Reel Love

07 AI

Lisa paced back and forth in her apartment, her mind racing after the dinner with Casimiro. Things had felt off that night-his distant behavior, the way his charm seemed forced, like he was hiding something. She hated this uncertainty, the gnawing feeling that something wasn't right. She'd promised herself she wouldn't overthink things, but her gut was screaming louder than ever.

Without thinking twice, she grabbed her phone and called her mom. Her mother had always been her go-to for advice, the cool, level-headed voice of reason.

"Hey, sweetie!" her mom's cheerful voice answered on the second ring. "How's everything going?"

Lisa sighed, collapsing onto the couch. "Mom, I don't know what to do. Casimiro's acting strange, and I can't tell if I'm just being paranoid or if there's something I'm missing."

Her mom chuckled softly. "Ah, that familiar gut feeling. You're not crazy, Lisa. Your instincts are telling you something for a reason. You've been feeling this way for a while, haven't you?"

Lisa nodded, though her mom couldn't see. "Yeah, I guess I have. It's like I'm always on edge, waiting for the other shoe to drop."

Her mom was silent for a moment, then said, "I think you know the answer already, honey. You're smart, and you've always had a good sense of people. If something feels off, it probably is. But don't let fear control you either. Trust your gut, but also don't jump to conclusions. Maybe it's time to talk to him, face-to-face."

Lisa chewed on her bottom lip. "So... what, I should confront him?"

"Maybe," her mom replied. "Or maybe you just need to figure out what's really going on. You won't know unless you take action. But listen, don't settle for half-truths. You deserve honesty."

A wave of clarity washed over Lisa. Her mom was right-she needed to know the truth, once and for all. "Thanks, Mom. I think I know what I have to do."

"You always do," her mom said with a smile in her voice. "Go get your answers, Lisa."

With renewed determination, Lisa hung up and tried to call Casimiro. It rang, but no answer. She tried again. Still nothing. A third call went straight to voicemail.

"Okay, fine," she muttered under her breath. If he wasn't going to answer, she'd go find him herself. She had a pretty good idea where he'd be-Casimiro had mentioned in passing that Kane was hosting a party tonight. She grabbed her keys and jacket, heading out the door with one thing on her mind: getting the truth.

When Lisa pulled up to the house, music thumped from inside, spilling out into the street. Kane's parties were infamous-loud, packed, and full of people who loved attention. She felt a knot in her stomach as she made her way to the front door. As much as she hated parties like this, she needed to find Casimiro.

The moment she stepped inside, she was greeted by a sea of unfamiliar faces. The air was thick with the smell of alcohol and sweat. People danced, laughed, and shouted over the music, but she pushed through the crowd, scanning the room for any sign of Casimiro.

Instead, she found Kane.

He was leaning against the wall near the kitchen, a smug grin spreading across his face the moment he saw her. "Well, well, well... Look who decided to show up."

Lisa crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes at him. "Where's Casimiro?"

Kane smirked, clearly enjoying her discomfort. "He's around. Surprised to see you here, though. Thought he would've dumped you by now."

Lisa's heart skipped a beat. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, you don't know?" Kane's grin widened as he leaned in closer, dropping his voice to a mockingly sympathetic tone. "Casimiro was never really into you. It was just a distraction. You know, to keep you busy so I could spend some quality time with Ana. That was the plan."