The first image that Maximiliano encountered when he opened his eyes that morning was certainly unexpected.Amelia, with her eyes closed and her lips barely moving between almost inaudible snores, while her face remained only a few centimeters from his, so much so that he could see a small birthmark that the woman had under her eyebrow, he tried to decipher the shape of that brand, but it did not work, it did not have any shape, but it was beautiful.Maximiliano gasped when he realized how close their faces were, their lips, then he lowered his gaze, realizing that he was hugging her tightly, that he had his left leg on the body of the woman he was suffocating in a hug. "How the hell had that happened?" he wondered, slowly loosening his grip. She didn't remember doing any of that. He didn't remember holding her, much less remembered snuggling into the woman's neck, what the hell had happened while he slept?Maximiliano watched carefully how she stirred when he started to walk away, s
The little boy had not stopped talking the whole way. Amelia was in the back of the car, sitting next to him, answering his particular questions while Maximiliano drove, listening to them in silence. Not even with him did she talk that much, not even that, with enough confidence as from someone she had known all her life. From time to time, the gazes of both adults brushed against each other. They said nothing, but their eyes screamed a lot of things that, in a way, neither wanted to decipher. They looked like any happy family, but they weren't even a family."Dad taught me to read," Dylan said, haphazardly pulling out one of the notebooks his father had stuffed into that overstuffed backpack.Amelia bit her lips, why had he bought so many notebooks for a little boy of only four? She laughed to herself, something told her that just because he had a son, didn't mean he knew too much about children."Yes?" Amelia asked, mentally admitting that talking to Dylan was more dynamic than t
A month had passed since the visit of Amelia's mother to Maximiliano's house, and the grandfather had behaved "normally", although the occasional questions that wanted to set a trap for the woman, did not stop, something told Amelia that she would not stop until all that farce continued.Night had fallen, the days were becoming more and more particular, and her insomnia had not slowed down, much less would it do so as long as she continued to sleep with him.Like every other night, after promising Amelia that he would control her movements while she slept, Maximiliano found himself hugging the woman as she slept, his face pressed against hers. Amelia sighed, hoping that the same thing wouldn't happen the day before when he kissed her in her sleep. It had been a short, awkward kiss on the lips."You didn't stop him, though," her mind whispered, drawing a smile from the woman, who felt the man clench his stomach. She wondered what the hell he was dreaming that he felt the need to cling
Amelia had not conceived of the dream at all, it was becoming commonplace. The doubt as to whether all the times he had hugged her like that while she slept had been intentional kept going around in her head, in a kind of hamster wheel that wouldn't slow down any time soon.The sunlight came through the half-open window, she had gotten up a while ago, curiously, that night, after apologizing for "the habit", Maximiliano had not returned to embrace her while he "slept", the most he had done, was to approach her back, breathing almost in her ear, he wanted to get closer to her, but he was uncovered.She had spent forty-five nights with him, and in all of them, she had to feel how strong arms clung to her, how the softest hair in the world caressed the back of her neck, while when she lowered her eyes she found a beautiful face, had it all been intentional? Amelia had too many doubts, why would he do something like that?Maximiliano opened the door to the room, causing the woman to rais
The only motivation Amelia found herself using to run faster than those bullet-like women was to remember the time Maximiliano had chased her; just that, just imagining herself running from a stranger she was afraid of at the time, caused her to have enough power to run, ahead of a few, however, there were still a few more ahead of her; that pushed her to run faster, being a tall woman had finally served her well.She heard Dylan's voice say something, but the noise of the air rushing past her ears prevented her from understanding what it was.The woman quickened her pace, feeling her knees go to the max.From a distance she could see how Maximiliano had positioned himself with Dylan at the finish line, perhaps to receive her.Amelia increased the power of her run, almost losing control over her limbs, a smile traced itself on her face as she realized that she had run faster than almost everyone, only two women had run at the same pace. Amelia's competitive spirit awoke as a furious p
Two more weeks passed, and the days were getting heavy, although not in such a negative way, the only "bad" thing that was happening was that both behaved in a particular way with each other, they did not want to get closer at all, somehow, they felt that it was impossible, the same circumstances forced them to do so. Maximiliano did not like to admit that he had begun to like the sensation of the woman's body rubbing against his, he did not admit it to himself, and much less would he admit it to anyone else, but when he felt that female body next to him, he did not feel as lonely as he was used to, although he could not avoid saying to himself that he was stupid, that was temporary, why did he do that?The man focused his gaze on the pile of documents in front of him; he had resumed his activities in his company, although he did not feel up to the task, since his grandfather had already approved Amelia and the fortune would be given to him very soon, he had to incorporate himself onc
Amelia's days were numbered; there were exactly twenty-five to go, the passage of time was accelerating when she didn't want it to, because although it was hard for her to admit it, she didn't like that time was passing so fast, it meant that she would leave there much faster, that she wouldn't feel how that little boy was pouncing on her, almost breaking her in two, that she wouldn't feel his arms around her while he pretended to be asleep.Those thoughts had not left her, she supposed they would leave her until the day came to leave, which she saw very near."I can't believe you got attached like a stupid girl," her head reproached her every chance she got, but that didn't help too much to get the feeling out of there, the feeling that she didn't want to leave so soon, maybe she should have agreed to stay for more days, like he had proposed when Dylan had started calling her "mom".Of half of her pay she had about two hundred thousand left only, the others she had spent on accessori
Maximiliano waited for her to slow him down, it was only after a few seconds that he realized that this would not happen, that she would not slow him down. Amelia gave way to him so that he could kiss her.The man's tongue played with hers with a speed that was unexpected for both of them.The woman's body ended up being completely edged to a corner of the wall.Their lips caressed each other with little delicacy, Amelia's hands stretched over Maximiliano's shoulders, who surprised her by lifting her by the waist and placing her on the nightstand, pulling her closer to him.Both their breaths became one, she gasped when he bit her lower lip hard, she gasped in the same way when Maximiliano's hands began to move down her body, running down it. The kiss increased her passion, he opened her legs wider and she allowed it to happen.It was then when the door was abruptly opened.They both looked in that direction and found little Dylan.The boy frowned as he saw Amelia with her legs spread
Amelia opened the door to the room they both shared. Dark circles under her eyes were all over her face.Maximiliano bit his nails, Amelia always told him that she would take care of the baby, but he wanted at least one day to put her to sleep.The clock struck three in the morning. The only thing that broke the silence was the baby's cry, which resounded intermittently."Did she fall asleep?"Amelia walked slowly to the bed and fell on her face.Maximiliano picked her up.That was a yes.He filled her face with kisses. She gave him a weak smile, though she could barely keep her eyes open."I don't know... how... a baby of... only four... months... gets so much... energy to... cry," the woman mumbled, closing her eyes without wanting to, sleep was stronger than her, she ended up asleep on Maximiliano's legs, who caressed her hair.The baby's cry resounded, once again.Aurora was so loud.Maximiliano's gaze slid to Amelia. She had completely fallen asleep.This was her chance.He left a
Life had given him an opportunity in the form of a contract, one that he had been moments away from discarding forever. Ironically, it had been her maddening decision that had saved her from losing that wonderful man who was giving her mischievous glances in the dining room.She compressed a smile, she wasn't supposed to do that when her mother and Dylan were there, though only they could understand her game of looks.Amelia lifted a spoon to Dylan's lips, who gave her a smile. The little boy knew how to eat on his own, he had turned five, but it was better when his mother gave him food. He said it tasted more delicious when it was in "Mermelia's" hands.Five long months had passed since that night when the two had decided to become a reality. A huge ring glittered on Amelia's finger, one that her husband had given her to seal their love.Maximiliano's hand slipped down Amelia's leg, drawing a depraved laugh from the woman.He took advantage of being next to her to whisper to her that
Amelia wiggled nervously. Something told her she had made the wrong decision.The right decision couldn't feel so bitter. So searing, so painful.She had fallen in love too soon with that place he had shown her, which was truly beautiful. The metaphor of the flowers had helped her to find some peace in her heart.She remembered how Maximilian had pointed to the sky with his thick fingers."Your mother is just another star, every time you look at the sky, she will be there, watching over you.""Mom... are you there?"Amelia's voice melted into the wind, her gaze melting into the sky.She had made a mistake, but she didn't think she could make it right.He'd surely noticed she was gone. Maybe he was better off that way.But... what if she came back? What if he wasn't better off?Amelia shook her head, shaking the thought away.There was no going back, even if her heart roared with pain. Even if she felt she would never forget him, and that in every man she would try to look for him.The
Maximiliano stopped his car, earning Amelia's gaze, it had been more than two hours of travel. That place seemed to be at the end of the world."We have arrived".They both got out of the car, walking towards the place where Maximiliano had built himself."I discovered this place when I was about ten years old," he said, "I have never forgotten it" The man held Amelia by the arm gently, helping her to enter the place, which looked like a mix between a park and a secluded area of society, she could not even identify what it was, she could only perceive that the stars seemed to shine much brighter from that place. "The first time I came, I was at school, the second time, I was drunk, on the verge of death".Amelia looked at him, uncomprehending. He didn't look like a liquor addict, she hadn't seen him even once drinking.They both went deeper into the place, full of beautiful flowers that seemed to caress the woman's heart.Maximiliano licked his lips, ready to tell the story he had kep
Amelia fell to her knees in that grave. The color of the night covered her body in a loose dress. Sadness took over her face, her gestures, her every limb, even her breathing. She had never seen herself experiencing such deep pain as that; thrown on that dark earth, feeling her knees being hurt and hearing her own cry, so loud that it seemed alien to her, as she felt Maximiliano's hand, seeking to comfort her.Amelia brought her trembling fingers to the grave, breaking down once again. She had never engaged in self-injurious behavior until this had happened. She couldn't see any color in life when her rainbow had died. To think that with a little more care, he could have saved her earlier, it killed her. It had killed her more than a hundred times that week.The woman laid her mother's favorite flowers on the grave, swallowing saliva, trying to regulate the flow of her tears, but they possessed a life of their own.Amelia's stomach roared violently: she had almost a whole week without
Dylan licked his parched little lips, looking up at his father, with what little lucidity he had, the man stroked his tousled hair."Where's mommy?" asked the little boy, with that innocence that always filled the man with enthusiasm for life.It was daytime, a sunny one. The party had left everyone exhausted, including the little boy who had not climbed on the roof because it had been impossible for him to do so, but his hyperactivity was the reason why he had slept late. It was eleven o'clock in the morning and little Dylan lay with his eyes barely open, asking for what he thought was his mother."She sleeps," Maximiliano answered him, although it made no sense and he knew it: Dylan was falling deep into another dream, he had not even heard his answer, "She sleeps like an angel".Maximiliano covered the little boy with a soft, thick blanket and then left the room at a leisurely pace.Last night had been the best night he had ever had in his bitter life. The woman had laid her head o
"Have a seat, Amelia," Maximiliano's mother asked.The woman salivated, doing so.The man's mother had approached her and told her that she had a very serious matter to discuss with her. It had even been worrying on her face, something that had prompted Amelia to get up early from her seat, leave Dylan with some children and go with her."What do you want to talk to me about, ma'am?"The loud, outgoing woman Amelia had met at the beginning had vanished, in front of her was only a woman with worries in her eyes."Amelia, the last thing I want is for my son to get hurt" The woman let out a brief sigh. "But I believe that certain things are inevitable"."Lady, I...""You don't leave my son indifferent, Amelia," the woman confessed. "You're not only his fake wife, you're the woman he hired with apathy and who now doesn't want him to leave" She played with her fingers tremulously. "Amelia, my son has a past that I don't talk about to almost anyone, but I think it's necessary for you to kno
No one had warned him that a party would take place in that mansion, only his mother had gone a few hours before to tell him to get ready and warn his "wife" because many members of the family would be coming to the property. He had waited only minutes before the event to have the courage to tell the woman.The man paced from one place to another. The atmosphere with Amelia had been as heavy as a rock after he had confessed his feelings to her. Although there was a peculiarity in the woman's behavior, she didn't seem at odds with what he felt, she seemed more distressed for herself; she had a storm in her head and he didn't even know it."Amelia" The man opened the door to the room where she had isolated herself, but there was no one there. "Amelia?"For an instant, he was seized by the fear that she had left without telling anyone. The panic that seized him was an unexpected, bitter and aggressive one."I am here" The woman's faint whisper did not allow the panic to grow any more in
The woman was possessed by the sudden and almost uncontrollable desire to flee from the car when she heard him say that; the air left her for endless minutes, her chest tightened, a tremor dominated each of her limbs, her saliva became her own enemy, suffocating her.A tremulous breath escaped her lips."I-I... Maximiliano..."The man closed his eyes, as if he were as restless as she was; he was not very talented with women, in fact, his late wife and he had ended up married because of the circumstances, and because the woman had shamelessly intruded on him, but with Amelia everything was so different that more than once he had felt like a teenager trying to conquer someone."Amelia, you need to know something"."No," the woman blurted out, playing with her fingers. "What y-you heard is nothing".Maximiliano slowed down the car, feeling a pressure in his chest."Amelia, I'm sure of what I heard".The woman thought of something quickly, she would not allow herself to be exposed."She's