The gym was illuminated by the morning light streaming through the large glass windows. This wasn’t just any gym; it was an exclusive retreat that required a private membership—luxurious, serene, and meticulously designed for those who sought refinement in their routines. The walls bore minimalist lines, the floor embraced soft tones, and every detail catered to those who wanted to feel special.
Anyone stepping inside would immediately notice one thing: every inch of this space was crafted for pleasure and exclusivity.
Carolina rolled out her mat in the corner and began her stretching routine. Her white sports leggings and matching bustier accentuated the curves of her body, hugging her form in all the right places. As she moved, her muscles stretched and flexed, the snug fabric of her leggings emphasizing the fullness of her legs with every reach.
Eyes followed her, though she acted as if she didn’t notice. But in truth, she was well aware. That attention—it gave her both power and a subtle thrill.
She bent her knees and leaned forward, lifting her hips in a slow, deliberate motion. Her leggings, tightly fitted around her waist, sculpted every shift in her posture, making her every movement more defined. Feeling her muscles engage while she worked out wasn’t just a physical experience—it was also a mental release.
Most of the people in the gym seemed absorbed in their own workouts, but Carolina's presence subtly shifted the atmosphere. There were familiar faces, regulars who came at the same time every day, yet none of them were indifferent to her allure.
As she transitioned into her yoga and stretching poses, the fluidity of her movements almost resembled a dance. When she arched her back, stretching her waist, her shoulders rolled back gracefully, and her bustier clung tightly to her chest, highlighting her shape with each motion. This was more than just a workout—it was a performance, an unspoken display of control over her body.
Every now and then, she glanced around with a subtle smile over her shoulder, as if she knew she had an audience in every corner of the room. But she reminded herself that she came here to clear her mind, to momentarily escape the burdens she carried. She was determined not to let her inner struggles show.
Lately, though, other thoughts had begun to invade her mind—financial worries, the uncertainty of the future. The idea of finding a job was becoming more pressing by the day. This luxury gym provided a brief escape, but the real world was waiting for her just outside.
She moved into more demanding poses, pressing her hands firmly against the floor and lifting her chest upward. Her muscles tensed, her body showcasing both flexibility and strength. Every curve, every stretch was a reminder of how much control she still had—at least over this.
But the thoughts swirling in her mind wouldn’t leave her alone. She needed more—this workout was just a temporary distraction. And perhaps, even she didn’t know how long this escape would last.
Carolina took a deep breath, placing her hands on her knees as she finished her stretching routine. As the tension in her muscles slowly began to ease, the restless thoughts in her mind resurfaced once again.
Every time she came here, she convinced herself that she could forget everything for a little while. But the real world lingered in the back of her mind, waiting to creep in.
Money…
She had never truly experienced poverty, but what she felt now was a sign that years of comfort were beginning to crack.
House expenses, her children's needs, the bills… Everything was piling up, pressing down on her like an unbearable weight.
Perhaps this was the worst place to be thinking about such things. She was surrounded by the quiet luxury of the elite—people who indulged in their comfort without a second thought—while she was on the verge of making one of the hardest decisions of her life.
She needed a job.
But what kind of job?
She hadn’t worked in years. Employment had never been a necessity for her; there was always support, always a safety net. But now… she was completely on her own.
Lost in thought, she sat motionless on her mat, her gaze drifting toward the people around her.
Most of the women here lived lives funded by their wealthy husbands, dividing their time between beauty treatments and workout sessions. For them, life was a seamless flow of luxury and comfort, a security that would never waver.
But Carolina’s security had already been shaken.
That realization left a hollow ache in her chest.
She didn’t know what she needed to do, but one thing was clear—she had to stand on her own feet.
Maybe she could open a boutique, maybe she could offer consulting services… But those things required time and investment. Carolina had time, but no resources.
She needed a way to make money—fast.
Suddenly, the sound of the door opening jolted her from her thoughts.
The gym’s large glass doors slid open silently, and two people walked in, immediately catching her attention.
Ethan…
And beside him, a tall, long-legged young woman.
A strange sensation settled in Carolina’s chest.
It had been a long time since she had last seen Ethan. And yet, his mere presence shifted the entire energy of the room.
As the young man walked in with effortless confidence, she noticed how the woman next to him made no effort to hide her admiration.
Carolina narrowed her eyes slightly, watching them with a peculiar restlessness bubbling inside her.
Was it just curiosity? Or was it something more?
And Ethan being here… Was it just a coincidence?
Or was this day about to take a completely different turn?
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Carolina sat on her mat, her gaze fixed on Ethan. The young man’s confident stride as he entered the gym, the way his very presence seemed to shift the atmosphere—he possessed an aura that was impossible to ignore.
The woman beside him clung to him subtly, brushing her hand against his arm now and then, making small, deliberate movements to capture his attention. Carolina noticed how the girl didn’t even try to hide her interest.
But her own focus was locked on something else—Ethan’s transformation.
Years ago… he had only been a boy.
Thin, quiet, always observing everything around him. And now, he had become someone entirely different.
His facial features had sharpened, his body had grown stronger, his demeanor had hardened. The confidence he carried wasn’t something he had been born with—it was something earned.
Carolina’s gaze softened as her mind drifted back to the past.
The shadows of memory slowly took shape in her thoughts.
Ethan’s mother…
Celeste.
The name echoed in her mind, and she inhaled deeply. Celeste and she had once been among the most admired women in this city.
Their beauty, their elegance, the way they captivated any room they walked into—they had become icons in their own right.
In their youth, Celeste and Carolina had been inseparable. They had dreamed big, made plans for the future. Wherever they went, they commanded attention, drawing in the gaze of even the most powerful men.
But now…
Those days were long gone.
Carolina’s expression tensed slightly. It had been a long time since she last spoke to Celeste.
At some point, their bond had unraveled.
But why?
As her mind searched for the answer, the truth settled within her.
Because some friendships become too complicated to walk the same path forever.
And Carolina knew exactly where that path had split.
As Carolina drifted through the echoes of the past, she continued observing Ethan. The ease with which he carried himself, his confidence, the way he commanded attention—this was nothing like the Ethan she once knew. He had transformed from a quiet, observant child into a man who naturally drew all eyes to him.
But what occupied her mind the most wasn’t Ethan himself—it was his mother, Celeste.
Celeste and Carolina had once been inseparable. In their youth, they had been two of the most admired and striking women in the city. Lavish parties, exclusive invitations, conversations over fine dining—they had once had grand plans for life. But time had altered both their dreams and their friendship.
And the greatest reason for that change had been Richard and Lucien.
Lucien…
Carolina felt an unease settle in her chest at the memory of his name. Back then, Lucien had seemed almost godlike to her. Charismatic, wealthy, the kind of man every woman noticed but who always remained slightly out of reach. Carolina had been utterly captivated by him. Every glance, every subtle smirk had felt like the most valuable thing in the world to her.
And one day, things had gone further than she ever expected. She and Lucien had shared something that left an unforgettable mark on her.
But Celeste…
Celeste had been carrying a secret that Carolina had never even suspected.
Because back then, Celeste had been in love with Richard.
And no one had known. She had never spoken of it—not even to Carolina.
Then, one night, everything changed.
When Richard suddenly confessed his feelings to Carolina… it had shaken her to her core. Until that moment, her heart had belonged entirely to Lucien. But Richard’s words, his unexpected declaration, had turned everything she believed to be true upside down.
The one most devastated by that moment, however, had been Celeste.
Because she had never imagined that her best friend would choose Richard.
And that was the day everything fell apart.
Carolina inhaled deeply, forcing herself out of the storm of memories. She had no desire to drown in the past any longer. Straightening her shoulders, she headed for the exit, trying to clear her mind.
But just as she was about to step outside, she felt a gaze fixed on her.
Ethan.
He stood near the corner of the gym, watching her directly. There was curiosity in his eyes—but also something more.
Carolina took a few steps forward.
Ethan followed.
"It’s been a long time."
The voice came from behind her. She paused. Slowly, she turned around.
Their eyes met.
And in that moment, the past and the present blurred together inside her.
As Carolina looked at Ethan more closely, she became acutely aware of just how much he had changed. Standing this close to him, she could almost feel the years slipping away, reshaping the past into something tangible—something undeniable.
But what truly unsettled her…
Was the resemblance.
A slight knot formed in her stomach. It was as if Ethan had inherited Lucien’s legacy and taken it even further.
Lucien had always possessed a dangerous allure. Being near him had felt like playing with fire. But Ethan… he seemed to have absorbed that same intricate nature and fused it with the effortless confidence of a new generation.
More self-assured. Sharper. More aware.
And that realization filled Carolina with an inexplicable unease.
Ethan, however, never took his eyes off her. Seeing her up close after all these years made it impossible for him to conceal the admiration stirring within him.
Carolina was still dressed in her workout attire—white leggings and a form-fitting sports bra that outlined her figure with undeniable clarity. Her shoulders were squared, her posture poised, exuding grace. But in Ethan’s eyes, she wasn’t just the woman he had once known.
Now, she was a woman who commanded admiration in every sense.
Meeting like this, in the tranquil setting of the gym, only intensified the pull inside him.
Carolina held his gaze as she spoke. “It’s been a long time.”
Ethan tilted his head slightly. “It really has. I never expected to see you here.”
Their conversation began unfolding with an effortless ease. At first, it seemed like a simple exchange—casual, unremarkable. But with every word, an unspoken energy between them grew stronger.
Carolina focused on the way Ethan spoke—his tone, his careful choice of words. He was no longer a boy.
Ethan had become a man.
And that forced Carolina to acknowledge something she wasn’t sure she was ready to face.
The undeniable maturity in him.
The strange pull she felt toward him, deep down.
And worst of all… there was something about him that drew her in, whether she wanted it or not.
As Carolina stood in front of Ethan, she felt an inexplicable tightness in her chest.
It was excitement.
But when she tried to understand the reason behind it, she found herself unable to define it.
No one had made her feel like this in years. When was the last time she had experienced this kind of tension?
Her mind drifted back to the shadows of the past. Maybe in the early days with Richard, maybe during those fleeting moments with Lucien… But none of those memories felt as vivid as this moment.
What was causing this feeling?
Was it the weight of the past? Or something entirely different?
But the most frustrating part was that she couldn’t even explain it to herself.
And Ethan’s gaze…
The moment she realized he was studying her, she felt an involuntary tension ripple through her body.
As if something had trapped her in place.
Or at least, that’s how it felt.
Ethan, on the other hand, never once looked away. The effect of this encounter on him was evident.
Yet their conversation flowed naturally enough to mask the underlying tension.
And then, just as her thoughts threatened to consume her, Ethan’s voice pulled her back to the present.
"How are Tom and Scharline?"
Carolina faltered for a second, her mind yanked abruptly into reality by his question.
She took a breath, placing a faint smile on her lips as she nodded. “They’re… good.”
But the tightness in her chest hadn’t faded.
Because there was something about Ethan that pulled her in.
And she still didn’t know what it was.
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"I really do miss them. It’s been a long time since we last saw each other."
Ethan’s voice was deeper than she had expected.
Carolina instinctively tilted her head slightly, the corners of her lips curving into a graceful but unreadable smile.
"I imagine someone like you has a very busy life," she said, her voice as soft and controlled as ever. "Haven’t you found the time to see them?"
Ethan shrugged lightly. “It’s not really about time. Sometimes life pulls you in so many different directions that before you know it, years have passed. I guess I got caught up in it all.”
Carolina wasn’t surprised by his response. It wasn’t hard to see that he was someone who built his life at full speed.
But in this moment, standing here with him, she wondered if he was still the same Ethan she remembered.
She studied him a little more intently.
"So, what are you doing now?"
Ethan met her question with a knowing smile, as if he had anticipated it.
"I work with a modeling agency. But I’m mostly focused on building my own business."
Carolina’s brows lifted slightly—not in shock, but in the quiet recognition of something inevitable.
Every word he spoke only reinforced his self-assurance.
He was no longer just a boy.
His gaze locked onto hers, as if he was trying to decipher an unexplored desire within himself.
And for a brief moment, Carolina realized she had held her breath under that look.
Ethan leaned forward just slightly, his voice carrying a subtle warmth.
"I’d like to reach out to Tom and Scharline. Can I have your number?"
Carolina hesitated for a moment.
But it wasn’t the kind of hesitation that suggested retreat.
She reached into her bag, pulling out a small notepad and pen, writing down her number with deliberate strokes. Her fingers slowed ever so slightly as the pen glided across the paper.
It seemed like such an innocent act.
And yet, what was hidden beneath it?
When she handed him the note, Ethan took it gently. For the briefest moment, his fingers brushed against hers.
And that touch, no matter how fleeting or simple, muted every other sound in the room.
Some moments leave an unexpected mark, no matter how brief.
Carolina leaned back slightly, as if grounding herself. He had the number. The conversation was over.
But Ethan’s gaze lingered on her, still trying to unravel something.
And Carolina wasn’t sure how much longer she could stand under that gaze.
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