The address Rina had been given wasn't a hospital. It was a dim, damp motel on the edge of the city, the kind people pretended not to notice. The sign flickered, half the letters missing. She had a number saved under "Doctor M." A text had come that morning: Come alone. 5:30 PM. We'll make you perfect. She didn't tell Amara. She couldn't. The money was short, and every night she watched her sister come home exhausted from that café, skin pale under flickering lights. If Rina could "fix" herself, maybe the job offers, the modeling gigs, the followers would come. Perhaps she could give Amara a better life. She stared at her reflection. "Just one more lie," she whispered. Inside, the smell of bleach and perfume clashed. A woman in a nurse's coat, too neat for this place, sat behind the counter. Her smile didn't reach her eyes. "Rina Loxen?" "Yes." "Sent by Mara's Club, right?" Rina nodded carefully. The woman gestured to a cracked leather chair. "Sit. The manager said you needed an enhancement package. Payment first." Rina slid an envelope across the table, half her life savings. The woman opened it, counting each note slowly. "This will cover preparation. Once we confirm the procedure date, you'll be notified." Rina frowned. "What kind of place is this?" "One that gives you what you want," the woman said flatly. Then, with a small, icy smile: "If you can afford it." The woman scribbled something on a notepad, tore off a corner, and handed it over. "Keep this card safe. When you're called, don't be late." Rina took it with shaking hands. Something about the woman's voice, her manner, sent shivers through her spine, a flicker of recognition she couldn't place. Rina hesitated, eyes narrowing. Something about the woman's tone, her scent, her smirk it scratched at an old memory. "Have we… met before?" The woman chuckled. "Sweetheart, I meet a lot of girls like you." Rina's chest tightened. No, it wasn't just a coincidence. The way the woman's perfume lingered, jasmine and rust, it was the same scent that filled their home the night before her parents died. But her thoughts scattered. Her head began to ache, sharp and heavy. She blinked, forcing herself to stay steady. "I'll be at work," Rina muttered. "Good," the woman said. "Keep busy. Pretty faces like yours don't last forever." Rina turned away quickly, her heart pounding. She couldn't remember everything, just flashes, screams, and blood. Who are you really? She wondered, glancing once more before disappearing into daylight. By the time Amara got home, she was soaked from the rain.
The apartment was quiet except for the dripping tap and the hum of rain outside.She kicked off her shoes, opened her small box of leftover food, and sat on the couch.
She ate quietly, scrolled through her phone, and froze. Her phone buzzed.
Trending:#YadielKealEngagement #CaféGirlDrama She clicked one clip. Then another.
There it was. The video.Yadiel Keal in the rain.And her standing right in front of him, glaring.
She watched the clip once, twice.Her face startled, wet, his expression confused but calm.Everyone was talking.
Some comments called her lucky.Others accused her of trying to trap him.A few mentioned his engagement.
"Heir to Keal Industries seen with mystery woman again.""Fiancé out of sight, rumors say she's furious." "The mysterious café girl? She's pretty.""He's engaged, what's she doing?"Amara rubbed her temple, exhaling."Rich people's drama," she whispered, tossing her phone aside.Still, the sting of those comments clung to her skin.
She scrolled once more. The café clip again. Her voice. His smirk.Millions of views.
Her thoughts spiraled. What if someone recognized her? What if her past caught up?
Then exhaustion won.Her phone slipped from her hand as she curled up on the couch.
Rina entered quietly near midnight.She paused at the sight of Amara asleep, the phone still glowing beside her.Her chest tightened with guilt, love, and exhaustion.
She changed clothes fast, black jeans, a crop jacket, and slipped out again for work.
At the club, lights flared like fireflies.Rina's manager pulled her aside just before she hit the stage.
"There's someone important here tonight," the woman whispered. "Make sure you don't mess up. And remember, we're family now."
That word family made Rina's stomach churn.She knew exactly what it meant coming from her manager.
Still, she went out and danced, trying to push the fear away. Seven pole dance finally made her rich, but her mind wasn't still yet there.
From the corner balcony, Yadiel watched silently. He still waited for her, even if he added another 2 crazy hours.He shouldn't have been there, not when his engagement party was happening across town, but something kept him rooted to the spot.
At the Keal estate, the chandeliers glimmered.Guests moved about, glasses clinking, laughter echoing.In the midst of it all, Elder Madam Keal sat at the head of the long table, her smile perfect until a maid approached her, trembling.
"Madam… there's something you should see."
Nora took the phone, and her entire expression darkened.On screen, her grandson, Yadiel, is standing in the rain with some unknown woman.
The headline flashed in bold "HEIR TO THE MARQUEZ EMPIRE CAUGHT FLIRTING WITH MYSTERY WOMAN!"
Her heart pounded in her chest. "That boy has lost his damn mind," she muttered, pushing herself up.
She dialed his number. Once. Twice. Five times.No answer.
"Pick up the damn phone!" she hissed under her breath, her accent thick with fury.
A young maid peeked in nervously. "Madam, the guests"
"I don't care about the guests!" Grandma snapped. "Find that boy. Now!"
Her voice carried through the hall, sharp enough to slice through the music and laughter below.Everyone went silent for a moment, heads turning, whispers spreading.
"What happened?" one guest asked quietly.Another woman leaned closer, lowering her voice. "I think it's about that video… It's all over social media."
Mabel stormed to the living room, forcing a tight smile. "Please, enjoy the food. There's just… a little misunderstanding."
But her hands trembled as she poured herself a drink she didn't even taste.Every laugh from the guests felt like a mockery, every whisper a dagger.
Her daughter Yadiel's aunt tried to calm her. "Mom, maybe it's fake."
"Fake?" she snapped. "Do you think I raised an idiot? That boy knows exactly what he's doing!"
She threw the phone on the table, the screen cracking."Tomorrow, I want his face in front of me. I don't care where he is or who he's hiding with. Find him!"
The room fell silent again. Even the rain outside seemed to pause.Elder Madam Keal stood there, trembling not just with anger, but fear.Because deep down, she knew Yadiel wasn't a fool. He was hiding something. And this time, it wasn't just a woman.