There is one last chapter and it will be in Mateo's pov.
Mateo's Pov. I always believed I was more lucky than unlucky. I was a homeless boy and then I was adopted by one of the richest families in the city that treated me like their own flesh and blood. I gained a family and it was more than an orphaned boy like me could dream of. I never knew struggle after Alvaro and I was grateful. This time my luck was up again. Maybe I was creepy for this but this was the closest opportunity I'd ever get to see her again. She had tweeted that she would be doing her medical practicals at Hôtel Dieu Hospital in France. I may have admired her from afar for years after I said my final goodbye but I promised her that she would see me again and we kissed one last time. Not a day passed that I haven't thought of her. I saw her in my dreams. From the day I met Julia I was drawn to her. It was like everything in my head just clicked from the moment I saw her in that little boutique. The programme was starting soon and I was stuck in a cab in traffic. I wa
I woke up to someone banging on my apartment door. "Jane!" It was my brother, "Jane please wake up. I'm in trouble." I got out of bed. I was sick of this. I knew why he was here. He only ever called or visited when he needed money. My brother was good at spending money and didn't have the same enthusiasm to work hard and make it. "Give me one good reason to open this door, Jason?" I yelled, putting on my robe. "They're going to kill me, JJ. Please." I sighed, opening the door. He pushed past me, his clothes were torn and his nose was bloody. "What the hell happened to you?" "I took some money." He wiped his nose. "How much is some?" I demanded. "Five..." "Five hundred dollars?" I questioned. He remained silent looking around the apartment. "Jason. How much did you take." "I fucked up big time." He ran a hand down his face. "Five hundred thousand," he said. My eyes widened. "What did you do with so much money!" "I paid my mortgage, my car..." "So what the hell do you want fro
With each step I took, getting closer to a man I wanted to run from. His icy glare settled on me and it felt like my skin was being pricked with a thousand needles.I stopped for a second, unable to take the intensity. I could feel the barrel of a gun being pressed against my back as his goon walked me down the aisle. I looked for the exits. There was only one door. "Easy there," his goon whispered in my ear, "it's either this or a funeral. You choose." I narrowed my eyes at the man- indicating for him to move the gun, the material of the wedding dress was thin and the gun was digging into my back. The goon looked amused, releasing the pressure he was putting on the gun. I continued walking, looking at all the smiling faces looking back at me. I wanted to scream 'help me' but something in me doubted they would. "Smile," the goon ordered. I put on my best smile but I couldn't promise its genuineness. We reached the alter and he handed me off to the groom -as if I was his to give a
It was hard for me to believe that this is what my life came to be. Married to Alvaro. It had been exactly one week since we wed. I thought about what Jason said. He was right the only chance I had was running. I stayed in my room all day, every day. I didn't have a phone or a laptop. No access to the internet. Just a TV. I felt more like a pet than a human. Cynthia one of the workers was the only person I spoke to.She even helped dress me for my wedding day. It helped that she had a nurturing persona. She reminded me of my nana. She always smiled at me, and it warmed my heart seeing her every day or just having little conversations with her. She would always stay a little longer each time she visited but then she would say she needed to get back to work.She brought me breakfast, lunch and dinner. I refused to leave the room— telling her to tell Alvaro I wasn't feeling well or was napping. He never came to check so I got away with it and after a while I guess he got the idea that I
I phoned the store manager apologizing for not being to work for the past week. She was a grumpy woman and she threatened to take it out of my leave days. I had no problem with that, as long as I got my job back. I got ready for work and walked out of the house to see Mat had already pulled the car out of the garage. He opened the passenger side door for me. "Thank you," I said and he jogged over to the driver's side. I felt excited to go back to work, and I wasn't going to let having a bodyguard stop me, but Mateo looked young— now that I sat next to him. He was tall, just an inch shorter than Alvaro. "So who is Alvaro to you?" I squeaked, hating the fact that I was sounding nosey. "Alvaro kind of adopted me when I was five years old," he said, "I tried to steal from him and he was so amused by it that I won his heart." "That's sweet of him." I didn't think Alvaro was the type to adopt a child or even care about children. Mat shrugged. "He's always been so good to me. He is a n
Alvaro's POVI had made a lot of bad decisions in my lifetime of thirty years. But I also made some good ones hoping it would save my soul. One of my good decisions happened to be Mateo. He was just a kid, I found him in a rough neighbourhood. He tried to pick my pocket and I just couldn't get over how young he was, too young to start leading a sinful life. Abuelo and abuela were happy to take him in. I read to him every night and I taught him how to read and write before he could go to school. When I bought this place it was his choice to come live with me. I was going to make sure he turned out to be a better man than I was. There was no hope left for me. When that clock ran out I knew my final destination. Abuelo said being an atheist helped but being a human, flesh, blood and unlimited intelligence to achieve the impossible had to mean there was someone upstairs pulling the strings. I walked down to the bottom cellars. Miguel had called me while I was still having dinner with
Jane's POVIt was Friday and I wasn't as excited as I used to be when it came to Friday after work. I looked forward to sleeping in and watching Netflix while eating junk food—which lead to self-loathing on Monday when my favourite pair of jeans wouldn't button— I liked taking long walks to the store on Sundays to get whatever groceries I needed for the rest of the week and then I'd organize my closet, picking out clothes based on what the weather was going to be. Now I could still do Netflix but it just didn't feel the same outside the comfort of my own home and every time I put on headphones to watch something it's like I could hear voices. Sometimes it was Alvaro screaming at someone, and recently it sounded like there was a man screaming in pain. I never explored the noises I heard. I was too afraid of what I'd walk into. I couldn't relax knowing something was going on in the house. I also didn't care about the weather anymore. I dressed how I felt. There was a hollow feeling
He was towering over me like the angel of darkness. He smiled wickedly and alluringly, so beautiful yet deadly. He knew what I was up to and he wasn't going to stand for it. "You want to run from me, darling?"I shook my head. He wouldn't let me go— I was his lottery ticket after all. "Somebody has to pay for what your brother took," he muttered. Jason was sitting in a chair and the scene changed. We ended up in his basement. The room was illuminated in yellow light. Alvaro pulled a pistol out of his coat pocket. "You will learn to take me seriously," he threatened. He pulled the trigger putting a bullet into Jason. "Alvaro!" I shot up from my bed. Catching my breath. My heart was pounding and I was sweating. "Interesting," I heard his voice and I looked up to see him leaning against the dresser. I screamed and he stepped out of the darkness. He clasped a hand over my mouth. It was still a little dark and I could see his eyes staring back at me. "Be quiet.""What are you doing in
Mateo's Pov. I always believed I was more lucky than unlucky. I was a homeless boy and then I was adopted by one of the richest families in the city that treated me like their own flesh and blood. I gained a family and it was more than an orphaned boy like me could dream of. I never knew struggle after Alvaro and I was grateful. This time my luck was up again. Maybe I was creepy for this but this was the closest opportunity I'd ever get to see her again. She had tweeted that she would be doing her medical practicals at Hôtel Dieu Hospital in France. I may have admired her from afar for years after I said my final goodbye but I promised her that she would see me again and we kissed one last time. Not a day passed that I haven't thought of her. I saw her in my dreams. From the day I met Julia I was drawn to her. It was like everything in my head just clicked from the moment I saw her in that little boutique. The programme was starting soon and I was stuck in a cab in traffic. I wa
Jane's Pov. 5 years later I sat on a park bench watching a little girl running and leaping with her friends. I couldn't help but wonder how things would be different if it weren't for the sacrifices Alvaro and I made. She was free. I felt two hands come around my eyes and block out the light. "Al?" I asked. "No," I heard Mateo's voice and I sprung up jumping on him. "Easy," he chuckled, stumbling back and trying to regain his footing. "Mat what are you doing here?"I missed him too much to care if I was embarrassing him. "It's Rosie's birthday. What do you think I'm doing here?" He was grinning from ear to ear. "How'd you know we'd be at the park?" I asked. "Today is Saturday. You always come to the park on Saturday to do some bird and people watching." He sat down next to me. Mateo left for college when he turned eighteen. His grades were incredible and he got a bursary to study medicine at Oxford in England. When he chose medicine I asked why and he said it was so he could a
The plane ride was long. My tolerance for travel depreciated. Besides the cramped toilet I couldn't stand being in a compressed space with Alvaro. Especially when he sat close to me. I wanted to choke him and I would have loved to blame my hormones but it would be a lie when I knew it was what I would naturally want. I was upset for a long list of reasons especially this morning when he insisted I get into the car. I didn't know what I would say to my grandmother and mother so he said this wasn't a final goodbye. I could come back after I saw the place and say my goodbyes. Mateo looked between us. He barely spoke to Alvaro it was just mutters and grunts which seemed to amuse Alvaro. "Have you decided?" Alvaro asked him. "Where do you want to stay?" Mateo didn't answer. "Your silence speaks volumes. You chose her, " Alvaro smiled. "I'm not surprised. I knew you would." Mateo looked away from him. "It's okay, mi hijo." Mateo stood and went into the room at the back of the plane.
Jane's POV. "We've been here for a week," Mateo mentioned. I covered my eyes from the sun to look at him. The sun was setting and we were outside painting the barn. Maybe I was just trying to bide time until I was all alone. Mateo agreed to come with me to Texas. I thought it would be better to have him with me this time.My grandmother and mom loved him. They treated him like their own and I appreciated that. Mateo wasn't happy with my decision to leave Alvaro but he did support it. The last thing I wanted was to come between him and Alvaro. If he chose to stay with Alvaro I couldn't force him away. "Why haven't you asked me to come with you?" He questioned. His face held a certain amount of offence. "I thought you would by now." "Because I don't want you to have to choose between him and me. I want you to know that you are always welcome to live with me. I'll take care of you. I might not be able to spoil you the way Alvaro does but you'll have a home and you'll be safe." "Wh
Alvaro's Pov.I would rather have someone shoot me. Empty a cartridge of bullets in me, stab me with the sharpest knife and carve out my heart. Hollow me out physically. Any physical pain would do. But not this pain. Not the pain of her leaving me. It was like all the happiness in the world had been vacuumed out. She broke me and I let her because I chose to love her. I couldn't hate her for it. Because I understood why she was leaving. I couldn't strap her down and force her to stay because the hate she'd have for me would hurt more than her leaving. And I couldn't stand the idea of her hating me again when I experienced how much she loved me. She was my slice of paradise the reason I looked forward to coming home. And she left me and she took Mateo with her to Texas. I wouldn't be surprised if Mateo decided to move out and be with her. He proved there was nothing he wouldn't do for her. He would take care of her and she would take care of him but I couldn't take that thought.
Mateo looked himself over in his long mirror. He was dressed in a navy blue tuxedo and his hair was combed to the side. "You look handsome Mat," I complimented. "I hope she thinks so..." He sounded nervous. "She likes you," I said, "why would you think otherwise?" "She's just so great. It seems like a dream whenever I'm with her." "That's cute." I smiled. "Did you go to your prom?" He asked. My memories of high school were fleeting. I didn't have much of a social life. "Yes. I went with a boy I crushed on for two years. We met in tenth grade and then he ignored me until our senior year. He surprised me by asking me." "Seems like a bad boy," Mateo smirked. "He wasn't a complete bad boy. He was a bit of a nerd too." "What happened to him?" Mat asked. "I moved and then he moved. I haven't seen him since high school." "It's nice to know that my wife had many prospects before me," Alvaro popped up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. "Plenty," I teased. "S
I sat beside Mateo holding his hand as the doctors attempted to remove the bullet. Alvaro was speaking to the nurses in private about how the bullet ended up in his shoulder. I owed my life to Mat. Carlos, unfortunately, had to stay a few days in the hospital. They had to do some blood tests, stitch up his wounds as well as do an X-ray. Fernez was also starving him so he had dropped weight rapidly. Mat squeezed my hand as he ground his teeth. "It's okay just a little more, Mat," I said, wiping his forehead with a cold press. His body was burning up and his face was red. "Motherfucker," he yelped and the doctor removed the bullet with something that looked like very long tweezers. "Fuck," Mateo cried out. "Well I need to go wash my ears out with soap after all that cussing, Mr Castillo," the doctor gave him a reprimanding look as he cleaned up his shoulder and bandaged his arm. I didn't know Mateo had such a sailor's mouth but I guess living with Alvaro did that. "Mrs Castillo," A
I never thought a parent would ever be capable of hating their child. Especially a mother. As I stared at Christine I wondered why. Alvaro was good to his family. When he loved —he loved hard. Christine never gave him a chance. She cast him out and that hurt him. She couldn't accept what she did was wrong and now she had gone too far. She had taken his child. "Water?" Christine held a bottle of water out to me. I never wanted to hurt someone so badly before and my body was shaking with the rage I was trying very hard to contain. "No, what I'd like to know is where we are going and where Mateo and Carlos are," My voice held showed my frustration and Christine gulped hard. "How is the pregnancy going?" She asked and I narrowed my eyes at her, "I'm surprised you came at all. How did you manage to escape my son and his many bodyguards?" "Where are you taking me?" I asked again. It felt like we had been driving for hours and I wanted to see Mateo so badly that I was having anxiety. "
Jane's Pov.I couldn't feel my senses anymore. I was unsure if I was even alive at this point. It felt like my soul had been pushed out of my body and was hovering from above. Everyone moved around me and I was sure they were talking because I saw their lips move, yet I couldn't understand a word they were saying. It all sounded like gibberish. "Find him-" were two words that made sense. I prayed that it was all a nightmare. I was waiting to wake up in bed next to Alvaro, knowing Mateo was sleeping soundly in the next room. But I wasn't waking up. Each second trapped in this reality felt like a lifetime in hell. "Jane," someone called. I could feel hot tears rolling down my cheeks as my ears finally popped. Everyone's urgent voices hit my ears at once and it was mind-numbing. "Jane," abuelo was calling me. "Take her home," I heard Alvaro's voice. That seemed to stir an emotion in me. "She can't be here." My head snapped in his direction and something inside me quivered as I