The doctor, Alfonso, hands him a hydrating drink that Santiago sips slowly as instructed by the pleased man."Seems like you're feeling better now, with what I gave you, you won't vomit anymore. And the shaking will pass in a while. Don't fall into that woman's traps again, my friend! I have to tell you, everything that comes from her is dangerous. See? You're already stopping shaking, soon you won't feel that discomfort.""I'm very glad, I don't like vomiting, I never have. And I feel better, thank you my friend. When I woke up, I didn't think clearly, I got scared and ran here even though you told me not to, don't worry, I'll make sure nothing happens to you. Damn it, I hate vomiting!""No one likes vomiting, Santiago. Now go, I have other patients to attend to, I'm not your personal doctor. Let me know if you feel anything, no matter what time it is, I'll come see you right away. Although I don't think I'll give you anything else. See you later and remember your appointment this w
He bends down and picks him up too. Isabella is listening to the doctor's explanations about the treatment and that she should have them tested for allergies to see if they are allergic to anything else. Marta accompanies her."You really scared me. They never get sick," says Isabella, holding the papers and following Christian, who is happily carrying the children in his arms. "Why did you give them Thompson? They are Sardino Giménez, Marta!""Did you forget the contract? I couldn't just give them your last names, Bella. Wake up! They are his children! We have to do everything right, everywhere, not just in front of your parents, or everything will fall apart," Marta says very seriously."True, I had forgotten!""And you have also forgotten that you have to fake some paternity tests to prove to his family that they are his," Marta continues, thinking of everything."Hey Marta, your mind thinks of everything! You're right, and since we're here, I'll tell Christian. Christian... Christ
She hugged her tightly, seeing how excited she was, and from that position, she observed Christian with the children seated on the kitchen counter, with a huge tub of ice cream open, and the three of them eating directly from it with spoons. She slowly turned her grandmother around, who, upon seeing the scene, started laughing."Leave them be, Bella. The three of them are happy."She moved forward until she was in the kitchen. Christian looked at her and continued talking with the children, who were telling him many things in French. He spoke it very well too, which surprised her, and he turned to her with a huge smile.“I just remembered that I speak French, Bella! I just remembered something else! Thank you, thank you so much for coming into my life, Isabella!” He stepped forward and hugged her, feeling emotional. She returned the hug, feeling happy for him. Maybe fate brought them together because they both needed each other, she thought, slowly pulling away. Christian held her b
He says it again like a good boy, and that makes me even more furious. He doesn't remember anything, how he made me suffer on my only free day away from my mother. The day I could do what I really wanted without being afraid of doing it wrong and my mother scolding me and punishing me without my father defending me. And I do remember everything very clearly now.I see Mima nodding her head, agreeing with Christian, who continues to smile happily while she serves him a piece of cake, which he begins to devour with tremendous pleasure. I have to make a great effort not to keep insulting him. "That was when you were children, Isabella," I repeated to myself over and over again, trying to calm my annoyance.Suddenly, my son jumps off his lap and runs towards me, saying with an expression of extreme happiness:"Dad said we're going to see our ponies today, Mom," Lucas practically shouts in front of me. "They're small horses like me, Dad says.""We have to work today, Lucas! It will be anot
We finished getting dressed, took everything we thought we would need, and off we went, looking like a happy couple. Christian at the wheel, me in the passenger seat, and my children in their seats in the back."How did you know the company is full of journalists?" I ask suspiciously, right now everything seems like a plan of his."The doorman called me.""What are we going to do now, Christian? I don't like all this fuss! If I had known you were so famous, I wouldn't have gotten you into this," I say, truly convinced of it, I should have found out first before proposing this to him."You didn't get me into anything, Bella," he replies very seriously. "I made the decision, I'm not going to lie to you, I'm very happy to do it.""Don't forget that it's all a show, Christian, and one day it will end," I remind him, but I get no response.We arrived at his house, he got out and released the children, as if it were something he did every day, they ran off ha
We went out the door that leads to a huge, beautiful dining room and immediately spotted her, standing in the middle of a field of all kinds of flowers. And she really looks very happy, she looks like a different person, as if she weren't sick, and she's even let her hair down, which is flying in the air carried by the wind. My grandfather discreetly wipes away his tears as he watches her, then comes to meet her, hugs and kisses her as if she were a young girl, she lovingly strokes his face and kisses him back in the same way. We turn our backs and leave them to enjoy their love."A love like that is what I want, Marta, the day I decide to love, I want it to be like that, like my grandparents'.""Me too, I'll try to find a love like that. So let's go and check out the whole ground floor while they're happy. We did the right thing coming here and doing all this. Just the fact that she's going to see her son again has made grandma bloom like a flower, Isabella,
"They never officially got engaged, though everyone assumed they would before the accident. But that's old news, and I doubt he's seeing her again. He's loathed her ever since he woke up. No one knows why.""Hmm, there might be an interesting story in what you're telling me.""Well, if you find out anything else, look at my card. I know someone who pays very well for stories about those two."He then heads towards a car where another man is waiting. He gets in and tells him everything he found out."And you say he introduced her as his wife?""Yes, sort of. He was holding her hand and said that if anyone needed him, he was having lunch with his wife. It could be a joke, knowing him. Maybe he's trying to get rid of Adele after her parents brought her here.""Yes, that's possible. But we need to be sure. You know the boss won't forgive us if we don't do the job right. Stay here, I'll go to the company.""Why? He's not there, I told you.""Don't
"Eva Sardino, my ex's mother, is the most self-interested person you can imagine. She was the one who came up with the idea of us getting married so that later, when Bella inherited everything from the Sardinos, we could take it away from her, because she's kind of silly. So if Christian met her, as it seems he did in France, and they got married there, you've lost the battle. Because, even though it's hard for me to admit it, Isabella is a good woman and deserves a good man.""Wow, anyone who hears you might think you're in love with her!""No, I'm not! But I'm not blind, and I like to face reality. She's not a gold-digger, and she doesn't need your fiancé's money, because she has plenty of her own. So if she's with Christian, it's because she truly loves him. That's what I want you to be clear about, she's not that kind of woman, and she doesn't need it! Because her grandfather's fortune may be equal to or greater than your boyfriend's.""Are yo
I watch him leave and I'm left feeling scared. I keep looking at the news in the newspapers and what they're saying about me is horrible, surely Dad will come when he sees this. What was I thinking? And my father-in-law? Will he be upset because I involved him in this plan? I just asked him to accompany me, I knew he would find them, he had them checked. He must know where Christian is, he has something to locate both of them."I won't stay here waiting for the police to come, I'll go to their room, I have to put on a good show, because if they implicate me in Christian's kidnapping, I'm finished. That must be Dad. I take my phone, and yes, it's him. He must have found out everything by now. What the hell was I thinking when I did that?! I take a deep breath and answer."Hello.""Can you tell me what on earth was going through your head to commit such a stupid act?!""Dad, let me explain, I didn't do anything, I just accompanied my father-in-law. The rest happened on its own.""Do you
As she speaks, she takes out everything she has. They reach the room where Christian is still asleep, having a very restless sleep. Doctor David immediately begins examining him; he has dealt with many cases like this in the association he works for. Santiago informs him of the type of drug Christian was given. At that Munent, Doctor Alfonso also arrives with the results of all the tests he conducted."We need to start him on a drip right away; we also have to give him all his medications. I managed to find out some but not all," Doctor Alfonso says."I have them here, doctor," Christie shows them again. "These are all the medications my brother takes, along with the dosages and how he takes them.""That's very helpful; pass me the information. I think you should all leave now and let the doctors take care of him."Everyone rushes out of the room, leaving the doctors engrossed in attending to Christian. Isabella is very scared, along with her sister. Marta starts making tea in the kit
At this moment, they are interrupted by Grandma Tania, who asks them to come for tea. Grandpa follows them immediately, inviting them to the living room. The children's laughter makes them turn their heads to see them running towards them. They arrive and throw themselves into their arms, kissing them happily."Grandpa, you came to see me!" exclaims Lucia excitedly."Yes, my girl, I came to see both of you. We came because your grandma also came to see you.""Does Grandma love us too?" asks Lucas."I have always loved you," replies Grandma as she leans in to kiss him. "You look just like your dad when he was your age.""Really, Grandma? Do I look like my dad?" asks Lucas excitedly."And me, Grandma, who do I look like?" Lucy asks in turn."You look a lot like your aunt, you even have dimples on your cheeks," Mrs. Thompson replies excitedly."Really, Grandma? Why are you crying?" Lucy asks."I'm not crying, I'm just excited and happy to see you.""Mun and Dad aren't here," says Lucas.
"Dad, I have to tell you something now that you said that.""What thing?" he asks as we walk towards the room where Chris sleeps."Yesterday afternoon, when we went to the market to buy clothes to go to the club, we ran into his parents, and my father-in-law..., my father-in-law...""What about your father-in-law, Bella? What did that heartless man do to you?"Upon hearing him shout furiously and seeing the terrible expression of hatred on his face, I become frightened and no longer think it's a good idea to tell him. However, I've already started and can't stop now. I will continue to trust my father as I did my secret friend. I won't hide anything from him; he seems to know Mr. Thompson very well."He was looking at me in a strange way, I thought he was comparing me to Adele, but... but... you know I don't have much experience with men, dad. But I think he was looking at me as a woman; I even saw him licking his lips while looking at my breasts.""Heartless womaniser! He hasn't chan
I don't know what to think or say right now. I told him so many things, shared my fears, talked about him, about Mum. Now I understand why my secret friend knew how I thought and understood perfectly without much explanation of what I told him, and gave me such good advice. I run towards him and hug him again, happy that he shows me in that way how much he loves me."Are you not upset?""No, I'm not.""Can I now be your best friend instead of your secret friend?""Yes, yes, Dad, I would really like that!" "Then answer me honestly all those questions I asked you." I pause, right now I want to tell him the whole truth, but I'm ashamed of what I did, going to the club, not knowing who the father of my children is, and above all, that Christian is not. I promised not to tell anyone, but Dad is no one; he's my dad! I slump into a chair not knowing what to do or say. It's not just my secret; I need to discuss it with Christian and even with Grandpa. For now, I'll tell him only what I can
Standing before my father, who observes me in silence, I patiently wait for him to speak. What does it mean that Christian is here in his house, and what did the doctor mean by that? He gestures for me to follow him into the study, and I do so quietly. He sits at his desk and switches on the computer."I want you to see this, Bella. Before I tell you anything, and for you to understand why your husband did what he did."I approach slowly, feeling like I'm about to witness something unpleasant, but I need to know. As I arrive, I see a video of a young man stumbling around a house, his gaze vacant as if he doesn't recognise anyone. I focus and realise it's not our house; it's another one. When the man turns, I see that it's my father when he was young. There's another person being taken away whom I can't recognise because their face is blurred."What does this mean, Dad?""That drug they gave your husband yesterday. That day, my girlfriend was supposed to meet me and disappeared; I neve
I catch Christian's face and kiss him, making him forget about them. I keep doing it for the rest of the night, even when we get into the limousine, I don't let go of him. We are all a bit drunk. But Christian instructs the driver to stop."Christie, take this key and go with David and Marta to the hotel where my company's party will be held.""Why my brother?" she protests. "I'm very tired! Whatever it is can wait until tomorrow.""I want to check something. Please, Chris, do as I ask," he turns when he sees she is really drunk. "Take care of them, David. Let's go, Bella."We get out of the limousine, which drives away, leaving us in the complete darkness of the street. Another car approaches, and we get in; it's one of the security guards' cars."Where to, boss?" the driver asks. I am also a bit drunk, so I just follow my husband without knowing what he wants to do."Take us to the estate," he orders very seriously, and I still don't understand. "I di
I jump to my feet and we head to the dance floor. He wraps me in his arms and we dance non-stop for over an hour, laughing and completely happy with my husband, who also seems to be enjoying himself. We return to our table to rest for a bit. The girls are lost, but we're not worried, they're well taken care of. I see Christian furrow his brow and follow his gaze, and I can't believe it. Adele is a little further away, with a woman I can't quite identify, but she seems familiar!"Bella, by any chance are you wearing something my parents gave you?" Christian asks suspiciously as he inspects me."No, my love, why do you ask? You know I don't like jewellery, I only have these earrings that are gifts from my mum and the ring you gave me, nothing else.""I'm starting to suspect that one of us has a follower who tells them where we are," he says as he takes another sip of his drink, still looking towards where she is. "You're ruled out, I don't have anyth
I go to Marta's room, who is clad in very tight black trousers that accentuate her beautiful body. Her hair is tousled and adorned with garments, reminding me of the wild girl I met in France."Marta! I almost didn't recognise you!" I exclaim, truly astonished to see her."Why haven't you dressed yet?" she asks, ignoring my exclamation as if it were nothing."I came to see what you were going to wear to match. I've never been to a nightclub, you know," I explain, unable to stop looking at her; she is truly beautiful. "Marta, you've really surprised me. You're very beautiful and you were hiding it.""Stop exaggerating, I just fixed up a bit. What do you mean you don't know what to wear? Bella, we bought you the clothes you should wear, put them on.""Don't you think it's too tight?""No!"At that moment, both she and Christie, who appears dressed almost the same as Marta but in gold trousers, say simultaneously. Mine are dark blu