!" she exclaimed as she saw me come out. "If I were Nick, I would faint when I see you."

"Please," I laughed, fastening my seatbelt. "Don't exaggerate."

"I'm not exaggerating. You look amazing, Alana. And... are you okay? I mean, with all the graduation stuff, the wedding on the way..."

I hesitated for a few seconds before answering.

"Yes, or at least I think so. Sometimes... I don't know, it's like everything is perfect and at the same time... incomplete. Has it never happened to you to feel that something is missing, even though in theory you have everything?"

Sofia frowned, silent for a moment. Then she turned to me while the car was stopped at a traffic light.

"I'm going to tell you something that I've been keeping. I didn't want to put ideas in your head, but I can't keep quiet anymore, Alana."

"What's wrong?"

She sighed.

"I've heard things about Nick... for months. Rumors of girls, of parties he goes to alone. And it's not just strangers who say it... even a girl from our degree told me. They say they've seen him with a girl named Camila."

The name echoed in my mind like an unwelcome bell.

"Camila..." I repeated, barely audibly. "And do you believe it, friend?"

"I don't want to hurt you, but... I'm worried that you're giving your life to someone who maybe doesn't deserve it. I've known you since we had bows in kindergarten. You've been like a sister to me, and my mom adores you too. I just want you to be sure that you're not in this out of habit or fear of being alone."

I looked out the window, in silence.

Alana—I've never been with anyone else... Nick was the first to pay attention to me, to make me feel special. I thought that was love... or at least I thought so. But lately... I feel like there's no spark, no fire that you see in movies or that you see in other couples. And I don't know if that's normal or... a sign.

Sofia took my hand with affection.

"That's not selfishness, Alana. It's having the courage to question what you feel. And if at any point you realize that it's not what you deserve, you have every right to change course. Nobody can judge you for seeking something true."

The conversation hung in the air as the car drove towards Eclipse. What neither of them knew was that that night, that conversation, and that place... would change the course of my life forever.

At the Eclipse bar

I don't usually go out much. My plans have always revolved around my career, my family, Nick... But that night, I felt like I deserved to celebrate. Graduating as the youngest in my class wasn't easy, and Sofia had insisted so much on going to Eclipse, that I simply let myself go. Besides, I confess that I needed to distract myself, even if I didn't admit it out loud. There was something in me that asked to breathe differently, to live a little, to feel something new. What I didn't know was that that night, fate would laugh at all my plans.

"Alana!" Lucia, a classmate, shouted, waving her hand from one of the VIP tables in the place. "You finally arrived, woman!"

The place was impressive. Eclipse had a modern but warm architecture. Soft lights that highlighted the elegance of the place, soft music in the background and such a polished attention that it was comforting. I liked it. It was the kind of place where you could talk, laugh and at the same time, feel in another world.

Alana: Wow - I murmured when I arrived at the table where some university classmates were already. - I love it.

"I told you," Sofia smiled. "Eclipse doesn't disappoint. Besides, they say the owner is a young magnate, handsome and... a bit difficult to deal with," she added, lowering her voice with an air of mystery.

"Difficult to deal with? Like arrogant?" I asked amused.

"Like cold and dangerous. The typical businessman who has built an empire based on ambition, not smiles. Dante Salvatore... that's his name," she whispered dramatically.

The name didn't mean anything to me, but I didn't give it much importance. I felt good. Sofia was happy, so was I. We talked for a while, between jokes, future plans and dreams that still seemed attainable. At one point, we laughed so much that my stomach hurt. It was a perfect night... until fate decided to play with me.

"I'm going to the restroom, I'll be right back," I announced.

"I'll go with you," Sofia said, but I shook my head with a smile.

"I'm fine, I'll be right back."

I made my way through the corridors, looking for the bathroom. Turning a corner, I opened the wrong door. I realized too late. The room was an office, elegant and silent. And the worst thing... it wasn't empty.

A man, tall, in an impeccable suit and with a cold gaze, watched me from behind the desk. His face, perfectly sculpted, conveyed a calm that was not entirely kind. His bearing imposed. I, on the other hand, was stuck in the spot like an idiot.

Dante: I don't usually tolerate interruptions - he said, without raising his voice.

I felt my heart stop for a moment. His tone was serious, controlled... intimidating.

Alana: I'm sorry... it was a mistake. I was looking for the bathroom, I didn't mean to come in. I didn't know that—...

"Clearly you didn't know"he interrupted dryly.

I swallowed saliva. I couldn't move. Why was he looking at me like that? His eyes were deep, but not empty. They carried a kind of contained tension. It wasn't a lecherous look... but it was disturbing. It made me feel naked, without having touched me.

And that's when my mind committed the stupidest betrayal.

"God... how attractive he is, what a body! What am I thinking? I'm engaged!"

He stood up and walked towards me with a slow but firm step. When he was close enough, he looked at me directly.

"Do you always come in without knocking or just when you're dressed like that?"

I blushed immediately. The red dress hugged my silhouette tightly. I felt judged... and observed.

"I didn't know there was someone... and this... it's not what it seems."

"Relax," he murmured, tilting his head with a half smile that didn't reach his eyes. "I'm not offended... just curious."

"Curious?"

"Not just anyone enters this office without an invitation."

"And not just anyone should have it so poorly signposted," I replied, trying to regain some dignity.

An eyebrow arched slightly. He seemed to find me amusing. Or annoying. Or both.

"Dante Salvatore," he finally introduced himself.

I didn't answer. I didn't know if I should say my name. I didn't even know if I should still be there.

"And you are...?"

"Just a mistake," I finally replied, hurrying out of the room with my cheeks burning.

When I returned to the table, my breathing still hadn't returned to normal. Sofia gave me a suspicious look.

"Everything okay?"

"Yes... I just got a little lost," I lied.

I couldn't tell her. I still hadn't processed what had just happened.

But as I sat down again, I turned my gaze slightly towards the direction of the hallway. And that's when I saw him, in the distance, from the second level of the bar. Dante was watching me. With his arms crossed, with a glass in his hand, with that inscrutable expression that seemed to read me whole.

And although I didn't want to admit it, there was something in that exchange of glances that left a knot in my chest.

It wasn't just attraction... it was unease. It was a presentiment.

And without knowing why... I knew it wouldn't be the last time I saw him.

Memories That Burn

From the Perspective of Dante Salvatore

There is no peace for men who learn to survive as wolves.

And I, Dante Salvatore, forgot how to trust years ago.

Life taught me with brutality what many learn with time. I lost my father at twenty-three, at a time when I was still too naive to understand the real power of betrayal. When he died, he left a fortune, expanding businesses, and a surname that became a target for vultures. My mother, heartbroken, could barely stand. My younger sister... well, she still believed the world was fair. I didn't.

That's when I transformed. I left behind the easy smile, compassion, and second chances. If I wanted to keep what was ours, I had to become someone capable of scaring with a look. And it worked. My uncles failed to take anything from us, but the price was high: my soul ceased to belong to me.

Today I am 26 years old. I own what many dream of and fear at the same time. A surname that opens doors and generates uncomfortable silences. Control of businesses ranging from real estate to nighttime entertainment. And a heart that no longer believes in promises.

My friends are few, counted on the fingers of one hand, and they all know that my loyalty is as valuable as it is dangerous. I don't give second chances. I don't believe in that.

And yet... there is something that haunts me.

Or rather, someone.

Memory

Three years ago, on my worst night, I was on the verge of death. It was a car accident. Or that's what they made me believe. I know it was provoked. I never managed to prove it, but I felt it. That car didn't fail by chance. And that night, amidst the smoke, the smell of gasoline, and the pain... there was a girl. I don't remember her face completely. Only her brown eyes, her trembling voice calling for help, and her small hands holding mine tightly as she pulled me out of the car. She saved me. And disappeared. Like a damn ghost.

I've been trying to find her ever since. But the cameras at the scene weren't working. Suspiciously. Someone erased them or sabotaged them so I wouldn't find out what really happened. And no matter how many contacts I've moved, nothing. Sometimes I think I imagined her. But no. I know it was real. Because I managed to take her crescent moon pendant when she was pulling me out, every time I dream of that night, I see her. And I wake up with the same desire to know who she was... and why she didn't come back.

"Mr. Salvatore, everything is ready in the private room. Do you want us to prepare the special bed?" asked Luca, one of the managers of Eclipse, my newest bar.

"Do it," I replied in a dry tone, while adjusting the watch on my wrist. "And keep security alert tonight. I don't want any surprises."

Luca nodded and disappeared quickly.

The Eclipse was a personal project. Not for the money. I had plenty of that. It was more like a refuge. Here I could observe people, study them, understand what they wanted without them saying it. I liked that. The silence between the shouts. The fleeting glances. The truths hidden in a glass.

That night, the place was packed. Soft music, warm lights, and the typical mix of laughter and secrets floating in the air.

From the second floor, my usual corner, I watched the groups enjoy the night. I didn't like socializing without a reason, and the few people who could approach knew it well. In that game, only the loyal survived. The rest were discarded.

Then I saw her.

Red dress, measured neckline, but with that kind of elegance that doesn't need to be evident to attract attention. It wasn't just her body that stood out, it was her way of moving... as if she was trying to fit into a party that wasn't entirely hers. She smiled, conversed with a friend, but her eyes looked different.

I am intrigued by people who try to hide by being the center.

I lost sight of her for a moment when she walked away from the group. I saw her walking down the side hallway, and something tensed my body. A hunch.

The camera showed that she was heading to my office.

I didn't bother to notify security. I went down on my own.

And I sat down without haste.

There she was. Standing in the middle of the office, looking at the shelves as if looking for a quick excuse.

Her expression of fright was so genuine that I didn't know whether to laugh or frown.

"I don't usually tolerate interruptions," I said, letting my tone do its job.

She startled.

"I'm sorry... it was a mistake. I was looking for the bathroom, I didn't mean to come in. I didn't know that—"

"Clearly you didn't know," I cut her off.

She was nervous, but not trembling. It was weird. People usually shrink in my presence, as if my mere figure was enough to intimidate. She... didn't. Her discomfort was different. A mixture of shame and... attraction?

No, I couldn't be sure. But her eyes didn't lie.

I approached. Slow. Controlled. I wanted to see if she would back down. She didn't.

"Do you always walk in without knocking or only when you're dressed like this?" I asked, without changing my tone.

Her reaction was immediate. The blush rose to her cheeks like a sudden storm. She looked down. For a moment, it seemed like she was scolding herself.

"What did you think was going to happen if you provoked him?" I told myself. But I didn't regret it.

She composed herself and responded with some dignity. I appreciated it.

"I didn't know there was someone... and this... is not what it seems."

"Relax," I murmured, tilting my head slightly. It wasn't a full smile, just a subtle curve that didn't reach my eyes. "I'm not offended... just curious."

"Curious?"

"Not just anyone walks into this office without an invitation."

"And not just anyone should have it so poorly marked," she shot back. Direct.

That made me raise an eyebrow.

She had character. Although she tried to appear calm, she wasn't. And yet, she didn't run away. That also intrigued me.

"Dante Salvatore," I introduced myself.

Silence.

I expected a reaction, but all I received was a response that made me turn my head slightly:

"Just a mistake."

And she left.

Without looking back.

I stared at her back as she walked away. And for the first time in a long time, something in my chest moved.

"Interesting..." I thought.

And unintentionally, an almost imperceptible smile appeared on my face.

Minutes later, I saw her return to her table. Her breathing was not normal. She was talking to her friend, but something in her posture had changed.

I leaned on the railing with the glass between my fingers and stayed watching her.

I didn't know who she was. I didn't know her story. But for some reason... I couldn't stop looking at her.

Not for beauty. I've seen many beautiful women.

It was something else.

It was her.

The bar was filled with laughter, warm lights, and the swaying of glasses celebrating promises, goals achieved, and future dreams. Alana and Sofia were at one of the central tables, surrounded by some colleagues celebrating Alana's upcoming wedding, her recent graduation, and what seemed to be a promising future. Everything was perfect, until the darkness decided to seep through the most unexpected crack.

While Sofia was talking to one of the guys, Alana smiled, calm. It was then that she received a message.

Camila Jimenez: "Enjoying your night? I thought you'd like to know where your fiance really is. I'm at Eclipse too... and I'm not alone."

A video followed. Alana opened it without thinking. In it, Nick. Her fiance. Desperately kissing Camila in a private room, whispering things that chilled her soul. Her stomach turned. The music of the bar disappeared. Only that dull thud in her chest remained.

"What's wrong?" Sofia asked, alarmed by Alana's pale face.

Alana showed her the video, unable to speak. Rage grew in her friend's eyes.

"Let's go!" she said, taking her hand.

They walked firmly towards the back of the bar. Just as they were approaching one of the private doors, they heard voices. They stopped. It was Nick. And Camila.

"She won't find out," Camila said mockingly. "She's so naive... she thinks you love her and that you love her too."

"I never loved her," Nick replied, without remorse. "It was just part of my father's plan. But Alana... she didn't give me what you do. Everything had to wait. Always 'after the marriage'. I'm not a saint, Camila. You give me what I need. You understand me..."

"And I love you," Camila added, wrapping her arms around him. "She just wanted a fantasy of pure love. But you weren't born for that, Nick."

"Sometimes the most puritanical are the biggest whores. You deserve someone like me."

The door burst open.

"How could you?!" Alana's voice broke the air like lightning. Nick took a step back, surprised, but without guilt.

"How could I what, Alana? Seek what you refuse to give me? That?"

Sofia stepped forward furiously.

"You're a pig! And you Camila are a bitch."

Nick didn't even look at her. He just fixed his eyes on Alana, defiant.

"You were the one who decided that everything had to wait until marriage. That you wanted to arrive pure at the altar. That you wanted to be the perfect bride. But what did I get in return? Rejection, rules, distance. I got tired. I got fed up with living under your terms."

"What did it cost you to just let me make you mine."

"I loved you!" Alana cried, her heart shattered.

"No, you loved what you thought I was," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "But you never saw who I really am."

It was then that Camila came out, with a venomous smile.

"I do love him," she said, standing next to him. "And I do give him what he needs. Not like you... who has him like a display ornament."

"Was this what you wanted?" Alana trembled. "To destroy me out of envy?"

"No," Camila replied, her eyes burning with malice. I just wanted you to feel what it's like to lose. You were always the brilliant one, the perfect daughter, the unattainable bride. But now... now you're just one more who was replaced by someone better."

Nick said nothing more. He didn't try to stop her, nor did he deny the obvious. He just looked at her... empty.

And so, Alana knew: the man with whom she had planned her life... never existed.

The lights of the bar kept spinning, indifferent to the heart that had just broken.

Alana's perspective

I felt hollow. As if something inside me had broken into a thousand pieces and the noise was nothing more than a silent echo that only I could hear. Sofia walked beside me, without saying anything, and I appreciated it. I didn't need words. Not now. Not when the image of Nick with Camila still burned in my mind.

The way he looked at me... without guilt, without remorse. As if I had been to blame for everything. As if wanting with purity, with patience, with the hope of building a home together, had been an unforgivable mistake. As if protecting the most intimate part of me was an offense.

"Alana... you turned me into this," he said.

I heard it. Again and again. Like a damn recording on loop.

He had chosen to be unfaithful. He had chosen Camila. And the cruelest thing... he didn't regret it.

We walked away from the bar aimlessly, and although the night was cool, I felt suffocated. My heels echoed on the sidewalk, and each step seemed like a declaration of dignity, even though inside, I felt defeated.

Sofia offered me her jacket, but I refused with a slight gesture.

"Do you want us to go home?" she asked in a low voice, almost fearing to break me.

"I want..." I hesitated. "I want to breathe."

We stopped in a small nearby square. I sat on a wrought iron bench, and for the first time in a long time, I let the tears fall without resistance.

I wasn't just crying over the betrayal.

I was crying for all the plans, for the "forever afters", for the promises that now seemed ridiculous. For having believed that love was enough. For having closed my eyes when intuition screamed that something was wrong. For having loved someone so much who never really saw me.

I looked at the sky. There were no stars, just a cloudy blanket that seemed to reflect my interior.

And in the midst of that pain, a certainty began to emerge: this was not the end.

It was the beginning of something bigger. Of something mine.

"It's over," I whispered, my eyes burning but my voice firm. "I'm not begging anyone for love again."

Sofia took my hand, squeezing it tightly. Her silence was my shield.

And in that instant, something changed within me. Something hardened, as if a part of the girl who still remained in me had disappeared, giving way to a woman who was no longer willing to settle.

I was no longer the Alana Forbes who dreamed of a perfect life with the boy who swore to love her.

Now... I was a wounded woman, but awake. And ready to write a different story.

One in which I would be the protagonist.

As we walked back to the car, I felt something slip through the air. A strange sensation, as if someone was watching us from the shadows. I turned around, looking around, but the street was empty. However, something told me it wasn't.

From the second floor of the bar, through the glass windows, someone was watching. At first I couldn't make out the figure, but as I adjusted my view, I saw a masculine silhouette. With a glass in his hand, his gaze fixed on the distance, and his arms crossed. There was nothing in his posture that indicated an intention, just an unsettling calm.

My pulse quickened instantly.

It was Dante.

His eyes met mine, and, although I didn't move, I felt the weight of his gaze digging into my being. It wasn't curiosity. It wasn't attraction. It was something deeper. Something I couldn't define, but that made my skin crawl.

The tension was palpable, even though we were at a distance that completely separated us. However, in that brief exchange of glances, I felt ashamed, his presence enveloped me like a dense fog, and something inside me knew that this encounter, although fleeting, would not be the last.