As I entered my apartment, I threw myself onto the sofa.
For a moment I just lay there, staring at the ceiling, not knowing what to do.
But before my mind could process anything further, my body moved on its own. I got up and started changing into a more decent outfit to meet Liz.
By the time I left my apartment, it was already 10 p.m.
The car was waiting for me at the pickup point.
As I got in, I saw a message from Liz.
We'll talk by the lake. I just want some fresh air before talking about him.
I stared at the message for a moment.
It was the first time since I joined her team that she wanted to talk about business outside the office.
That alone told me how serious this was.
I typed back.
Is it safe?
She replied almost instantly.
Silly. It's 10. By the time we reach, it will be 11. Don't worry. It's lakeside — we'll be in solitude.
I nodded to myself while reading it.
The entire ride was quiet.
Even the driver looked half-asleep. I could see him drooling slightly while driving.
Soon enough, we reached.
The lake looked peaceful. The night air was cool, and the faint sound of water moving against the shore was strangely calming.
Liz was already there.
We walked toward a tree that had a wooden bench beneath it.
We sat.
Neither of us spoke for a while.
Honestly… neither of us wanted to.
The lake had that effect. The quiet sound of water made everything slow down.
Liz finally broke the silence.
"Okay… so this stays between us. Because it's connected to you, Nyx."
I slowly turned my gaze away from the lake and looked at her.
I signaled her to continue.
She inhaled.
"Nyx… Andres is an anonymous man. And somehow… he's connected to your childhood."
She paused.
"Does that ring a bell?"
I frowned slightly.
"Liz… he's just a feeble-minded, self-centered person who hides his identity from the public like a coward."
I looked back at the lake.
"And about my childhood… it's vague. I don't remember much."
Liz studied my face carefully.
"I'll help you remember," she said quietly. "But you need to trust me."
I nodded briefly.
She spoke one word.
"Perez."
The moment she said it—
Something shifted inside my mind.
Memories.
Flashes.
Warm ones.
Happy ones I had buried the day my parents died.
Liz noticed immediately.
She leaned forward slightly.
"What do you remember?"
I exhaled slowly.
"It was… my fifth birthday."
Flashback
Maa and Papa had invited many guests.
Important people.
VIPs.
The house was full of laughter.
People cheering, talking, wishing.
I didn't understand much.
I was only five.
I looked up at Maa and Papa. They were smiling so brightly… like there was no tomorrow.
Papa placed a knife in my small hands and helped me cut something they called a cake.
Everyone clapped.
After that, the adults surrounded them again.
My nanny took my hand gently and led me away into a private hall.
She was very sweet.
But the hall was empty.
Just me and her.
I sat quietly near a window, looking outside.
I had never seen much of the outside world.
I had grown up mostly inside the house walls for safety.
My parents loved me deeply.
They never made me feel lonely.
But still…
I had no friends.
Then suddenly—
I felt someone standing beside me.
Someone around my height… maybe an inch taller.
I turned.
There was a boy.
Around my age.
He waved at me with a big smile.
I froze.
A new person in the private hall.
I looked around quickly.
My nanny was talking to another woman near the door — probably his nanny.
I walked toward him slowly.
He grabbed my hand immediately.
"What's your name?"
By five, I could already speak well. I was a fast learner.
I hesitated shyly.
"Nyx."
He grinned.
"Nyx? That's a cool name! I like it."
I looked down at the floor, nervous.
Then asked quietly,
"Wh–what is your name?"
He scratched his head.
"Well… my mama calls me Perez because she says I'm her favorite blooming flower."
He shrugged.
"And my papa just calls me son."
He smiled again.
"I don't know my real name. But I like Perez."
I stared at him, confused.
I placed my small hand on my chin like the cartoon characters I used to watch.
"What… is a b–b–blo… blooming fl–flower?"
He burst into laughter.
Then pointed outside the window.
"Blooming flower means like that one."
I looked outside.
There was a plant with soft pink and reddish flowers swaying gently.
"That's blooming flower?" I asked.
"Yes!" he said proudly.
"Want to see it from close?"
I nodded immediately.
He grabbed my hand.
We sneaked away from our nannies and slipped through the backyard door.
The garden outside was huge.
I could see the same window from outside where we had been standing earlier.
I ran toward the flower.
It was the first time I ran freely outside.
Perez ran behind me.
I crouched beside the plant.
"Can I touch it?" I asked carefully. "Will it bite?"
He looked at me in disbelief.
Then started laughing again.
"It won't bite, idiot," he said. "It's a flower. Soft and beautiful."
I gently touched the petals.
Joy filled my chest.
"It's called Lily," he said. "Do you like it?"
"I love it."
Just then I noticed another group of flowers a little further away.
These ones were different.
Some were deep red.
Others were almost black.
Without warning, I ran toward them.
Perez shouted behind me,
"Don't trip over!"
When we reached them, I started spinning happily.
The sight of them made me dance.
He watched me with wide eyes.
"Looks like you love these flowers too."
I grabbed his hand and asked,
"What are these called?"
He stared at me for a moment.
His cheeks turned slightly red.
Then he pulled his hand back awkwardly.
"I… don't know. Let's search."
We ran back inside and found a guidebook filled with pictures of animals, plants, and flowers.
After flipping through the pages, Perez pointed.
"The red one is Spider Lily."
He turned another page.
"And the black one is Black Dahlia."
I tried pronouncing them.
Terribly.
He laughed.
"If these are your favorite flowers," he said, "then next time we meet, you should get the spelling right."
Just then, a butler walked toward us.
"Master Perez, your father is calling you."
Perez turned back to me.
"Practice hard, okay? Next time when we meet, I want the spelling right."
I looked up at him.
"When will we meet again?"
He shrugged.
"I don't know."
Then he smiled.
"But when we do… you better get it right."
Present — Lake
The memory faded slowly.
I looked back at Liz.
"That's all I remember."
The lake water moved quietly in front of us.
Liz stared at me carefully.
"Nyx…"
Her voice dropped.
"What if I told you…"
"Perez and Andres are the same person?"