3. San Mateo del Norte
As they arrived at Nayeli's humble abode, Evelyn's father helped her with her luggage, the weight of their family's decision settling heavily on their shoulders. "Welcome to San Mateo, Evelyn," he said softly, trying to offer some comfort.
Nancy, Evelyn's mother, stood beside them, her expression stern. "You'll be staying with your aunt from now on," she declared, her voice firm but laced with a hint of sadness.
As they knocked on the door, Nayeli answered, a warm smile spreading across her face. "Welcome, my sister Nancy, and my beautiful niece! Come inside, John."
However, only Evelyn stepped into the house, her eyes cast downward. Nancy's words were laced with an unspoken tension. "Sister, we're running out of time. Just take her in as your own. She can do domestic chores."
Nayeli's gaze turned to Evelyn, who remained silent. "Can you cook?" Nayeli asked gently, her voice a stark contrast to Nancy's stern tone. Evelyn nodded, still not speaking.
Nancy's expression remained resolute. "Yes, she can, but you'll need to teach her the local ways. Anything you want her to do, she'll do it." Nayeli nodded in agreement, though her eyes betrayed a hint of concern.
As Nancy turned to leave, her words cut deep. "And you'd better not misbehave here. This is your new life – new you, new environment." John, Evelyn's father, exchanged a sorrowful glance with his daughter before following Nancy back home. "Bye, baby, be good," he whispered, his voice barely audible.
As the door closed behind them, Nayeli's expression softened, as she turned to Evelyn with a gentle smile.
"You mom can be a tough one at times, bet that's how she made me feel imperfect when we were much Younger, but if you get to understand her she's not so bad really". Nayeli said facing her niece who sat down quietly in the dinning room, Evelyn just looked at her for the first time in a while she gave a faint smile and nodded.
"Can you help dice the cooked chicken? My fiancé is coming back this evening, and chicken burritos are his favorite." Nayeli said, her voice filled with a mix of anticipation and affection.
Evelyn nodded, her movements precise and efficient as she went straight to the kitchen. The familiar task was a welcome distraction from the swirling thoughts in her mind. With practiced ease, she began to dice the chicken, the rhythmic thud of the knife against the cutting board a steady beat in the otherwise quiet house.
As the evening approached, the front door swung open, and Guero's booming voice filled the air. "Baby, look who's back home!" he announced, punctuating his words with a kiss on Nayeli's cheek.
"What did you bring back home?" Nayeli asked, her eyes sparkling as she wrapped her arms around him in a warm embrace. Evelyn watched from the periphery, her gaze distant and unreadable.
Guero's face fell, his earlier enthusiasm replaced by a sullen expression. "I couldn't even get the job," he muttered, his disappointment palpable.
"You don't have to worry; you just have to keep looking. Soon enough, you'll get one. Now, let's forget about all that. I made your favorite for dinner," she said, her voice soothing as she turned to face Evelyn. "Evelyn, this is my fiancé Guero, and baby, this is my sister's child, the one I was telling you about," Nayeli smiled, her hand resting possessively on Guero's arm.
"Hello, dear one," Guero said, his smile sly as his eyes lingered on Evelyn for a moment too long.
"Hi," Evelyn said in a faint voice, her hand raising in a slight, almost hesitant wave.
"Okay, serve us," Guero said, his tone casual but commanding as he sauntered into the dining room, Nayeli following close behind.
"Don't forget to wash the kitchen curtains before you go to bed," Nayeli said, her words tossed over her shoulder as if she had mentioned it earlier, the request laced with an unspoken expectation.
Evelyn said nothing, her silence a familiar shield as she continued her tasks, her movements precise and deliberate. She did as she was told, her expression unreadable as she navigated the intricate dynamics of the household.
Later that evening, Nayeli left for her night shift, telling Evelyn to lock the door and not disturb anyone until morning. The house settled around her, the kitchen humming softly, the lamp throwing a warm glow over the counter. Evelyn's pink silk shirt caught the light, a glimmer of satin against her skin as she moved, the fabric brushing the line of her shoulder and dipping to reveal a pale stretch where it clung. A heat prickled at the back of the room, and Guero appeared in the doorway, patient and calm, as if he'd been listening to the house breathe.
"You're so pretty, dear," Guero said, smiling and showing off his brownish-yellow teeth.
A shiver of discomfort ran down her spine as she plastered on a polite smile. "Thanks," she said, her voice barely a whisper as she tried to subtly sidestep him, but like a persistent shadow, he mirrored her movement, cutting off her escape.
"You're bad and sexy," Guero said, his gaze intense as he licked his lips, his eyes raking over her like she was a possession. He reached out, his fingers tangling in her hair, the unwanted touch sending a jolt of revulsion through her. "You look dangerous"
Evelyn's eyes flashed with anger as she knocked his hand away, the sound sharp in the tense atmosphere. Her lip curled into a disgusted sneer as she shoved him aside, creating a much-needed space between them. With a final glare of contempt, she turned and stalked off towards her room, the memory of his leering face and wandering hands making her skin crawl. She shook her head, trying to dispel the lingering feeling of violation.
★★★★★★
Tobacco gang
As the ship glided into the river's end, the crew readied their guns, their metallic gleam reflecting the dimming light. "This place won't be too hard to search," Chavo declared, stepping off the ship, his gun held firmly as he headed towards a small building at the river's edge.
"Looks like a work site, and it's late," one of the gang members said, approaching Chavo. "I doubt anyone's here."
"You're dumb," Chavo retorted, his eyes narrowing. "You say no one is inside, but the lights are on?" He strode to the door and pounded on it with a clenched fist. After a moment of silence, Jonas, growing impatient, signaled the gang to retreat, but Chavo, still suspicious, continued his relentless knocking. After a while, a muffled sound echoed from within the building.
"We're closed," a voice called out from inside. It was Pascal, who was packing up his bag for the night.
YOU ARE READING
𝓡𝓲𝓿𝓮𝓻𝓼 𝓸𝓯 𝓯𝓪𝓽𝓮
Mystery / ThrillerAfter a private video of Evelyn and her boyfriend was shared online without her consent, her family disowned her and sent her to live with her aunt in a nearby village. However, her new life was cut short when she was kidnapped by a human traffickin...
