Hidden Truth
1337 Words
"Jane is still working for Kelvin?" I muttered to myself as I stared through the coffee shop window.
The sight of her behind the counter immediately made my heart uneasy.
The moment Kelvin saw me, his face lit up with excitement. He hurried over and wrapped me in a warm hug.
"Eva! I didn't think you'd come."
"I told you I'd visit," I replied with a smile that didn't quite reach my eyes.
He gently helped me sit down, careful not to bump my injured arm.
"You still need to take it easy," he said.
"I know."
As we talked, I couldn't help noticing Jane moving around the shop as though she belonged there. She wasn't just serving customers—she seemed completely comfortable, almost like she owned the place.
Every time she laughed with Kelvin, something inside me tightened.
Was I imagining things... or had she taken my place?
After discussing the business for a while, Kelvin looked at me hopefully.
"So... are you coming back home?"
I looked down at my cup of coffee.
"Not yet."
His smile faded slightly.
"Why?"
"My office is much closer to where I'm staying now. It would be stressful traveling every day."
He nodded, trying to hide his disappointment.
"I understand. Just promise me you'll take good care of yourself."
"I will."
When I left the coffee shop, I couldn't shake the strange feeling that Kelvin wasn't telling me everything.
That evening, I told Betty everything.
"I still don't trust Jane," I admitted.
Betty sighed.
"Eva... Jane was never just an employee."
I frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"She has always been Kelvin's woman."
I shook my head immediately.
"No... not Kelvin. Maybe you're mistaken."
"I'm not."
I folded my arms.
"I think everything happened because he was jealous that I left the coffee shop."
Betty looked at me with pity.
"But you've still been supporting his business every month. A man who truly appreciates you should understand your dreams instead of making you feel guilty."
I smiled weakly.
"Maybe he'll understand someday."
Betty didn't argue.
Instead, she simply squeezed my hand.
"I hope you're right."
---
The following morning, I returned to work feeling more confident than I had in weeks.
Although my arm was still healing, I was determined not to let anyone think I was weak.
Barely five minutes after settling into my office, my phone rang.
"Eva," Cruz's deep voice said.
"I need you in my office. Now."
I immediately stood up.
When I entered his office, he didn't even look at me.
He continued typing on his computer in complete silence.
The room felt unusually cold.
Finally, I spoke.
"Sir... is there a problem?"
Without lifting his eyes, he answered.
"There is."
He finally looked at me.
"Mrs. Johnson..."
I raised an eyebrow.
"I know you've been through a difficult time after your accident, but this project seems to have disappeared from your list of priorities."
I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
"Excuse me?"
"The board approved your proposal. Then you disappeared."
I stared at him.
"You ignored me for months."
To my surprise...
He smiled.
"I ignored you because you lied to me."
"What?"
"You helped Betty continue her relationship with Mark."
I was speechless.
"You knew I didn't support office relationships."
"I wasn't trying to hurt you."
"No," he interrupted. "You were distracting me."
His voice softened.
"I thought our friendship was genuine."
"It was."
"Was it?"
He leaned back in his chair.
"While Betty was secretly spending time with Mark, you kept me occupied."
I lowered my eyes.
"I never meant to deceive you."
He sighed.
"I know."
The anger slowly disappeared from his face.
"I don't hate you, Eva."
He paused before continuing.
"I don't even hate Mark."
"What I hate... is what he's doing to my sister."
He explained that Mark had been manipulating Betty for years.
According to Cruz, Mark had used Betty's position and family connection to gain influence inside the company.
Every promotion Betty deserved somehow disappeared.
Every opportunity slipped away.
And Betty blamed bad luck.
"I've hired a private investigator," Cruz continued.
"I want proof before I accuse anyone."
He looked directly into my eyes.
"I need you back on this project."
I hesitated.
"But Ivory is leading everything now."
"She's leading because you weren't here."
He smiled gently.
"Your ideas built this project, Eva."
Before I could answer, he added,
"Come to my house this weekend."
I looked confused.
"Your house?"
"It's not about work."
"It's about family."
---
Saturday arrived sooner than expected.
When I reached Cruz's house, I was amazed.
The building looked more like a mansion than a home.
Beautiful gardens surrounded the property, and every room reflected elegance without feeling extravagant.
Cruz welcomed me warmly.
"I made tea."
"I hope you like it."
To my surprise, Betty was already there.
The cheerful atmosphere disappeared the moment Cruz connected his laptop to the television.
"I need both of you to see this."
A video began playing.
Within seconds, Betty's smile vanished.
The footage showed Mark meeting privately with one of the company's directors.
Then came another document.
Betty's electronic signature had been used to approve company funds she had never seen.
Betty's face turned pale.
"My salary..."
She whispered.
"This explains why it's been reduced for months."
Tears filled her eyes.
"I trusted him."
Cruz clenched his fists.
"I warned you."
"You thought I hated him because I was controlling."
"But all I wanted..."
He stopped speaking.
"...was to protect you."
Betty burst into tears.
For the first time, she finally understood everything.
Silence filled the room.
Then Cruz turned toward me.
"There is something else you deserve to know."
I looked up.
"I've known you longer than you think."
Confused, I frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"I first saw you during an AI animation course."
Suddenly...
I remembered.
A tall young man who always arrived early and stayed behind after class.
"I was attending an advanced program," Cruz continued.
"You always left before I had the courage to introduce myself."
My heart skipped.
"When I saw your application for this company months later..."
He smiled.
"I couldn't believe it was you."
He looked at Betty.
"I asked her to become your friend because I wanted to know you."
Betty lowered her head.
"I'm sorry, Eva."
"I let my own relationship become more important than my brother's feelings."
Everything became blurry.
The pain medication I had taken earlier suddenly made me feel dizzy.
The voices around me slowly faded.
Everything went dark.
---
When I opened my eyes again, I was lying in a beautifully decorated guest bedroom.
Soft sunlight streamed through the curtains.
For a few seconds, I couldn't remember where I was.
Then the memories returned.
I slowly walked downstairs.
The smell of breakfast filled the house.
Betty rushed toward me.
"I'm so sorry."
Before she could continue, I hugged her.
"I know you never wanted to hurt me."
She wiped away her tears.
"My brother was right all along."
I smiled.
"Love makes all of us blind sometimes."
Just then, I looked around.
"Where's Cruz?"
"He left early."
"He was upset?"
Betty laughed softly.
"He wasn't upset."
"He was embarrassed."
"You fell asleep halfway through his confession."
I covered my face in embarrassment.
"Oh no..."
"It wasn't your fault," Betty teased.
"Those painkillers knocked you out."
We both laughed until our stomachs hurt.
Yet even as I laughed, one question refused to leave my mind.
If Cruz had liked me all this time...
Then what exactly was Ivory to him?
That question stayed with me for days.
The following week, Kelvin called.
"My parents have been asking about you."
A smile slowly formed on my face.
"It's been so long since I visited Mr. and Mrs. Lawson."
"Will you come with me?"
After a brief silence, I answered.
"Yes."
But deep inside...
I wasn't sure whether I was going to visit the family that once felt like home...
Or to discover whether my heart still belonged there.
- Writer
