**Chapter 80.Hot tears rolled down her cheeks as she spoke. The fact that he acted confused at first then accepted that he recalled all that night showed that Alberto was actually Juan’s father. The thought of this drove her more crazy.Isabella’s heart broke into pieces as she stared at the loser in front of her. He left her that night like a prostitute. He would have at least dropped a message or say something before leaving. She would have been able to communicate with him after she discovered that she was carrying his child.His careless and heartless decision almost ruined her entire life. If she had taken the wrong steps, it would end in disaster, not just for her but for Juan as well.“Is everything okay?” Luciano asked when he came to where they stood. He put a hand around her waist and drew her into his chest. “Sweetheart, has something bad happened? Did my uncle provoke you?”Don Alberto wanted to say no, he was not the one at fault, but he kept quiet, allowing the couple t
**Chapter 81.Isabella could not believe her ears. Was she dreaming? If she was, then someone needed to wake her up before it was too late.Luciano knelt in front of her with a diamond ring. She did not want to focus on the carats. A ring presented by him meant more than that to her. He just showed that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with them.Isabella was still speechless. Looking around, she found Manuela staring. Her friend seemed excited as she kept on urging her to say yes.Isabella already knew what Manuela's response would be if she was the one in her shoes. “If this is too soon for you, you should let me know,” Luciano said, interrupting her thought. He knelt down for a while now and her thoughts kept on distracting her.“No, it’s not soon. This is perfect,” Isabella smiled. She was supposed to be jumping in excitement because life gave her a second chance. Not many get this opportunity. A second marriage with the most handsome, wealthy, caring and loving man in th
Chapter 82.Mrs. Jimenez was in shock after hearing the news of Alberto from mama Rita. It was hard to believe, but she spoke with evidence. There was an extra video of him and Dora in a room. Despite the fact that they were no longer together and what they had was a brief romance, Mrs Jimenez felt jealous when she watched the video.Don Alberto was still looking young. Even though she was older than him, he was not supposed to look so fresh and young.Mrs. Jimenez began to wonder if the Marquez' family was in surgery. They never aged, no matter how old they were.“Alberto has not changed a bit. In fact, he is killing on social media. Women are so crazy about him,” mama Dora explained. She knew that the arrival of Alberto was a beginning of a new dispute between the Reyes and Jimenez. The more they fight, the chances of Luciano and Isabella getting together get slimmer.It would be more fun if Boaz Jimenez came home. She did not like the man one bit and if he was going to make Isabell
**Chapter 83.Mrs. Jimenez stood up from her seat. She was still in shock that mama Dora of all people would doubt her loyalty to Boaz. She loved him even more than she loved Alberto.Whatever happened between her and the Marquez was brief and stupid. It might have lead to something huge, but she never allowed it. After they broke up, they never contacted each other. And that was years before Isabella was born.“You are crazy for thinking that I will deceive Boaz,” she shouted in anger.“No, I’m not accusing…I-I was joking around, and you took it seriously,” mama Dora knew she had crossed the line. It was difficult to keep the woman calm and, after that, it would be more difficult to be by her side.“You think before you bluff it out,” Mrs. Jimenez crossed her arms in front of her chest. She wanted her to leave now.“That’s why I’m apologizing.”"Who cares about your apology that always come after you have annoyed me?"She was adamant and stubborn. These were the qualities that made
After hearing Alberto's explanation, Isabella found out that her father had been accused of what happened to Dora's dad. He told them that the morning before Dora’s dad died, he was with don Julio.Don Julio returned home that morning, and he went to pick Dora up from the farm. It was on his way that the car exploded. The car belonged to Mr. Julio, which means he was the one who was supposed to die, not Dora's father.Isabella knew her father knew her father had terrible and bad behavior, but he was no killer. She had never even heard from his enemies that he was a murderer. The fact that he was not there to defend or tell her the story drove her mad.It was clear that the Reyes did not like her family. They could come up with any story.“I don’t believe you,” Isabella said, as she shifted her gaze to Alberto. After he abandoned it for years, he would be the last person to believe in. He was nothing but a liar.He supported Dora right from the beginning. Isabella gave it some thought.
Chapter 85..Dora did not cause any problems. She gave Luciano his gift and returned to her position. A toast was made for Isabella and Luciano. They returned to partying.Alberto avoided Isabella the entire night. He was trying to digest everything that was going on today. If he heard Isabella correctly, they met at the club in Suncity. It was on the night the Reyes were partying there.Paul’s sister, who got married to a politician, celebrated her party over there. They spent the night there but left very early when the news of Teresa's mother’s accident reached them. It was shocking news, and they all had to leave the state.On that, he remembered that he had only met with a non-Spanish person. He could not remember his name because it was difficult to pronounce. However, he was sure that they would not spend the night together. In fact, he was weeping that night.Adela, who was the bane of his existence, reminded him that she loved Boaz more than him. There was nothing interesting
“Until I figure it out, this is going to stay between us, Rosa,” he pleaded, with his gaze shifting to Dora. From his little observation, he could see a love triangle. “You won’t tell anyone about it.”“Why?” Rosa tried to keep her voice calm. He should be telling this to her innocent brother, not her. “Luciano deserves to know the truth. She has been lying the whole time.”“But we can’t say anything to anyone until I have found out who made such a stupid mistake,” don Alberto explained. “You don’t understand what really happened. They met, and a child was born, but because of his father’s irresponsible actions, Isabella had to bring up Juan on his own. Who knows if that was the reason for her divorce? She must have gone through a lot of pain. Come on, think about it.’Rosa gave it some thought. Her brothers were wild at the beginning, and it could be that one of them was the reason why things went sour for Isabella in life. “So you think Juan is not her ex-husband’s?”“Yes, beautiful
Life has never been more difficult for him than this. He ran his hands through his red hair before glaring at the woman sitting on the sofa. Rodriguez knew that he would have been a failure if he had listened to the advice Sheila gave him. She was a bad wife material. Sheila had a greedy nature and never hid it. She demanded money each day and when he complained, she gave an excuse that it was his baby's demands. Of course, he loved the child even though it didn’t look like him a bit. From the day the baby boy was born, his mother kept on telling him that a paternity test should be carried out on the child, but he never obeyed her. His mother did not like Sheila from the beginning and that’s why she arranged his marriage with Isabella, daughter of Jimenez Boaz. Of course, it did not last long because he went back to his first lover.Sheila was the bane of his existence, yet she drained and changed his life. The woman made him go bankrupt, and now he did not look better than the b
Chapter 75.“Mother, you tricked my son” Isabella reminded her mom when she got downstairs. By now, Juan had already finished two slices of pizza. His grandmother poured juice into a glass and gave it to him.“I didn’t, your son fell for my pizza,” Mrs. Jimenez told her. She ran her hand through his hair and kissed him. “You will always be my favorite.”'Not after you find out he is a Marquez', Isabella muttered to herself. She was already dressed. Manulita had a few calls to make upstairs. As for Juan, he gave her the double work. She had to change his outfit.“Juan, come here,” Isabella called and when he came, she whispered “your daddy is waiting. Can we go and change your clothes?”“Yeah,” Juan jumped. However, he did not drop the piece of pizza in his hand. He bit it and rushed to where his grandma was and handed it over to her. He ran back to his mom and they went upstairs.Quickly, she changed his clothes and they headed out.The driver was asked to stay behind. Isabella did no
Chapter 64.She still wore her night dress. Her eyes barely opened as she asked the question. Her face looked more like it had received several slaps while asleep. “Who is Juan's father? She asked again.Isabella froze. Her lips parted, but no word came out. For a second, she thought her heart would come out through her mouth. It was beating faster than a drum. She felt her pulse quicken. If it dared to stop, it would be the end of her.Over the years, she managed to hide the truth from Mrs. Jimenez and everyone in Santa Marta. It was going to be hell for her and Juan if the truth came out. How will she face her mom? Will the poor woman be able to bear the news? What if she gets another heart attack after knowing the truth?“Eh… We were talking about Rodriguez, aunt” Manuela lied. Beads of sweat appeared on her forehead. Her palms were also sweaty. She shivered at the thought of Mrs. Jimenez found out the truth. The old woman may never forgive her daughter for it.“Rodriguez?” Mrs Ji
After dinner, Isabella took Juan to his room. It was a small room filled with the wallpaper of captain man. He also drew his dreamed family. He always wanted a dad to be presented in his life, and she knew the boy was right. He deserves a father.“Mom, where you scared today?” Juan asked as they sat on the bed beside each other. His mom looked at him with tears in her eyes. She had no idea what to say to him.“I-I was scared at some point. But your mom is strong. Do you know that?” Isabella said, fighting the tears.“Well… I got scared too, mom” he told her. “Grandma said it’s okay. Everyone gets scared at some point in life, and it doesn’t matter. We are all fine now.”Isabella was speechless. She didn’t know when the hot tears rolled down her cheeks. Her boy has grown so big with a good sense as well. She knew exactly what he was trying to do. He wanted to make her feel better just the way his godmother, Manuela, would do.Juan saw the tears rolling down his mom’s cheeks. He wondere
Luciano arrived just in time for Paul's funeral, his heart heavy with grief but filled with determination to honor his cousin, his brother, in the best way he could.The sun was hidden behind clouds, casting a grey light over the crowd gathered at the cemetery. The entire town had come to pay their respects. Friends and family, dressed in black, stood together, whispering condolences and recalling fond memories of Paul.Even friends from abroad had flown in, further testament to how much Paul had meant to so many people.Luciano looked around at the faces of the people, some who had known Paul since childhood, others who had only crossed paths with him later in life.They all shared the same somber expression, united by the loss of a man they admired and loved. The air was thick with sorrow, but there was also a quiet reverence, a collective determination to honor Paul in the way he deserved.The ceremony was simple but heartfelt. A local priest led a brief prayer, offering words of co
The air was thick with tension as Luciano drove away from the villa, leaving the preparations for Paul’s funeral behind.The road ahead blurred in his vision, but his mind was clear. Today was the day of Paul’s funeral, a painful farewell to the cousin who had been like a brother to him.But there was one more matter that needed to be settled before he could say goodbye properly. He was heading to the prison yard, where Rodriguez was awaiting execution. The day of reckoning had arrived.Luciano gripped the steering wheel tighter as he approached the prison gates. The sun was just beginning to rise, casting long shadows across the barren landscape.He could feel the weight of what was about to happen, but there was a sense of grim satisfaction in knowing that justice would finally be served.Rodriguez’s death would never bring Paul back, but it would close a chapter that had been filled with betrayal and pain.As the guards escorted him through the sterile halls of the prison, Luciano k
*****The afternoon sun poured softly through the windows as Manuela, Isabella, and Luciano sat around the dining table, their faces marked by a quiet sadness.The house felt different since Paul’s passing, quieter, as if even the walls were mourning his absence.The weight of his death still hung heavy in the air, but today they needed to focus on something else—Paul’s upcoming funeral.“We have to make it special,” Manuela said, her voice barely above a whisper. She had been crying on and off for days, her heart still breaking at the thought of losing Paul so suddenly. “He deserves the best, after everything.”Luciano sat silently for a moment, staring down at his hands. It was still hard for him to think about Paul without feeling a sharp pain in his chest. His cousin had been more than family; he had been a brother, a friend, and a source of strength. “He does,” Luciano finally agreed, his voice thick with emotion. “I want his funeral to reflect how much he meant to all of us. He w
**Two weeks had passed since the accident, and Juan was finally ready to leave the hospital. The doctors had been impressed by his recovery, considering how serious the injuries had been.Now, the hospital room was filled with a sense of relief and anticipation. Isabella and Luciano sat by Juan’s bedside, the weight of everything that had happened slowly lifting, replaced by the joy of seeing their son healthy again.Juan, now more energetic, sat up in bed, swinging his legs back and forth as he played with a toy car Luciano had brought him the day before.His eyes darted between his parents, excitement bubbling beneath the surface. He was finally going home, and for the first time in his young life, he fully understood that Luciano was his father.The bond between them had grown stronger in the days since the truth came out. Juan, who had always been attached to Luciano, now clung to him even more.“Are we leaving soon?” Juan asked, his voice full of hope.Isabella smiled, gently str
Luciano sat in the dimly lit living room, his mind spinning as he tried to process the news.The revelation that Rodriguez had conspired to kill him, along with Dora, his so-called lover, was beyond anything he could have imagined.Manuela and Isabella sat nearby, equally shaken, as the weight of everything they had just learned hung heavily in the air.The silence between them was thick, filled with disbelief and the echo of unanswered questions.They had never once suspected Rodriguez or Dora of being capable of such malice. Rodriguez, yes—he was a volatile man, full of jealousy and bitterness—but Dora? Sweet, quiet Dora, who had always seemed so devoted to Luciano? It didn’t make sense.“I still can’t believe it,” Manuela whispered, her voice barely audible. “I never liked Rodriguez, but I didn’t think he would go this far.”Luciano’s face was tense, his brow furrowed in deep thought. He had been sitting in the same spot for hours, staring off into space, trying to make sense of eve
****The tense silence in the hospital waiting room was shattered when Rodriguez stormed in, his face twisted in anger.Dora trailed behind him, a smug look on her face as she watched the tension rise. He had just heard about the accident, and without bothering to gather all the facts, he immediately set his sights on Isabella."This is all your fault!" Rodriguez bellowed, pointing an accusing finger at her. "How could you be so careless, Isabella? You were supposed to take care of him, and now look what’s happened to my son!"Isabella's heart pounded in her chest as the words hit her. She had been struggling with guilt and worry ever since the accident, but hearing Rodriguez hurl those accusations at her in front of everyone felt like a slap in the face.Luciano, who had been sitting beside her, clenched his fists but said nothing. He knew better than to escalate the situation with Rodriguez, but his silent fury was evident.Isabella stood up, her eyes blazing with a mixture of anger