76THE RED LION PUB***Camila had come here for her lunch break, but Alejandro’s cold reaction earlier kept playing in her mind. She sat at the counter, massaging her temples.“Can I get your best drink, please?” she asked tiredly.The bartender handed her a menu, and she ordered a cocktail. It was soon served, and she took a sip, trying to relax.“Drinking alone in the afternoon? Marriage troubles?” a familiar voice teased, taking the seat beside her.Camila didn’t need to look to know who it was.“Who said you could sit here?”“It’s a pub, Camila. Anyone can sit anywhere,” Rafael replied casually, eyeing her drink. “That looks refreshing. What’s it called?”“There’s a menu. You don’t have to talk to me,” Camila snapped.“We’re not enemies, Camila. I’m just rivals with your husband,” Rafael shrugged.“A rival who doesn’t know how to play fair. You should be ashamed,” Camila scoffed.Rafael smirked and turned to the bartender. “I’ll have what she’s having.”As the bartender prepared h
77Camila couldn't complete her words when Alejandro pulled her towards him and forcefully pressed his lips on hers, shutting her up with a kiss.She gripped his shirt tightly, trying to pull away, but he held her fast. His tongue delved deep, staking his claim as he kissed her with an unrelenting passion. By the time he pulled back, Camila was left gasping for air.Once she caught her breath, she didn’t hesitate—she slapped him hard across the face. Alejandro blinked, stunned. No one had ever dared to slap him before.Camila immediately regretted it, but her anger kept her from apologizing."You can't just kiss me and expect everything to magically be okay!" she shouted, her voice shaking with emotion. "It doesn't work that way!"Alejandro dropped his hand from his face, his expression unreadable. "Would slapping me again make you feel better?" he asked quietly."I just want to go home," Camila muttered, her voice soft but firm.Alejandro nodded slowly. "At least let me drive you.""
78••••••••••••••••••••••••••••BRIARWOOD SCHOOL**Isabella had just packed her books into her backpack, ready to leave the school as the day came to a close. Before she could exit the hallway, a familiar face she had been trying to avoid stepped in front of her."Isabella, we need to talk," Brett said."There’s nothing left to talk about, Brett," Isabella replied coldly, attempting to move past him. But he blocked her path again."I’ve given you enough time. I can’t stay away from you anymore—it’s killing me!" he said desperately, his eyes pleading with her."Then maybe you should go stay with Elijah instead," Isabella scoffed."Isabella, Elijah meant something to me, yes—I admit it. But he means nothing to me now. How can I make you understand? You're all I think about," Brett implored."That’s the problem, Brett—you don’t need to explain. I don’t want you or anyone in my life right now," Isabella responded firmly."And I respect that. But all I want is your forgiveness, Isabella. I
79LUCIA'S PLACE CONTINUED***“This isn’t up for discussion. Your mother and I have decided to move up the date of your marriage—sooner than you think,” Mr. Landon said firmly.“How soon?” Lucia whispered, her heart sinking.“Lucia, baby…” Mrs. Landon gave her a sympathetic look. “You’re getting married tomorrow.”“What?” Lucia almost screamed.“You left us no choice, Lucia,” Mr. Landon replied, his tone void of remorse. “You’ve been engaged to Fernando since you were a child. Why would you go and get involved with your bodyguard, of all people? The boy has no status!” he added, disappointed.“But it doesn’t matter, Dad. I love him,” Lucia cried.“You finally admit you love him, you foolish girl!” Mr. Landon shouted so loudly that he began to cough. Mrs. Landon rubbed his back to calm him down.“I don’t care anymore, Dad. I’m leaving this house and going to the man you despise!” Lucia said angrily, opening the door, but the guards blocked her path.“Move out of my way!” she demanded,
80“I didn’t push her,” Alan replied calmly.“I’ll ask again,” the interrogator said, pulling out a taser.“Officer, we had no relationship. The question you should be asking is why she was at my place so late at night, armed with a knife,” Alan said, giving him a cold, detached look.The interrogator motioned to an officer. “Bring his belongings here.”The officer returned shortly with Alan’s bag, which the interrogator emptied onto the table.“Why do you have her taser?” he demanded.Alan smirked but remained silent. The interrogator slammed his hand on the table. “Answer me, damn it!”"I took it so she wouldn’t use it on me," Alan replied."And why do you have a duplicate of her car keys?" the interrogator asked again.Alan sighed. "I had it because I wanted to talk to her. Why don’t you take my phone and check the video on it?" he said, tiredly.The interrogator took his phone and handed it back to Alan. "Open it."Alan unlocked the phone and showed the interrogator a video. "My r
81"Hi. Please, come in," George offered, stepping aside."No need. I just came to give you this," Chandler said, handing George a passport. "Go back to Mexico and forget about my sister. She’s getting married tomorrow.""What?" George’s eyes widened in shock. "That can’t be true. How could she be getting married tomorrow?" he asked, struggling to process what Chandler was telling him."It’s for our family’s sake, and you know you don’t fit anywhere in our world, George," Chandler said, gripping George’s shoulders. "I know you love my sister, but neither of you needs this, trust me."George slapped Chandler’s hand away. "You don’t get to tell us what we want or don’t want. She can’t get married tomorrow.""You know you’re a pretty awful big brother," George added, glaring at Chandler. "You really want your sister to marry Fernando? Playboy Fernando, who doesn’t understand what commitment means?" George asked in disgust."Get over it, George! She wouldn’t choose you anyway," Chandler r
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••BRIARWOOD SCHOOL**The students gathered in the hall to pay their respects to Valeria. Her picture was placed on a table surrounded by candles."This is the first time we've ever lost a student in such a tragic manner, and it breaks my heart just thinking about it," Principal Laurel mumbled sadly, standing beside the picture with a flower in hand."She was a really smart kid despite her misbehavior. She had the potential to become someone great, and I somewhat blame the school management for not doing enough to make sure our students were well-supported. Maybe if we had checked in on her, advised her, and talked to her when needed, she might have seen the light in things," Principal Laurel added with a sigh before approaching Valeria’s picture.She placed her flowers down and made the sign of the cross before stepping aside. Students followed in line until it was Isabella’s turn, the last and only one remaining.Isabella stared at Valeria’s picture for a w
83Breaking news: The female heir of the Landon family was spotted marrying her bodyguard at the airport.Numerous articles and news blogs reported on Lucia’s wedding. Some deemed it cool, while others thought it was outrageous."The Landon family is one of the most prominent and respected families. How could they allow their daughter to do this?""I heard she was already engaged to Fernando. So, she cheated on her fiancé.""This is by far one of the most ridiculous things I've ever seen.""I believe Lucia has every right to choose who she wants to be with. Can we normalize a grown woman making her own decisions?"The Internet was ablaze. Mr. Landon angrily turned off his plasma TV to avoid seeing the face of his shameless daughter."How could you let this happen?" he confronted his wife, his expression furious.Mrs. Landon struggled to find a response, but one thing she knew for certain was that she didn’t regret her decision. Her daughter looked genuinely happy, and that was enough
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