She felt a shiver run through her bones as the cold breeze blew across her. Trying to keep her body in, she blinked her lashes a thousand times.It was not difficult to recognize Manuela. She did not change much after so many years. Her anger and intimidating gazes were the same. Sheila wanted to drive back but Paul was the only option. She would stay even if she had to deal with her.When Sheila got out of the car, she began to wonder what Manuela was doing in Santa Marta…and with Paul Reyes of all people? She did not like the fact that God kept tying her fate to Isabella and Manuela.She stood froze. Her eyes did not blink or close as they do whenever in shock. Manuela was coming at her with so much force that she did not see when the blow hit her. If not for Paul, she would have bounced on her immediately.“Both of you need to behave yourself,” Paul was embarrassed. The people around were beginning to pay attention to them. The night bar was the last place he wanted to be gossiped
Isabella dialed Manuela’s number to tell her that Rodriguez was in town. It was her mother that called him home. She did it without even telling them first.The call went through. She waited for Manuela to get her call, but she didn’t. It was strange. They hardly missed each other’s call.Isabella began to wonder what was going on. She looked at the picture Paul sent to him. He did not reply after she asked him the question. The boy’s face seemed familiar. She tried to remember where she had seen him. He was around Juan’s child. He looked so skinny.A few minutes later, Isabella decided to go downstairs and confront her mom. She would have been the one to call Rodriguez home not the other way round. She had the right to make major decisions concerning her life.Mrs. Jimenez was still on the couch. She finished talking to Rodriguez. They were going to arrive soon. She knew that Isabella was mad at her for talking to him about Juan. Later, she would understand that everything was done f
******Manuela was tempted to ask the boy who his father was, but Paul stopped her.“Maybe he doesn’t know, and we could be wrong, so don’t confuse the poor boy,” he told her. This could not be his son because Max looked like a child that had been through a lot of hardship.Paul Reyes promised that he would make Sheila's life unbearable if Manuela was right. The foolish woman kept the secret away from him for years. He did know that he had a son and his son did not know about his father.To make it worse, Max had been thinking that Rodriguez was his father.Paul looked at the screen on his phone. A message popped. It was from Luciano saying he would soon be there.He sighed and pressed the power button. His heart was still racing. Was Max truly his son? How was he going to cover up for all these years he had missed?He was never there when his son was born. When he took his first step or even said his first word.“I am not going to kill Sheila if it turns out to be the truth,” Paul Re
Chapter 107.Luciano stood at the door and watched the entire drama. How could she be so cruel? She hid the truth from Paul for so many years? Didn’t she feel bad for Rodriguez or Max? They have both been living a lie for years.Nonetheless, he was not surprised. It was Sheila. She could do anything to protect her selfish interests. She wanted no more than money. That’s why she brought Max to him. Rodriguez was broke, so he heard about the news.He never thought that Sheila would end up with that fool called Rodriguez. Luciano knew that the man had been once married at the time he was going out with Sheila. He knew no stories about his wife.Sheila told his cousins a lot of stories about this woman. How naïve she was and never suspected her relationship with Rodriguez. Also, the woman was barren.He wondered why any woman would endure such unfair treatment. She seemed like a good woman and any man would want her. Why would his wife let Rodriguez and Sheila play on her?“You never for
The next day, Isabella was getting ready for work when she got a message from Luciano. When she read it, it sounded so formal that she began to wonder if he was going to ever forgive her.“He called me Miss Isabella Jimenez?” She said as she put on her pink suit trousers. A frown appeared on her face as soon as she remembered the content of the message. “Luciano always call me Amor.”“He is angry, that’s why,” Manuela suggested. She knew that whatever was going on between them will be resolved soon. Her concern shifted to Paul Reyes. How was he doing?This was one of the most difficult times for him. The guy just found out he had a son with a woman he spent a night with. She hid it away from him for years and it devastated him.Manuela began to wonder…maybe Juan’s father really wanted to find Isabella but he couldn’t. They tried to find him too but there was no way to contact him.They also went ahead and told everyone that Juan was Rodriguez’ son. What if the DNA results comes today?
***Thinking of Juan, his school was on holiday. Isabella went into his room to say good morning to him. Unfortunately, he was still alive.Mrs. Jimenez lay next to him and placed her hand around his waist.Isabella smiled. It gave her joy to see that her mother loved him so much and she hoped it won’t change when she finds out that Juan was a Reyes or a Marquez.Mrs. Adela did not see any difference with the two families. Isabella saw her point as well.The families were the same…She laughed and closed the door gently.Today was going to a hectic day for her.**At the office, Isabella waited for hours for her boss to come. It seemed like he was avoiding her.Usually, he hurried to work because she was here but now that he was angry with her, he did not want to come around.The day wasn’t busy either. It made her idle and she had to think about her problems all over again. The doctor promised to message her as soon as the results were ready.But Isabella could not wait. She kept on c
*Chapter 104Luciano woke up late. He was with Max the entire night and came back home at the early hours of the morning. Poor boy, he was scared to sleep in a new environment. It was a bad thing that his mother did not notice it. In fact, she cared less of Max…it was easily to spot the hatred.“Good morning, sunshine,” Mrs. Julio entered the room with tray. She wore a baggy pants and green top. It was not difficult to spot the bump. It was becoming obvious. “How was your night?”“Mom,” Luciano was surprised to see her in his room this early. He looked at his clock and found out that it was already twelve noon. His eyes widened in shock. “its mid day.”“Yes, my baby,” she sat on the bed and placed the tray in front of him. She made breakfast especially for him.The aroma of the food caught his nose and he inhaled it “oh mine, mom…did the baby asked you to make this for her older brother?”Mrs. Julio laughed. She could not control herself and for the fact that he already chose a gende
**She stayed at the office all day but there was no sign of the boss coming. It was clear that he was avoiding her. Isabella took her bag and went to rest. There was so much going on right now in her life. Luciano getting angry for so long was the last thing she needed.The DNA results were not yet. Each time she gave it a thought, her heart skipped. What if it turned out that none of the Marquis or Reyes was Juan’s father? Everything will go back to stage one and she will have to go back to Suncity.It was already bad that Sheila and Rodriguez moved to Santa Marta. She needed the fact that she had to see them constantly. Over the years, the pain she once felt melted away. Aside from taking care of her family, her second concern was to find Juan’s father..As Isabella got down from the car, she noticed a strange vehicle parked closed to parking lot. It was difficult to guess the owner.She walked closer and was able to recognized the woman. Ana Gomez! Fear gripped her as she came fac
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