Chloé slowly lifted her eyes toward the man standing in front of her. He had that kind of smile that was both confident and a little too charming, the kind people wear when they already know the effect they have on others. For a fraction of a second, she froze in surprise before quickly regaining her composure.
Chloé (curious)
— It's surprising that Valentina didn't tell me anything about your arrival. But anyway… welcome, Carlos. I'm going upstairs to my room, I—
Carlos (smirking)
— No, stay seated, don't feel uncomfortable because of me. I'm not a stranger, and Valentina will probably jump with joy when she sees me. Relax, I'm just going upstairs to unpack my things.
Chloé nodded neutrally, but her eyes followed him cautiously. She tried to hide the slight tension in her fingers gripping the armrest of the couch. There was something about this man, an ease almost too perfect, that made her uneasy.
Chloé (smiling but distant)
— Alright, make yourself at home.
Carlos stopped before climbing the stairs and turned toward her, a mischievous sparkle in his eyes.
Carlos (curious)
— And where's Val?
Chloé (calmly)
— She went grocery shopping, but she'll be back soon.
Carlos (smirking)
— Cool. In the meantime, I'll go change. I'll be back, beautiful.
The word made her twitch.
Chloé (surprised)
— Uh… your what? You—
Carlos (charming smile)
— I said "beautiful." I think you're very beautiful. Does it bother you if I call you that?
Chloé (calm but firm)
— Yes, it bothers me. A lot, actually, because I… I'm—
Carlos (quickly, amused)
— Engaged? Married?
At those words, Chloé felt her heart beat a little faster. She stayed silent for a second before forcing an almost ironic smile.
Chloé (forced smile)
— Single. I'm single, no commitments.
A faint gleam lit up Carlos's eyes. He crossed his arms, the corner of his lips curling into a smile.
Carlos (teasing)
— Then I can give you nicknames, especially since we're going to live here together, right?
Chloé (suspicious)
— And how do you know I live here?
Carlos (casually)
— Because you just said you were going upstairs to your room, and judging by what you're wearing, I guessed you live here.
Chloé (calmly)
— Well, your guess is right. Yes, I live here… but not for long.
Carlos (seductive)
— I have a feeling my stay here is going to be wonderful. Anyway, I'm heading upstairs.
He threw her one last mischievous look before climbing the stairs. Chloé followed his silhouette with her eyes until he disappeared into the hallway. A strange feeling tightened her throat, something between suspicion and curiosity.
She stayed still for a moment, staring at the stairs, then murmured to herself:
Chloé (murmuring)
— Too handsome to be perfect. I wonder where this charmer came from.
She grabbed her phone from the coffee table, took a deep breath, and dialed Valentina's number. A few seconds later, her friend's cheerful voice echoed through the line.
Chloé (curious)
— Val, do you have a cousin named Carlos?
Val (surprised)
— Yeah, why?
Chloé (sighing)
— Well, your dear cousin is waiting for you at the house.
A high-pitched scream nearly exploded in her ears.
Val (overexcited)
— Whaaat?! My Carlos is there?!
Chloé (ironically)
— "My Carlos"? Is he your cousin or your boyfriend? What kind of way is that to talk?
Val (laughing)
— Stop being sarcastic! Carlos is my favorite cousin. But… what's he doing at the house? I didn't even know he was coming to see me!
Chloé (annoyed)
— Well, just so you know, he didn't come alone.
Val (confused)
— What do you mean "not alone"? Who did he come with?
Chloé (ironically, rolling her eyes)
— With his suitcase, dear. And judging by the size of that thing, your cousin isn't here for a quick visit. Looks more like he's moving in for vacation.
Val (excited)
— Wow, even better! I can already tell we're going to have so much fun!
Chloé (coldly)
— "We"? No, you're going to have fun. I'm leaving as soon as possible. I came here to clear my head, not flirt with your cousin.
Val (mocking)
— Oh come on, don't be so uptight, Chloé. You don't want to tell me what happened, but I bet it's your idiot husband, Lorenzo, who hurt you again. Well, you've got the perfect solution right in front of you. My cousin knows exactly how to make people forget heartbreak, trust me. And did you see how handsome he is?
Chloé rolled her eyes, a half-ironic smile on her lips.
Chloé (sighing)
— He's not even close to my Lo… to Lorenzo. Anyway, I'll let you go. You'll be home soon anyway.
Val (amused)
— Yeah yeah, I'm coming, babe. Get ready, we're celebrating his arrival!
Chloé hung up without answering, let out a long sigh, and collapsed onto the couch. Her eyes stared blankly at the ceiling. A heavy silence filled the living room. Only the steady ticking of the clock accompanied her thoughts.
Chloé (murmuring)
— How am I supposed to forget you, Lorenzo? How can I stop loving you? And how can I forget that you're a murderer? How?… I wish I had never discovered that bloody side of you. I would've preferred to live in illusion, loving you without knowing who you really are, without seeing what you're capable of. And even now… even now that I know you're the worst kind of bad boy, I still love you. Worse… every second away from you only makes the feeling stronger. I want you—your arrogance, your jealousy, your controlling side… but not that murderer. Not the man who kills without reason. I don't want him.
Her voice faded into a whisper. Exhausted by her thoughts, Chloé eventually drifted asleep on the couch, her head tilted back, her hair spread across the cushion. Her parted lips let out a soft, steady breath. Despite the pain haunting her, she looked peaceful, almost fragile.
A few minutes later, footsteps echoed down the stairs. Carlos was coming downstairs slowly, wearing black sweatpants hanging low on his hips, his torso still bare and damp from the shower. Tiny drops of water slid down his muscles, and a faint woody scent lingered behind him. Hands in his pockets, a slight smile on his lips, he stopped in front of the couch, his gaze fixed on Chloé's sleeping face.
Carlos (whispering)
— She sleeps like an angel… Valentina never told me she had friends this gorgeous.
A smile brushed his lips, both admiring and amused. He was about to step closer when the front door suddenly opened.
Valentina appeared, arms loaded with grocery bags.
Val (smiling)
— Carlos, sweetheart! Why didn't you tell me you were coming here?!
Carlos (smirking)
— I wanted to surprise you, beautiful. Come here.
Val threw the bags onto the couch and ran into his arms before burying herself against him. Their embrace lasted a few seconds, full of energy and muffled laughter, before she pulled away with a huge smile.
Val (happy)
— I missed you so much! I needed some testosterone in this house, this is perfect!
Carlos (amused)
— Thanks, sweetheart. And I think I'm really going to enjoy my stay here… especially after meeting your dear friend, Chloé.
His eyes drifted toward the couch where Chloé was still sleeping.
Val (smirking)
— Oh no… am I dreaming or do you already like her? Listen to me carefully, mister charmer: I know you. Don't you dare break my best friend's little heart. She doesn't need a womanizer like you in her life.
Carlos (pretending innocence)
— Who knows? Maybe I'm the man of her life.
Val (bursting into laughter)
— Yeah, and I'm the Queen of England.
She lightly smacked his shoulder.
Carlos (fake hurt)
— Ouch! I'm serious.
Val (amused but firm)
— And so am I. You don't touch my friend. But I do expect you to cheer her up. She really needs it, she's been miserable for days. So yes, you're going to help her have some fun. But other than that, don't dream too much, okay?
Carlos crossed his arms, a teasing smile forming on his lips.
Carlos (curious)
— And why not? She told me herself that she's single.
Val's eyes widened in shock.
Val (shocked)
— Wait, what?! Chloé REALLY told you she's single?!
Carlos (intrigued)
— Yeah. Isn't she?
Val lowered her head slightly, muttering under her breath.
Val (murmuring)
— I can't believe this… did she forget she's married to that psycho Lorenzo or what?
Carlos (confused)
— What are you mumbling about?
Val (forced smile)
— Nothing, nothing at all! Anyway, I'm going to cook. Meanwhile, make yourself comfortable and find us a plan for tonight. We're going to have fun, and not just a little!
She kissed his cheek before grabbing her bags and disappearing into the kitchen, humming softly.
As soon as she was gone, silence fell over the living room again. Carlos turned back toward Chloé. He slowly approached her, a softer smile on his lips now, almost tender. Kneeling beside her, he gently brushed her cheek with his fingertips.
Carlos (whispering)
— Even asleep, you look like the kind of girl who turns heads.
Then, with surprising care, he slipped one arm beneath her knees and the other behind her back, lifting her delicately. Chloé's body leaned against his chest, her head falling onto his shoulder.
He climbed the stairs slowly, as if afraid of waking her. Every step echoed with her quiet breathing in the silence of the hallway. He passed Valentina's room before entering the guest room.
But just as he was about to lay Chloé down on the bed, she suddenly opened her eyes. Their gazes locked only inches apart.
Chloé (shouting)
— What the hell is this?! Why am I in your arms?! Put me down right now!
Carlos, caught off guard, tried to stay calm.
Carlos (smirking softly, low voice)
— Shhh, calm down, beautiful. I just wanted to lay you down, you fell asleep on the—
He didn't get to finish. Chloé suddenly struggled out of his arms as if escaping danger. Nervously fixing her hair, she backed away several steps.
Carlos (surprised)
— Hey, what's gotten into you? What did I do wrong?
Chloé (firm, icy)
— What's gotten into me? You picked me up while I was sleeping! I barely know you, and you already think you can do that?! Get out of here immediately. And don't touch me again. Ever.
Carlos slightly raised his eyebrows, trying to keep his tone composed.
Carlos (calmly)
— Wow… aren't you overreacting a little? We just met, right?
Chloé (sarcastic)
— Yeah, so what? I don't become friends with guys I've known for an hour, especially not the ones who grab me without warning. So I'll say it again: out.
Chloé's tone cracked through the room, sharp and final.
Chloé (eyes blazing)
— I said get out! Did you hear me?!
Carlos froze for a moment, surprised by the intensity of her reaction. He raised his hands peacefully.
Carlos (calm, sincere)
— Okay, okay… no need to get so angry. I just wanted to help, that's all. Sorry if I made you uncomfortable.
Without another word, he stepped back, opened the door, and left the room. The soft click of the door echoed through the silence.
Chloé remained standing for a few seconds, fists clenched, her heart pounding wildly. Then she collapsed onto the bed, breathing heavily, eyes fixed on the ceiling.
Chloé (murmuring)
— What's wrong with me? He just wanted to help… and I talked to him like he was some thief.
She took a deep breath, shaking her head.
Chloé (softly)
— This is all your fault, Lorenzo. You've made me like this. You marked me so deeply that I can't stand another man touching me except you.
She closed her eyes, and a tear slowly slid down her cheek.
In the living room.
A few minutes later, the doorbell rang. Carlos, now downstairs, walked toward the door casually, still shirtless. He opened it halfway without much caution… until he came face to face with a man he had never seen before.
A man with a hard stare, his body tense beneath a tight black t-shirt. Slowly removing his sunglasses, he revealed dark, piercing eyes: it was Marco.
Marco (deep, authoritative voice)
— Who the hell are you? What are you doing here?
Carlos paused for a second before raising an eyebrow.
Carlos (coldly)
— Wrong question, man. This is my place right now. You're the one knocking, so let me ask you instead: who are you?
The two men stared at each other in silence, their eyes measuring one another like predators about to clash.
Marco (suspicious)
— I'm here for Valentina. Where is she? And what are you exactly, her boyfriend?
Carlos gave a slight provocative smile.
Carlos (calmly)
— I'm the—
Val (cheerful voice from the living room)
— Babe, who is it?!
Carlos didn't even have time to finish. Valentina's voice had ruined everything. She came trotting over with a smile on her face, completely unaware of the tension she was interrupting. But the moment she saw Marco, she froze.
Her smile vanished instantly.
Val (surprised, nervous)
— Marco?! What are… what are you doing here?
Carlos frowned slightly, intrigued.
Carlos (curious)
— Babe, who's this guy?
Val turned pale, her voice trembling slightly when she answered.
Val (hesitant)
— He's… he's—
Marco remained motionless. His gaze darkened even more.
Marco (coldly)
— I'm nobody. Just an old acquaintance.
A bitter laugh escaped him.
Marco (bitterly)
— Anyway, I'll come back later. Apparently, you're already busy.
He turned around, ready to leave.
Val (quickly)
— No! Marco, wait! It's not what you think, he's just my—
Marco (cutting her off sharply)
— It's fine, Val. You don't owe me any explanation. I just wanted to talk to you, but clearly this isn't the right time. And most importantly… don't tell your friend I was here.
His voice nearly broke at the end. Then he put his sunglasses back on, turned around, and disappeared.
Valentina remained frozen, mouth slightly open, unable to move. Carlos looked at her with a mix of curiosity and confusion.
Carlos (calmly)
— Val, do you mind explaining who that guy is?
Val (quietly, staring blankly)
— Someone… I dreamed of seeing again.
Carlos (confused)
— What do you mean?
Val (avoiding his gaze)
— Forget it, Carlos, it's nothing. Come on, I need to finish dinner.
She turned away without another word, her throat tight and her face visibly troubled.
In his car, Marco was driving at high speed. His hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles turned white. His eyes stared straight ahead without truly seeing the road.
Marco (inner thoughts, tense voice)
_ Since when is she dating this guy? And what was that "babe" thing? Pathetic._
His foot slammed on the brakes, and the car stopped violently on the side of the road. He punched the steering wheel hard, jaw clenched.
Marco (inner thoughts)
_ Three months… Three damn months since we met. And I never even bothered to see her again, too busy with my own problems. So yeah, she has every right to have someone else. But why does it piss me off this much?_
His breathing quickened. Anger rose inside him, burning and incomprehensible.
Marco (inner thoughts)
_ I'm such an idiot. I thought she wasn't that important… but seeing her in another man's arms is killing me._
He started the engine again, dark eyes fixed ahead, jaw tight, unable to erase the image of Carlos—shirtless at Valentina's door—from his mind. This wasn't simple jealousy anymore. It was something far deeper. It was the pain of a man realizing too late that he cared about a woman he never truly had.
To be continued...