Episode 2

Alex

I ran blindly from the pain, unable to hold back the tears, the lights of a vehicle paralyzed me and I felt myself pulled back again, saving me from being hit by a car.

"You must calm down, you can't go around like that," he said, and I couldn't understand how he was so fast, but I didn't have the head for it at that moment.

Memories with my fiance invaded my memory and I only felt my heart, wounded by the betrayal, being squeezed.

"You don't look very good, come and have something hot," he proposed as he took off my wet coat and put his on me, which had an intoxicating and warm masculine scent.

Before I could answer him, he took me by the waist and we sat in a bar next to the restaurant where my fiance was being unfaithful to me. He ordered a coffee and some cheese pastries, they were my favorites, I didn't know how he could have guessed, but he ordered the waiter to bring me that.

It wasn't long before they placed that steaming cup before me, with foam on the surface where a leaf was drawn.

"Thank you," barely came out of my lips.

"Drink it before it gets cold," he indicated.

His deep tone was attractive, as well as bossy, but it didn't bother me, I was always like a sheep that only obeyed orders.

As I drank the coffee, I felt it embrace me in a cozy warmth, consoling the cold I felt from my fiance's betrayal, I looked suspiciously at that ring on my finger and took it off angrily, it had no value, but since he gave it to me from a machine that released surprises, as he confessed to me with shame, I appreciated and cared for it, he promised me that when we got married he would give me a real one.

"Do you want to tell me what happened?" I hear him say.

I look up, meeting clear, piercing eyes with a thick eyebrow, a very neatly groomed beard, barely visible cheeks in a light tone, his thin lips. His hair tousled, long in the center and short on the sides, dressed casually, with a light blue shirt, a vest and the coat he gave me, he was wearing dark jeans and a pair of ankle boots. He looked very light in his clothing, the night was very cold outside, but he didn't seem to mind.

I was mesmerized, contemplating his eyes that attracted me as if I had seen them before.

"Do you see something you like?" I hear him ask, clearing his throat.

"I find you familiar," I say in a whisper

The truth is that he was very attractive, for some strange reason I had no intention of running away.

"Do I look that common?" he asked seriously.

He maintained a firm pose with his hands on the table, clasped together.

"I didn't say that," I replied thoughtfully

He stretched out his hand, taking mine, I felt it warm, my hand was freezing, his touch didn't bother me, I didn't like having contact with others, but with him it was different.

"Will you tell me what's wrong?" he insists, looking me in the eyes.

"Don't worry, I appreciate your kindness, and for saving me, but I must go now," I replied with a trembling voice, I wanted to cry, scream my pain to the four winds, but I didn't want to do it in front of him.

"I'm not so old that you talk to me like that," he replied, I smiled nervously, not knowing what to say.

I drank all the coffee, sighed deeply, "Thank you," I said.

"Promise me to be more careful," he says seriously. I nodded, got up, turning to go far away and I see my fiance coming out with my half-sister clinging to his arm, smiling, he didn't notice my presence, he had all his attention on her, they stopped a taxi. My fiance opened the door for her, who went up first, followed by him and I saw them kiss just as the taxi left, I realized that she looked towards me and did it on purpose.

"I can take you home," I heard the man who saved me twice from getting hurt say.

I felt a strong pain in my head, my emotions were accelerated.

I wiped my tears with my hand, turned to refuse, but only nodded, I had no control over my gestures.

Why did I say yes?

"I wanted to refuse"

I think confused.

He guided me to his car, I wasn't going to get in, but I do anyway. I was feeling down, I had to get home, it was the only place I could think of, since I had nowhere else to go.

"Manuel was bothered by the smell of dog that I always brought home, I had to bathe constantly because he said it was annoying, although it never bothered me, and the dogs I rescued bathed so they didn't have a bad smell" I tell him without thinking, for some reason I feel that confidence to talk to him like that.

"You like dogs" I hear him say.

"I love all animals, I studied to be a veterinarian" I tell him

"You have your own clinic" he says to me

"No, I'm just an apprentice" I sigh frustrated.

"Don't be discouraged, you'll make it someday," he affirmed.

"Where is your house?" he asks me

I sighed, remembering my father's house and without thinking I show him the location of his house.

He nodded as he looked at my cell phone where I showed him.

"Look out the window, the night looks nice," he advised.

I contemplated the crescent moon reflected in the water of the river, the lights that border the bridge, everything looked so calm.

We arrived at my father's house, he came out when he saw a car at his entrance, it must have seemed strange to him, I don't usually show up without warning, and I hardly communicate with him. The truth is that as soon as I could leave I did, I couldn't stand living in this house any longer with my stepmother who always put her daughter first and left me behind for everything, I didn't forgive him for not putting an end to that situation, he was the only one I had left as family after my mother died, we have a good relationship. For my part, I was aware that he needed to have a partner, because sooner or later he would form his own family and he would be left alone, he never liked to bother and he knew that he would not leave his house easily, this place was his life.

When I got out, he embraced me, surprised by my sudden affection.

"Good night" I hear him greet my father.

"Good night, I'm Amado Eskala" my father said, shaking his hand.

"Hector Antunez" I hear him reply.

"I'll leave you" he said seriously.

"He saved me from being hit by a car," I told my father to stop him.

"Mr. Jose, please allow me to thank you," my father said.

"I'm Hector... It's not necessary," he replied seriously

My father was trying to be funny by changing his name, but he didn't seem to understand.

"Sorry, the habit that the previous one was Jose" my father replied, I turned red with embarrassment, that was a lie, my father was just testing him.

I nervously went ahead so he wouldn't continue.

"Thank you for everything, I'm Alex... Alexandra, by the way" I said as I said goodbye.

He just nodded, withdrawing.

"IT'S MY DAUGHTER'S BIRTHDAY THIS WEEKEND, YOU'RE INVITED" My father said to him.

"I will be present," Hector replied.

"What brings you here?" my father asked, putting his arm around my shoulder into the house.

"I wanted to come," I replied.

I never confessed to him about my relationship with Manuel, I didn't want to introduce him until I was sure we would get married, and when I started with the plans to have our wedding, I thought about doing it on my birthday, all so that my half-sister wouldn't take him away from me, for some strange reason I was afraid that it would be like that.

So many years made me feel less than I believed that, but I'm tired of that situation, that she took my boyfriend was the straw that broke the camel's back.

"You can stay if you prefer" my father said without much inquiry, I nodded, hugging him, I was looking to be comforted in some way.

His house occupied the entire land, he barely had a porch in the back with a hammock where my mother liked to sit in the afternoon to have a snack. Returning to that house brought back memories and more when I saw the photos that covered the wall of the main room, my father despite the time keeps her memory alive and I knew that my stepmother was bothered by that, but she accepted it because he was the one who put everything, and she always took advantage of it.

I took a bath and threw myself on my old bed, my father always had it ready for when I wanted to come, he made me feel comforted, he always had a place for me.

My phone was ringing with messages from Manuel, a cynic, he was with another and he was messaging me as if nothing had happened.

"I'm sorry for what happened"

"We must talk"

"Let's not end like this"

I saw the messages appear one after another, before I waited for them anxiously and I was happy for a simple hello, now I just felt repulsion.

I canceled the accounts I had in the banks, closed everything, I didn't want to share anything anymore, he knew about my accounts and the passwords, it hurt me that he spent everything we saved for our wedding on my half-sister, she was materialistic, she didn't care about the person, only how much she could get from them and she would soon ask him for more, and surely he, in order to win her admiration, would spend even what was mine to get it, and I wouldn't allow that.

I didn't answer any message. After a while he called me, I knew that if I didn't answer the messages his next move was to call and surely because he had received the message that the accounts were closed, if he wanted to spend something.

I directly turned off my cell phone, I had no desire to know anything about him.

After a while my father knocks on the door.

"A certain Manuel is calling, he says your cell phone doesn't work" I hear my father say.

I go out to answer him.

"Don't tell him I'm here, I don't want to talk to him" I asked in a whisper.

My father nodded "She is not here" he said and hung up.

"Who is Manuel?" He inquired with narrowed eyes.

"Nobody important, if he calls again just cut him off, don't even answer him"

"If he's a stalker, we have to report him" he said seriously

"They don't take those complaints seriously" I reply, closing the door.

I lay down without encouragement, tears flowed, I dedicated my time, my best moments, I endured his horrible habits, he left everything thrown, he didn't wash the cutlery he used, he burped and farted loudly, the bathroom door he left open letting the smell invade the apartment, he wasn't that attractive, he was short, his personal hygiene was terrible and he demanded that I always be clean.

After a while I heard a car arrive, my stepmother got out.

This is not true, I think annoyed.

"Alexandra, your mother has arrived" my father tells me

I changed, I had no desire to put up with her, I packed my backpack to leave, not even in my father's house could I be calm, I thought I was in one of her supposed spiritual retreats.

"Oh, Alex you were" said my stepmother when she saw me.

"It's a pleasure to see you, an emergency has come up, I must leave" I lied to her.

"We will have a meal to celebrate Reina" she warns me

"Sure" I replied, playing down the importance.

"Your little sister is getting married" I heard her say, I stopped in the air.

I turned with a fake smile.

"She, being the youngest, gets married before you, you must hurry to find a partner, the clock of life doesn't wait and the train passes you by" she comments with contempt.

I see, that's why she was calling me, surely to get money from me, the very unfortunate one. I think annoyed.

"Who is she going to marry? I ask imagining that it is Manuel.

"A multimillionaire, very renowned businessman, maybe you don't know him" she says making a gesture with her hand.

"Does he have a name?" I ask insistently.

"You will know him, he will be formally presented at a dinner, we will let you know" she says to me.

"Great" I reply with a fake smile.

"As the older sister you must collaborate for her party" she tells me.

"Why?"

"For being the older sister and for having a job, you earn very well it won't cost you to give a few thousand"

"If she marries a millionaire, let him pay for it" I told her

"I'm not talking about her engagement, but about her graduation party, of course the fiance pays for the wedding, you will never know about that because you never had one, how slow you are" she tells me.

"Ha" I said offended and I left like a cannonball before tearing out her extensions.

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