Chapter 69

I opened my eyes, and a yawn escaped my mouth. I stretched with satisfaction, a smile on my face—I’d had the best sleep of my life. As I looked around, everything came back to me: I had fallen asleep on the plane. I looked to my side, and Mr. Cesar wasn’t there. I touched my lips, and my cheeks flushed as I recalled what we did. I grabbed my hair, shaking my head quickly.

“I've gone completely crazy. Why the hell did I let myself get carried away? I'm such a fool!”

“Dear passengers, we hope you've had a pleasant journey. The plane will land in a few hours at Juan Santamaria Airport. Thank you, and have a good day.”

“How long have I been asleep…?” I had completely forgotten my fear.

“The whole flight,” I heard Mr. Cesar said, returning with a cup of coffee in his hands.

“And you didn’t wake me up?”

“You looked so peaceful; I didn’t want to disturb you. Did you enjoy the massage?” he asked playfully.

“That… that… was nothing but a… a mistake! Yes, a mistake…” I replied, choosing my words carefully.

“Of course, it was an exception. I hope you didn't get any strange ideas. Don't forget why I helped you—and that you asked me to.”

“Of course, I haven't thought about it at all. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go to the restroom.” I got up from my seat, feeling both angry and weighed down by a strong pressure in my chest. It was better this way, Belle. If he didn’t make it clear, I’d start getting the wrong ideas. But then… why did it feel so different? Or had I changed?

۩

My body was still trembling when we landed, but in the end, the flight wasn’t as bad as I’d imagined, maybe because of what happened to Mr. Cesar. I tried to act as if nothing had happened, but every time I saw him, a sigh escaped my lips. When we arrived at the airport exit, a man holding a sign with the company name looked nervously from side to side. I raised my hand, seeing that Mr. Cesar was busy with a call, and I approached the man to introduce myself.

“Good morning, we’re from F.F. Company.”

“Oh, it’s a pleasure to see you! I’m surprised you know Spanish.” I took his hand in a handshake and, a bit embarrassed, replied, “Just a little…” He smiled warmly at me and then looked at Mr. Cesar.

“Ah, yes… forgive my clumsiness. Let me introduce you to the CEO of F.F. Company, Mr. Cesar Montenegro. We hope you can give us the tour,” I said, indicating to him. Mr. Cesar looked at me, surprised, and said, “You speak Spanish?” I motioned for him to lean down and whispered in his ear.

“Let’s just say there are many people with amazing stories in the streets. It’s not a big deal.” He went quiet, and the man returned with our luggage, guiding us to the van they’d arranged for us. I gazed at the view of the ocean, enchanted, and the man said, “Are you from around here, miss?”

“No, but it’s a beautiful place. In fact, I've never seen the sea before.”

“Well, you’re going to love it. Our crystal-clear waters are like a dream. And if you'd like, I can show you some spots for couples.” I started coughing, startled.

“What?” I looked at Mr. Cesar, who was watching us, looked both confused and annoyed.

“We… why would you think we’re a couple?” I asked, curious.

“Well, women can be more discreet… but let me tell you, the appearance of a man in love never changes. He’s always attentive to you—I noticed it as you were walking here.” I glanced discreetly at Mr. Cesar, who hadn’t taken his eyes off the window, was completely unaware of the conversation I was having with the man. Did we really look like a couple?

۩

When we arrived at the hotel, exhausted from the trip, the man wished us a good night, saying he’d pick us up early the next day. Thanking him for his hospitality, we entered the reception to check in. I told Mr. Cesar had to go ahead to the rooms, and silent as a rock, he disappeared into the elevator. When I finished at reception, I took our bags to the rooms. I wasn’t sure what was wrong with him, but he was quieter and more pensive than usual.

“Wow… what a beautiful view!” I ran to the balcony, tossing the bags along the way. The sound of the ocean and the fresh breeze hit my face, but the most stunning sight was the beautiful sunset sinking into the sea.

“You really like the ocean…” I heard Mr. Cesar’s voice.

“It’s my first time seeing it. And you? Do you like the ocean?”

“No… you don’t know how dangerous it can be.” I looked at him with interest but decided not to ask further.

“Well, it seems you'll be our interpreter on this trip. I knew it wasn’t a bad idea to bring you here. Good night, Miss Belle…”

“Good night. I’ll try not to mess it up…”

“I hope so…” And with that, he left.