Lucia resumed her role as Diego's driver the following morning, arriving at his apartment at precisely 7:30 AM. She retrieved the key from security, her mind already distancing itself from the conversation they'd had the previous night, accepting the possibility that it might have been work-related. As she waited near the car, she felt an uneasy calm settle over her.
Moments later, Diego appeared—but he wasn't alone. Clinging to his arm was a stunning woman, barely clothed, her disheveled hair a clear indication of a night that had been anything but innocent. Lucia's breath hitched, her heart sinking as she realized the truth. This woman was no colleague. Yet outwardly, she remained composed, every muscle in her body betraying nothing of the storm raging inside.
Diego leaned down, pressing a casual kiss to the woman's cheek. "Good morning, sir," Lucia greeted him as though nothing was amiss, her voice even, betraying none of her inner turmoil.
He glanced at her briefly, distracted by the woman beside him. "Morning, Emily," he replied absentmindedly, his tone indifferent. "Ready for another day?" he asked with a teasing smile.
"Yes, sir," Lucia responded, her voice steady despite the jagged crack widening in her heart.
The woman, who had been silent until now, finally spoke, her tone dripping with condescension. "Babe," she purred, tightening her grip on Diego's arm, "look at her. She's not even dressed professionally for a driver. How can you trust someone like this to drive you around?" Her eyes raked over Lucia with disdain, her sneer evident.
Lucia swallowed back the venom that threatened to spill from her lips. Bitch, you're not even married to him and already acting like it, she thought, but outwardly, she remained impassive, locking eyes with Diego in the rearview mirror.
Diego only chuckled, brushing off the woman's comment. "She's good at what she does," he said casually, as though Lucia was little more than an afterthought. He opened the door for the woman, helping her into the back seat, his complete disregard for Lucia's feelings cutting deeper than she'd anticipated.
Lucia slipped into the driver's seat, starting the engine with her heart pounding in her chest. The flirtatious banter between Diego and the woman continued, filling the air in the car with tension. The woman made no effort to be discreet. "Babe, I enjoyed last night," she whispered seductively, her voice low and intimate. "You're incredible in bed."
Lucia's foot slipped from the pedal, and the car jerked forward abruptly. She clenched her jaw, forcing herself to regain control—not just of the vehicle, but of the torrent of emotions threatening to break through. The reality of the situation hit her like a tidal wave. Diego, the man she was supposed to marry, had spent the night with another woman. And now, she was forced to bear witness to it.
Diego leaned forward, his tone laced with mild concern. "Everything okay?"
"Yes, sir," Lucia replied, her voice cold, her fingers gripping the steering wheel so tightly her knuckles turned white. She wouldn't let him see how much it hurt. Not yet.
The woman in the backseat, oblivious to Lucia's inner turmoil, continued her assault. "I'm so lucky to have you," she cooed, placing a possessive hand on Diego's chest. "You're amazing in every way."
Lucia's vision blurred with unshed tears, but she blinked them away, refusing to let her emotions get the best of her. She needed to keep her cool, no matter how painful this was. This was the test she had set for herself, after all.
But to her surprise, Diego's tone shifted. "Look, here," he said sharply, removing the woman's hand from his chest with an air of finality. "I appreciate the compliment, but this was a one-night stand. Nothing more, nothing less. There's no 'us.' Keep it that way."
The woman, clearly insulted by his blunt rejection, huffed and crossed her arms, her flirtatious demeanor vanishing. "Whatever," she muttered under her breath before alighting from the car without so much as a goodbye.
Lucia remained silent, watching through the rearview mirror as the woman stomped away. Diego sighed, rubbing his temples as if exhausted by the brief exchange. "Take me to the office," he muttered, leaning back in the seat, his focus already shifting to his phone.
She then tune the player to r&b and started singing along.
As they got to the office, Diego suddenly spoke again, this time complimenting her. "Great voice By the way," he said
Lucia's eye shooked, thanks sir. She wasn't expecting the compliment.
Diego gave a curt nod without looking up. "Alright, Emily. I noticed you always resume early. Keep up with the same time.
"Yes, sir," she replied, keeping her tone neutral. Inside, though, her heart twisted painfully at having to hide who she really was from him, especially in such an intimate setting.
The rest of the drive was filled with silence, the tension thick in the air. By the time they arrived at Diego's building, her chest felt tight, like she couldn't breathe. When Diego stepped out of the car, he gave her a brief nod of thanks before heading inside, completely unaware of the emotional wreck he was leaving behind.
The moment he disappeared through the office doors, Lucia's composure shattered. She gripped the steering wheel, her breath coming in ragged gasps as the tears she had been holding back finally spilled over. Sobs wracked her body as the weight of everything crashed down on her. She had known this wouldn't be easy, but seeing Diego with another woman—hearing her talk about their night together—was more than she had bargained for.
She quickly fumbled for her phone, her fingers trembling as she dialed Ivy's number.
"Hey, babe, wassup" Ivy answered, her voice light and teasing as usual. But when she heard Lucia's sobs on the other end, her tone immediately shifted. "Lucia? What's wrong?"
"Ivy," Lucia choked out, wiping her tears furiously. "He was with another woman last night. I had to drive them both to the office. He—he spent the night with her."
"Oh, no, Lucia…" Ivy's voice softened, filled with concern. "I'm so sorry. I knew this would be hard, but I didn't think it would happen this soon. Are you okay?"
"No, Ivy. I'm not okay," Lucia whispered, her voice barely audible. "I thought I could handle this, but…seeing him with her, hearing them talk about last night, it—it broke something in me. "I don't know how much longer I can do this."
Ivy's sigh was audible through the phone. "Lucia, this is exactly what you were afraid of. You knew there was a chance you'd catch him doing something like this, but you're stronger than this. You have to remember why you're doing it."
Lucia wiped her tears, trying to steady her breathing. "I know, Ivy, but it's different when you're actually living it. I just wish I didn't care so much. It hurts more than I ever imagined."
"Of course it does," Ivy said softly. "But you're the one in control. You're the one holding all the cards here. You're not just his fiancée—you're his driver now, too. You have a front-row seat to see who he really is. Don't let him break you."
Lucia took a deep breath, clutching the phone tighter. Ivy was right, as much as it pained her to admit. This was exactly what she had set out to do—to see Diego's true colors. She just hadn't expected the reality to be so brutal.
"You're right," she whispered. "I need to stay focused."
"You can do this, Lucia," Ivy assured her. "Just take it one day at a time."
"Yeah," Lucia replied, her voice still shaky but with a hint of resolve. "One day at a time."
The call ended, leaving Lucia alone with her thoughts and the fading adrenaline. She sat there for a few more minutes, allowing herself a moment to breathe, to let the emotions settle before she pulled herself together.
Wiping her face one last time, she started the car, the engine's hum drowning out the lingering echoes of her heartbreak. The plan wasn't over yet. And neither was she.
The rest of the day dragged on with an unbearable weight pressing on Lucia's chest. After leaving Diego's office, she drove aimlessly around the city, her mind swirling with thoughts she couldn't organize. She had seen him with another woman. She had heard him dismiss her so easily, like she meant nothing. It hurt more than she had anticipated, but she was determined to continue, no matter how painful it became.
By the time evening approached, Lucia found herself parked at the same spot outside Diego's building, waiting for him to finish work. She had managed to push her emotions down just enough to appear calm on the outside, though inside she was still raw.
Her phone buzzed, and she glanced at the screen. It was Ivy again. Lucia answered, her voice a bit steadier than it had been earlier. "Hey."
"Hey," Ivy replied. "Just checking in on you. How are you holding up?"
Lucia sighed, leaning her head back against the seat. "I don't know. I'm trying, but it's hard. I keep replaying this morning in my head. The way he looked at her…the things she said. It's killing me, Ivy."
"Listen," Ivy said firmly, "you're stronger than this. You've already faced the worst part. You saw it with your own eyes. Now you know the truth, but you have to keep going if you want to get the whole picture. Don't let him off the hook just because it hurts."
"I know," Lucia murmured. "But it's so exhausting pretending to be someone else around him. I have to smile, to act like everything's fine when all I want to do is confront him and ask him why he's doing this."
"You'll get your chance, Lucia. Just not yet. Stay the course."
Before Lucia could respond, she saw Diego exit the building, alone this time. Relief washed over her. No woman on his arm, at least for now. "Ivy, I have to go. I'll talk to you later."
"Alright, stay strong," Ivy said before hanging up.
Diego approached the car, looking distracted. As soon as he slid into the back seat, Lucia cleared her throat. "Good evening, sir."
Diego nodded absentmindedly, still scrolling through his phone. "Evening. Emily,"
"Yes, sir," she replied, keeping her tone formal, though hearing him use the name "Emily" felt strange.
"Good. Let's head to the club. I've got a meeting tonight," he said, his voice distant.
Lucia nodded, starting the car. She drove through the city, her mind racing. Why was he going to the club for a "meeting"? Was he really meeting someone for work, or was there something else going on? Her mind jumped to all the possibilities, each one more painful than the last.
When they arrived at the club, Diego stepped out of the car and turned to Lucia. "Wait here. I won't be long."
"Yes, sir," she replied, watching him disappear inside the building.
Lucia sat in the car, her fingers drumming against the steering wheel as she stared out at the entrance. Time passed slowly, each minute feeling like an eternity. She kept telling herself to stay calm, to stay focused, but her mind wouldn't stop racing. What if he was with another woman again? What if he was lying about the meeting?
Her phone buzzed again. Ivy. Lucia answered quickly.
"Where are you?" Ivy asked.
"Waiting outside a club. Diego said he had a meeting," Lucia said, her voice flat.
Ivy hesitated for a moment before speaking again. "Do you think he's really in a meeting?"
"I don't know," Lucia admitted. "I just don't know anymore."
Before Ivy could respond, Lucia's heart stopped as she saw Diego walk out of the club, his arm slung casually around another woman's waist. Her heart shattered all over again. The woman was laughing, her hand resting on Diego's chest as they exchanged a look that made Lucia sick to her stomach.
"Lucia?" Ivy's voice cut through her thoughts. "What's happening?"
"He's with someone else," Lucia whispered, her throat tight as she tried to keep the tears at bay. "Ivy, I can't do this. I can't watch him with other women."
"You have to," Ivy said softly, but firmly. "You need to know who he really is. This is exactly why you're doing this, remember? It's painful, I know, but you're stronger than this."
Lucia bit her lip, her hands trembling on the wheel. "I just didn't think it would hurt this much."
"You're going to get through this," Ivy said. "Just stay calm. Remember the plan."
Lucia took a shaky breath, nodding to herself. "Yeah. You're right. I'll talk to you later, Ivy."
As she hung up, she forced herself to breathe deeply. Diego opened the car door and ushered the woman inside without a word to "Emily." Lucia's heart clenched as she saw him being so casual, so unbothered by his actions. It was as if she didn't exist to him at all.
As they drove back toward his house, the woman giggled, whispering sweet nothings into Diego's ear. Lucia tried to tune it out, but every word felt like a knife twisting in her chest. He's not worth this, she reminded herself. This is the real him.
When they arrived at Diego's house, the woman kissed him on the cheek and walked up the steps to his apartment. Diego turned to Lucia, his eyes meeting hers for a brief moment before he spoke. "I'll see you tomorrow morning, Emily."
"Yes, sir," Lucia replied, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside her.
Diego nodded and disappeared into the house, leaving Lucia alone in the car once again.
The moment the door closed behind him, Lucia broke down. She couldn't hold it in any longer. Tears streamed down her face, her body shaking with sobs. She pressed her forehead against the steering wheel, her heart shattering into a thousand pieces. How much more of this could she take?
She sat there for what felt like hours, letting the pain flow through her. But eventually, the tears stopped, and she wiped her face, her resolve hardening once again. This was exactly why she had taken on this crazy plan—to see the truth. And now, more than ever, she knew she couldn't stop. Not yet.
Lucia got down from the car and took a cab back to the hotel. She would continue, no matter how painful. She needed to see this through to the end.