Megan eyes was fixed on her laptop typing furiously away at her latest art project, the rhythm of the keyboard clicked soothingly in her ears.
Suddenly, the soft sound of a knock on the door interrupted her concentration. Ms. Sarah, peeked in, a curious smile on her face.
"Megan, are you expecting a parcel? Someone sent this to you," she said, holding a small, neatly wrapped box.
Megan looked up, her brow furrowed in confusion. "No, not expecting," she replied, shifting her gaze back to her laptop screen. "But you can just leave it there"
Ms. Sarah walked in and placed the box on the cluttered desk next to Megan's canvas, her eyes twinkling with intrigue.
"You know, it's a little odd for someone to send you a package without any notice. Maybe it's something special!"
Megan barely heard her as she jabbed at her keyboard, lost in the digital world of her project. "Yeah, probably just some random thing. I have enough to focus on, to be honest," she murmured.
With a small sigh, Ms. Sarah turned and closed the door, leaving Megan to her work. But curiosity tugged at the corners of her mind. She paused, looking over the box, which was wrapped in crisp brown paper and tied with a simple twine bow. A small card peeked out from under the string, and it seemed to make her curious.
After a few moments of internal debate, Megan reluctantly shifted her focus from her screen. She picked up the box, feeling its weight in her hands.
"Fine, let's see what this is," she whispered to herself.
She gently tugged at the twine, untying it, and slowly peeled back the brown paper. Inside lay a collection of items carefully arranged in the box: a small glass jar filled with delicate paintbrushes, a handmade sketchbook bound in soft leather, and a beautiful bottle of inky black paint with ornate patterns scrawled across the label.
Megan's breath hitched in her throat as she recognized the Expensive quality of the items laid before her.
Megan walked back to her bed, placing the recently delivered box on her lap.
Her eyes widened in surprise, and a smile crept across her face. Her eyes fell on the neatly wrapped chocolate cookies in the box.
"How did this person know this was my favorite?" she mused aloud, her eyebrows knitting together in confusion. It was a sweet gesture that felt oddly personal, but she couldn't wrap her head around who would send her such a thoughtful gift.
As if struck by a sudden thought, she remembered the card tucked into the corner of the box. Moving the cookies aside, she reached in and found a neatly folded letter. Heart pounding nervously,Megan took a deep breath and opened the envelope.
The neat handwriting on the page instantly caught her attention.
*I hope these cookies bring a little sweetness to your day. I wanted to thank you once again for helping my son, Diego,i appreciate the kindness you showed him, and I'm grateful to have someone like you looking out for him.*
*You're a remarkable young woman with a talent and heart that deserve to be seen and nurtured. Thank you once again for your support—you have so much going for you.*
*Warmly,*
*Raymond*
As she read the letter, Megan felt a knot form in her stomach. The sweet sentiment of the cookies seemed to fade into the background, replaced by the weight of the message.
Diego, Raymond's son. Why was Diego's dad sending her cookies and a thank-you note? Perhaps she couldn't shake the feeling that her connection to the family was pivoting into something unexpected.
A flutter of anxiety settled in her chest. She appreciated his kindness, but it still felt awkward.
Megan took a bite from the cookies unconsciously, the rich chocolate melting in her mouth, momentarily distracting her from her thoughts. The cookie was comforting, soothing her frazzled nerves, but it didn't quell the tension building in her mind.
She finished the bite and set the half-eaten cookie down, her mind swirling with questions. * She closed her eyes momentarily and tried to categorize her thoughts.
She took another bite savouring the taste deeply, since her last encounter with Diego at the bar,she had found it quiet difficult to get him out from her head.
she recalled her high school days—the days when Diego had made her life a blend of challenge and chaos. He had been the charming delinquent, the kid everyone knew and loved . Despite knowing she shouldn't let those memories affect her, she couldn't help the inner turmoil that experienced a resurgence with every glance at the letter from Raymond.
"That boy gave you a hard time for years!" she scolded herself, pushing away from her desk in frustration. "Why are you still letting him take up space in your head?"
Megan leaned back in her bed, rubbing her temples as if to massage away the fleeting memories of the past. Diego had been a significant part of that—an adversary who had teased her relentlessly, his mischievousness often aimed at her.
Why did it seem like the more time passed, the more she found herself caught in the web of her memories involving him? It was infuriating.
She had buried those thoughts deep during her college years, focusing on her passion for art, determined to create a future for herself.
"What's wrong with you?" she whispered to herself, trying to shake off the feeling.
—————
Diego lay sprawled on his bed, staring at the ceiling,
"Boring," he muttered to himself, kicking the blanket away.
*If only Diana were here.*
The mere thought of her name sent a wave of warmth through him, quickly followed by a wave of regret.
Sighing, Diego dragged his fingers through his hair. He knew he shouldn't dwell on the past—he had decided to move on, since she ended it.
He felt like a puppet controled by his dad, ripping him off his company rights, freezing his credit cards .
It all felt like he was going through hell,he would get married to whomever he chose, inorder to get back his rights.
Diego hated the fact that he was still living "I wish I can disappear, leaving all this behind" he thought closing his eyes in fraustration.
He had done everything to protect Diana, feeling so heartbroken . "She dumped me,….Diana used me" he thought gritting his teeth hard.
" And I will never forgive her" Diego clenched his first,his anger flaring up in his heart.
-————
"Megan!" Camila called out,
"Your dad and I were invited to dinner at the Alejandro house tonight!"
"Who? What? Never heard of that name.
"Never heard of that too,he claims he wants to do business with us" her mom replied. "You're telling me you'll have dinner with a stranger? Don't you think it's risky to accept it?"
Camila brushed off her daughter's concerns, "It's not like that! They're just trying to network, and it could lead to some great opportunities for your dad. Plus, we'll meet new people.
" You don't even know them. How can you trust them just like that?" Megan shot back, her tone sharper than intended. She paused, softening slightly. "Whatever. Just… stay safe"
"Wait Megan, aren't you coming with us" her mom asked.
"Don't feel like" Megan said turning as she walked away,a swirl of unease settling into her thoughts as she walked back to her room.She felt a surge of irritation, not just at the prospect of her mother mingling with strangers, but at the nagging worry that seeped into her mind like a slow poison. She had always been fiercely protective of her family; the idea of her parents engaging in anything that had the potential for danger rattled her.
"Megan!" this time her father's voice cut through her thoughts, bringing her back to the moment.
"You need to be there,Mr Alejandro invited us specially,so we all need to be there tonight" he uttered.
"Not again"Megan muttered rolling her eyes
"I have a few projects I'm working on, go on without me" she replied turning again to walk away.
"Stop right there Megan" her dad voice chimed in.
"Don't tell me you've forgotten your promise so soon, you promised to cooperate,why are you being so stubborn" Nelson said firmly.
"Don't mess up, put on something nice tonight" he said lastly before walking away.
Leaving Megan agitated,she had no idea who this Alejandro was.
Biting her lip hard she walked upstairs to room shutting it loud.