Chapter 3 - The Daughter He Never Knew
Diego crossed the hall before anyone could react.
He stopped directly in front of Paulina.
“You will never speak about my daughter that way again.”
Paulina stared back at him.
“Your daughter?”
“You have known her for five minutes.”
“I have known her for three years.”
“You walked past her every morning.”
“You barely noticed her.”
The accusation struck him harder than she intended.
Diego looked toward Valentina.
The little girl was hiding behind Marisol’s skirt.
He had smiled at her.
He had sometimes brought her candy.
But Paulina was right about one thing.
He had never asked who she was.
He had never wondered why she watched him as though she already loved him.
Diego turned back to Paulina.
“That failure belongs to me.”
“But what you did belongs to you.”
Paulina’s lips tightened.
“You do not know what I did.”
“I know you had the letter.”
“I know your brother controlled my correspondence.”
“I know you recognized Marisol’s voice before she recognized yours.”
“I know you tried to remove both of them before I could learn the truth.”
Paulina laughed nervously.
“You are creating a conspiracy because you are emotional.”
Diego removed the engagement ring from her finger.
The movement was so sudden that she gasped.
“What are you doing?”
“Our engagement is over.”
Paulina stared at her bare hand.
“You cannot end this because of one test.”
“I am ending it because you threatened a three-year-old child.”
“I am ending it because you lied.”
“And I am ending it because I no longer trust a single word that comes from your mouth.”
Paulina’s face twisted.
“My father invested millions in your company.”
“Then your father can discuss his investments with my lawyers.”
“You will regret humiliating me.”
Diego turned toward Gabriel.
“Escort Ms. Robles to the guest room.”
“She will remain there until the police arrive.”
Paulina’s head snapped up.
“The police?”
“The letter was stolen.”
“My communications were intercepted.”
“And someone deliberately hid my child from me.”
“You have no proof I did anything.”
Diego held up the envelope.
“You brought the proof down the stairs yourself.”
Gabriel approached her.
Paulina stepped back.
Then she looked at Marisol.
The hatred in her eyes was no longer hidden.
“You think you won?”
Marisol pulled Valentina closer.
“I never wanted a fight.”
“No.”
Paulina smiled coldly.
“You only wanted everything that belonged to me.”
“Diego was never yours to own.”
Paulina’s expression changed.
For one brief second, the elegant mask disappeared.
“You have no idea what I did to build my future with him.”
Diego heard her.
“What did you do?”
Paulina looked at him.
Then she smiled again.
“Ask Marisol where she was the night your father died.”
The room fell silent.
Diego turned slowly toward Marisol.
Her face had gone pale.
Paulina saw his reaction and laughed.
“She never told you that part?”
Marisol shook her head.
“Paulina, stop.”
“Oh, now you want silence?”
Paulina looked at Diego.
“Your father met her three days before his heart attack.”
“She went to him because you would not answer her.”
“She demanded money.”
“That is a lie,” Marisol said.
“Then tell him why you were at the old Villaseñor residence.”
Diego’s eyes remained fixed on Marisol.
“Were you there?”
Marisol could not deny it.
“Yes.”
The admission hit him.
“You met my father?”
“I did.”
“Why did you never tell me?”
“Because he asked me not to.”
Paulina laughed.
“How convenient.”
Diego ignored her.
“What happened during that meeting?”
Marisol looked down at Valentina.
“I told him I was pregnant.”
“I showed him the ultrasound.”
“He believed me.”
Diego’s breathing changed.
“What did he say?”
“He said he would find you.”
“He promised he would make sure you knew.”
“Then why didn’t he?”
Marisol’s eyes filled.
“He died before he could.”
Paulina stepped closer.
“Or he died because she threatened him.”
Marisol looked at her in disbelief.
“I never threatened anyone.”
Paulina reached into the pocket of her robe and removed another folded paper.
“This is the statement your father’s nurse gave after his death.”
“She said he was deeply distressed after meeting an unknown young woman.”
Diego took the paper.
The nurse’s statement mentioned an argument.
It mentioned raised voices.
It mentioned Diego’s father clutching his chest after the visitor left.
Diego looked at Marisol.
“Was there an argument?”
Marisol’s voice trembled.
“Yes.”
Paulina smiled.
Diego’s face hardened.
“What did you argue about?”
May you like
Marisol hesitated.
“Your father wanted to take my baby away from me.”
