Chapter 13 - The Family Falls

The arrests became national news.

Rafael Serrano faced charges connected to kidnapping, fraud, arson, conspiracy, and the death of Diego’s father.

Paulina was charged as his accomplice.

Mateo accepted a plea agreement in exchange for testimony.

Mercedes surrendered without resistance.

But the hardest part happened away from cameras.

Marisol sat with Lucia in a quiet bedroom.

Lucia looked at her.

“Are you my mother now?”

Marisol’s eyes filled.

“I was always your mother.”

“But Elena raised me.”

“Yes.”

“Do I have to stop loving her?”

Marisol immediately shook her head.

“No.”

She took Lucia’s hand.

“You never have to choose.”

Elena stood in the doorway.

She cried quietly.

Valentina entered.

She sat beside Lucia.

“So where are you sleeping?”

Lucia shrugged.

Valentina pointed toward the adjoining room.

“There.”

“Why?”

“Because I’ve been an only child for nine years.”

Lucia frowned.

“And?”

“I have nine years of annoying you to catch up on.”

Lucia smiled.

It was small.

But real.

Downstairs, Diego signed papers.

He voluntarily froze the disputed family shares until the court could establish the twins’ legal rights.

His attorneys objected.

The board panicked.

Investors called.

Diego ignored them.

For the first time, the company came second.

That evening, he found Marisol alone on the terrace.

“I’m sorry.”

She looked at him.

“For what?”

“For believing you left me.”

“You were lied to.”

“I should have looked harder.”

“So should I.”

They stood in silence.

Diego looked through the window at the twins.

“Do you think they’ll ever forgive us?”

Marisol shook her head.

“They don’t owe us forgiveness.”

He looked at her.

“That sounds like something you’ve spent nine years learning.”

“I learned a lot in nine years.”

He nodded.

“So did I.”

Then Marisol handed him one final unopened letter.

“I wrote this the night I left.”

Diego opened it.

There was only one sentence.

If our daughter is truly gone, then the best part of both of us disappeared with her.

Diego looked through the window again.

Two girls were laughing inside.

He folded the letter carefully.

“The best part survived.”

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“Twice.”