"ONE more person to go and we will start the last shoot," Fino announced when Boss Rustan finally arrived at his place. The sweet smile hasn't left his face since I got here.

Boss Rustan took a seat beside me. He was now wearing a white tank top and black shorts, showing off his muscular chest and well-rounded buttocks. Our eyes didn't meet. His stern gaze remained fixed on his cell phone.

Until now, Fino had no idea about the connection between me and Boss. He still didn't know that Boss Rustan is my boss at work, and we had no intention of telling him. It's complicated, and I knew that guy is trouble. He'll definitely look for trouble because he enjoys tormenting me.

"Is it going to take much longer?" I asked with my arms crossed.

"Almost here, don't be impatient," Fino chuckled.

He glanced at his cell phone from time to time. When it rang again, his smile widened. He tapped on it before looking at us. There was something peculiar about his smile, something off-putting. It was like he was brewing something I wouldn't like...

"And here comes the new addition to your collaboration," he stood up, briskly walking towards the door. I just followed him with my gaze.

"Meet your other lucky fan, Lara..." He twisted the doorknob. It opened.

And my throat went dry. My eyes widened, and I almost lost my breath.

"Meet Enrique..."

Now, his eyes were burning holes into mine, his jaw clenched tight. He looked like a dragon exhaling smoke from his nostrils. Menacing. I felt a cold shiver running down my spine. I swallowed hard before I stood up. My knees were shaking, all I could manage was a blink.

I couldn't believe it.

Enrique walked right in, his sharp eyes locked onto me. It felt like he was stabbing my soul. I couldn't muster the strength to heal the wounds forming in my heart with every step he took towards me.

"You never told me you're a porn star now," every corner of his eyes sparkled with a mix of sadness, anger, and disgust.

He took a deep breath. "What the fuck is this Lara?"

"Let me explain—" I began.

"Explain what? That you’re a whore?" He interrupted with a sharp tone. I saw a tear escape from one of his eyes. He quickly wiped it away. "Holy shit, are you kidding me?"

I fell silent. I couldn't answer. I couldn't speak. I just absentmindedly rubbed my arm.

His gaze shifted on Boss Rustan. "You. You're the one f’cking my girlfriend, aren't you? How was it? Does it feel good?"

I didn't know what to do. I panicked when he walked towards Boss.

"Do you enjoy f*cking my girlfriend, huh?"

He delivered a powerful punch to Boss. His face turned the other way from the impact. When he turned back to Enrique, his eyes were empty, and his lip was bleeding. He didn't react. He just stared at Enrique until he struck him again.

"Enrique!" I exclaimed as he was about to hit Boss again. I hugged him from behind to restrain him. He struggled to break free from my grip, and I had to let go.

His fiery eyes were now fixed on me. I couldn't bring myself to look directly at him, as if it would be my death sentence.

"Don't show yourself to me again," he said, closing his eyes. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed hard. Tears flowed steadily from his eyes.

When he opened them, they were dark. His voice carried weight and intensity. "From now on, I will forget that I ever loved you. Don't ever talk to me again."

He quickly walked out of Fino's unit. I couldn't hold back my tears, and I ran after him. I chased him despite my trembling knees.

"Enrique!" I pleaded while sobbing.

He didn't stop. He continued down the condo building's corridor. I sped up to catch him, and I managed to grab his hand to stop him. But he pushed me away forcefully, causing me to collide with the wall. I winced in pain.

"What else do you need? F*ck, just get inside there. Continue shagging that guy! You like it, don't you?!" His voice echoed as he pointed angrily at Fino's unit.

"Can't we talk first?"

"Talk about what? Huh? About how you've been making an idiot out of me?"

"I had no choice, love," I said, placing my hand on my forehead. "I didn't choose this."

"So, who made you choose? Me? You chose to deceive me?"

"My father was buried in debt before he died. Fino, he was my father's creditor. He's pressuring me because we're up against a drug lord. I needed to make quick money, so..."

"And being a porn star was the only option? Deceiving me was the only solution you could think of?" He continuously wiped away his tears. "Are you seriously trying to justify what you did?"

I couldn't find the words to respond. I didn't know how else to explain everything to him. How I didn't choose to deceive him, how I would never choose that if I didn't need to.

"God, Lara... Seven years. Seven years, and you chose to throw that away just for your goddamn lust!" He pointed at me, accusingly.

I hung my head low, my sobs continuing, feeling like I was running out of breath, the pain in my chest intensifying.

"Well, congratulations, Lara. Congratulations because you just wasted my seven years. I wish I never loved you. I wish I never worked so hard for our future if this is all you're going to repay me with. I wish I never met you."

"F*ck." He punched the wall before walking away from me, heading for the elevator. He left me standing there in the corridor. Feeling cold. Trembling. Hurting. Feeling small and crushed. Mad at myself.

I ended up on my knees, tears falling onto the carpet. My sobbing grew louder, as if I might lose consciousness from the intense pain in my heart. I couldn't bear it. It felt like it might kill me.

Then, I felt a warm hand on my shoulder. When I looked up, it was Fino's face I saw.

"I was the one who told him about this," he said, looking straight into my eyes. "I invited him for you."

Was he serious?

I furrowed my brow at him.

"It's okay, at least you've straightened the crook now--"

I slapped him. Hard. His head turned in the opposite direction.

"Are you happy now? Are you happy that you've ruined us?"

As if in disbelief, he blinked rapidly. "It's not what I meant, I am all for ending your sins!"

I stood up. I almost lost my balance, but he steadied me. When I pulled away from his hand, I quickly walked towards the elevator. He didn't follow me, even when I entered it.

When I reached the ground floor, I hurried towards the exit door. I searched for Enrique, but he was gone. I sobbed heavily at the thought that it might have been my last chance to see him.

I walked on, bravely searching through the passing crowd, even though I’m not wearing a face mask.

But I couldn't find him anywhere.

I ended up sitting on a bench by the side of the road, crying. Sobbing. Wiping my tears. Sniffling. That's what I did. I didn't care if people stared at me.

What did it matter?

Did I even have any shame left?

It felt like I didn't. I was completely drained. There was nothing left for me to hold onto. Because everything, everything was gone. Everything was gone the very moment Enrique turned his back on me.

I spent more than a few minutes crying when a car pulled up in front of me.

"Get in," his voice was cold, and I recognized him immediately.

I didn't say anything.

"Can't you hear me?" His voice hardened. "Get in."

I still didn't acknowledge him.

"You really want me to carry you again, huh?"

He let out a heavy sigh before lifting me, just like he did that night when he defended me against Chan. I still didn't say a word as he placed me inside the car.

"You're really pathetic." Those were the last words he said before he started the car, heading to an unknown destination. And I had no intention of finding out. Because right now, I was blank. Utterly blank.