Esmeralda's eyes went wide, and she felt a knot in her stomach as she realized she had exposed more than she intended. She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear—a gesture that betrayed her nervousness—as she tried to regain her composure."I..." she began to say, forcing her brain to scramble for an excuse, but her son's gaze only made her more nervous. Though she tried to summon the courage to speak, she couldn't, and her son's next words made it clear she had already been caught and had to admit the truth."You went to see her." It was more of an assertion than a question.Esmeralda let out a sigh of resignation, knowing there was no longer any point in hiding the truth. Her shoulders sank slightly as she nodded."Yes, I went to see her," she finally admitted, her voice barely a whisper. "I needed to meet her, to understand who this woman really was—the one who means so much to my granddaughter and wanted to separate her from us."Alejandro clenched his jaw, his green eyes flashing w

Sergio looked into her eyes, as if trying to read her thoughts. Amelia held his gaze, wishing she could be more honest with him, but the words remained trapped in her throat. Instead, she took a sip of coffee, enjoying the warmth spreading through her body, though it failed to ease the coldness she felt inside."Amelia," Sergio said, breaking the silence, "I expect you not to mention at my house that we have an arrangement, let alone our commitment from yesterday. I want them to believe we've been in a relationship all this time."Amelia nodded slowly."Thank you, Sergio," she murmured once more, her voice a whisper she could barely keep steady.Once ready, and having touched up her makeup, she looked in the mirror as she adjusted a simple blue dress, her eyes reflecting the confusion she felt.She was a woman trapped between her desires and her obligations, between her love for Anaís and the uncertain future Sergio offered—one that nonetheless guaranteed having back what she loved mo

Amelia froze when she heard Sergio's voice. Panic seized her as she realized he had witnessed her outburst against Manuela. Her eyes met Sergio's, which looked at her with a mixture of confusion and disappointment."Sergio, I..." Amelia began, but the words caught in her throat. How could she explain years of pain and trauma in just a few seconds?Manuela, for her part, seized the opportunity to play the victim in front of Sergio. She rose slowly, feigning pain and shock."I don't know what's wrong with her, I only wanted us to talk," Manuela said, her voice trembling with an air of apparent bewilderment. She pressed a hand to her chest, as if trying to calm herself, while directing a pitiful gaze toward Sergio. "I only tried to approach her to comfort her, but Amelia pushed me. I don't understand why she hates me so much."Sergio watched the scene in utter mystification. He could not reconcile the image of Amelia, always so calm and sensible, with the woman his cousin was describing.

Manuela watched Sergio walk away and let out a sigh of relief. She stood there looking after him with a mixture of curiosity and a touch of worry; she feared her cousin might help Amelia and uncover the truth. Amelia’s reappearance was making her nervous.She could not prevent memories of that day from rushing into her mind.A day before graduation, seeing Amelia arrive at school looking entirely victorious, Manuela could no longer contain her rage. Without hesitation, she planned the whole thing. Along with Naomi, she called their close friends: Harry, Joan, Giulio, and Jonás.Manuela smiled maliciously as she remembered how they had executed their plan.Graduation Night."Harry, you’re going to flip the breakers when I give you the signal," Manuela ordered in a cold, calculating voice. "And Joan, Giulio, and Jonás, you handle Amelia. Catch her, drag her to the bathroom, and there we’re going to give her what she deserves.""What are you going to do to her?" Harry asked."I’m warning

Amelia, for her part, was trying to maintain her composure, but her heart was hammering wildly. She couldn't help but look past Alejandro, desperately searching for any sign of Anaís, her little daughter. The thought of being so close to her and not being able to hold her broke her soul, which was why she didn't realize what was happening until she heard Sergio's annoyed tone."If you heard correctly, yes, Amelia is my fiancée," Sergio affirmed."Well, you certainly act fast, Amelia!" he said reproachfully, unable to hide his annoyance. "Come inside, please," Alejandro invited, stepping aside so both could enter. "I hope you enjoy the evening."Amelia wanted to talk back to him, but in the end she preferred to bite her tongue; a confrontation with him did not suit her. She had to be very clever, calm, passive.With a slight nod, Sergio stepped into the interior of the mansion, followed by Amelia, who couldn't help but cast a final glance at Alejandro. He merely watched them, his expre