44NEXT DAY: BRIAR HIGH SCHOOL***“Brett,” Isabella called out as she chased after Brett when class was over. It was her only opportunity to talk to him and find out why he had been avoiding her.“Brett,” she called again. This time, he stopped running but didn’t turn to face her.“Shouldn’t you be with your boyfriend, Ace?” he replied, his voice tinged with jealousy.“Is that why you didn’t reply to my messages and have been avoiding me? Seriously, Brett, I thought we were friends. I thought you were different,” Isabella said, her voice full of disappointment.Brett finally turned to face her. “What do you expect from me? To just compliment you while you’re with another man? Fine, you looked breathtaking that night. You always do, Isabella, and damn, I—” He stopped himself when he realized he was saying too much.“I don’t even know what’s wrong with me,” he mumbled, and Isabella just stared at him, speechless.“I’m sorry if I scared you,” he sighed and began to walk away.“Did you me
------45------LUCIA'S PLACE **"The dry cleaner is this way, but just drop it there. My help will arrive soon and take care of it," Lucia said, leading Camila upstairs."Are you sure I can't just do it?" Camila asked, looking uncertain."Come on, you’re a queen! Does Alejandro let you do these kinds of things back in New York?" Lucia raised an eyebrow."Well, no, he doesn’t, but…""So, don’t worry about it," Lucia said, grabbing Camila's hand and leading her down the stairs. "You know, I wish to get married one day. I know your marriage didn’t start with love, but there's no denying the love you both have for each other now," Lucia sighed."Do you have someone you’re seeing?" Camila asked. Lucia shook her head."What about Chandler?" Camila asked again."Oh my!" Lucia burst out laughing."Did I say something wrong?" Camila blinked innocently."Chandler is my brother," Lucia said amidst laughter, and Camila's eyes widened."I’m sorry! I didn’t know that," she mumbled."It’s cool, we’
46"Oh my…" Lucia pretended to faint."How do I look?" Camila asked, looking unsure."So hot! If there’s something hotter than hot, then you look like fire. Damn, I’m not Alejandro, but I’m already speechless," Lucia admired her.The black lingerie had plenty of mesh and sexy belts. It was perfect for Camila’s body, showing off her curves and long legs, making her appear more seductive than usual."Trust me, Alejandro won’t be able to resist you. We’re taking it," Lucia told the worker."No, we’re not," Camila shook her head."Yes, we are!" Lucia argued. "Don’t you want to drive Alejandro wild and see him worship your body? Don’t you want to see that man on his knees? Camila, you’re the only one who has the power to do that!" Lucia persuaded her."I’ve never done this before," Camila mumbled."And that’s why you have me," Lucia winked.Camila reluctantly took off the lingerie, and they both went to the cashier to pay. The line wasn’t long, but Camila kept talking to Lucia about why li
47“Camila…” Alejandro gulped, his heart racing. “What are you wearing?” He asked, even though he could already see it, his mind too scattered to process anything clearly.“Do you like it?” Camila asked seductively. A plate of cherries sat next to her, and she picked one up, slowly putting it in her mouth, sucking on it teasingly.“Fuck…” Alejandro’s voice trembled as he wiped his eyes, making sure he wasn’t dreaming. He confirmed it; he was still sitting on his bed, wide awake, as he moved towards her.“What are you doing, Camila?” He placed his hands on her face, gently caressing her. “If this is some kind of stunt, you’ll regret it.” His thumb traced her lips, and she opened her mouth, sucking on it slowly.Alejandro’s eyes darkened with lust, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed hard. "You’ll really regret this, Camila,” he muttered, pulling her head toward him for a deep kiss. His tongue invaded her mouth, exploring, desperate to get deeper.Camila’s fingers tangled in his ha
48 She was tight, making it difficult for him to go in."Damn it, Camila, am I the first man?" he asked, unable to stop himself. Camila shyly nodded.His excitement surged alongside something else—something he couldn’t quite identify. He kissed her deeply, pouring his gratitude into it."Thank you for trusting me, Camila. If it’s too painful, push me away, okay? It’s going to hurt a lot," he mumbled, pushing himself in a bit more."Ouch!" Camila cried out, her face contorted in pain. Alejandro paused, giving her a tender look."Keep going, I can take it," she assured him, her voice wavering."I promise it’ll feel better soon," Alejandro murmured as he thrust fully inside her. Her cries filled his ears, but he wiped her tears and began moving gently."It’ll feel good, I promise," he whispered, thrusting deeper. "You’re so good, babe, so divine," he gasped, his movements quickening.Camila cried until his words started coming true. Pleasure began replacing the pain, and she clutched hi
49BRIARWOOD SCHOOL** Isabella had just finished arranging her books in her locker when she turned around, only to find herself face-to-face with Elijah."Isabella, I need to talk to you," Elijah said, his eyes filled with remorse.She rolled her eyes, attempting to walk past him, but he blocked her path."I know I was a jerk, but I really need to talk to you. Please," he pleaded, grabbing both her hands. "I miss you... I miss us," he added hopefully."Us?" Isabella raised an eyebrow. "Was there ever an 'us'?""I know I messed things up, but—""You're with Valeria now, and I'm with your buddy, Ace. Do you even have common sense?" Isabella’s tone sharpened, her irritation growing."I—""If Ace finds out about this, he’ll never forgive you. Honestly, I didn’t expect this from you, Elijah. Thank God nothing happened between us." She shook her head, walking away. Before leaving completely, she turned back to give him one last incredulous look.Elijah rolled his eyes and began to leave w
50Camila stared at Lucia, speechless. "Love?" she repeated. Alejandro could never love her. They hadn't married for love, and the thought troubled her. What if this was all part of his revenge? A cruel way to make her feel something, only to remind her of what she did years ago.Her chest tightened at the thought. "I don't think it's love. We just had sex, that's all," she mumbled."Keep lying to yourself. You’re both in love with each other, but neither of you wants to admit it. Are you seriously trying to tell me that after all this time with Alejandro, you don’t feel anything for him?" Lucia moved closer, eyeing her curiously.Camila blinked. "We’ve just grown closer, that’s all.""Fine," Lucia said, folding her arms. "Tell me what happened after last night.""He went for a morning run, and I woke up late. He wrote me a letter asking me to meet him downstairs, and," she smiled at the memory, "he tried to cook pancakes. They were terrible, and he almost beat himself up over it for
51Camila was brushing her teeth, gazing at her reflection in the mirror, when Alejandro came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She didn’t flinch or acknowledge him, continuing to brush her teeth in silence."How are you feeling this morning?" he asked softly.She remained silent, causing him to sigh."If I told you where I was last night, you'd never believe me," he muttered.Camila spat the toothpaste from her mouth, turned, and folded her arms beneath her chest, fixing him with a serious look. "Where were you? I waited all night, but you never showed up. Then suddenly, I wake up to find you sleeping next to me," she said, her tone sharp."At least tell me you ate something," Alejandro pleaded, his expression softening."I don’t have much of an appetite when I’m worried about someone," Camila replied, rolling her eyes as she washed her face. She left the bathroom, but Alejandro followed closely behind."You must be hungry. What do you feel like eating this morning
99 (Final)SOME DAYS LATER: RUIZ ROYAL ESTATE**Alejandro sat at his desk, engrossed in his work, ignoring the persistent knocking on his office door. Finally, Diego stepped in."Good afternoon, boss. I hope you had a good night," Diego greeted, holding an envelope in his hand. "I won’t take up much of your time. I just came to drop this."Diego placed the letter on Alejandro’s desk."I promised that once I helped take Rafael down, I’d leave right away. Now that I’m finally reunited with my family, I—""Look at these three dining options and tell me which one looks best," Alejandro interrupted, turning his laptop toward Diego.Diego blinked in confusion. Was Alejandro not even listening to him? He leaned closer to inspect the screen."They all look great, but this one in the middle stands out," Diego replied, pointing."Good. I want you to book it for tonight," Alejandro ordered, his tone dismissive."But, sir—" Diego started to protest, but Alejandro cut him off with a stern look."Y
98Alejandro paced back and forth in the hospital hallway, his anxiety growing with each passing second as he waited for the doctor to emerge from Camila's ward."You should sit, Alejandro. She's going to be fine," Sofia said softly, her voice filled with reassurance.He glanced at her but didn’t reply. Just then, the door creaked open, and the doctor stepped out. Alejandro’s face lit up with a mix of worry and hope."Mr. Alejandro Ruiz," the doctor called."What's wrong with Camila, Doctor?" Alejandro asked, his voice laced with panic."She's going to be a mother, and you're going to be a father. She's four and a half weeks pregnant," the doctor announced with a warm smile.Alejandro froze."What? Can we see her?" Isabella asked eagerly."She's sleeping right now, but you can visit her once she wakes up," the doctor replied before walking away.Isabella and Sofia hugged each other joyfully, their faces glowing with happiness. They turned to Alejandro, who still looked stunned."Come
97SOME DAYS LATERThe alarm blared endlessly, and to Camila, it sounded like wedding bells. But instead of excitement, it brought a heavy sense of dread—a nightmare she wished she could wake up from.“Miss, it’s time,” the maid said softly, gently tapping her shoulder.Camila groggily opened her eyes. A wedding gown stood prominently on a mannequin, and hairstylists and makeup artists were already bustling in the room, preparing for the day.“Congratulations, ma’am, you’re getting married today,” they greeted her in unison. She forced a smile in response, though her heart weighed heavily.Dragging herself to the shower, Camila let the water cascade over her. She tried to gather her thoughts but couldn’t stop the questions swirling in her mind. How did it come to this? How did everything go so wrong?Realizing she had been in the bathroom longer than expected, she quickly turned off the shower and wrapped herself in a robe. As she stepped out, the room was empty—the dressers had gone.
96"Yes, I’m pregnant, and I came here to see George’s family. It’s a long story, Mom. Please, let me explain later," Lucia replied, cutting the call despite her mother’s protests.She met George, who was chatting with his mother."Lucia, my dear, you’ve been standing for a while. Would you like to sit?" Juliana asked with her attractive Polish accent."I’m good," Lucia replied."No, dear, please sit," Juliana insisted, guiding Lucia to a chair. "Pani Karolina, please bring Lucia some tea," she instructed, and Karolina appeared moments later with a steaming cup of tea."Hang in there, Mrs. Lucia Williams. The food will be ready in a moment," Karolina said kindly."Thank you," Lucia smiled and turned to face George."Darling, can I talk to you for a second?" she asked."Sure, I’ll excuse you both," Juliana said, stepping away.George sat beside Lucia. "Honey, what’s the matter?" he asked."My friend Camila isn’t doing well. Her family is being held captive by Rafael Marcus, and she’s g
95FEW DAYS LATER**A few days had passed, and a lot had happened. Alejandro left Camila with Rafael and returned to his company. The place was desolate; nearly everyone had resigned, and he had lost most of his contracts but couldn't do anything about it.It was the usual, uneventful day. Alejandro stood in front of his window, staring into nothingness. The company was empty. He had no idea where to start or how to convince anyone to return, but that wasn't what was truly bothering him.He still couldn't believe he wasn't with Camila. He had signed the divorce papers and left her with Rafael. Even now, he still questioned whether he had made the right decision. He wasn't a fool; he knew why she said what she did. Rafael probably had her family under his control in some way, and Alejandro wouldn't be selfish enough to let him hurt them."Boss," a familiar voice called. Alejandro didn’t bother turning to look at the person."You should be lucky I haven’t had you arrested yet you still
94"Is she really worth it, Alejandro? Everything you’ve worked so hard for—your company—does it mean more to you than her?"Alejandro glanced at Camila, then at the documents, torn between two impossible choices."You're wrong, Rafael! I didn’t just think about it—I worked hard for that company. I deserve everything. Every damn thing!" Alejandro yelled, his eyes reddening with rage."No, you didn’t, you bastard! Everything belongs to me! Grandpa was supposed to give it all to me, but I don’t know why you came along and ruined everything!" Rafael shouted, then turned to Camila."He didn’t tell you much, did he? He never told you how he barged into my life, stole the affection of my family, and convinced them to change the will," Rafael said angrily."I didn’t have anyone change anything!" Alejandro shot back. "Everything happened because apparently, everyone was okay with it. I did more good for your family than you’ll ever admit."Even though Camila was gagged, her confused and curio
93Camila felt her head pounding as she struggled to open her eyes. She realized she couldn’t move her hands or legs and felt an overwhelming sense of discomfort. Her eyes finally fluttered open, and her heart nearly stopped.She was tied to a chair, positioned dangerously close to the edge of a steep cliff. Before her, several men knelt on the ground, their faces familiar from earlier."Baby, you're awake," Rafael said, stepping closer to her. He gently touched her face, his fingers brushing the bruise beneath her eye."Does it hurt?" he asked softly.Camila remained silent, too terrified to respond, her mind racing to guess what Rafael had planned."Which one of these men hit you?" Rafael asked, his tone icy as his gaze shifted to the men.Camila hesitated, her eyes slowly scanning the group. The man in the middle looked petrified, but she reluctantly pointed at him.Rafael smiled, ruffling her hair affectionately before grabbing the man by his collar and yanking him to his feet."W
92 George turned, his face lighting up with a mixture of joy and worry.“Baby,” he greeted, walking over and giving her a quick peck on the lips.Perri scoffed audibly and looked away.“Why are you up so early?” George asked, concern lacing his voice.“I’m not that early,” Lucia said, pouting slightly.“You should still be in bed, resting like the princess you are,” he said, touching her stomach gently. “Are you hungry?”“You’ve been feeding me so much lately, George. I might lose myself,” she teased.George smiled. “You could never lose yourself in my eyes. Look at your skin—you’re glowing already,” he said, leading her to the kitchen.“So, what are you up to?” Lucia asked as they entered.George sighed, setting water to boil. “I’ve been thinking about what your dad said—about whether I can provide for you and the baby—and I’ve made a decision.”“What decision?” she asked curiously.“I’ve always wanted to be a chef, and I’ve been saving for years. I’m planning to open a small roads
91 THERESA'S HOUSE***“Careful,” George said, holding Lucia’s hand as she stepped out of the taxi.“I’m fine, George. I can manage,” Lucia replied, smiling softly. Since discovering her pregnancy, George had been overly protective, not even letting her handle simple tasks.As they entered the house, George began, “Mom, we’re—” but stopped abruptly when he saw Lucia’s father seated on the couch. Instinctively, he positioned himself in front of her.Mr. Landon smirked. “Hiding my daughter from me, George? You didn’t think I’d find you?”“I’m not going anywhere with you, Dad. I’m surviving just fine without you,” Lucia said through clenched teeth.“Surviving? Look at yourself, Lucia! Your clothes, your skin—you’re barely holding on,” Mr. Landon retorted, disgusted.“I don’t care! I look better than ever, and I’m staying here,” Lucia snapped, standing her ground.“You don’t belong here, Lucia. It’s not too late to come back home—where you belong,” Mr. Landon insisted.“If she believes st