Episode 4

Alana Forbes woke up with swollen eyes and a feeling of emptiness that weighed on her chest. The morning greeted her with echoes of betrayal: the engagement ring lying next to the pillow, as bright as her pain. With a slow step, she descended to the kitchen, where her father, Leonardo Forbes, awaited her with a steaming cup of coffee.

"Good morning, dear," he said, looking up from the newspaper. "You look tired."

"I am," she replied honestly. "But I'm fine."

Leonardo set the newspaper aside, looking at her with concern.

"You mentioned a few days ago that you wanted to work with me this week. Do you still want to?"

Alana paused for a second before answering.

"Dad, thanks for the offer, but I want a change of scenery. I need to work in a place where no one knows my last name, where I earn every achievement with my own effort."

Leonardo's face softened and a proud smile formed on his lips.

"I admire you more than you imagine. If this is what you need to grow, we'll support it together."

Relief and determination intertwined in Alana's heart. She knew the road would be hard, but that promise spurred her on.

A week later, Alana walked through the doors of Salvatore Tech. She wore a black suit with strict lines that enhanced her figure and projected an indisputable professionalism. Her credential, printed with the name "Alana Rivas", gave her access to a world completely alien to her previous life.

She headed to the break room, where a confident young woman smiled at her.

"Are you the new one?" the girl asked, extending her hand. "I'm Valeria Salvatore."

"Nice to meet you," Alana replied. "Thank you for welcoming me."

Valeria seemed genuine in her welcome.

"Get ready: everyone here wants to stand out. Some whispers with 'niece of...' or 'came out of...' will track you. But don't worry, you have something no one can take from you: your mettle."

Alana smiled, relieved to find an ally.

In the first meeting of her department, Alana presented a precise market analysis and proposed innovative adjustments. The supervisors nodded, impressed.

"Very well argued," said the project manager. "We want you to collaborate in the next phase."

As she left the room, several colleagues watched her with suspicion. Quick comments filtered through the hallway: "Who does she think she is?" "She arrives and steals the show." Alana took a deep breath and moved on, focused on her goal.

At noon, Nick Altamirano was crossing the main lobby with two of his father's executives. Jose Altamirano had sent him to Salvatore Tech to explore alliances and demonstrate his ability. Nick walked confidently, until he saw her: the unmistakable silhouette of Alana Forbes, dressed in black, focused on her task.

He stopped dead in his tracks.

He watched her from a distance, confused.

"Why is she here?" he wondered. "Is she thinking of me?"

His wounded ego beat strongly: he believed she had forgotten him, that their love had been just a mirage. Seeing her there, intact and professional, made him believe that she still felt something for him.

He resolved not to approach. He clenched his jaw and continued on his way, hiding his surprise.

Early in the afternoon, Nick headed to the internal cafeteria, where Camila Jimenez was waiting for him leaning against the bar.

"Nick," she greeted him with a seductive voice. "Thank you for coming."

"Tell me," he replied, arms crossed.

"I need your help to get into Salvatore Tech," Camila said, moving a little closer. "You know the corridors and the family. You could recommend me."

Nick looked at her, evaluating the proposal.

"And what do I get out of it?" he inquired.

"My loyalty," Camila replied firmly. "I am what Alana didn't want to be: accessible, I'm in love with you and I'm committed. If I manage to get in, you'll have one eye inside and one eye outside."

Nick sighed, aware that his father would expect results.

"I'll talk to him about it. There are no guarantees."

Camila smiled with satisfaction.

"Thank you, Nick. I knew I could count on you."

As she walked away, Nick contemplated his coffee.

"She understands me," he thought, "and Alana only denied me."

Alana was leaving the building with a firm step, her heels echoing on the marble of the lobby. The day had been long, but satisfying. As soon as she crossed the glass doors, a familiar figure detached itself from the shadow of the pillar.

"I knew I'd find you here," Nick said, arms crossed and a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

Alana stopped dead. The surprise lasted only a second; then, her expression hardened.

"What do you want, Nick?"

"Just to talk," he replied, approaching. "Don't be scared, I don't bite."

"I'm not scared. You disgust me," she snapped.

Nick gave a low laugh, but his eyes shone with another intention.

"Look, things are... complicated with my father. He still thinks you're with me. And, well, that helps me maintain his support in certain businesses. So I thought you could help me, just for a while. Pretend we're still engaged."

Alana looked at him as if she were facing a stranger.

"Are you listening to yourself? After everything you did, now you want me to lie for you?"

"It's not that serious," he said, shrugging. "It's just appearances. You win too: you'll be seen as someone who was desired until the end. Maybe that's how you'll get promoted faster here, right?"

"I don't need your name to get ahead. And I don't plan to lend you mine either," Alana said.

Nick sighed, then his voice dropped to a colder tone.

"Alana, if you don't help me, I'll be forced to tell your father certain things... such as, for example, that you work here not because of talent, but because you were looking to provoke me. Do you think I didn't notice how you dressed that first day? All that victim pose doesn't suit you anymore."

She felt a chill. The cynicism on his face, the barely disguised threat... It was like being in front of a stranger.

"Are you blackmailing me?"

"I'm just reminding you how easy it is to destroy reputations. You decide if you want everything to get dirty... or if you prefer this to be just a small, fleeting performance."

Alana clenched her fists. She wanted to scream at him, to hit him. But instead, she raised her head with dignity.

"You're more pathetic than I imagined, Nick. And if you think you can use me again, you're wrong. This time, I'm not going to keep quiet."

"Then we'll see who has more to lose," he said, with an icy smile.

And without another word, he turned around and disappeared among the cars in the parking lot, leaving Alana breathless and her heart pounding with fury.

That night, in front of the mirror, Alana slid the ring into a drawer and closed it with determination.

The woman who emerged would no longer be defined by a ring or by other people's expectations.

The price of awakening had been the certainty that her own story could only be written by herself.

***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!***