✭ ᴛʀᴏᴜʙʟᴇ ✭

ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ

ᴀᴜɴᴛ ꜱᴏꜰɪᴀ'ꜱ ᴘᴏᴠ

After Simone was done talking to Tom, we all headed back to the table. But as soon as I walked in, I noticed something was off—Y/n wasn't there.

Bill sat quietly, slowly picking at his food. Denise was still in her seat, a smug little smirk playing on her lips.

"Bill, where's Y/n?" I asked, looking at Simone with concern.

She looked back at me, then at Bill.

"She actually just left," Bill said, his voice flat. "Someone couldn't keep their mouth shut."

He looked straight at Denise.

"What do you mean?" she said innocently. "It's not my fault I'm better than her."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I stood up and walked around the table, stopping in front of her.

"Are you blind? You really think that was okay?" I said, pointing my finger at her. "You didn't just insult her, you brought up things that aren't your business. You crossed a line."

Denise didn't say anything. She just shrugged like none of it mattered.

I clenched my jaw, then grabbed my purse from under the table. "Tienes mucha suerte de ser una niña porque yo te haría en shread, pequeña perra," I muttered under my breath, just loud enough for her to hear.

Then I walked up to her and gave her a slap—hard and fast. The room went quiet. Bill chuckled under his breath, and Simone gasped, covering her mouth with her hand.

"Goodnight everyone," I said calmly. "And thank you for dinner."

And I walked out without another word.

—

Bill's POV

I couldn't believe what I had just seen. Aunt Sofia really slapped Denise. And honestly... it was kind of badass.

She treated Y/n like her own daughter, and meanwhile, Tom just sat there like a statue.

I reached under the table and slid my phone into my lap, quickly texting Y/n.

—

Y/n's POV

I was already changed and curled up in bed when my phone buzzed on the nightstand. I picked it up and saw a text from Bill.

Bill: Y/n your aunt is totally badass. She just bitch-slapped Denise. She already left, I think she's heading to you. Make sure you thank her.

Me: Thanks for the news. Love you. Goodnight.

Bill: Goodnight gorgeous. Love you.

I smiled a little, then walked to the front door to check if Aunt Sofia had made it back yet. Sure enough, she was out on the porch, sitting on the step and smoking a cigarette.

I sat down next to her.

"Can I have one?" I asked, reaching my hand out.

She looked at me sideways, then sighed. "Ay, why not. But don't go telling anyone, ¿sí?" she said, handing one over and giving me the lighter.

I took a puff, coughing a little. "So... what took you so long in the kitchen?"

She smiled. "I might've... slipped up and told Simone about our little secret," she said with a shrug.

My mouth dropped. "Wait, seriously?"

"Close your mouth before flies fly in, mija. And yes, I said it. Tom shouldn't have done that to my little girl."

Hearing her call me that made my chest ache in a good way. I smiled as I took another puff.

"Thank you, Aunt Sofia," I said, leaning into her shoulder. "You make me feel like... like I matter."

She took another drag from her cigarette and wrapped her arm around me. "You do matter, mi vida. And I actually have something to tell you."

"What is it?"

She exhaled slowly before speaking again. "I've been thinking... maybe it's time for a fresh start. Just you and me. I'm thinking about moving us to LA by the end of next week."

I blinked. "Wait, really?"

"Yes, Y/n. I think we need this."

I looked out at the street, the night air soft and quiet. I took one more puff before answering.

"Anything is alright," I said softly. "As long as I'm with you."

We sat there in silence, finishing our cigarettes, wrapped up in the kind of love only found between people who choose each other again and again.

ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀꜱ ɴᴏᴛᴇ: ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ꜱᴏ ɪᴛ ᴍᴀᴋᴇꜱ ꜱᴇɴꜱᴇ ʏ/ɴ ᴡɪʟʟ ʙᴇ ᴍᴏᴠɪɴɢ ᴀᴡᴀʏ ꜰᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ꜰʀᴀᴍᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴍᴀʏʙᴇ 3 ʏᴇᴀʀꜱ ʙᴜᴛ ʏᴏᴜ'ʟʟ ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴡᴀɪᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ꜱᴇᴇ, ᴀꜰᴛᴇʀ 2 ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ᴊᴜᴍᴘ ᴄᴜᴛ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴄᴏᴍᴇ. ʟᴇᴛ'ꜱ ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ꜱᴀʏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʜᴇʀ ʟɪꜰᴇ ᴅᴏᴇꜱɴ'ᴛ ɢᴇᴛ ᴇᴀꜱɪᴇʀ, ʟᴇᴛ'ꜱ ᴘʀᴀʏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴡᴏʀᴋ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜ. ᴀʟꜱᴏ, ᴀᴜɴᴛ ꜱᴏꜰɪᴀ ᴅᴏᴇꜱ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀɴ ᴀᴄᴄᴇɴᴛ, ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ɪɴ ᴄᴀꜱᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴅɪᴅɴ'ᴛ ᴋɴᴏᴡ, ʙᴛᴡ ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴏ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛᴏᴍ ʙᴜᴛ ʜᴇ ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ᴄᴀɴ'ᴛ ꜱᴇᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ.