It had been one hell of a week, the funeral,condolences, visits,and company matters piling up like waves in a storm. Five days had already passed since we laid my father to rest, but the heaviness clung to me like an unwelcome shadow. And ofcourse it was Monday. Since when have Mondays ever been kind? By 10:00am, my day had already sunk into chaos.

Thankfully, I wasn't entirely alone. Mr.Carlos, my father's best friend and the closest thing I had to an uncle, stood by me. They weren't bound by blood,but their bond had been forged in loyalty and time. He was a bald headed man and now that he was old he had gray beards.

“Are you even listening to me?” He calmly asked.

“Yes..” I replied,though my gaze never left the city below.

“ Son,I know it's hard,” He continued, “But this company needs you now more than ever. You need to be very strong for your father's legacy. For yourself.”

“ I understand,uncle.” I muttered. Eyes still on the glass window watching the city below.

Something had caught my attention.A redhead was arguing with a man twice her size. It looked like a heated exchange,her small frame flaring with attitude. It was funny to look at, she looked like a flame dancing in the wind, refusing to be snuffed out.

“I'll come back later”, he sighed, “when you feel like talking. you know where to find me.”

I turned to face him and nodded.

“I'll be at home.” He said gently, then left, exchanging pleasantries with the receptionist on his way out.

“May I come in sir?” the receptionist 's timid voice followed.

“What is it?” I snapped, not even hiding my irritation.

“It's about the interview sir, I needed to confirm the date to inform the applicants. Their CVs has been sent and-”

“What's your name?” I cut her off.

“Paula sir.” Her head down.

“Paula, what's your job here?”

“I-I'm the receptionist,sir.” she answered, her voice trembling.

“Then do whatever the fuck a receptionist is supposed to do, I want a secretary in this office by tomorrow. Do you understand me?”

“Yes sir,” she said,barely audible as she turned and walked away.

Frustrated and worn,I leaned against the edge of the window again. The street fight was over,the redhead gone. The view was emptier now, like silence after a storm. I grabbed my coat and stepped out of the office. I needed air.

Buzz. Buzz . My phone vibrated.

“What do you want?”, I grunted,not even looking at the screen.

“Hola,mi amor”, came the voice in an exaggerating feminine voice.

I sighed. “Juan. You are a cop. How you manage to keep your badge still baffles me.”

“And you clearly know nothing about being a policeman,” Juan retorted,amused.

I turned and spotted him already waiting outside the building,

with the biggest smile of the century. Juan was my best friend, my brother in everything but blood. The only person I tolerated in this chaotic world. He's tall, got eyes like a sharpened sapphire,and brown hair he cares about more than anything, except maybe his girlfriend on certain days. Sometimes I wondered how we became friends, but somehow we just clicked.

“How're you holding up, brother?” He asked, sipping his coffee.

“Pretty much good.” I muttered,tapping through my phone.

“what is it?” He asked,noticing the look on my face.

“Nothing serious.” I brushed it off.

“Aren't you going to order anything coraźon?” He teased again,using that annoying girl voice.

“Imitate that bitch again, Juan. I dare you.” I snapped, eyes narrowing. He was imitating my ex. She used to talk like that.

“Okay, okay chill,just kidding!” He laughed,raising his hands in surrender.

“Speaking of a ‘bitch’, ever since Violetta left, you've been drier than the Sahara desert.” Juan teased.

I stared at him, unamused.

“ Wait…, don't tell me you've got someone now.” He whispered,eyes gleaming.

“You know, I finally get why Aunt Julitta sometimes talks about selling you. Honestly.” I smirked.

“Oh please, my mom adores me. Wanna bet?” Juan grinned, pulling out his phone to call her.

While he was dialing, I glanced outside the café window. I saw another fight, a couple arguing,the girl looked heartbroken. The guy looked desperate. Words didn't need to be heard, their faces told the whole story.

“ Heartbreak was everywhere today. not just mine.” I muttered to myself with a dry chuckle.

“But I am your lovely son! how come Gio gets that?” Juan's complaints snapped me back to reality.

“Okay,okay. Here he is.”

He handed me the phone,and on the screen was the warm, familiar face of Juan's mother.

“Mi hermoso niño” (my handsome boy), She beamed.

“Hola mamá”, I greeted, smiling for the first time today.

“ I am so happy to see your face. Don't let that odiot get to you. You're my favorite son. And I've got presents for you,but I'll show you later, okay?”

“Okay,” I replied with a small grin.

“ You're doing okay, yes?”

“Absolutely, my handsome face says it all, don't you see?”

She laughed warmly, “ah yes,see you later, sweetheart.”

She ended the phone.

“ See?, ah you can't understand the feeling since you have never experienced it.” I laughed.

Juan just rolled his eyes.

We sat there for a while sipping coffee,sharing stories about work,grief and Juan's unstable relationships. And for a moment,the world slowed down.

…..

Later that night, I was sifting through work files,gathering some information since my role as the CEO was about to officially begin. Loans, new products and everything related to the company kept me busy into the night.

Buzz.

My phone vibrated. It was a message from the receptionist with tomorrow's schedule,along with the applicants’CVs and names for the upcoming interviews.

“Lara Christopher, 30 years old.., five years of experience,” I murmured, scanning through the documents.

“Isabelle Manuel, 24 years old…oh, she's a redhead too” I said, glancing at the picture attached.

She looked strangely familiar.

“I feel like I know her,” I muttered, studying her photo more closely.

I couldn't explain why I was so drawn to her at that moment,but something about her was oddly captivating.

“Well, I guess I'll find out tomorrow,” I said, dragging myself to bed. It had been a long day and I desperately needed a good rest.

“Are you really not going to talk to me? I am really sorry…I just automatically shut down when things like that happen.” I was trying to apologize for my depression.

“ You are so hard to hate, you know that?” Camille said, almost smiling as she folded a shirt. She was cleaning up her wardrobe.

Camille was my best friend, but really, she was more like a sister to me. She was a few inches taller, with soft brown skin and long black curly hair that reached her back. Her big eyes were framed by long lashes, and she had heterochromia: one eye a warm brown and the other a vibrant green. She loved food but somehow never gained weight,no matter how much she ate.

“If I forgive you,you are going to make me those French shell-shaped sponge cakes,” She said, raising an eyebrow at me.

“ Lemon madeleines. Got it.” I nodded, and she pulled me into hug.

“ Before anything else,I have to tell you, I have an interview today at 11:00 am at Banderas Étoile.” I said as we pulled apart.

“ Nooo way!” Camille gasped.

“Yeees way.” I said, showing her the email I received this morning from the company.

“ Oh my God! My Isabelle is going to be rich rich,” he squealed, jumping up with excitement.

I laughed, “Oh come on. Not yet.”

“But why 11:00am and not 08;00am?, Isn't that like the usual interview time for most companies?” She asked, tying her hair up into a messy bun.

“Well,they just said in the email that there were some emergencies,so they adjusted it to 11:00 am.” I explained while sniffing myself. Yikes. I had just come back from a jog and smelled like literal trash.

“Oh,I see. Well,amiga, you should probably get some rest and of course a shower” she said, pointing at me dramatically with her chin.

“What if I don't feel like it?” I teased with a smirk.

“ Well,in that case,you don't belong here!” She said, laughing as she dragged me toward the door.

“Okay, okay, I'm leaving!”I laughed. “See you later, corazón.”

“Bye!” Camille called back.

Outside, the sky was cloudy and grey as I made my way home. Once inside my room, I peeled off my sweaty clothes and headed for a quick shower.

Then,

THUD.

I froze, my heart skipping a beat. It sounded like something or someone fell right outside my window. I crept over, peeking out to see what it was, but there was nothing. Probably my imagination, right?

I shook off the nerves,showered,and by the time I was out, it was already 09:00 am.

“Arise and shine, Luna.” I said, placing breakfast in front of my cat.

Doja cat was blasting through my subwoofer as I danced around, singing:

“Can you kiss me more, we're so young boy, we ain't got nothing to lose..”

She's one of my favorite artists.

I made eggs for breakfast and inhaled them quickly. “Is it that I'm starving or are these eggs just too good today?” I said to myself,licking my plate clean.

After breakfast, I tidied my room, but an overwhelming wave of exhaustion hit me. My body felt like it weighed a ton.

“ I'll set an alarm for 10:30am, just to be safe.” I said, yawning,setting it on my phone before dozing off.

…….

I woke up to the sound of my landlord screaming outside.

“ Miguel,I don't know why you're still in bed till this afternoon.” She yelled.

Eyes still closed, I muttered, “Can't she just -”

Wait.

Did she just say afternoon?

Shit.

I bolted upright,grabbing my phone. 13:15 blinked on the screen. Turns out I dozed off before setting the alarm.

Shit shit shit.

I jumped out of bed, threw myself into the bathroom for the fastest shower in human history, and threw on my dress. Thank God I had prepared it earlier today. As I hunted for my shoes,a sudden sharp pain struck my head.

I gasped, clutching the door frame as the world blurred. I couldn't breathe properly. Everything spun around me.

I tried reaching the door, and the pain kept getting worse. I fell and everything went black.

………….

The next I heard was a muffled voice, Camille was arguing with someone.

“Is she okay?What do you mean?”

I forced my eyes open. Blurry hospital lights swam above me. Doctors were speaking calmly to Camille, trying to ease her panick.

“What…… happened,” I whispered hoarsely.

“ Baby, you're awake!”, Camille rushed over,grasping my hand.

“Are you okay?”

“ I'm fine,” I rasped.

Camille bit her lip. “The doctor said it's likely you had a concussion before,and today's collapse was just the aftermath.”

I was quiet.

I already knew.

I'd been fainting for months,hiding it from everyone, including Camille. I didn't want to burden her.

In the background, I noticed the doctor talking on the phone,mentioning something about his son being hired by the hospital.

Hired.

Interview.

Panic clawed its way back to me.

“ What time is it?” I asked, clutching Camille's wrist.

“ 15:15 pm,why?,” she said gently.

“The interview!” I wailed, tears blurring my vision. “I ruined everything, why does it have to be me all the time? What exactly did I do to deserve all this?”

Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. Camille hugged me tightly.

“Don't say that,Isa”, She murmured against my hair.

We stayed like that, locked in for a few minutes,until I finally pulled away,wiping my eyes-

Then,

Standing by the door was a face I hadn't seen in years.

Lucas Lucas.

Lulu.

My childhood friend.

“Hey, Redhead,” He said,flashing a crooked smile.

“Lulu?”, I gasped, laughing through my tears. I pulled him into a hug.

“Oh my God,you're an adult now.” I said, pulling back and eyeing him. “You have big biceps? I can't believe I used to babysit you!”

“Okay, Miss ma'am.” he laughed, “Probably not the best place to bring that up.”

I giggled,about to ask where he'd been all these years when I noticed something.

Or rather, someone.

My words died in my throat.

Lulu and Camille followed my gaze to the door.

And there he stood.

Tall. Commanding, dressed in a sleek black Zoot suit. His hair, black and gleaming under the hospital lights. Deep brown eyes, framed by lashes so thick they could have been drawn on, a jawline sharp enough to cut glass.

Giovanni Banderas.

What the actual hell was he doing here?