The Blind Maid Is My Secret Assistant

Chapter 13

Three days after the rescue, Miguel Anguer finally woke without pain medication clouding his mind.

The first thing he remembered was the warehouse.

The second was blood.

The third was Anya.

He opened his eyes.

She was sitting beside his hospital bed.

Her head rested against the edge of the mattress, and one hand was wrapped around his.

Miguel stared at her.

For several seconds, he simply watched.

Then he noticed something strange.

Anya wasn't looking in his direction.

She was staring at his face.

Not toward his voice.

Not toward where she thought he was.

At his actual face.

Miguel frowned.

"Anya?"

She immediately smiled.

"You're awake."

"You can see me."

Her smile froze.

Silence filled the room.

Miguel stared at her.

Anya slowly withdrew her hand.

"I can see a little."

"A little?"

She nodded.

"The treatment is working."

Miguel tried to sit up.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because..."

She hesitated.

"Because I wasn't sure."

He stared at her.

"How long?"

"Several weeks."

"Several weeks?"

"Yes."

"You've been undergoing treatment for weeks?"

"Yes."

"And you didn't tell me?"

"I didn't know if it would work."

Miguel's expression became complicated.

He wasn't angry yet.

He was hurt.

"You could have told me."

"I know."

"But you didn't."

Anya looked down.

"I was afraid."

"Of what?"

She whispered:

"Of what you would think."

Miguel didn't understand.

"What could I possibly think?"

Anya took a breath.

"I wanted to know whether you loved me."

He stared at her.

"I told you I loved you."

"Before you knew."

"Knew what?"

"That I might see again."

Miguel became silent.

Anya's voice trembled.

"I needed to know whether you loved me because I was Anya..."

She touched her chest.

"...or because I was the blind maid you wanted to protect."

Miguel stared at her.

Then his expression softened.

"You should have trusted me."

"I was scared."

"I know."

He reached for her hand.

She hesitated.

Then took it.

"I love you," he said.

"Blind or not."

Anya smiled through tears.

"I know."

Miguel frowned.

"Then why are you smiling?"

"Because you finally said it without being forced."

He smiled.

"You're impossible."

"You've said that before."

"I mean it."

For the next few days, Miguel recovered.

Anya remained by his side.

She helped him walk.

She argued with the nurses.

She complained whenever he refused to rest.

Miguel hated being treated like a patient.

Anya loved reminding him that he was terrible at following instructions.

"You need to sleep."

"I slept."

"Two hours."

"That's enough."

"No."

"I'm the patient."

"Exactly."

"I'm in charge."

"Not anymore."

Miguel stared at her.

"Who gave you authority?"

"You did."

"When?"

"When you fell out of that warehouse bleeding."

Miguel sighed.

"Fine."

Anya smiled.

"Good."

But beneath their playful arguments, something had changed.

Anya could see more each day.

Faces were still blurry.

Colors were muted.

But Miguel's face was becoming clearer.

And she loved watching him.

She loved the way his eyebrows moved when he was irritated.

The tiny smile that appeared when he was amused.

The way he looked at her when he thought she wasn't paying attention.

For years, she had known him by sound.

Now she was learning him by sight.

And she loved both versions.

When Miguel returned to the mansion, he discovered something else.

His company was in chaos.

Victor's network had been exposed.

Several executives had been arrested.

Confidential documents had been recovered.

But one mystery remained.

The anonymous messages.

The warnings.

The mysterious information that had saved Anguer Corporation from several disasters.

Miguel had assumed the secret assistant was someone inside the company.

Someone highly intelligent.

Someone with access to his files.

Someone who knew exactly when trouble was coming.

He wanted to know who.

So he ordered Harris to bring him every anonymous message.

They were placed across his desk.

Miguel studied them.

One by one.

The handwriting was disguised.

The wording was brief.

Precise.

But something bothered him.

He had seen those words before.

A phrase.

A particular expression.

A warning about an executive.

Then another message.

Miguel's eyes narrowed.

He remembered something Anya had once said.

"Never trust a person who answers a question before you've finished asking it."

His eyes widened.

He looked at another message.

The same style.

The same logic.

The same strange humor.

He stood.

"Anya."

She entered his office.

"Yes?"

He held up one of the notes.

"Where did this come from?"

Anya froze.

"Which one?"

"Don't."

Her expression changed.

Miguel placed the notes on the desk.

"You wrote these."

Silence.

Anya didn't answer.

Miguel stared at her.

"Didn't you?"

She sighed.

"Yes."

Everything suddenly made sense.

The notes.

The warnings.

The organized files.

The suspicious deals.

The mysterious information.

The person who had been secretly helping him.

It had been Anya.

All along.

Miguel's expression hardened.

"You were my secret assistant."

Anya nodded.

"Yes."

He stepped away from the desk.

"All this time?"

"Yes."

"You were working for me."

"Yes."

"You were investigating my company."

"Yes."

"You had access to my private files."

"Yes."

"And you never told me."

Anya lowered her head.

"No."

Miguel stared at her.

He was furious.

Not because she had helped him.

Not even because she had investigated his company.

He was furious because she had kept something so important from him.

"You lied to me."

Anya looked up.

"You lied too."

Miguel blinked.

"When?"

She smiled.

"Every time you said you weren't jealous."

Miguel opened his mouth.

Nothing came out.

Anya waited.

He tried again.

"That's different."

"How?"

"I was..."

"Jealous."

"I wasn't."

"You were."

"No."

"You bought me a car."

"Transportation."

"You hired a five-star chef."

"Food."

"You bought me jewelry."

"Employee appreciation."

"You nearly started a war because Christopher held my hand."

Miguel looked away.

"He shouldn't have been holding it."

Anya smiled.

"Jealous."

Miguel sighed.

"Fine."

She laughed.

"You finally admitted it."

"Don't enjoy this."

"I am."

But Miguel's anger returned.

"You still should have told me."

Anya became serious.

"I couldn't."

"Why?"

"Because my mission wasn't only about the company."

"What was it about?"

"You."

Miguel's expression changed.

"Me?"

Anya nodded.

"I was sent to determine whether someone inside your company was leaking information."

"And?"

"And I discovered Victor."

"Then why stay?"

"Because I realized you were in danger."

Miguel stared at her.

"You protected me."

"Yes."

"Without telling me."

"Yes."

"Why?"

Anya smiled.

"Because you wouldn't have let me."

Miguel sighed.

"You're right."

"I know."

He shook his head.

"You're infuriating."

"You've said that too."

Anya sat across from him.

"There was another reason."

"What?"

"I wanted to understand you."

Miguel frowned.

"Understand me?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because everyone told me you were arrogant."

"I am."

"Cold."

"Sometimes."

"Impossible."

"Definitely."

She smiled.

"But I discovered something else."

"What?"

"You're kind."

Miguel looked away.

"You protected your employees."

"You paid for medical treatment for people who couldn't afford it."

"You never took credit."

"You pretended not to care."

He remained silent.

Anya continued:

"And when I was kidnapped..."

Her voice broke.

"You risked everything."

Miguel looked at her.

"Because I love you."

Anya nodded.

"I know."

"Then why did you need proof?"

She smiled sadly.

"Because I was afraid."

"Of me?"

"Of being loved for the wrong reason."

Miguel's expression softened.

He stood and walked toward her.

He knelt in front of her.

"I don't love you because you're blind."

Anya looked into his eyes.

"I don't love you because you're beautiful."

She smiled.

"I don't love you because you're my maid."

He took her hands.

"I love you because you're stubborn."

She laughed softly.

"That's romantic."

"I love you because you argue with me."

"Also romantic."

"I love you because you make my life impossible."

"You're getting better."

He smiled.

"And because when I thought I'd lost you..."

His voice became quiet.

"I realized I didn't know how to live without you."

Anya's eyes filled with tears.

"Miguel..."

He gently touched her face.

"I love you, Anya."

She smiled.

"Then I suppose I should tell you something."

"What?"

"The secret assistant was very fond of you."

Miguel laughed.

"She was?"

"Very."

"Even when I was difficult?"

"Especially then."

He leaned closer.

"Then I think I should meet her."

Anya laughed.

"She's standing right here."

The atmosphere became quiet.

Miguel looked into her eyes.

For the first time, Anya could truly see him.

Not clearly enough to notice every detail.

But enough.

Enough to see his eyes.

Enough to see his smile.

Enough to see the love in his expression.

She reached up and touched his cheek.

"So that's what you look like."

Miguel smiled.

"Disappointed?"

"No."

She laughed.

"You're much more handsome than your voice suggested."

He raised an eyebrow.

"My voice?"

"Very arrogant."

"You still think I'm arrogant?"

"Definitely."

"Good."

"Why?"

"Because you love me anyway."

Anya laughed.

Then Miguel kissed her.

This time, there was no interruption.

No servant.

No phone call.

No emergency.

No Christopher.

Just the two of them.

When they finally separated, Anya smiled.

"I've waited a long time for that."

"So have I."

Later that evening, Christopher visited the mansion.

Anya greeted him.

"How are you?"

"Better."

Christopher smiled.

"Good."

Miguel appeared behind her.

Christopher looked at him.

Then at Anya.

Then at the way Miguel's hand rested around her waist.

He smiled.

"So..."

Miguel raised an eyebrow.

"So?"

Christopher laughed.

"I suppose the competition is over."

Miguel looked at Anya.

She smiled.

"Yes."

Christopher nodded.

"I figured."

Anya hugged him.

"Thank you for helping me."

Christopher smiled.

"Always."

Miguel watched.

He wasn't jealous.

At least, not this time.

Christopher looked at him.

"Don't worry."

Miguel frowned.

"About what?"

"I'll behave."

"Good."

Christopher laughed.

"You really are jealous."

Miguel sighed.

"Apparently."

Anya laughed.

"He's finally admitting it."

That night, Miguel returned to his office.

The anonymous messages were still spread across the desk.

He picked them up one by one.

He smiled.

His secret assistant had been beside him the entire time.

The woman he had called his mysterious genius.

The woman whose advice had saved his company.

The woman who had warned him when everyone else remained silent.

The woman he had fallen in love with.

His maid.

His assistant.

His partner.

His Anya.

He placed the final note into a drawer.

Then he locked it.

Anya appeared at the doorway.

"What are you doing?"

"Keeping a secret."

She smiled.

"From me?"

"No."

He walked toward her.

"From everyone else."

He kissed her forehead.

"From now on, no more secrets."

Anya smiled.

"No more?"

"No more."

She raised an eyebrow.

"Even if you're jealous?"

Miguel sighed.

"Fine."

"Even if Christopher brings me flowers?"

"Fine."

"Even if he cooks for me?"

"Fine."

"Even if he—"

Miguel kissed her before she could finish.

Anya laughed against his lips.

When they separated, she whispered:

"That was cheating."

"I don't care."

"You really are jealous."

"Yes."

She smiled.

"Finally."

But neither of them noticed the envelope that had been slipped beneath the office door.

Inside was a single photograph.

Anya.

Victor.

And a date from years ago.

On the back were seven words:

YOU STILL DON'T KNOW WHO SHE IS.

The past wasn't finished with Anya.

And the greatest secret of all had yet to be revealed.