Flashback

Sonia watched from her window as Alejendro carried Maya and gently settled her inside the car. From their dress code, it is clear-they are heading to a club.

Her chest tightened as she gripped the edge of the window frame, knuckles whitening. Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears, burning with rejection and jealousy.

When the car disappeared down the street, she turned sharply and walked straight to Maya's bedroom. Pulling open the wardrobe, she yanked out a random dress of Maya and slipped into it. In front of the mirror, she ran her fingers through her wavy hair and make them straight just like Maya's.

She stared at her reflection. Her face twisted in anger.

"See? I look more beautiful than her. She's too lean. I have curves, I have more... assets. She looks like a corpse with that pale skin of hers."

But even as she spoke, her voice is cracking. Tears spilled freely. She felt like the ugliest woman alive. Back in college, everyone believed she and Alejendro would end up together. Even she believed it. But look where she is now-standing alone, watching her life slip through her fingers. It all felt like a cruel dream she had finally woken up from.

Suddenly, a faint commotion stirred from the living room.

Sonia wiped her tears quickly and stepped into the living room. There's no one. Her brows furrowed. Maybe it was from the kitchen.

She headed that way and froze. Cutlery is scattered across the floor.

Confused, she bent down and began gathering the pieces, stacking them neatly on the counter.

Just as she turned-

A hand clamped over her mouth.

Her scream died in her throat as her eyes widened in horror.

She bit down hard on the man's palm, the metallic taste of blood filling her mouth. But he leaned closer and hissed.

"Goodbye, Maya."

Her body went rigid.

Before she could fight, the blade slit across her throat in one swift, merciless motion.

Her knees buckled. Her eyes stayed wide open and glassy, as her body fell lifelessly to the ground.

The masked man froze.

"...Damn."

It isn't Maya.

His jaw tightened. With a curse under his breath, he hauled the limp body, dragging it into the nearest bedroom. He dumped her into the bathtub, her lifeless eyes still staring at nothing.

Methodically, he wiped the blood from the kitchen tiles, cleaning the mess, and shoved the stained cloth into the dustbin. Without another glance he left from there.

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Present

The police pulled the bloodstained cloth from the dustbin and sealed it inside a plastic evidence bag.

Other officers moved through the house, searching every corner carefully for clues that could connect to the murder.

Sonia's body had already been carried out on a stretcher for postmortem.

Alejendro stood silently in the living room, his brows are deeply furrowed.

"For how long has she been staying here?" the senior officer asked.

"About a week," Alejendro replied, voice low and measured.

The officer gave a short nod before continuing.

"Did she have any enemies? Someone she could've had issues with?"

Alejendro shook his head.

"I don't know."

He kept his face blank, hiding the detail that Sonia had been wearing Maya's clothes. And the actual target was Maya-and if it fell on Maya's ears, it would only deepen the fear already haunting her.

The officer's gaze swept across the room.

"I assume someone else lives here too-the one who discovered the body. I'll need to run an interrogation with her as well."

Alejendro's jaw tightened. He didn't like the idea.

"She's unwell," he said firmly. "You might already know-she's been through a traumatic event before. She lost her memories because of it. Pressuring her mind further will only harm her. I hope you understand."

The officer was quiet for a moment, then sighed.

"I hear you. But the procedure is a procedure. Don't worry-we won't push her or make her uncomfortable."

Alejendro was about to protest again but stopped himself. Reluctantly, he gave a stiff nod.

"...Go on."

He led the officer to Maya's room. The click of the door made Maya flinch. She had only regained consciousness about an hour earlier.

Her eyes immediately landed on the cop behind Alejendro. She understood-they are here for interrogation.

The memory of Sonia's lifeless eyes flashed in her mind, and her heart raced with fear.

Alejendro sat on the edge of her bed.

"Maya... they just want to ask a few questions. You're comfortable, right?"

She nodded weakly. "It's alright..." Her voice trembled, but she forced herself to stay calm.

The officer stepped forward.

"Miss Maya, when exactly did you discover the body?"

"In the afternoon... She hadn't come out of her room since morning, so I went to check on her," Maya said softly.

"Did you notice any commotion in the house over the last few days? The murder appears deliberate-there are no signs of a struggle."

Maya shook her head.

"No... it was quiet. Everything seemed normal."

"Do you suspect anyone?"

Before she could answer, Alejendro cut in sharply.

"I think that's enough."

The officer glanced at Alejendro, then at Maya, noticing the unease in her eyes and the way she kept looking at alejendro for reassurance.

"Fine," the officer said at last. "We'll leave for now. But this is a serious case-we'll be back. We might need your help again. Thank you."

As the officer left, Alejendro's gaze followed him for a long moment. Then he sat down beside Maya and pulled her into his arms.

Maya clung to him but soon pulled back, her eyes wide with fear.

"Alejendro... what is happening? Every day it's another murder. I'm scared. What if that intruder comes again-for me?"

Alejendro pressed a finger to her lips, silencing her. His gaze turned sharp and intense.

"As long as I'm alive, no one will ever touch a single hair on your head."

Maya buried herself in his embrace, holding him tightly.

Alejendro's eyes darkened over her shoulder.

He already knows who it could be.

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It had been a few days since Sonia's death, and the police still came daily for their investigation.

For Maya, it is becoming unbearable. It made her feel like her life had become nothing more than a crime scene.

First the memory loss. Then one terrifying event after another. It is enough to make her feel like she is losing her sanity.

Thankfully, the officers hadn't asked her anything these days. All questioning had been handled by Alejendro.

And he hadn't left her side once. She is really to have him by his side.

Now, Maya stood quietly on the famous bridge at Plaza, staring at the water below. The night air is cool, and the glow of city lights reflected in the river.

Alejendro wrapped his arm around her from the side, pulling her against him. He had brought her here to freshen up her mind a little bit.

"Feeling a little better now?" he asked softly.

"Mm-hmm..." Maya hummed, leaning her head against him.

Her gaze stayed on the water. "I saw this video on YouTube... it said hypnosis could help trigger memories. Do you think I should try it?"

Alejendro exhaled slowly, his jaw tightening.

"I don't think that's a good idea. Your memories will return on their own. There's no need to rush."

Maya turned to look at him.

"Alejendro... it's been almost a month. I keep getting visions in my dreams, but they're never clear. Just flickers. And if this continues..." her voice cracked, "I'll end up in an asylum."

The anger in his eyes is instant.

"I don't like your last sentence, Maya." His tone is sharp.

She quickly looped her arms around his shoulders to soften his expression, while his hand gripped her waist protectively.

"Last night, I saw something different," she whispered. "A man. I couldn't see his face clearly or hear what he was saying, but... it felt like I knew him."

Before she could continue, Alejendro leaned in and kissed her, cutting her words short. His grip tightened slightly on her waist.

Maya's eyes fluttered closed as she melted into the kiss. When he pulled back, his expression was kind of disturbed.

Her brows furrowed. "What's wrong?" she asked softly, cupping his face.

He kissed her palm.

"I don't like you dreaming about another man."

Maya blinked, startled by the response, then blushed at his raw possessiveness. A smile tugged at her lips despite everything.

"It's already past midnight... let's go," she murmured.

They walked hand in hand to the car.

"You wait here. I'll get ice cream for you," Alejendro said, closing her door gently.

Maya smiled while nodding. These small moments are the only things pushing her to keep moving forward. She leaned back into the seat, watching him through the rear view mirror as he walked into the ice cream parlor.

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Alejendro paid the cashier and took the tub of ice cream when a voice called from behind.

"Dr. Martinez."

He turned.

"Mr. Mariano," Alejendro greeted.

"Call me Kian," the man replied with a faint smile. "We're outside the doctor-patient boundaries now."

Alejendro gave a half-formal nod.

"Well then, Kian. Seeing you here like this... I'd say your recovery is going well."

Kian's smile deepened.

"Better than before. The epilepsy attacks? Practically gone."

Alejendro tilted his head, surprised. "That's good to hear."

"I should let you go. Looks like you're in a hurry," Kian said, noticing the tub of ice cream in his hand.

Alejendro offered a polite smile and started toward the exit.

"Uh... Dr. Martinez," Kian's voice stopped him again.

Alejendro turned. "Yes?"

"I wanted to ask... can I get a tattoo now? Is it safe?"

Alejendro's voice is firm. "Not until a year has passed. It was a major surgery."

Kian's shoulders dropped in disappointment. "I see. I wanted to get my girlfriend's name tattooed, but... I'll wait. Maybe by then... she'll be found."

His voice cracked on the last words.

Alejendro's pressed his lip slightly. "You will. What's her name btw?"

A small, sad smile touched Kian's lips. "Rina."

For a moment, Alejendro said nothing, Then he gave a curt nod.

"See you later."

Kian quickly wiped at the corner of his eyes. "Yeah. Bye."

From the parlor window, he watched Alejendro return to his car. He caught a glimpse of the backside of a woman sitting in the passenger seat.

The car pulled away.

Kian turned back to the counter where the next order is waiting. He adjusted his apron quietly-while taking the order to the next table.

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Alejendro had left early for the hospital this morning. But he promised Maya that he would return by noon.

Now, Maya is standing outside his hospital building. In her hands is a small lunchbox-something she had prepared herself. She had never cooked for him before; it is always him taking care of the meals. Whether dinner or breakfast.Today, she had tried her best, following a YouTube recipe for mushroom-his favorite.

She glanced down at the box, nerves fluttering in her chest.

I hope he likes it.

She had found the hospital address in one of his patient files. She wanted this to be a surprise. And for the first time since she'd been with him, she had stepped out of the mansion on her own.

Inside, she approached the receptionist desk.

"Where is Dr. Alejendro Martinez's cabin?" she asked politely.

The receptionist directed her to the right floor. Maya thanked her, pressed the elevator button, and clutched the lunchbox tightly as the doors closed.

When she stepped out, she noticed a nurse at the counter beside his cabin. Maya approached her.

"Is Dr. Martinez inside?"

The nurse gave her a sharp look. "Do you have an appointment?"

Maya hesitated. "I... I know him."

"Without an appointment, you can't go inside." The nurse's voice is curt before she turned her attention back to the computer screen.

Maya's brows knitted. How rude.

Should she call him? No-this os supposed to be a surprise. With a sigh, she sat down on a nearby chair, deciding to wait until he came out.

Minutes passed. Maya saw the nurse get busy with a phone call.

Quietly, she stood and slipped toward his cabin door, making sure not to get noticed.

She paused at the door, steadying her breath. With trembling fingers, she pushed it open just enough to peek inside.

She frown.

Inside, facing Alejendro, is a woman- perhaps in her late fifties.

Alejendro looked visibly frustrated, running a hand through his hair.

And then Maya heard the words that made her blood run cold.

"I'm just showing her humanity by letting her stay in my house, Mom. There's nothing between us."

Her heart shattered, piece by piece.