Make You Feel Worse

Romero’s chest heaved with anger, his gaze fixed on her with a venomous glare. “I told you I’m not hungry,” he growled.

Carmen blinked, trying to regain her composure, but the hurt was written on her face. Her hands shook slightly as she bent down to pick up the fallen dishes. “I’m just trying to help,” she said, her voice barely a whisper.

Romero’s gaze softened for a fleeting second as he watched her, but the coldness quickly returned. He turned his head, refusing to acknowledge the mess he had created.

As Carmen quietly continued to pick up the shattered dishes, the door swung open, and Pablo walked in. His eyes grew large when he saw Carmen on the floor, gathering the broken pieces with trembling hands.

“Carmen, what happened?” Pablo asked, worry evident in his voice as he hurried over to her side. His gaze darted between her and the mess on the floor, then landed on Romero, who sat stiffly in his bed, his expression hard.

“Oh, it’s nothing. I’ll clean it up,” Carmen murmured, not meeting Pablo’s eyes.

Pablo frowned, his concern deepening. “No, stop. You’ll hurt yourself. I’ll get the maid to handle this. You don’t have to–”

“I’m fine. Really, it’s okay,” Carmen interrupted gently but firmly, still picking up the pieces.

Pablo glanced down at her, clearly unconvinced but respecting her insistence. “You don’t need to do this, Carmen,” he said quietly.

Carmen finally looked up, offering him a small, tired smile. “I want to. Please, it’s fine,” she replied.

With that, she rose to her feet, carefully balancing the dishes she had managed to salvage. “I’ll be back later, Mister Monteiro,” Carmen said softly before leaving the room, her posture stiff but composed.

As soon as the door clicked shut, Pablo rounded on Romero, his eyes sized him up with anger. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

Romero’s icy stare met Pablo’s fiery gaze. “I didn’t ask her to come in here, did I? She was meddling.”

“Meddling?” Pablo spat, stepping closer to the bed. “She’s here to help you, Romero. And this is how you treat her? Like a slave? She’s just trying to do her job!”

“I don’t need anyone’s help, least of all hers,” Romero snarled.

Pablo’s hands clenched at his sides. “You’re unbelievable. You sit here acting like a child because you’re angry at the world, but that doesn’t give you the right to treat people like trash.”

Romero’s eyes grew dim with fury, but he didn’t respond.

“I’ll allow you to push me away all you want, but don’t you dare take it out on that innocent lady,” Pablo warned, his voice dropping low harshly.

Romero scoffed, turning his head to the window. “I don’t need a lecture from you. I’ve already to you not to–”

“And I’m telling you to stop being so damn stubborn,” Pablo cut him off. “You’re not invincible, Romero. How many times should I tell you that? You were just fortunate to survive that accident, but if you don’t let people–”

“I wish I hadn’t survived it,” Romero interrupted, his jaw tightened as he refused to meet Pablo’s gaze.

Pablo shook his head in disbelief. “Really? You know what, Romero? I don’t have time for this. I have work to do, someone has to make sure the company stays afloat while you’re holed up in here, refusing to let anyone help.”

Pablo stormed toward the door, but paused before leaving, his back still turned. “Think about everything you’ve built, before you lose more than just your health,” he said. Without waiting for a reply, Pablo walked out, slamming the door behind him.

Carmen entered the kitchen quietly, her steps hesitant as the weight of Romero’s outburst clung to her like a heavy shroud. Santiago, busy arranging some utensils, turned at the sound of her entrance. The moment his eyes landed on Carmen, his countenance shifted from calm professionalism to shock and pity.

“Señorita,” Santiago said softly, immediately noticing the food stains on her dress and the shattered pieces on the tray. His heart sank as he rushed over to Carmen, his hands reaching for the tray. “Oh my God, what happened?” he asked. His tone was gentle, yet filled with concern as he carefully took the tray from her shivering hands.

Carmen forced a weak smile. “It’s okay. I just…I wasn’t fast enough to avert it,” she responded, almost in a whisper.

Santiago frowned, shaking his head. “No, no, this is not your fault, dear. Mister Romero, he can be…” he paused, choosing his words carefully. “I am so sorry for what happened. You shouldn’t have to endure that if you don’t want to.”

Carmen nodded, nibbling her lip to keep her calmness. “Thank you, Mister Santiago. I’ll manage.”

Santiago’s eyes dulled. “Do you have some extra clothes to change into? You shouldn’t stay in that dress, it’ll only make you feel worse,” he said, gesturing to the tea and egg stains that had soaked into her uniform.

“Yes, I brought some spare clothes,” Carmen replied, her voice shaky.

“Good. Come with me, I’ll show you to a room where you can freshen up,” Santiago said, motioning for her to follow.

As they walked through the hallways, Carmen’s mind raced, trying to make sense of the morning’s occurrence. Her pulse quickened, a blend of embarrassment, frustration, and sadness burning inside her.

Santiago led her to a guest room, opening the door with a soft creak. “You can change in here. Please take your time, Señorita Carmen,” he said kindly, stepping aside to let her in.

“Thank you, Mister Santiago,” Carmen whispered, feeling her throat tighten.

Just as Carmen was about to enter the room, she heard footsteps approaching. Carmen turned and saw Pablo walking toward her, his face still flushed from his confrontation with Romero.

“Carmen, please, wait,” Pablo called out, his voice tense but apologetic.

Carmen froze, watching as Pablo halted a few steps away from her. His eyes searched hers, guilt written plainly on his face.

“I’m so sorry about what happened back there. Mister Monteiro…he’s not himself. He only got this way since the accident. But I understand that doesn’t excuse how he treated you. You didn’t deserve that,” Pablo said, his voice calm.

Carmen gave a small nod, her eyes lowering to the floor. “It’s fine. I guess he’s going through some phase.”

Pablo sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair. “I’ll talk to him again. I promise you this won’t happen again.”

“I appreciate that,” Carmen murmured, offering him a weak but genuine smile.

Pablo hesitated for a moment, as if wanting to say more, but then simply nodded before turning on his heel and heading back down the hallway. Carmen watched him go, her heart weighty with a mix of emotions.

Carmen stepped into the guest room and locked the door behind her. She stood there for a moment, leaning against the door, her chest heavy with the pressure she had been holding all morning.

Suddenly, her knees buckled, and she slid down to the floor, her back pressed against the door as a sob escaped her lips. She buried her face in her hands, the tears she had been holding back finally spilling over.

The burden of everything; Diego’s illness, Romero’s coldness, and her own helplessness crashed down on her heavily. Her body shook as she cried silently, the sound of her sobs muffled in the quietness of the room.

The air felt thick, suffocating her as her mind drifted with thoughts she couldn’t control. Would she ever be able to handle this new job? How would she save Diego? Would she always feel this powerless?

As the tears continued to fall, Carmen’s breath hitched, the uncertainty of what lay ahead for her gripped her chest in a tight, brutal hold. Just then, there was a knock on the door, sending Carmen jolting.

Carmen hurriedly wiped her tears, trying to gather her composure before answering. She stood up, straightening her clothes, but the knock came again, louder this time. She panicked, unsure of what to expect on the other side.

Taking a deep breath, she unlocked the door and pulled it open, revealing Santiago standing in the doorway. But something about his facial expression unsettled her; his eyes were filled with concern, and maybe a hint of urgency.

“Mister Santiago?” Carmen asked, her voice barely stable.

“I see you’re yet to change. I’m sorry to disturb you, Señorita, but… Mister Monteiro wants to see you. Immediately,” Santiago said.

Carmen’s heart throbbed at the thought of facing Romero again. Her stomach twisted, a knot of dread forming deep inside her. “Now?” she inquired, her voice betraying the fear she felt.

Santiago nodded. “Yes. I know you probably don’t want to, right now, but he insisted,” he answered.

Carmen stared at him blankly, feeling scared to face Romero’s wrath again. What now? She wondered.