Chapter 5. Am I ugly?

By Denis

I drove my beloved Mercedes to the importer's offices. Although I parked without any problem because my car's license plate was registered, when I tried to enter the building, the doorman didn't recognize me and wouldn't let me in.

Good!!!

That gave me the indication that it was perfect for my plans.

I called my sister on the phone to come and pick me up, while I explained what was happening.

—You always let her go.

He tells Don José, who couldn't hide his astonishment when he found out it was me.

As we walked through the offices, people were giving me such dirty looks, I thought it must be awful, but it was what I wanted to achieve.

—You're crazy!

Gabriela exclaimed as soon as she closed her office door.

—But my plan worked.

I tell him with a mischievous smile.

"Tell me, smart lady, you're talking about Leonardo Haber, one of the most eligible bachelors in the city, and I'm not exaggerating, in the country too. The guy dates supermodels. How do you think you can win him over wearing clothes from 50 years ago, with horrible polka dots on your makeup, and that ridiculous wig? What did you do to your eyebrows? Are you crazy?"

I didn't care about his reasons; the important thing, for now, was to work as Leonardo's secretary. Later I would have time to win him over.

—Little by little I'll regain my appearance and he'll fall in love with me like I do with him.

It's a wish, more than a statement.

—That doesn't mean those kinds of guys will make you happy; they're not faithful…

She says with a lump in her throat, "I know that even though several years have passed, she hasn't gotten over what she had with Ricardo, Leonardo's partner."

Her eyes filled with tears.

She takes a small sip of water to clear her tears; I know her, even if she tries to hide it, that's just how she is.

—What happened to Ricardo? You never mentioned him to me…

It's true, he always avoided the topic when I asked him about it.

—I've already forgotten about him...as long as I don't think about him, I'm fine.

—What did he do to you?

—He was my great love, until I realized that I was just another one to him.

—He told me you're very beautiful.

—So what? That didn't stop me from finding him having sex with another woman in his office.

He says abruptly.

Gaby is always gentle when she speaks and doesn't swear, but on this occasion, she didn't say having sex or making love...that means the pain and anger didn't disappear even though quite some time had passed.

—Gaby… I didn't know.

—No, nobody knows, it was quite a while ago, you were starting college, I was already living alone, I had a very bad time.

—He's a son of a bitch, today he implied that they were close and that things were going well.

—I will never trust him, nor will I ever be okay with him, he doesn't care about either one and when that happened he didn't even apologize to me…he only did it later.

—It seemed like he was thinking of calling you.

-I don't believe it…

—Do you love him?

—There are some things you just can't get over. What I saw tore me apart, it hurt me so much, seeing him in action with his hands on another woman's breasts while she moaned on his desk...If you can avoid falling in love with men like that...

It's late, more than that, it's extremely late.

—I'm hopelessly in love with Leo, ever since I was a teenager...and Angy loves our brother...you know that.

—I don't know who will suffer more, her or you.

I think the same as my sister, but where the heart rules…

—If Angy comes with a plan, support her.

I tell him to help my friend; I am more informal than my brother when I speak.

—Of course, don't doubt that, but Javi is just like Leonardo and Ricardo.

—The thing is, for now I can't come and work with you.

I'm informing you, although Gabriela deduced it.

—That's fine, but at some point we're going to need you. Here you have your office, you're the boss and owner, over there you're just a secretary.

—But I'm next to Leonardo.

I'm obsessed with being by my great love's side.

The door opens, I was facing away from it.

—Sorry, I didn't know you were busy.

My brother says, I don't move, nor do I turn my head.

I don't want him to see me.

-Aunt?

He says suddenly.

Shit!

She must have recognized the dress from some photo, or maybe she remembered or recognized my aunt's look, even though she didn't dress like that anymore.

I turned around, it took my brother a few seconds to recognize me.

—Denis?

He asked in amazement.

He recognized me quite quickly.

I laughed.

—Yes, it's me. Do I look ugly?

—You'll never be ugly, you're my princess.

He comes closer and kisses me.

My brother's opinion doesn't count, I know that.

—What are you doing dressed like that?...You're dressed like your aunt used to dress and with that wig...I'd rather not know.

He must think I'm up to some mischief; he never realized I grew up and am a woman, he sees me as his little sister.

—I wasn't going to tell you, but I'm working as a secretary, well, I start tomorrow…

I tell him confidently, while smiling.

-That?

Confusion was evident on his face.

My clothes were so ridiculous that no secretary would dress like that today.

I told her my plan and confessed that I was in love with Leonardo.

He didn't like what I said.

—Those two sons of bitches, womanizers, misogynists, have the love of my little sisters.

—Leo doesn't know what I look like physically, nor that I love him.

—How did you meet him?

—He's Angy's brother, my best friend. I've known him forever. Do you remember her?

He acts like he doesn't know who it is, that bothers me. He's already wondering who it is, and his attitude makes me sick…

He's as much of an idiot as Leonardo and Ricardo.

Gabriela and I looked at each other, and she rolled her eyes.

—Remember, she's my friend, the one with the stunning body and wonderfully green eyes, you can't see her and forget her, she's beautiful.

I try to make him remember Angy, but he doesn't register her.

—Yes, I think I remember something, but beauty is relative, you're still beautiful and Leonardo hired you because you're ugly.

She has no idea who I'm talking about and I feel like giving her a whack on the head... or showing her a picture of my friend, one where we were topless on a nudist beach, but I think that would backfire on Angy when she approaches the importer with some excuse.

—If you call or meet any of the partners, don't tell them I went to Europe with Angy, tell them I went to China for imports, because I'm so ugly that you two are ashamed of me and want me far away.

-That?

Question without understanding.

—That's what he told his new bosses.

—Boss, singular, I am Leonardo's personal secretary

—You're crazy.

My brother told me and my sister nodded.

—If he hurts you, I'll beat the crap out of him.

—You're not going to do anything, first, think about the number of women you hurt.

—I don't lie to anyone.

—Leonardo didn't lie to me, nor does he know I exist.

—That's impossible.

—No, I don't think he ever paid any attention to me.

—It's impossible to see a beautiful woman and forget her, I'm not talking about one you just pass by, but one you get to know.

—You didn't know who Angy was just now, and she's beautiful.

—She can't be that beautiful…

—Speaking of Angy…

I just had an idea.

—We're having a costume party, if she comes to pick some up, you take care of it.

-I?

My brother asks.

—Oh Gaby, but since we need to know the male reaction, I think it's better if you grab some of the hot costumes, the ones we imported last time, try them on and you see which one suits you best. By the way, set one aside for me and it'll be good to know how they look on, in case any customer asks you.

—Hot? Are you dressed like an old lady or like a whore?

—Now they're for whores, of course, that's if I use them, since I'm their little sister.

I tell my brother angrily.

—They're not from a whore, we chose them with Angy in China, don't insult me, or her.

—Excuse me, but I don't think they're appropriate for young ladies.

—Tell one of your girlfriends not to use it.

—It's different, none of them are my sister.

—But they're someone's sisters.

—I had never thought of it that way.

I don't want to argue about that topic, or about any topic for that matter, because if she got angry and forced me to work at the import company, goodbye to my plans.

—Okay, when Angy comes, make some time for her to try some on in your office, in case they're really too hot, so nobody sees her.

My sister couldn't believe how I was selling out my friend. Gaby knew how beautiful Angy was and what I was doing.

Luckily, he didn't say anything.

Lately we've become closer, because when we were girls she had her friends and I had mine, we were in different groups, just like my brother.

I knew that he was a high school classmate of Leonardo and Ricardo, and I think my sister's crush on Ricardo must have been at a time when I was playing with dolls and she was already looking at boys.

I left the offices and called Angy, I told her my plan with the costumes.

—No, I'm embarrassed.

Angy says.

—Come on, when we go dancing we're more naked than in those hot costumes.

—Yes, but having your brother so close…

—Look what I'm doing for yours…it's your chance to get him to check you out and drive him crazy.

I told him about my sister with Ricardo, what happened to her.

—Ricardo is a son of a bitch, I never liked him very much.

—But you barely discussed it…We're counting on Gaby who knows the plan.

—Denis!

—It's the only way to have her there when you go; otherwise, she would help you and you wouldn't be alone with Javi, he'll be the one to take care of you.

—I'm already blushing.

—Leave it nice and hot, always playing innocent.

We laughed a lot.

—Anyway, the plan is simpler than mine.