Chapter 13 : The carpet At least ... the man listened to me . D Over time , our communication became strictly professional . We had meetings where he made general comments and some requests , but nothing more . Most importantly , he avoided speaking to me directly , maintaining a polite but cold demeanor even when he said good morning . At times I wondered if I had exaggerated or misinterpreted everything that had happened . I must admit that his change in behavior made me feel somewhat relieved , but also sad . Suddenly , I went from being a friend he was trying to reconnect with to essentially ... nothing . I had told him we were nothing , and that's how he treated me . Maybe even less than nothing . Although the project was progressing smoothly and I had some arrangements to oversee , my life felt relatively normal and much more relaxed . These changes seemed positive , I told myself . Everything I had hoped for had come true : a great project , a satisfied client , and a peaceful life . I spent most of my days outside the office , and many hours at the hotel where the design would be implemented - all without seeing Ethan . I spent time with Suzy , having a good time , going to the movies and eating out occasionally . With Tommy , we went to clubs and had a great time . " What if ... Ethan have feelings for you ? " Tommy said . " Or ... he is attracted to you ... " Suzy adds . No fucking way ... It seemed absurd , given our history in high school . But regardless of its feasibility , it was a possibility I didn't want to entertain in my heart . It's better to no expect ... anything . Preparing for Lily's wedding also brought joy , as we sampled cakes and appetizers and even practiced dance steps . Tommy and I often practiced together and ended up in fits of laughter . Sometimes Tommy would mention that Ethan looked at us suspiciously , not joining in the dancing or discussions about the wedding . " Ethan seems ... weird " he usually says . Eventually , I learned that he had left on a business trip for a few days without telling me . I felt a slight emptiness ; perhaps I had wanted him to confide in me , but he was under no obligation to do so . When everything seems calm and we're relatively content , life has a way of throwing a curveball that shatters our world . It's as if life is reminding us to stay alert , that it's not all about enjoying leisurely activities like watching movies , seeing rainbows , or taking naps . Life doesn't give us a heads - up or wait for us to be ready . As the project deadline approached and the hotel's installation and repairs neared completion , things were going even better than expected . It was my first solo design project , and I couldn't have been prouder . Every detail , from the intricate wall patterns to the perfect lighting and envisioned carpet , was coming together just as I had imagined . But then disaster struck . 146 " Sorry Mis ... we have a problem " I received a call from one of the workers at the hotel . " What happened ? " " We had an accident involving the paint and the carpet , its look bad ... " he says . I thought it couldn't be that bad , but as soon as I arrived ... it really was . Or rather ... it was a catastrophe . The carpet was ... irreparably damaged . We had less than thirty hours to find new workers willing to labor through the night and procure a replacement carpet . However , finding an identical replacement proved impossible , forcing us to settle for a lower - quality option that fell short of the client's expectations . It wasn't just a minor setback like a missing vase of flowers ; it was the entire focal point of the entrance hall that had been compromised . It felt like I was living a nightmare , 1/3 P Chapter 13 : The carpet " Dear lord ... help me " I wished I could smoke , drink , or even bite my nails to relieve the stress , but I was too busy coordinating the frantic efforts of the workers throughout the night . The atmosphere was desolate as we dismantled and rearranged everything we had painstakingly set up . " Okay ... Just do it ... dont think about it ... get on with it , " I said to myself . Despite my exhaustion and hunger , I worked tirelessly on my hands and knees , piecing everything back together . I couldn't help but feel regret for not having a contingency plan or enough experience to handle this crisis more effectively . My boss expressed concern , and Kate incessantly harped on about the importance of preventing accidents , as if it were intentional . It felt like torture . Eventually , my boss , Clark , approved my solution , but it required informing Ethan ... a prospect that made my stomach churn . I wanted to run away from the responsibility ; I didn't want Ethan to see my mistakes laid bare . As the opening day arrived , I was exhausted and frazzled , but everything appeared relatively presentable . My nerves were on edge as the client arrived , accompanied by Ethan . My heart skipped a beat at the sight of him , realizing I wasn't as immune to his presence as I thought . Ethan seemed somewhat pale , prompting me to wonder where he had been or what he had been doing . However , he didn't even acknowledge my presence . " This ... doesn't look good what happened ? " said the customer . " Ohhh that was the carpet sir ... there was an accident , someone was careless " said Kate , looking at me . I felt like I had been punched in the gut with each word I looked worse than ever , tired , haggard and not very groomed , I didn't have time to put on makeup and high shoes like her ! " I'm really sorry ... I must apologize . It was our employee's fault , I must say that without a doubt we are going to make some hard decisions , something like this cannot happen ... we promise you that it will not happen again " she adds and I was stunned by what she said . I felt like the blood rose to my head , my cheeks burned . The client stared at the carpet with distaste as if it were a dirty spot on the floor . I just worked so hard on this ... " But ... this ... this was not what we wanted ! " he suddenly exclaimed and I felt each of those words as if it were a blow to my chest . I was going to take a step forward , surrender to my destiny , and my head was inevitably put on a silver platter . I felt sorry for all my work , all my effort . So much that I thought I had achieved ! But there was nothing to do now . Suddenly I heard Ethan's voice , and I was speechless . " You know ? I think this carpet fits nicely . It's more related to the concept . It reminds me a lot of the one we saw at the resort in Barcelona , one that is your favorite , don't you think ? It looks ... handmade " he tells his boss with a calm and convincing voice . He explains him in more detail , highlighting some points of the overall design , and finally his boss seems convinced . Amazing , truly , amazing . " They are really very good points , Ethan . Thanks for commenting . Clark , your team did a nice job . I mean , it's different ... but no bad" I don't know if it's a compliment at this point but , I'll settle for this . T Almost at the entrance I see Ethan and even if I don't want to , I have to talk to him . " Ethan I called him , and he didn't turn around for a couple of seconds , as if trying to think what to do . He hates me , he fucking hates me . " Please , Ethan ... " I finally caught up with him , and he looked at me . He looks like a statue ... beautiful ... and cold . " Oh Priscilla ... it is you ... I really don't have time ... " he says seriously . I think it's the first time he's called me by my full name . " I don't want to bother you ... I just wanted to say thanks . I know you didn't have to and also ... I know we didn't have the best conversation the last time we met ... you really didn't have to defend me ... " * I didnt defend you . This work is important ... do you understand that ? " he interrupts me coldly . His brown eyes stare at me and I feel like a little cockroach . " Yes I know ... " 2/3 3.10 PM p p . Chapter 13 The carpet This is business ... and we're all in this . I also need all these projects to be successful . And I didn't want to look bad to my boss " he affirms and then turns his back on me . Of course , I hadn't thought of that ... he wasn't doing it for me , but for himself . It seems logical . He knows more about business than I do . " I know ... I just wanted you to know that it meant a lot to me . Thanks again " I add almost in a whisper , and he turns to see me . He runs his hand over his forehead and then through his hair . I watch that move carefully . " They told me that you worked all night , you made a great effort to achieve this , despite the problems " I nod . We were silent for a few seconds . He knew what was going on , he always knew . Maybe he sent me to watch to see if I was doing things right . And he let me figure it out . Maybe he just wanted to confirm that everything was going well . Again ... business is business . I look at the ground , not knowing what to say . Suddenly I'm going to say something , but he speaks first . " I have to go , there is still a lot to do " he says and leaves . I wanted to say so many things to him , to ask him where he was or if he was okay or what was bothering him , but with his attitude he makes it very clear to me that he is giving me space . The space that I asked for . What I wanted ... right ? Chapter Comments Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!