Sebastian woke early every morning, long before the sun rose, long before Cecilia stirred in their cramped apartment. The old fridge hummed loudly in the background, the thin walls letting in every sound from the hallway. It was so different when they used to live in their mansion.
He dressed in the same two suits he had left, pressed as neatly as he could manage, and took the bus into the city. He walked into every restaurant, hotel, and hospitality group that had a “Manager Wanted” sign.
He sat through interviews.mHe answered every question. And every single time, the hiring manager said the same thing:
“We’ll call you.”
They never did.
By the end of the week, Sebastian had memorized the pattern—the polite smile, the handshake, the subtle shift in their eyes when they recognized his
