85 — Just let her go.

PEDRO

I had never regretted anything more in my life than agreeing with my father to let Louisa stay with me. It was one thing to agree to marry her to protect my mother's secret, which my father had threatened to expose if I didn't.

But it was another thing entirely to actually let her into my home. The whole situation was like a bad dream that I couldn't wake up from.

I knew that avoiding Selena was causing her pain, but I couldn't bring myself to face her. Every time I saw Louisa, I felt like I was betraying Selena all over again. I hated myself for the way I was treating her, but I didn't know what else to do. I was stuck between a rock and a hard place, and I didn't know how to make it right.

The door to my office creaked open, and without even turning to look, I knew it was Roy. I could hear his footsteps crossing the room, stopping only when he was right beside me. The air was heavy with tension, and I could feel his gaze burning into my back. I took a deep breath, trying to s