The air seemed to thicken. She opened her mouth slightly, but he continued:
— Fifteen years ago, in Alexandria. You were working at the university library. I remember your Mexican accent and how you helped students and travelers understand ancient texts. I was one of them.
Lucía got goosebumps. That part of her life was buried. She had returned to Mexico after an episode she never spoke of, a silent goodbye that had left her with only a suitcase and a few memories.
« I sought you out, » added the sheikh. « Not to show you off like a trophy, but because you helped me at a time when I had neither name nor fortune. You gave me more than you know. »
Lucía’s voice broke:
« And now? Why are you looking for me? »
He smiled, without arrogance.
— Because I need someone I can absolutely trust for a cultural project in my country… and that person is you.
The words hit her like a mixture of dizziness and relief. All those years of invisible work were now colliding with an offer that could change everything. But with the emotion came a knot in her stomach. Accepting meant opening a chapter she had sworn to keep closed, with secrets that could hurt her more than any contempt.
For the rest of the day, Lucía struggled to concentrate. While changing the sheets and filling the buckets, she kept hearing one phrase repeating over and over: « That person is you. »
The news spread quickly. That afternoon, the director summoned her to her office. Two managers were present, as well as the official interpreter, who looked at her with a mixture of unease and resentment.
“Lucía, we’ve been informed that Mr. Al Rashid wishes to hire you for a personal project,” said the director, her voice honeyed but nonetheless controlling. “I must remind you that all agreements with high-profile clients must go through us.”
Lucía remained composed.
— It’s just a proposal that I haven’t accepted yet.
« I hope you won’t do it without permission, » one of the leaders interjected. « It could be detrimental to your future here. »
The threat landed on the table like a fragile, yet sharp object. The conversation ended without an agreement, but with a clear message: if she went any further, the hotel would permanently close its doors to her.
That evening, walking home through the damp streets, Lucía wondered if she could truly afford to risk her only stable source of income. Daniel was in the throes of adolescence; any sudden change would affect him deeply.
But she also thought about what the sheikh had told her: « You helped me when I had neither name nor wealth. » And about how, already, at the hotel, people looked at her differently, as if her mere presence was disturbing.
The next day, the sheikh asked to see her again, this time in the lobby, in front of everyone. He explained to her, in measured Spanish, that the project consisted of organizing and preserving a collection of historical manuscripts, and that he trusted her not only for the language, but for her integrity.
« I’m not asking you to answer now, » he added. « But don’t let others decide for you. »
Half the hotel staff watched them from a distance. Whether she accepted or not, her life here had already changed. Rumors that « the cleaning lady was running off with the sheikh » spread like wildfire. Some colleagues looked at her with curiosity, others with open hostility.
Lucía understood that she couldn’t remain in this limbo for long. Sooner or later, she would have to choose, and each option would come at a price.
On the morning she was to give her answer, the sun made the hotel windows sparkle as if it wanted to erase the tension of the past few days. Lucía arrived early, not to start her shift, but to turn a page.
The sheikh was waiting for him at a table away from the restaurant, wearing a simple shirt, a dark leather shirt laid out before him. There were no guards in sight, no managers, no director. Just two steaming cups of tea and a silence full of promise.
« Have you decided? » he asked calmly in Arabic.
Lucía took a deep breath.
— Yes. I accept… but on one condition: my son comes with me.
The sheikh agreed without the slightest hesitation. He opened the folder and showed him the contract, along with the agreements for his and Daniel’s move.
« I want you to start in a month. You’ll have time to sort out what you need to sort out here. »
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