FIVE MILLION FOR ONE NIGHT

sleep t

coul

dding dress I had finally taken off at 2 AM, and my husban

surgery was successful.

d think about

to the west

he sound

hing. He bought companies for fun. He made grown men cry in boardr

uld sca

e simple white robe someone had left for

t. Dark. Even the mai

g. My room. Alejandro's roo

ng, dark corridor I

west

started

self. You signed a contract.

t were alr

ng rules. That's how I ended up

on the wall changed. In the east wing, the painti

Storms. A woman with no face.

eath

ngle door. White. Old. Different fr

as l

handle twi

pered to myself. "What did you

ed to

en I h

si

sic, coming from be

Playing piano. At 5 AM

started

ispered. "Is

sic st

ilence was wors

ing. Slow breathing, like someone was standing ri

id again, lou

ans

my heart hamme

th

r handl

the i

was op

ra

o my room, and slammed the door shut behind me. My chest was heavi

eone prisoner? Was it his ex-wife? His brot

my back against the do

-

there was a k

De la Vega," a maid said

d forgotten abou

e dresses from the closet - a soft blue one that made

nty people. Silver plates. Fresh flowers. A chandeli

of the table s

htly, wearing a black dress and pearls. Her eyes were e

down like I was a horse she was ab

ce bu

aid from beside her, his v

ct. She served drinks at a ball. Now she is Mrs. D

jaw tighte

id quietly, surpr

them loo

nd I am proud of it. I worked twelve hours a day to pay for my mother's medicine while r

le

roze. Aleja

ndmother laughed.

andro. "Your last girlfriend cried when I spo

ime. "Sit, child. Eat. You will need your streng

n, my leg

e. For the first time, he didn't look

pected me to survi

s eyes move

forgotten to put on shoes af

d instantly. Hi

ing, Sofia?" he asked, hi

od wen

s in my ro

en why are your feet dirty? And

me too. "Dust? The only du

ked at Alejandro. Al

table we

wly, each word like ice. "D

ain, but his eyes stopped m

the truth

ard. "I... I

ce wen

of music?"

playing piano behi

ed her fork. It clang

p so fast his cha

h anger - or was it fear? - "you will not le

andro

UNDERS

ears in my

ning room without eatin

n turned to me. Her face was no lon

ning close so only I could

odd

her old fingers squ

. That piano... it hasn't been p

her eyes fill

my granddau

art s

ddau

me he had a... had

ed to her?"

g door in the distance and whispered o

o what he did