She stretched slowly, for a moment forgetting she had someone else living with her. Walking into the kitchen, she saw him from behind, moving skillfully with the coffee maker she was sure had been broken for months. You fixed that? She asked, rubbing her eyes.
David turned around with a small smile. It just had some loose wires. Nothing serious.
And you know about electricity, too? A little bit of everything. Childhood curiosity. Julia sat at the table, skeptical.
One of these days, you’re going to build a robot in here. Only if it can cook better than me. She laughed, but the suspicion didn’t fade.
Every day, David revealed something new. A skill, a smart remark, an overly sharp observation. He definitely didn’t seem like a man with no resources.
Later, while getting ready for another job interview, she walked into the room and stopped when she saw her laptop open. David was typing something, and quickly stood up when he saw her at the door. I was just checking it out.
The system was slow. I thought I could help. You opened my computer? It was instinct.
I saw it open, took a look. I didn’t touch anything important. Julia walked over to the desk and looked at the screen.
It was a job recruitment site. There was a new resume attached, updated, with corrections she hadn’t made. You changed my resume? I just fixed the formatting, added some keywords.
Your information was fine, but the layout wasn’t great. You had no right to do that. I’m sorry, I just wanted to help.
Without asking me first? David lowered his eyes. It was an impulse. You’re too good to keep being overlooked.
And that resume, it didn’t even show half of that. Julia took a deep breath, trying to calm her frustration and surprise. Just, next time, ask first.
All right, I promise. By the end of the afternoon, Julia got an email from a tech company inviting her for an interview the next day. The email mentioned the updated resume.
She looked at her phone, thoughtful. David was still in the small guest room. She knocked on the door.
You set my resume? He hesitated. Yes. Without telling me? I knew you wouldn’t let me.
And what makes you think you had the right? Because I believe in you, even when you don’t believe in yourself. Julia didn’t answer right away. Part of her wanted to be mad.
Another part felt something else. Just don’t do it again. I don’t like surprises.
Understood. The next morning, Julia was getting ready for the interview when she noticed David standing on the balcony, watching the sky. Aren’t you going to wish me luck? You don’t need it.
But you’ll have it anyway, he said, smiling. If I get this job, I might not need an extra guest in the back room anymore. That’s fair.
And if I don’t get it? You will. She gave her hair one last adjustment and walked out the door. David stood there for a few more minutes.
Then he went back to the small room, carefully closed the door, and took out an old, folded newspaper from the bottom of his backpack. On the front page was a photo of a man, himself, but looking more polished. A dark suit, a reserved smile, arms crossed in front of a sign that read, Harvin Technologies.
The headline read, CEO missing for eight months, where is David Alencar? David ran his finger over his own face. Then, without a second thought, he tore the page into small pieces and threw them in the trash. As Julia was returning from her interview, her phone vibrated with a call from an unknown number.
Hello? Miss Julia? This is Bianca from Solversys. We reached out yesterday by email. Can you come in to speak with the board tomorrow? Julia stopped on the sidewalk.
Aye, of course. Thank you. See you tomorrow, she hung up, barely believing it.
She was smiling to herself as she crossed the same street as always, near the alley where everything had started. Then, as she passed a newsstand, she stopped. A front page, dated months ago, featured a story about a missing businessman.
The face, she knew it or thought she did. She stepped closer, read the caption. David Alencar, founder and CEO of Harvin Technologies, has not been seen since the mysterious accident that removed him from his position.
Julia froze. It was him. The same facial structure.
The same eyes. The same name. David.
But, it couldn’t be. She went home in silence. When she walked in, everything was in order.
David was sitting at the table, reading a book as if nothing had happened. Hey. He said casually.
Hey. She went straight to her room. Sat on the bed, the newspaper still in her bag.
Her heart was racing. He had the same name. The same face.
The same calm demeanor. But, he lived in an alley? Julia’s mind was spinning with questions, but she didn’t know where to start. Not yet.
That night, they had dinner in silence. David commented on the weather, on a strange noise coming from the fridge. Julia pretended to listen, but her mind was elsewhere.
On doubt. On the face from that newspaper. On the man now sleeping in the small room at the back of her house.
She lay awake for a long time, staring at the dark ceiling. And before falling asleep, she whispered a single question. Who are you really, David? The alarm rang at 6.30. Julia got up, still trying to process what she had felt the night before.
The image from the newspaper wouldn’t leave her mind. The name. The face.
The tone of the article. Everything pointed to the fact that David was not who he claimed to be. But she didn’t have the courage to confront him.
Not yet. And at that moment, she had something more urgent to deal with. The interview with the Solversys board.
David was in the kitchen when she came out of her room. Coffee’s ready. And there’s cheese bread.
Not that I made it, but I went to the bakery early. Thanks, Julia said, accepting the cup. She watched him as she drank her coffee.
He seemed calm, normal. But now she saw things differently. The way he moved around the house.
How he observed everything. He was too discreet. And at the same time, he seemed to know exactly what to do in every situation.
Heading out? He asked. I have that meeting at Solversys. Nervous? A little.
You’ll do great. She nodded, then hesitated. And you? Going out today? David smiled.
Thought I’d walk around the neighborhood, just to stretch my legs. She finished her coffee and stood up. See you later.
Good luck, Julia. As soon as she left, David walked to the window and waited. He counted to 40 in his head.
Then he grabbed a backpack hidden in the small room, changed his shirt, put on a dark cap, and slipped out through the back of the building. The Harvin Technologies headquarters was just over an hour away. David avoided buses and the subway.
He walked through the streets, changed routes twice, and entered a cafe near the company to observe the surroundings. He didn’t want to be recognized. Not yet.
He had spent months in hiding, and everything pointed to the fact that Victor had taken control of the company with ease. David needed to know what was happening before revealing himself. He waited until rush hour passed.
Only then did he approach the main building. The ID badge he had kept since the accident was still in his backpack. But he knew it wouldn’t work anymore.
He entered through the side reception, using the service elevator. A former employee now working in maintenance recognized him. Mr. David? Shh.
Just for today. I need to take a look at things. Can you help me? Of course.
It’s good to see you again. David walked through the hallways like a ghost. Most of the new employees had no idea who he was.
When he reached the executive floor, he stood still in front of the glass door that once led to his office. Now, a new nameplate read, Victor Alden, Chief Executive Officer. David took a deep breath and stepped into the meeting room next door, connecting an old laptop to the internal system.
He typed in his old password. It worked. Reports started appearing.
Contracts, meetings, transactions. And there it was. The plan to sell part of Harvin to a shell company based overseas.
Victor was dismantling the company from the inside. Slowly, but systematically. David read every line carefully, committing the details to memory.
He couldn’t take anything. Not yet. He had to be careful.
Meanwhile, Julia was finishing her interview. Your resume looks great, Miss Julia, the manager said. And the way you presented yourself really impressed us.
If all goes well, we’ll be in touch by the end of the week. She smiled, thanked him, and left. She felt lighter, yet somehow… Uneasy.
She took the bus home, but got off two stops early. She walked to the newsstand where she had seen the newspaper. It was still there.
She asked the vendor if there were any other additions about David Allencar. There are. Hang on, he said, pulling out a stack of old newspapers.
Julia quickly scanned the headlines. Billionaire businessman disappears after suspected helicopter crash. Harvin Technologies changes leadership after CEO goes missing.
Theories about David Allencar’s whereabouts fled social media. She felt the ground shift beneath her. She walked home in silence.
When she arrived, David was already there. He was sitting on the couch, his hair still damp, as if he had just taken a shower. How was it? The interview? Yeah? Good.
I think it went well. That’s great. And you? Had your little outing? He nodded.
Felt good to get some air. Julia forced a smile and went straight to her room. She closed the door, sat on the bed, and spread the newspapers out on the mattress.