Chapter 8

• Hector entered his room before switching on the light. He stared at his bed as a memory of him coming back home tired and exhausted from work but his wife who seems dressed in her skimpy nightwear tends to remove all stress.
• He ruffled his hair before pulling out his tie. A smile plastered on his face when he remembered his daughter smiling a while ago, Hector could barely remember the last time he spent time with his both daughters, just like what he had seen Teresa doing.
• Reality hit him hard like he was being punched in the face. His daughter was 3years when everything had happened and his eldest daughter was 13 but it still felt like yesterday when everything happened. Rose had always had bad dreams at night and wouldn't let anybody hold her, she only wanted her mother at that point but after a year she had allowed him to hug her again.
• Hector dropped his briefcase beside his bed before plumping on his bed. He removed his suit before peeling the buttons of his shirt one after the other, he removed his shoes before staring at the wall clock.
• It was 8.00 o'clock on the dot. The instant his shirt was all off, his door swung open showing the last person he expected to be in his room. His daughter was with a tray of food and milk.
• She was struggling to hold on to it very tightly as he strode towards her before collecting it from her grip. “Why do you have this baby?” he asked after dropping the tray on the table.
• Rose kept pointing at the door. Hector knew who exactly had given the tray to his daughter, “Thank you, Daddy would eat everything on the plate.” he let out earning a nod from the girl.
• She went forward before kissing him on the cheeks and demonstrating Goodnight. Hector was surprised at his daughter's behavior, she had never kissed him goodnight for a while now. Immediately his daughter had left he picked a towel from the rack of towels before entering the bathroom.
• Throughout the hot shower. Hector couldn't place an idea of the issues that were weighing Teresa down. On a second note, she didn't look harmful but who exactly was she? Grinding his teeth, Hector switched off the shower before fastening a towel around his waist.
• For Rose to loosen up to Teresa on the first day was weird to him. He knew Rose was more sensitive than he was but seeing her act this way around rose made him less suspicious, he wished he had listened to his mother and Scott since.
• Hector's face curled up in a smile even if he was starting to get teary himself. He was going to stay strong for his daughter, he wouldn't show his weakness but to start afresh. He had passed Maria's room and noticed that she was asleep.
• He dressed up in a white shirt and night trousers before bringing out his phone to check his company work. He stared at the food his daughter had brought, he took the tray before placing it on his bed, the food smelt different from what he was used to eating.
• He took a bite and his face lit up from the spiciness and flavor. He was enjoying every bite and didn't know when he finished everything, he went downstairs after an hour to notice the light was off and nobody was around.
• He decided to check Rose's room to notice her curled up together with Teresa as they both slept peacefully. He wanted to wake Teresa up but she looked exhausted. He walked towards them before wrapping the blanket around them carefully.
• He was about to leave when he heard Teresa talking in her sleep. He moved back towards her before shaking her shoulder gently, “Teresa, Teresa?” he called as she sprung awake before hitting her shoulders gently and going back to sleep.
• Hector scratched his jaw before sighing tiredly.
• With that, he switched off the dim lamplight on the table before heading to the door but he turned around the instant he heard a loud thump, he turned to notice Teresa on the floor. He was shocked that she didn't bother as she continued sleeping.
• Hector froze at her behavior, he just couldn't leave her on the floor. He strides towards her before bringing out an extra pillow to put against her head, he couldn't carry her to her room, what if on the way she wakes up? It would be an awkward situation because she wasn't related to him in any way, they were total strangers.
• He stared at her one last time before turning away. He turned to close the door when a sleepy voice muttered. “Thank you,” the sleepy and croaked voice of Teresa whispered.
• That voice reminded him of somebody, he held his chest in panic before closing the door.
• He was a man who had been a widower for a while and he had to abstain from all women. Was that the reason why her voice was doing this to him? He knew that missing his wife was the only reason that had made him act this way in such a situation.
• Without uttering anything else, he walked to his room with his chest pounding loudly to his ear. Hector couldn't sleep as he was restless at the thought of why he had responded in such ways.