The following day unfolded much like the others. Lucia, dressed in her uniform, picked up Diego from work and drove him back to his apartment. The drive had been quiet, with neither of them exchanging more than a few words. When they arrived, Lucia parked the car and followed Diego inside, carrying his work bag as she had done countless times before.
But something felt different today.
Lucia's mind had been racing ever since the previous night. The sight of Diego with that other woman had gnawed at her, and her emotions were simmering just beneath the surface. She knew she was close to snapping.
As they entered the house, Lucia dropped Diego's bag on the center table with more force than she intended, the thud echoing through the room. She turned to leave without saying a word, her jaw clenched, but Diego's voice stopped her in her tracks.
"Hey, Lucia," Diego called, his tone casual but curious.
"Yes, sir?" Lucia replied, her back still turned to him.
"Can I ask you something?" Diego asked, his voice dropping slightly as if he was about to ask something serious.
Lucia paused for a moment before turning around, her expression neutral. "Go ahead, sir."
Diego sat back on the couch, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Do you have feelings for me?"
The question hit Lucia like a punch to the gut. For a split second, her eyes widened in shock before she quickly masked her emotions. She let out a small, incredulous laugh, more from the absurdity of the situation than anything else.
"What?" Lucia chuckled, trying to keep her composure. "What kind of question is that, sir? I don't have feelings for you."
She paused, her anger bubbling up as she added sharply, "And why would I? Why would I have feelings for a public market?"
Diego's face twisted in confusion. "What did you just say?"
"You heard me," Lucia said, her voice laced with bitterness. "You're a public market. I could never love a man like you."
Diego stood up, his face hardening as he approached her. "Is it me you're talking to like that, Emily?"
"Yes, sir," Lucia shot back, her voice steady and bold. "And I'm not sorry for what I said."
Diego's expression shifted from anger to something more contemplative as he stared at her, his eyes searching hers for some explanation. Lucia wasn't done, though—there was so much she had held back for so long, and now it was all rushing out.
"Sir, imagine your woman abroad," Lucia continued, her tone growing harsher. "Imagine she's out there messing around the way you are. How would you feel?"
Diego didn't respond. His eyes dropped to the floor as her words sank in. For the first time in a long time, Diego seemed to be at a loss for words. Lucia could see it, the weight of her accusation hitting him in a way he hadn't expected.
"Loving a man like you is risky," Lucia pressed on. "I'd be signing up for heartbreak and diseases. It's not right, sir. You need to control what's between your legs."
Her voice was calm, but there was an edge to it—she wasn't just speaking as "Emily the driver" anymore. She was speaking as the woman behind the disguise, the fiancée who had watched her man betray her over and over again.
Diego remained silent, his gaze still lowered, his mind clearly spinning. Lucia stood there for a moment longer, waiting for him to respond, but when he didn't, she turned to leave.
"Lucia, wait," Diego called after her, his voice softer now, almost pleading.
But Lucia didn't stop. "I'm off, sir," she said over her shoulder, her tone final.
And with that, she walked out of the house, leaving Diego alone with his Diego's apartment, Lucia allowed herself a moment of relief. She had finally spoken up. The façade was cracking, and soon enough, Diego would have no choice but to face the full truth.
And when he did, Lucia knew thoughts and the weight of his actions. For the first time since she had taken on this disguise, Lucia had spoken her truth. And though it hadn't been the full truth, it was enough to leave Diego shaken.
As Lucia left the house and got back into the car, her hands trembled slightly. She had stood up to him, finally told him what had been eating at her for weeks, and while it felt like a small victory, it also left her feeling raw and exposed. She knew this was far from over—Diego still had no idea who she truly was, and when the time came for that revelation, the fallout would be even more intense.
But for now, as she left Diego's apartment, Lucia allowed herself a moment of relief. She had finally spoken up. The façade was cracking, and soon enough, Diego would have no choice but to face the full truth.
And when he did, Lucia knew he would never be the same.
The drive back to the hotel was filled with an odd sense of calm, as though the weight of her confrontation with Diego had lifted a burden off her shoulders. Yet, beneath that calm, there was a sense of finality growing. Lucia had reached a breaking point, and she knew she couldn't keep up the charade much longer.
When she arrived at the hotel, she wasted no time calling Ivy. She needed to talk things out and clear her head. Ivy answered on the second ring, her voice instantly concerned.
"Lucia, what's going on?" Ivy asked. "You sound tense."
Lucia sighed deeply as she kicked off her shoes and collapsed onto the bed. "I told him, Ivy. Well, not everything—but I told him the truth about how I feel. I called him a public market. I told him he's the kind of man no woman could truly love because of the way he treats people… the way he treats women."
There was a pause on the other end of the line before Ivy burst out laughing. "Wait, you called him a public market? Lucia, that's savage!"
Lucia couldn't help but laugh too, but it quickly faded as her thoughts returned to the seriousness of the situation. "Yeah, but it's the truth. I can't do this anymore, Ivy. Every day I see him with other women, lying and cheating. I know I'm in disguise, but it doesn't make it hurt any less. It's like he's spitting in my face, and I'm the one driving him to do it."
Ivy sighed. "I know, Lucia. It sounds brutal. But what's your next move? You can't keep torturing yourself like this."
Lucia stared up at the ceiling, her mind heavy with thoughts of Diego's betrayal. "I think I'm going to resign," she said quietly, the decision finally forming into words.
Ivy's voice rose in surprise. "Resign? Are you sure?"
"Yeah," Lucia replied. "I've had enough. I've seen what I needed to see, and I've reached my limit. I can't keep pretending to be someone I'm not. I thought maybe I could change him, or that he might show some signs of being loyal, but it's clear he'll never change. He's comfortable living a double life."
"But what about your plan?" Ivy asked. "Are you really ready to walk away before revealing your true identity?"
Lucia hesitated. That had been the whole point—watching Diego closely and revealing the truth when he least expected it. But now, the emotional toll was weighing on her more than she had anticipated.
"I don't know, Ivy," Lucia admitted. "I want him to know who I am and how much he's hurt me. But I also want to walk away with my dignity intact. I don't know if I can handle watching him fall apart when he realizes what he's done."
Ivy was silent for a moment, her voice softer when she finally spoke. "I get it, Lucia. You've already been through so much. But if resigning gives you peace, then maybe it's the right call. You deserve better than this."
Lucia nodded, even though Ivy couldn't see her. "I just feel like I need to take back control. I've been playing this role for so long that I almost forgot who I really am."
"You're strong," Ivy said firmly. "Don't forget that. Whatever decision you make, I'm with you."
Lucia felt a wave of gratitude for Ivy's support. "Thanks, Ivy. I don't know what I'd do without you."
"Don't mention it, girl. I'll be here no matter what. Just promise me you'll think it through before you resign. Make sure it's what you really want."
"I will," Lucia said, her mind still swirling with thoughts of her next move. "But honestly, I think it's time. I need to step away from this mess before I lose myself completely."
They continued talking for a while, with Ivy encouraging Lucia to stay strong and make the best decision for herself. By the time they hung up, Lucia felt a strange sense of clarity. She knew resigning wouldn't be easy, but it felt like the right thing to do. She needed to step back from Diego, from the lies, and from the painful masquerade she'd been maintaining.
As she lay back on the bed, staring at the ceiling, Lucia realized that her next move would define the rest of her journey. Whether or not she confronted Diego with the full truth, she had finally regained control over her life. And for the first time in weeks, that brought her some measure of peace.
Tomorrow, she would make her decision.