Updated Feb 20, 2026 • ~6 min read
WESTLEY
One month. It had been one month since Carmen came back into my life. One month of the best dates. One month of falling in love all over again. One month of waiting.
I wasn’t rushing her. I meant what I said—I can wait. But god, it was hard when she looked at me like she did. Like I was everything.
Tonight we were at my place. Wine, takeout, a movie neither of us was watching.
“West?”
“Hmm?”
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For being patient with me.”
I turned to face her on the couch. “You don’t need to thank me for that.”
“I do though. You’ve been so understanding. Not pushing. Not demanding answers.”
“I just want you to be comfortable.”
She set down her wine glass. “I am. Comfortable. With you.”
There was something in her voice. An invitation.
“Carmen—”
She kissed me. Not the gentle kisses we’d shared before. This was desperate, hungry, like she was trying to prove something.
I kissed her back. My hands found her waist and she climbed into my lap.
“Is this okay?” I breathed.
“Yes.”
LUCIA
This was wrong. Everything about this was wrong. But I couldn’t stop. I needed this. Needed him. Needed to feel like I was someone worth wanting.
His hands slid under my shirt. I should stop this. I knew I should.
“Bedroom?” he whispered against my neck.
I nodded.
He carried me. Actually carried me. It should be romantic. Instead it made me want to cry.
WESTLEY
She was shaking. We were on my bed and she was shaking.
“Hey.” I pulled back. “We don’t have to—”
“I want to.”
“You’re trembling.”
“I’m okay.”
But she wasn’t. Something was wrong.
“Carmen, talk to me.”
“I just—” Her voice broke. “I don’t want you to regret this.”
“Regret? Why would I—”
“Because I’m not who you think I am.”
Jonah’s words echoed in my head. The photos from Phoenix. The investigation.
“What does that mean?”
“It means I’ve changed. I’m different than before.”
“I know that. And I love who you are now.”
She was crying. Full-on sobbing now. I pulled her into my arms.
“It’s okay. We’ll stop. It’s okay.”
LUCIA
I was falling apart in his arms. And he was comforting me. He was being so kind and understanding and perfect. And I was lying to him about everything.
“I’m sorry,” I gasped between sobs.
“Don’t apologize. There’s nothing to apologize for.”
If only that were true.
“I should go.”
“You don’t have to—”
“I need to. I’m sorry, West. I just—I need to go.”
I was grabbing my shoes. He was following me.
“Carmen, please. Talk to me. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Everything. I don’t know.”
“Did I do something?”
“No! God, no. You’re perfect. That’s the problem.”
“I don’t understand.”
I was at his door. One hand on the knob. One chance to come clean.
“I need time,” I heard myself say. “To think. To figure things out.”
“Okay. Take all the time you need.”
I turned to look at him. He was standing there in his wrinkled t-shirt, concern written all over his face. I loved him. I loved him so much.
“I love you,” I said.
“I love you too.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Stop apologizing.”
I left before I broke completely.
WESTLEY
I called Jonah. It was two in the morning but he answered.
“What’s wrong?”
“Can you send me that file? The one from the PI?”
Silence. “Why?”
“Because Carmen just had a complete breakdown in my apartment and I need to understand what’s happening.”
“I’m coming over.”
“Jonah—”
“I’m coming over.”
He showed up twenty minutes later and brought the file. We sat at my kitchen table.
“Tell me everything,” I said.
LUCIA
I went to Paloma’s apartment. Pounded on her door until she opened it.
“Lucia? It’s two in the morning—”
I pushed past her and collapsed on her couch.
“I almost slept with him.”
Paloma sat next to me. “But you didn’t?”
“I couldn’t. I couldn’t do that to him. It would be—” I couldn’t even finish.
“Too far?”
“Way too far.”
“So what are you going to do?”
“I don’t know.”
“You have to tell him.”
“I know.”
“When?”
I looked at her. “Soon. I promise. I just need a few more days.”
“Lucia—”
“I know! I know it’s messed up. But I need to figure out how to say it. How to explain without him hating me.”
Paloma took my hand. “He might hate you anyway.”
“I know.”
“Are you prepared for that?”
No. I wasn’t prepared to lose him. But I was going to. One way or another, this ends badly.
“I love him, Paloma.”
“I know you do.”
“And he loves Carmen. He loves someone who doesn’t exist.”
“He loves you. He just doesn’t know it yet.”
I wanted to believe that. I wanted to believe that when he found out the truth, he’d see past the lies. See me. Choose me. But I knew better. When West found out, it was going to destroy everything. And I’d have no one to blame but myself.
WESTLEY
Jonah spread the documents across my table. Photos, records, evidence.
“This is Carmen Santos,” he said, pointing to surveillance photos from Phoenix. “Living under the name Maria Reyes. She works at a library. Has for three years.”
I stared at the photos. The woman looked like Carmen, but the quality was poor. “This doesn’t prove anything.”
“West—”
“It doesn’t! This could be anyone.”
“Then explain this.” He showed me a stack of records the PI had pulled. Utility bills. A lease agreement. Employment records. All under the name Maria Reyes. All in Phoenix. All current.
“How?” My voice came out strangled.
“The PI traced her through old contacts. Found a woman matching Carmen’s description living in Phoenix under an alias. Whoever you’ve been dating, it’s not Carmen Santos.”
My world was tilting. “Then who is she?”
Jonah pulled out another document. “That’s what we need to find out.”
LUCIA
My phone buzzed. A text from West.
West: Can we talk tomorrow? There’s something I need to ask you.
My stomach dropped. He knew. Jonah told him. This was it.
Me: Of course. When?
West: Lunch? I’ll pick you up at noon.
Me: Okay.
I set down my phone. Twelve hours. I had twelve hours to figure out how to tell him the truth. Twelve hours before my world ends.
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