Lucia returned to her hotel, still reeling from her conversation with Diego. She had hoped that leaving her role as his driver would give her some distance, but his unexpected call had pulled her right back into the tangled mess of their relationship. As she shut the door, she sank into the armchair, staring blankly out the window. There was too much to unpack on her own, and she needed Ivy's perspective.
Without a second thought, she dialed Ivy's number, tapping her fingers anxiously as the phone rang. Ivy picked up quickly, her tone bright.
"Hey, Lucia! How'd it go?"
Lucia let out a dry laugh, finally allowing herself to relax a little. "I don't even know where to start, Ivy. It was… confusing, honestly."
"Confusing? That's not a word I hear from you often," Ivy teased, but her tone turned serious. "What happened?"
Taking a deep breath, Lucia launched into the story. She told Ivy about Diego's unexpected call, his vulnerability, and how he seemed almost lost without her presence as "Emily." She mentioned how he had insisted he wanted her back, his uncertainty and guilt bleeding into the conversation as he danced around his true feelings.
"He practically poured his heart out to me, Ivy," Lucia said, her voice tinged with disbelief. "And he didn't even realize he was talking to his own fiancée."
"Wait—so he's saying all of this, knowing he has a fiancée, but without realizing she's the one sitting across from him?" Ivy's voice was filled with shock. "Lucia, that's… I don't know if that's sad or hilarious."
"It's both," Lucia replied, shaking her head. "He talked about how his fiancée was his childhood love, how much she means to him, and yet here he is, opening up to his 'driver' like I'm some confidante."
Ivy sighed. "Maybe he's starting to feel the weight of what he's been doing. But are you okay, Lucia? That's a lot to take in."
Lucia hesitated, feeling the ache of mixed emotions. "I don't know. Part of me wanted to just reveal myself right then and there. But another part… well, I want to see if he'll actually change. If he can figure this out without me having to break the disguise."
"Do you think he's even close to figuring it out?" Ivy asked, cautious but hopeful.
Lucia thought back to Diego's words, his conflicted expressions. "I'm not sure, honestly. He's… conflicted. It's like he knows something is wrong but can't see that he's the problem. He talks about how his fiancée is so loyal and trusting, and I just keep thinking—does he even realize how much he's hurting her? Hurting me?"
Ivy let out a small sigh. "He might be, Lucia. And maybe he's testing boundaries, pushing to see what he can get away with. But if he's beginning to open up to you—even as 'Emily'—it might mean he's starting to confront his own feelings."
Lucia nodded, feeling a flicker of hope. "Maybe you're right. And I've come this far… it wouldn't make sense to give up now."
"Exactly," Ivy encouraged. "But remember, you're doing this to see if he's worthy of the love you've already given him. Don't let him take advantage of that, even if he doesn't know it's you."
Lucia closed her eyes, absorbing Ivy's words. "Thanks, Ivy. This whole thing is a mess, but… it helps to know you've got my back."
"Always," Ivy replied warmly. "So… what's next?"
Lucia took a deep breath, already feeling a renewed sense of purpose. "He wants me to come back, to keep working for him. I'll give it some thought, but I think… I think I'm going to give him one last chance. I just need to be careful."
"Good," Ivy replied, her voice filled with encouragement. "But make sure he earns that chance, Lucia. He's not just getting it handed to him."
Lucia nodded. "I will. And Ivy… thank you. I needed this."
"Anytime," Ivy said. "Now, get some rest. Tomorrow's a new day."
After hanging up, Lucia felt a weight lift off her shoulders. She still had doubts, but now, with Ivy's reassurance, she felt a renewed resolve to continue the test she'd set in motion.
The following day, Lucia woke up feeling both determined and unsettled, knowing she was about to dive deeper into her role as Diego's "driver." She took a long shower, collecting her thoughts, then dressed in her usual disguise, as Diego hadn't returned her uniform. She glanced at herself in the mirror, her outfit serving as both a shield and a reminder of the secret she was keeping.
Arriving at Diego's apartment, she let herself in and found him sitting casually on the couch in his usual relaxed attire, clearly not prepared for work. He looked up as she walked in, offering a casual greeting.
"Emily, you're here," Diego said, his tone lighter than usual.
"Yes, sir, but… you're not ready for work," Lucia replied, keeping her expression neutral.
Diego leaned back, stretching his arms behind his head. "Uhh, yes… I won't be going to work today. I actually need you to help me with something else." He paused, his tone shifting as if testing her reaction. "I need you to pick up a guest for me."
Lucia's eyes widened, her pulse quickening. A guest? She felt a surge of irritation bubbling up, but she kept her voice steady. "What did you say, sir? A guest? I can't do that."
Diego's brow furrowed, surprised by her refusal. "I don't understand, Emily. What do you mean you won't do that?" His tone hardened. "Am I not paying you to drive me?"
"You're paying me to drive you, like I said before, but not to ferry around your… guests, your toys," Lucia replied, her voice laced with irritation. She took a step closer, fixing him with a challenging look. "Sir, I just have to ask… are you cursed?"
Diego's expression darkened, anger flickering in his eyes.
"Because just yesterday, you were telling me about your fiancée and how much she means to you," Lucia continued, voice calm but edged. "And now you're asking me to pick up another woman? Not a chance."
"Who are you to meddle in my business?" Diego shot back, standing up, his tone sharp.
"I'm the person who's supposed to drive you—for your work, not your whims," Lucia replied coolly.
Diego sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Fine, I'll go myself," he muttered, shooting her a glare before heading upstairs to change.
As soon as he was out of sight, Lucia took a calculated breath, her gaze shifting to the car keys lying on the table. In one swift motion, she grabbed them, quickly slipping out the front door and locking it behind her, knowing it would at least delay his plans.
As she hurried to the car, Andre, the security guard, approached, eyeing her with mild confusion.
"Emily, why are you locking the door?" he asked, glancing back at the apartment.
"Oh, Mr. Diego asked me to lock it," Lucia replied smoothly, thinking quickly. "He wanted me to go get him a CD and… pick up a guest he's expecting."
Andre's face shifted, his expression growing weary. He had worked for Diego long enough to understand his boss's love for spontaneous "company."
"Alright then," Andre muttered, shrugging. He moved to the gate controls, opening them with a resigned sigh as Lucia slipped into the car and drove off, her grip tightening on the steering wheel.
Lucia took a deep breath, still grappling with what had just happened with Diego. She couldn't believe the nerve he had, inviting another woman over as though she, his actual fiancée, wouldn't notice—or worse, wouldn't care. Disguised as "Emily," she'd witnessed Diego's reckless behavior first-hand, and it stung even more seeing how he seemed to view it as completely normal.
After driving a few blocks away from Diego's apartment, Lucia pulled over, feeling the need to vent. She quickly dialed Ivy, her only confidante in this secret plan.
"Lucia?" Ivy's voice was laced with curiosity and concern. "How's it going? I wasn't expecting you to call so soon."
Lucia exhaled sharply, frustration flooding her words. "Diego asked me to pick up another woman for him. Can you believe it? Right after he spent all that time talking about how special I supposedly am to him."
Ivy's laugh held a note of disbelief. "Wow. I knew he was a handful, but this… I didn't realize he was so comfortable being reckless. What did you say?"
"I refused, obviously," Lucia replied, still bristling. "I told him straight that I'm his driver, not some delivery service for his flings. And I couldn't resist calling him out, asking if he was cursed or something. Here he is talking about how much he loves his fiancée—me, apparently—and the next minute he's planning to see another woman."
Ivy snorted. "So he really doesn't think you'd ever find out. He must think he's invincible or something."
Lucia shook her head, bitterness creeping into her voice. "Yeah, he thinks he can just erase everything before I get back from 'Canada' and I'll be none the wiser. It's as if he believes his words of 'love' alone are enough, and his actions don't matter."
Ivy was silent for a moment, then spoke, her tone more serious. "And how does that make you feel? Seeing him like this? I mean… he's your fiancé, Lucia."
Lucia leaned back in her seat, the weight of the situation pressing down on her. "Honestly, it hurts. I thought that by pretending to be someone else, I could see if he truly cared, and maybe catch him off-guard. But this is… beyond anything I imagined. It's like he's two different people—one who claims he's in love with me, and another who's perfectly fine running around behind my back."
Ivy's voice softened. "Lucia, you're brave to go through this. But you're also human. You deserve to be with someone who respects you, even when you're not looking."
Lucia nodded, trying to steady her emotions. "I know. And I came into this thinking that if he messed up, I'd just call off the wedding. But now, I feel like I want him to understand exactly what he's doing. I need him to see the consequences of his actions—not just because I want to forgive him, but so I know he truly understands what he put us through."
Ivy sighed sympathetically. "That's a lot to hope for, Lucia. But you deserve that closure, one way or another. And no matter what, I'll be here to help you through it."
Lucia smiled faintly, grateful for her friend's unwavering support. "Thank you, Ivy. I honestly don't know what I'd do without you in my corner."
"You'll be fine," Ivy replied confidently. "You've always been stronger than you think. Just keep being true to yourself, and remember—you deserve someone who won't make you question your worth."
Lucia nodded, letting Ivy's words sink in. She hung up feeling a renewed sense of resolve. She wasn't sure how this journey would end, but she was certain of one thing: she deserved honesty, loyalty, and a partner who saw her value, not just in words but in every action. And if Diego couldn't give her that, she'd be ready to walk away, knowing she'd done everything she could to uncover the truth.