CUBAN HIRE (CARTEL GXG)

FRAGMENTS OF YESTERDAY

Three Years Later, New York City

The candlelight flickered between Olivia and her date, casting a warm glow across their faces as they sat in the busy restaurant. The low hum of laughter and clinking silverware filled the silence of strangers on their first steps to intimacy.

"What do you mean you lost your dog?" Olivia chuckled, raising an eyebrow at Samantha, who was already mid-laugh, her hand pressed over her mouth in an attempt to keep it together.

"Oh, it was ridiculous!" Samantha exclaimed, setting her drink down. "She just darted off, right under my nose! Honestly, I think she got jealous. I was flirting with this woman, and suddenly, she found a way to wriggle right out of her leash and made a beeline down the block."

Olivia laughed, but her eyes drifted past Samantha, scanning the bustling restaurant as memories swirled unbidden. New York felt like another life compared to the one she'd left behind. Life had moved so fast. Delilah could talk now, and even walk with a defiant wobble in her step—she'd inherited her mother's humor and her fearlessness. But beneath the bustle of her daily life, the void Ezmeralda left was still there, echoing like a wound that had healed only at the edges.

Her promotion to the bank's Upper East Side branch had been a gift wrapped in irony. She accepted it gratefully, and the move to a luxury apartment had brought stability—a new beginning in the truest sense. Yet even as she walked the polished floors of her new life, Ezmeralda was there, her presence haunting in unexpected ways. Every month, a generous sum would quietly appear in Olivia's bank account, and she knew exactly where it came from. Ezmeralda was out there, always watching over her, even if it was only through financial gestures.

It was bittersweet. The money—a lifeline and a reminder. Ezmeralda's way of letting Olivia know she was still there, still looking out for her, though they might never meet again. But Olivia had other plans, and Ezmeralda's quiet support only fueled her determination. Little did Ezmeralda know, Olivia was closer to finding her than she thought.

Samantha's laughter brought her back to the present, and Olivia forced a smile, picking up her drink, nodding as she listened.

"—anyway, she's a rescue, so I guess I can't blame her for trying to rescue me from my bad choices," Samantha finished with a grin, tilting her head playfully.

Olivia took a sip, letting the drink sit on her tongue as she weighed her next words. Samantha was sweet, easy to be with, but her mind was drifting back to Delilah and the life they'd made, built on fragments of memories and missing pieces.

"What's your opinion on kids?" she asked abruptly, her tone turning serious.

Samantha's eyebrows shot up, taken aback but amused. "Well, I already have a dog, so I'm practically halfway there, right?" she replied, laughing, though her eyes held a spark of surprise.

Olivia felt her smile tighten. "It's... not really the same thing," she replied, her voice carrying a faint edge she hadn't intended, but couldn't hold back. She glanced down at her wine glass, fidgeting with the stem. How could she explain? There was no comparing a life with Delilah to the easy companionship of a pet. Every day with Delilah was a reminder of Phoebe's laugh, Ezmeralda's touch, Carlos's fierce presence, and the dreams that had once seemed possible.

The police investigation into Wilson's case had left Olivia's name spotless, thanks to Ezmeralda's meticulous efforts. Every paper trail pointed to Olivia as a victim of circumstance rather than a willing participant. The media frenzy that followed the wedding massacre had been relentless; headlines calling it a "drug war gone bloody" had filled every screen and newspaper. Every time Olivia saw those words, she wanted to shout the truth, to tell the world that they had no idea. The depth of the loss, the love that had fueled everything, was far beyond what anyone could guess. But she knew it was futile, so she let them write their stories.