Start the day at the spa.

The morning arrived with the gentleness of an executioner. Magi dressed in civilian clothes—baggy jeans and a hooded sweatshirt—but every movement felt like a betrayal. The black paper bag lay on her bed like an accusation. She couldn't postpone it any longer.

With cold, clumsy fingers, she took off her clothes. The air of her small apartment goosebumped her skin. Then, she took out the bikini. The black fabric, soft and cold, fell like a shadow over her hands. Putting it on was an uncomfortable and revealing process. The thin straps of the top knotted with difficulty behind her neck and back, leaving large expanses of her side torso completely bare. The fabric triangle in the front was meager, and the knot at the back felt like a **** pressure point. The thong, a simple strip of fabric, adjusted to her hips with a precision that was both constrictive and expository. Looking at herself in the mirror, she didn't see a woman ready for a spa day. She saw a diagram of her own body, enhanced and packaged in black silk. She felt incredibly exposed, even while fully dressed over it.

She put her civilian clothes back on, but the sensation didn't disappear. Every brush of the sweatshirt against the bikini was a reminder of what she wore underneath, of the obscene armor Costa had imposed on her. It was like wearing a dirty secret stuck to her skin.

At 10:00 sharp, a discreet but clearly expensive black car pulled up in front of her building. It wasn't Adrián's sports car. Magi held her breath, expecting to see him. But when the rear window rolled down, it was Valeria's fresh, smiling face that appeared.

"Magda! Hi!" she shouted, with genuine enthusiasm. "Get in, get in. Adrián sends his apologies, a last-minute emergency with a client abroad. He won't be able to make it. But he insisted we shouldn't cancel. He says I need the day off more than anyone!" Her smile was wide and seemed sincere.

Relief so intense it almost made her dizzy flooded Magi. He wouldn't be coming. She wouldn't have to face him, wouldn't have to perform under his lascivious gaze. It would just be Valeria. She nodded, forcing a return smile, and got into the car.

"That's a pity," Magi lied, sounding disappointed.

"Oh, don't worry," Valeria said, waving a hand. "It'll be more fun this way, just girls. Adrián can sometimes be a bit... intense."

The ride was surprisingly pleasant. Valeria spoke of her work at an art gallery, of her travels. She was intelligent, funny, and seemed completely oblivious to her brother's dark side. Magi found herself, despite herself, relaxing a little. It was easy to forget, for moments, why she was really there.

"He's been... different, since he met you," Valeria commented suddenly, looking out the window. "Less cynical. It's good for him."

Magi didn't know what to say. Was it possible Adrián had a genuine side? Or was it all part of an elaborate façade for his sister? Adrián's absence added a layer of confusion. Was this a true coincidence, or a calculated move on his part?

Upon arriving at 'Oasis', the place was even more imposing than she had imagined. A building of clean lines and glass, surrounded by impeccable gardens. The air smelled of exotic flowers and expensive serenity.

In the locker room, reality hit Magi again. While Valeria changed unconcernedly, putting on an elegant but discreet bikini, Magi locked herself in a cubicle. Upon taking off her sweatshirt and jeans, the exposure was instant. The black bikini seemed even smaller and more revealing under the bright spa lights. She wrapped herself in the soft white robe provided, but the thin fabric hid nothing. It felt as if she were wearing a neon sign.

When she came out, Valeria was waiting for her.

"Wow, that bikini is... daring," she commented, with an arched eyebrow. "Adrián told me you were daring, but I didn't think that much," she added with a smile that wasn't mocking, but admiring. "It looks great on you, but I don't know if I'd have the courage to wear something like that. You go ahead!"

The mention of Adrián set off an alarm in Magi. What had Adrián told his sister about her? What version of "Magda" had he sold her? A conquest? An easy girl? She felt shame burning her cheeks, forcing a weak smile.

They walked toward the thermal pools, an outdoor complex of turquoise waters surrounded by lounge chairs and palm trees. The place was quiet, with few clients at that hour.

And then, something strange happened. Without Adrián's threatening presence, the day began to transform. The hot water truly soothed the tension in her muscles. Valeria was pleasant company, chatting about art, books, things that had nothing to do with hostess clubs or money laundering. For the first time in weeks, Magi felt a glimmer of normalcy. She actually laughed, relaxed her shoulders, and for brief moments, the black bikini ceased to be a uniform of humiliation and was just a swimsuit, albeit a scandalous one.

But the tranquility was a mirage. In a moment of silence, floating in the hot water, Valeria looked at her with curiosity.

"Hey, Magda... how did you end up working in a place like Ébano?" she asked, with sincere curiosity, without malice. "You don't seem... well, you don't seem like the type of girl who usually ends up there."

The question, asked with innocence, hit Magi like a bucket of cold water. The façade of normalcy cracked instantly. What could she say? What lie would be credible? The mission, Costa, the real reason for her presence there, suddenly weighed on her shoulders more than ever. The spa was no longer a refuge. It was another minefield, where an innocent question could make her blow up. Adrián's absence hadn't freed her; it had only changed the nature of the trap.