Episode 3

I avoid looking him in the face and sigh.

"Excuse us? I'll take my daughter to her room," says my stepmother.

"I didn't know you had two daughters," Mr. Linares says, and it angers me that no one needs to know about my life.

"She doesn't have any, I'm her stepdaughter," I say without looking at him.

They go back to the living room, and my stepmother and I go up to my room. I sit on the bed and she stands. She hands me the keys and I grab them, putting them away.

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

"Don't even mention him. If he were alive, believe me, I would be the one in one of the best schools, not Estrella."

"Is that what makes you angry? You don't have to complain to me. Your father was the one who had everything frozen until the will was read. We only have the house."

"Don't tell me you live like you're rich just from working. You even hired a maid."

"It's just so Mr. Linares sees that we have money, and this is from my savings. Soon we'll have nothing left to eat. That's why I want Estrella to get married, and if she does, maybe we'll even leave you the house all to yourself."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes, just don't ruin it," she sighs, and she doesn't stop looking at me.

"You look a lot like her, your mother."

"It must have been awful to see me every day and see how my father saw the love of his life in me," she looks at me surprised by what I just said.

"If you ever wondered why I hate you so much, there's your answer," she says, leaving. I already knew it, but that doesn't stop it from hurting.

I arrange my things and see that my books are thrown around. I pick them up, arranging them, and I don't see the point in doing that. It was just on a whim. I close the door and put a chair against it, but I don't sleep well, as I feel exposed.

The next morning, as always, I leave with the house silent. I carry everything I need in my backpack, and this time I walk further to catch a bus, as I have to save more to keep more money. I arrive at school, and during recess I take out a plate of vegetables. I eat them, watching my classmates run around playing like children. Others are kissing in a corner, and others have a table like a buffet. They have everything, and I'm sitting with my Tupperware eating. I finish and put everything back in my backpack. I leave for the club, and as usual, I change clothes and start with my duties. At least Mr. Linares didn't accuse me; otherwise, I would have been fired.

I'm requested in a more private room, and I walk over and knock on the door. I enter, and this place is scary. You can feel the tense and cold atmosphere. It's dark, and there are only three serious guys, and they fall silent when I enter. I take the names of the drinks and ask if they need companions.

"No," that's all I hear from the man in a corner. His voice sounds strong, and I don't see him well. There's something that catches my attention, and I leave to order what they asked for. I return to the room, and for the first time I can say that I'm nervous. I'm always nervous, but now I'm much more nervous. He's the type of person who, if something makes him angry, will get you fired. More than the boss, he asked me for a lot of professionalism. He's a client who only comes a certain amount of time, and he hadn't come in a while. So they want to keep him.

I enter, leaving the drinks, and serve them, handing them their glasses. But only two grab them, and the one who makes me nervous is just sitting, watching what I do, making me worse.

"If that's all, I'll leave," I tell him, turning around to leave.

"Out," I hear him say, and I speed up. But it's not to me, as the guys leave so quickly that they leave me behind. And the one who mentioned my last name leaves me frozen.

"Who would have thought a Carpio would work in a night bar? Does your father know?"

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