Lucia was just finishing her coffee, still absorbing Ivy's words, when her phone buzzed. She glanced down and felt her pulse quicken at the sight of Diego's name on the screen. Despite her decision to keep her distance, curiosity got the better of her. Taking a deep breath, she answered, keeping her tone steady.
"Yes?" she said coolly.
"Emily… hey," Diego's voice was unexpectedly soft, a hint of regret in his tone. "I know you don't work for me anymore, but I wanted to talk. If you'd be willing… could you come over?"
Lucia hesitated. She'd planned to keep her distance, to start anew, but something in his voice made her pause. Maybe he'd realized something—or maybe he was just desperate. Either way, she couldn't deny a lingering need to hear him out, to see if he'd finally understood what he'd lost.
"Alright," she replied, her tone cautious. "I'll come by shortly."
When Lucia arrived at Diego's apartment, she hesitated for a moment, gathering her thoughts. Diego opened the door almost immediately, his appearance less put-together than usual. There was an uncharacteristic vulnerability in his eyes, and the tension between them was palpable as she stepped inside.
"Thanks for coming," he murmured, gesturing for her to sit in the living room.
She settled onto the couch, watching as Diego took a seat across from her, his gaze lowered. After a moment, he finally looked up, his expression tense. He took a breath, and his voice was soft yet intense.
"You know, you're very special," Diego began, leaning forward slightly. "There's something about you that keeps drawing me closer. I feel so… comfortable with you."
Lucia raised an eyebrow, a skeptical smile playing on her lips. "Comfortable?" She scoffed, masking her own emotions. "Not exactly the word I'd expect."
"I'm beginning to feel something I can't explain," Diego said, his voice dropping to a whisper.
"Sir," Lucia replied, trying to keep her voice steady, "maybe you should make yourself clear. Because right now, I have no idea what you're trying to say."
Diego leaned back, looking at her with a strange intensity. "You remind me of someone—a childhood friend. We were really close. You're just like her. Tough, always standing up for herself, maybe even a little bit of a bully."
Lucia chuckled, amused at his attempt to describe her. "A bully?" She folded her arms, trying to act unfazed. "No way. I'm a peaceful person, not a bully."
"Oh, trust me, you're a big bully," he retorted, laughing softly. "Anyway, we went to primary school together, and… well, she was really special."
Lucia nodded, her heart pounding. She knew exactly who he was referring to, but she kept her expression neutral. "Must have been a strong connection if you're still thinking about her."
"It is," Diego said, almost lost in thought. "My fiancée Lucia, actually … we lost contact after her father passed, and my family moved to the UK. Fate brought us back together later, and we decided to get married."
"Hmm, that's quite the story," Lucia replied, adding a sarcastic undertone. "So, she's that special to you, and yet here you are, carrying random women around for one-night stands?"
Diego chuckled, shaking his head. "You'll do no such thing. She'd never believe you anyway. She trusts me completely."
Lucia let out a bitter laugh. "Oh, so because she trusts you, that's a green light to act however you want?"
"No, no," he replied, his voice softening, guilt flickering in his eyes. "It's not like that. I've been dealing with a lot. I needed to clear my head… but I'll sort things out before she comes back."
Lucia tilted her head, giving him a wry smile. "You really need to. But if she finds out what you've been up to…"
Diego sighed, running a hand through his hair. "She won't. I'll make sure she doesn't know a thing."
Lucia couldn't help but smile, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Right, because that always works out so well. But, just curious, what if one of the women you've been with ends up pregnant? Then what?"
Diego's eyes widened, looking genuinely horrified. "No way! That won't happen. I'm always careful… I use protection every time."
"Wow," Lucia said, feigning shock. "Didn't know you were this sharp and… well, bad."
He shook his head, laughing at her reaction. "I've gotten too comfortable with you, Lucia. Sometimes I forget you're my employee."
"Sir, I'm just a straight shooter," Lucia replied, shrugging nonchalantly. "It's only people who don't care about you who'll sugarcoat the truth. I don't fall into that category."
Diego smiled, his gaze softening as he looked at her. "Emily, Emily, Emily… you're crazy, you know that?"
Lucia laughed. "I'm crazy for the truth, sir." She chuckled, letting her defenses down just a little.
Diego's smile lingered, and he shook his head as if in disbelief. "I like you, Emily. I like you a whole lot."
Lucia threw her head back in laughter, hiding the real emotions that his words stirred within her. "Bad man!" she teased, pointing playfully at him.
Diego laughed along with her, nudging her shoulder. "I'm not bad—you're the crazy one!" He shook his head, an easy smile on his face as they both fell into laughter.
Their laughter echoed through the room, and in that moment, Lucia felt the weight of her deception press down on her. Here he was, laughing, confessing pieces of his past, unknowingly sharing his heart with the very person he believed was his confidant.
But beneath her laughter, Lucia knew the truth would eventually come crashing down.
Diego looked at her, a mixture of hope and hesitation in his eyes. "So… are you going to come back to work?" he asked, his voice tentative, almost pleading.
Lucia held his gaze, unimpressed. "Sir, I've told you before—come out plain. What are you really asking?"
Diego took a deep breath, seeming to steady himself. "Alright, fine. I want you to resume work, Emily," he said, his tone more direct this time, though a hint of vulnerability lingered.
Lucia smirked, enjoying the slight discomfort on his face. "After everything? Why should I?" she asked, leaning back and crossing her arms, savoring the power she now held over him.
"Because…" Diego's voice softened. "Things haven't been the same since you left. You've made an impression on me, and I don't just mean as an employee."
Lucia's smirk faded as his words settled over her, a pang of something uncomfortably real surfacing within her. She had wanted him to feel her absence, but hearing it was unexpectedly bittersweet.
"Diego," she said slowly, choosing her words carefully, "are you asking me back because I'm good at my job… or because you've grown attached to me?"
For a moment, he looked away, his brow furrowed. When he met her gaze again, he seemed more honest, more stripped down. "Maybe both," he admitted. "Look, I won't pretend to have everything figured out, but I know I want you around. You bring something to my life that… I didn't realize I needed."
Lucia raised an eyebrow, her voice gentle but firm. "I don't want to come back to be another complication in your life, Diego. You're engaged, remember? To someone who deserves your loyalty."
Diego flinched at her words, guilt flickering across his face. "I know. You're right. I'm working on things… but please, just consider it? Things aren't the same without you, Emily."
Lucia took a deep breath, looking at him for a long moment. Her heart wrestled with her mind. She'd walked away for a reason, but now, faced with this version of Diego—vulnerable, genuine—she couldn't help but feel a pull to return, not as his driver but as someone who could help him confront the man he was trying to hide from himself.
"I'll think about it," she said finally, keeping her voice even. "But remember, if I do come back, things have to be different."
Diego nodded, relief evident in his eyes. "Understood. I wouldn't expect anything less."
As she stood to leave, Lucia felt the weight of her own deception tighten around her. She wasn't Emily; she was Lucia, his fiancée. And if she did go back, it would be for more than just her role as a driver—it would be a test, for both of them.