Episode 1

Mafalda Alcazar, 25, was watching the time on the wall clock in the office of the publishing house she worked for, and couldn't understand why her boss, Joshua Ravelo, 32, had made her work overtime that day.

"Boss, I need to leave," Mafalda said with concern.

Joshua lifted his face and looked at Mafalda sternly, and had to admit that she looked very glamorous with that look.

"Are you finished?" Joshua asked sarcastically.

Mafalda shook her head because it was very difficult for her to finish all the work that Joshua had assigned her at the last minute.

"I'm sorry, boss, but it's impossible for me to finish."

"Then you can't leave," Joshua said emphatically.

Joshua watched her with a very stern expression, which made her feel intimidated.

"I really need to leave," Mafalda said with a very contrite expression.

Joshua's attractive face distorted with annoyance at that moment, and he pronounced each word sternly.

"Why do you have to leave so early?" Joshua asked.

Mafalda played with her hands and was very nervous because Joshua's dominant personality made her feel very intimidated.

"It's my sister's engagement party today," Mafalda replied.

Joshua Ravelo did not hide his expression of displeasure at that moment because he deliberately made her work late so that she could not attend her sister's engagement party.

"I assumed you wouldn't go to that party," Joshua said indifferently.

Mafalda knew that her boss was right and that she shouldn't go to that place, so she lowered her face feeling ashamed because she didn't want to go to that party, the problem is that her mother begged her to attend and guaranteed that nothing would happen.

"I promised my mom," Mafalda murmured with resignation.

Joshua shook his head because Cecilia de Alcazar always manipulated Mafalda so that she would end up giving in to the incessant manipulations of her sister Lilly, and he realized that the time had come to intervene before something serious happened to her and with much regret decided to execute the plan he had planned for Mafalda for some time.

"Mafalda, would you be willing to go to the new headquarters of the publishing house in my name?" Joshua asked.

This was a very difficult decision because the idea of Mafalda living in another country so far away from him terrified him, however, when he thought that she would end her contact with her toxic family members he felt relief, and although he loved her, he had to let her go and it was lucky that she had never realized his feelings.

"Are you serious, boss?" Mafalda asked in amazement.

Mafalda put on an astonished expression because of his words, but when she realized that Joshua was watching her impatiently because he was serious, she smiled very excitedly because this was an excellent job opportunity and she couldn't believe that her bitter boss offered her that vacancy because since she worked for Joshua he was always very stern with her.

"Do I seem like the type of person who makes jokes?" Joshua asked angrily.

Mafalda shook her head and shuddered when she saw the expression on Joshua's face as if he didn't like her.

"No boss, you are a very serious person and never make jokes," Mafalda replied with a regrettable expression.

Internally, Joshua laughed at her regrettable expression and wondered how she could look so adorable at that moment, he wanted to hug her and tell her that everything would be alright and that no one from that family would ever hurt her again, but then he remembered that he was only her boss and that they were not close beyond being neighbors in the past.

"If you need to think about it, I'll give you until tomorrow to tell me what your answer is," Joshua suggested.

Mafalda didn't need to think about it any longer and made her decision immediately because staying in this city was to continue experiencing the same humiliations over and over again, because even though she was not responsible for the mistake that the hospital made when they switched both her and Lilly at birth, however, they turned her into the scapegoat as if it were her fault.

"It's not necessary, boss, I already have my answer and I'm willing to move to the new headquarters," Mafalda said.

Joshua was very happy, although his expression didn't show it, so at that moment they both began to discuss the details of the proposal without realizing that time was passing and it was getting late.

"Everything is ready for your transfer to the new headquarters next week," Joshua said, flashing a smile.

Mafalda was impressed by the speed with which Joshua acted because it was as if everything was already ready and he was simply waiting for her to accept.

"Boss, thank you for the opportunity and I promise not to disappoint you," Mafalda assured.

Mafalda and Joshua were talking very animatedly about what her functions would be in the new headquarters when the incessant ringing of Mafalda's phone broke the good atmosphere and when Mafalda realized who it was, she put a fearful expression on her face and by instinct could not help but answer it.

"Mafalda, why haven't you arrived yet?" Mafalda's father asked impatiently.

Mafalda heard the stern tone in Velasco Alcazar's voice and shuddered because it was easy to notice his impatience, and she tried not to be affected because she was aware that no matter what she said, Velasco would always think his fake daughter was acting badly.

"I'm sorry dad, I was late, although I'm already waiting for a taxi to take me to the party," Mafalda replied.

Mafalda didn't want to share the good news of her promotion with her father because she knew him and knew that she would only receive reproaches from him, making her feel as if it was something insignificant.

"Mafalda, how can you arrive at your sister's engagement party by taxi?" Velasco asked with irritation.

Mafalda felt a lump in her throat because she always hoped that her dad would love her at least a little and care about issues such as her safety, however, after so many years the hard heart of this man was not moved and the only thing that worried him is what his friends would think.

"Dad, I don't see what I'm doing wrong," Mafalda replied, justifying herself.

"Do you want my friends to think that I don't take care of my adopted daughter?" Velasco asked with annoyance.

Mafalda finally shed a tear ruining her makeup and that image broke Joshua's heart because he wanted to help her, while she was a strong woman being constantly harassed by these hyenas would eventually destroy her.

"I'm going to arrive soon dad, so don't worry because I'm not going to make you look bad with your friends."

Joshua handed her a handkerchief and she gave a bitter smile because now she had also humiliated herself in front of her boss.

"Mafalda, you shouldn't go to that party if you don't want to," Joshua insisted.

Mafalda did not answer Joshua, she simply returned his handkerchief and went to the bathroom from where she called for a taxi to go to the place and when she left the bathroom after touching up her makeup she noticed that Joshua was still waiting for her.

"See you tomorrow boss," Mafalda said coldly.

Joshua reached out to hold her and tell her to stay because he had a bad feeling and unfortunately he was very assertive when that happened to him and that she should not attend that party.

"Mafalda, why are you so stubborn?" He said to himself.

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