Compelled!

Compelled!
I took a step backward, only to bump into a hard, solid chest behind me. My heart skipped a beat as my eyes widened in surprise.

Who was that now?

Slowly, I turned around, and the moment I saw him, I froze.

Diego.

He was dressed in a black shirt with the first two buttons left open, revealing part of his toned chest. His sharp eyes narrowed the second they landed on me, making me instinctively swallow.

"What are you doing here?" he asked in his usual cold voice. "Aren't you supposed to be preparing for the trip?"

His gaze remained fixed on me, waiting for an answer.

"W-Well... I just came to check on Ellie," I stammered, trying my best to sound calm.

Instead of responding immediately, Diego took a slow step toward me. The distance between us disappeared within seconds, and I found myself taking an unconscious step back.

His eyes never left mine.

"I..." I started, but the words refused to come out.

He tilted his head slightly.

"You... what?"

Before I could force another word out of my mouth, another voice interrupted us.

"Am I interrupting something?"

Ellie walked toward us gracefully, her hips swaying with every step she took. A sweet smile rested on her lips, but I knew better than to believe it. Behind that innocent expression was someone completely different.

Diego didn't even spare her smile a glance.

"Interrupting what exactly?" he asked, his expression unreadable.

Ellie's smile remained in place as she stopped beside him.

"I've been looking everywhere for you," Diego said. "Where have you been?"

"I've been making arrangements for the party," she replied casually.

The smile on my face almost appeared before I could stop it.

A small frown appeared on Diego's face.

"What party?" he asked. "And why wasn't I informed?"

Ellie's confident expression faltered for only a second before she smiled again.

"I didn't think you'd have a problem with it."

Diego folded his arms across his chest.

"Well, I do."

The firmness in his voice instantly wiped the smile from Ellie's face.

"I'm not attending."

Silence filled the room.

"We're leaving the day after tomorrow," Diego continued. "There's no reason to waste time on a meaningless party when I have an important business meeting to prepare for."

A strange feeling of relief spread through me.

Thank God. Please don't change your mind.

If only you knew the real reason she's organizing that party.

If only you knew your wife was planning to humiliate both of us.

"Baby..." Ellie's voice softened as she reached for his arm.

Diego immediately stepped away from her.

"No," he said firmly. "I'm not attending, and that's final. Don't push me, Ellie."

His voice wasn't loud, but the warning in it was impossible to ignore.

For the first time since I had known her, Ellie looked genuinely speechless.

Diego turned toward me.

"Come with me," he ordered. "There are a few things I need you to help me sort out."

Without waiting for my response, he walked past us and headed toward the hallway.

I quickly followed behind him.

As I walked past Ellie, I felt her eyes burning into me. I didn't have to look at her to know she was furious.

The moment Diego disappeared around the corner, she grabbed my wrist tightly, forcing me to stop.

Her fake smile had completely disappeared.

The hatred in her eyes was no longer hidden.

"Convince him to come to the party," she whispered through clenched teeth.

I looked at her without saying a word.

Her fingers tightened around my wrist.

"Did you hear me?" she asked quietly. "Make sure Diego attends that party."

I slowly pulled my hand away from her grip.

For a brief second, our eyes locked.

I tried to pry her hand off my wrist, but her grip only tightened. For someone who looked so delicate, she was surprisingly strong.

"Let go of me," I gritted through my teeth, struggling to free myself.

Instead of releasing me, she shoved me forward slightly, causing me to lose my balance for a second.

"I think you're forgetting something," she said calmly. "Your mother is still under my control. One phone call from me, and she'll sleep for the rest of her life."

My heart dropped.

The little hope I had left crumbled instantly.

How long was she going to keep using my mother against me?

How long was I supposed to live like this?

I closed my eyes briefly, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill. Taking a shaky breath, I forced myself to remain calm.

"I... how am I supposed to do that?" I asked quietly. "It's obvious he doesn't want to attend the party. Why do you want me to convince him?"

I bit the inside of my cheek, trying to suppress the anger rising inside me.

Ellie slowly folded her arms across her chest before a cold smile spread across her face.

"How many times do I have to remind you?" she said. "You're not here because of charity."

She took a step closer until we were almost face to-face.

"If you ever question me again, I'll make sure you see the worst side of me."

Her voice wasn't loud, but every word carried a threat.

For a few seconds, neither of us spoke.

Then she turned on her heels and walked away as though nothing had happened.

I remained rooted to the spot, unable to move.

My body felt numb.

Only after she disappeared down the hallway did I finally let out the breath I had been holding.

I reached for the wall beside me and leaned against it for support. My legs suddenly felt weak, and tears blurred my vision.

How was I supposed to convince Diego?

Even worse...

How was I supposed to face him after everything?

I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand and forced myself to calm down. There was no point crying now. Whether I liked it or not, I still had to speak to him.

After taking a few deep breaths, I made my way toward his office.

The walk felt much longer than usual.

Every step made my heart beat faster.

When I finally stood outside his office door, I looked at it for several seconds. My palms were damp with sweat, and my stomach twisted with anxiety.

I raised my hand and knocked softly.

"Come in," Diego's voice came from inside.

I slowly pushed the door open and stepped in.

He was seated behind his desk, flipping through several files without looking up.

"You're here," he said. "I thought you weren't coming."

I quietly closed the door behind me before walking closer to his desk. My hands instinctively moved behind my back as I nervously intertwined my fingers.

"I'm sorry, sir," I began softly. "Ma'am asked me to speak with you."

That finally made him look up.

"And what does she want now?"

I lowered my gaze, avoiding eye contact.

"She... she asked me to convince you to attend tomorrow's party."

The words barely left my mouth before I bit my tongue, wishing I could take them back.

Diego sighed heavily and leaned back in his chair. A moment later, he placed the file he had been reading on the desk and rubbed his forehead.

"You too?" he said with obvious disappointment.

He looked directly at me.

"I can't believe she's dragging you into this, especially when she knows I've already made up my mind."

He shook his head slowly.

"I've told her several times that I'm not attending. I have important work to do, a
nd I don't have time for unnecessary parties."

His eyes remained fixed on me for a moment before he spoke again.

"So tell me... did she really send you here, or is there something else you want to say?”