BOUND BY HIS NAME

Isabella's POV

I was sitting at my usual seat, trying to finish the morning duties, when Ana walked over with her bright smile.

"Did you do anything fun this weekend?" she asked, leaning slightly on the counter.

I smiled, shaking my head. "Not really, I was in the hospital with my mom all through the weekend... but did you?"

She breathes. "I went to that new café downtown. Did you hear about it?"

"Which one?" I asked, curious. "The one near the park?"

"Yes! Did you know they have free pastries on Sundays?" Ana whispered, laughing softly.

We were still chatting about our weekend plans when a woman walked toward us.

She moved like she owned the floor, her high heels clicking softly, her dress perfectly tight and shining under the lights. Her eyelashes fluttered up and down like she was practicing a spell.

"Miss Ella," she whispered, her voice low and silky. "The boss demands your presence in his office... immediately."

Before I could answer, she eased past me, swaying slightly, then whispered again, "You better not keep him waiting." And she glided away as if the floor belonged to her.

Ana and I exchanged wide-eyed looks and whispered behind our hands, trying not to laugh.

"Did you see how she walked?" Ana asked.

"Like she's a model... does she always dress like that?" I whispered back.

"Every day, I think... just to impress the boss?" Ana said, giggling.

"Do you think he notices?" I asked quietly.

"Maybe... but she's too much," Ana added, shaking her head with a laugh.

I laughed too, but then I realized something. My boss was probably calling me.

My heart jumped.

I hurried toward his office, my shoes clicking on the polished floor.

When I opened the door, he was there, standing by the tall window. Mexico City stretched behind him, full of life, but he seemed lost in his own world. He held a glass of whisky, swirling it slowly.

"Didn't Sophia call you?" He asked without turning.

"She did," I whispered.

"And you decided to stay... and do as you wished?" His voice was calm but sharp, like a blade.

I froze for a moment, unsure what to say. Then I whispered, "I... I forgot, sir."

He finally turned to look at me, his eyes serious.

"I hope you remember. We don't condone disobedience here."

"Yes, sir," I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper.

He took a slow sip of his whisky and pointed at the table. "Take the envelope."

I walked over, heart pounding, and picked it up. The paper inside was crisp, but my stomach sank when I read the words 'Termination of Employment.'

I bent to my knees, clutching the envelope. "Please... it wasn't intentional! I... I have no other job. My mother... her hospital bills... the rent..."

My voice cracked.

He turned slowly toward me while he sipped his drink, calm but with anger simmering in his dark eyes. "I don't want you to go back to your seat. Or even mention a word to Ana. Walk out of here. Go outside. Leave this company."

"Sir, please, I'm sorry."

He turned his back towards me.

"But... sir," At least let me carry my bag.

He shook his head. "No need. All your belongings are outside, waiting for you. There's nothing more to carry."

I swallowed hard, my hands trembling, as I slowly walked out.

At that point I felt I had been born with disgrace.

Suffering.

I thought of giving up.

But...

I dare not. I couldn't.

Because something kept me going and pushing; it was my sick mother, who was breathing with the help of a machine in the hospital. Seeing her in such a condition breaks my heart into pieces.

I have no rich friends. No helper. Just I and my dying mother.

Outside the streets of Mexico, the sky and weather weren't friendly; it was dark, and the weight of the breeze was pulling me away from the ground.

Each drop of rain seeps deep into my bones. In tears and pain I wrapped my arms around my chest as I trudged the streets of Mexico.

There was no money in my hand that I could use to book a taxi.

I had no choice, so I walked in the storming rain as the rain flogged the living hell out of my body.

Remembering me how lonely I was on this planet earth.

Each step I took seemed heavier than the last as I walked through narrow stairs to Alex's apartment.

At the entrance of his house, I wiped the rain from my face, swallowing the knot in my throat.

"How will I break the news to Alex?" I asked myself.

The moment I pushed the door open, an unfamiliar fragrance hit me. It wasn't my perfume. Not Alex's own.

The fragrance was strong. Chalkier and sweeter.

I froze. My heart began beating faster than usual, the kind of way it does when you are about to see something that you don't want to see.

"Alex?" My voice cracked more from fear and exhaustion.

No reply. No sign of a living creature in the house.

"I'm home, anyone."

The silence that follows seems heavy and suspicious.

I took some steps around the room when I heard a voice from the bedroom; it was a woman's voice.

Without noticing, my legs moved on their own, carrying me toward the half-closed bedroom door. My fingers trembled as I pushed it open.

To my greatest surprise, it was really what I thought.

"Alex." I cried out.

A lady was straddling him on his bed, with her shirt half unbuttoned. Alex wasn't even surprised when I caught him. He felt he had the right to cheat.

Finally, he broke the silence. "Isa," he said, "we need to talk," without any remorse in his voice.

"Alex, why?" My voice came out barely a whisper; for five years I have been loyal and...

"You have been loyal, so what?" He interrupted with a very disastrous voice.

"Don't make this look dramatic." Alex whispered.

"Why are you acting like you didn't see it coming?"

Alex added.

My throat tightened. The betrayal tasted like blood, especially when it was coming from someone least expected.

Alex sat up, completely unapologetic. "Isa I can't do this anymore; I'm tired. I've been paying your rent and your mother's bills; name them. And the worst of it is you don't have a well-paying job."

His words hit me harder than the rain outside.

My mouth opened in shock and disbelief; tears began to drip down from my eyes slowly.

"You can't even take care of yourself." He continued, "How am I supposed to carry you forever?"

I took a shaky step backward.

"So this is it, Alex; you cheat to push me away?"

He returned his gaze to the woman on top of him.

I watched as my dignity slipped off from my fingers like wet sand.

I couldn't stand to watch them anymore, so I shamefully dragged myself out of the room.

Alex whispered. "Get your belongings at the back gate; don't forget to drop my keys for me."

There was nothing left of me to pack. He had already thrown my cloth out in the hallway, soaked and pathetic.

Two minutes later, I was standing outside his apartment under the rain, clutching nothing but my phone.

I made my way back to my mother's old house, the one she and I shared before she felt ill.

which was nothing but self-contained, with cracks all over the walls and the white paint

not fading. Only to discover that the door has been chained; the kind of chain that was used was for bulldogs, and a huge red padlock was attached to it.

A write-up was written on it.

Two years of rent overdue and properties seized.