Rousing Dr. Valeria from her slumber

Chase- Back at the Whitmore Estate

The front door clicked shut behind them, Val’s laughter echoing in the hall as she clung to Chase’s shoulder, her high heels clicking wildly on the tile floor. Her hair was tousled, her eyes still glowing with that delighted haze from their mall mischief, and the low-cut top she wore did very little to hide the kind of day she’d just had.

"God, Chase," she purred, running her fingers along his chest. "Today was perfect. I swear I’ve never had more fun."

She leaned in like she was about to kiss him again when a door opened from inside the house.

“Welcome home, Master,” said a calm voice.

Standing there, holding a bottle of water with robotic stillness, was Kendra, Chase’s mother, dressed in a crisp black-and-white maid uniform with lace trim, polished shoes, and a white apron. Her face was blank but serene, her lips curled in a gentle, mindless smile.

Val blinked. "Uh… what the hell is that?"

Chase didn’t miss a beat. "Oh, we needed help around the house. My silly mother fired the butler."

Val looked confused, almost like something was tugging at her brain. “That doesn’t… wait, that’s your mom, isn’t it?”

Chase smiled coolly, slipping past Kendra taking the bottle from her and pulling Val inside by the waist. "Pfft. You’re so weird, Val. Don’t overthink it. She’s just the help now."

Kendra bowed slightly, completely unbothered. “Would you like tea, Master Chase?”

Val snorted. "Okay, that’s freaky. I thought I was wild, but you’ve got a live-in mommy maid. Damn, Chase."

He smirked. “Let’s say you’re rubbing off on me.”

He guided her to the couch with a gentle but firm touch. She still had that flirtatious energy pulsing through her—legs crossed, chin tilted like she was ready to pounce on him again—but Chase had other plans.

"Sit back, Val. Time to switch back. You’ve had your fun."

Val pouted. “Aww, come on. You want me to go back home? Just a few more hours? We could go upstairs. There’s plenty more I can do." She said as she moved her hand over his semi hard cock.

Chase chuckled. “Cute. But no. As fun as it would be to keep you like this, I have bigger plans for you.”

She narrowed her eyes slightly, resisting not angrily, just playfully, but he saw that flicker of panic again. A small hint of something deeper trying to rise to the surface.

That was enough.

He leaned in, his voice dropping. “Close your eyes for me, Val.”

She opened her mouth to protest again, but her eyelids fluttered instead, then dropped.

“Deep breath,” he whispered. “Let it all go. All the teasing. All the fun. You can feel it sliding off your shoulders like water. You’re so tired, Val. Tired and obedient.”

She twitched once, a small sigh escaping her lips.

"That’s right," Chase cooed. "Val’s going to take a little nap now. And when you wake up… you’ll remember who you really are."

Her features slowly started to shift not physically, but in expression. The smugness faded. Her posture stiffened slightly. Her brows furrowed faintly, as if some hidden command inside her mind was reshuffling what was true.

“You will not remember what we did today. Only that you had a relaxing time and you’d love to come back again tomorrow. Do you understand?” Chase asked firmly.

Valeria nodded in reply.

“Dr. Rivera,” Chase said softly, “it’s time to wake up.” He said as he clapped his hands.

She stirred. Like waking up from a long nap.

“…Chase?” Her voice was distant. Hesitant. “What… what am I doing here?”

“You stopped by to check in. Said you weren’t feeling quite yourself, remember?” He handed her the outfit she’d come in. A pair of slacks. Her professional, modest blouse. Her sensible shoes.

She looked down at her current outfit—tight crop top, too-short skirt—and her face drained of color. "This—this isn’t mine—"

“Must’ve been a mix-up, you were acting weird when you came here.” Chase said smoothly. “Just change. I think we’ll have more to talk about tomorrow”

Valeria didn’t argue. She stood, dazed, took the clothes, and disappeared into the bathroom. When she emerged ten minutes later, she was the image of Dr. Rivera again… at least on the outside. But her face was pale, eyes unfocused, like she’d just woken from a stupor she didn’t want to remember or rather couldn’t.

“Thank you for… I think I should go…” she mumbled.

“Here, these are for your clothes, I wouldn’t want to hold onto them” He said as he handed her a shopping bag. Valeria quickly studded the clothes she’d taken off into the bag.

“Thanks.” She said, her face red.

Chase simply nodded. “Of course, Doctor. Drive safe.”

She left in silence, and the door shut behind her.

Kendra, ever smiling, walked in from the kitchen with a glass of wine. "Will Miss Rivera return soon, Master Chase?"

He leaned back on the couch, lacing his fingers behind his head, a grin spreading across his face.

“Oh, she will. Tomorrow. We’ve got so much more work to do.”

Diego- At the Rivera House

The door creaked open just past sundown.

Diego sat up on the couch, the half-drunk coffee cup still on the table in front of him. He’d been waiting for hours—nervous, pacing at first, then just… sitting. Thinking.

She stepped inside, hair a little frazzled, makeup smudged at the edges. Her blouse, buttoned up unevenly. A shopping bag hung off her wrist, and she looked lost. Not drunk, not tired. Like someone who’d forgotten where they lived and just wandered home.

“Mom?” Diego asked carefully, rising to his feet.

She didn’t respond right away. Her eyes flicked to him, cold and sharp, and then back to the floor.

“Did you do your homework?” she muttered, brushing past him.

“I was worried,” he said, trying to keep his voice even. “You didn’t answer any of my calls. Or texts. Where were you?”

“Out,” she snapped, flinching like he’d tugged something inside her. “I don’t need to report my every movement to you, Diego.”

That one hit harder than it should have.

She never talked to him like that. Not like he was a nuisance. Not like she was ashamed of being asked about her wellness.

“I just—” he started, but she was already turning toward the hallway.

She tossed the shopping bag onto the ground. “I’m going to shower. Don’t go through my things.”

She disappeared into the bathroom, the door slamming shut behind her. The sound of running water followed seconds later.

Diego stood frozen.

He stared at the bag.

He shouldn’t look. He knew that. He should respect her privacy. Should wait for her to calm down and talk to him like she always did, like his mom. Like Valeria Rivera, the woman who held his hand when he was scared, who stood up for him just days ago.

But his fingers were already moving. Already gripping the paper handles.

He opened it.

What stared back at him was a nightmare, the same tight crop top from the photo Ethan had sent. The same miniskirt. Accessories—cheap jewellery, a pair of garish heels—jumbled around like they’d been tossed in carelessly.

His stomach twisted.

It wasn’t just a lookalike. It was her.

The photo wasn’t fake. She had been at the mall dressed like that. And next to her, plain as day, had been Chase.

Something was very, very wrong.

He sat back down, barely able to breathe. The sound of the shower was muffled by the walls.

He swallowed hard.

He didn’t know how, but he was going to find out what was happening.

Tomorrow… he was going to follow her.