CUBAN HIRE (CARTEL GXG)

BENEATH THE SURFACE

With Olivia's defenses slowly eroding, Ezmeralda found herself drawn back to the bed they once shared. The couch pillows had offered no comfort to Ezmeralda, and with the wedding day looming like an inevitable storm, the weight of unspoken truths hung in the air between them. Despite Phoebe's persistent urging, Olivia had reluctantly agreed to get a wedding dress, though her heart remained distant, untouched by the ritual.

The morning sun streamed through the curtains, casting soft, dappled light across the room, pulling them both from the shallow embrace of sleep. Outside, birds chirped in unison, welcoming the start of a new day—one filled with more uncertainty than either of them cared to admit.

"Buenas," Ezmeralda mumbled, her voice thick with sleep as she burrowed deeper under the covers, seeking a few more moments of warmth and peace.

Olivia stirred beside her, shifting to face Ezmeralda, her body half-risen, elbows propped on her knees. She rubbed her eyes with a slow, deliberate motion, the blanket draped loosely over her legs. "Morning," she grumbled, momentarily forgetting the awkwardness of having to share the bed again, her body still adjusting to the unfamiliar need for space.

Ezmeralda stretched languidly before propping herself against the headboard, her movements slow and deliberate as if the weight of the morning matched the heaviness in her chest. She reached for the bedside table, retrieving a cigarette from a crumpled pack. The flick of the lighter broke the quiet, the small flame illuminating her face for a fleeting moment before it disappeared, leaving only the faint glow of the burning tip.

Olivia scrunched her nose in silent disapproval, turning her head away from Ezmeralda as the familiar smell of smoke filled the room.

"It bothers you, querida?" Ezmeralda asked, though the question came out flat, more of a statement than a concern, her gaze distant as she exhaled another plume of smoke.

"It's fine," Olivia muttered, her voice tight. She tossed the blanket aside and swung her legs over the edge of the bed, preparing to stand, eager to escape the suffocating atmosphere. But before she could rise, Ezmeralda's voice cut through the air, stopping her mid-motion.

"Stay," Ezmeralda commanded softly, her tone firm but gentle, the word carrying more weight than it seemed.

"I need to brush my teeth," Olivia replied, her excuse flimsy, the tension in the room too thick to be masked by such mundane tasks.

Ezmeralda took another drag of her cigarette, her eyes following Olivia's every move. "Will you stop coming up with new excuses every five minutes?" she asked, her voice cool but edged with frustration. "We're getting married tomorrow, Olivia. I'd like to at least know who I'm marrying."

Olivia paused, her back still turned to Ezmeralda, her hands resting on the edge of the mattress. The words hung in the air, heavy with meaning. She swallowed hard, feeling the weight of the impending wedding press down on her.

"You chose to," Olivia whispered, more to herself than to Ezmeralda.

Ezmeralda's lips tightened around the cigarette as she stared at Olivia's tense back, a flicker of pain crossing her face. For a moment, neither spoke, both teetering on the edge of an unspoken truth that had been circling them for far too long.

"Don't give me a headache this early in the morning—relax a little," Ezmeralda said, her voice layered with a subtle command as she reached for the pack of cigarettes beside her. With a teasing smile, she tossed it smoothly to Olivia. "Here, have one. You look like you need it."

Olivia glanced down at the packet for a moment, considering the offer. God knows she could use the distraction, but she wasn't one to fold so easily. "I don't smoke, thanks," she murmured, pulling her legs up and resting her ankles on the wooden bed frame. She leaned forward, elbows on her knees, hands cradling her face, lost in thought.