Chapter 4

VALERIA

That night, Xavier Jiménez Aguirre insisted on taking me to a hotel, refusing to let me stay in the place I had originally chosen because he claimed it was beneath the standard he wanted for me, and although I tried to argue, I eventually gave in because I did not have the strength to fight anything anymore. I spent most of the night lying awake, staring at the ceiling as my mind replayed everything that had collapsed around me, my marriage, my trust, and the life I had thought I understood, until exhaustion finally pulled me into a shallow sleep that did nothing to ease the heaviness in my chest.

The next day, Xavier arrived earlier than expected, his presence calm but firm, and the moment he stepped into the room I could already tell he was carrying news I would not like. He told me I had to return home and face our parents, and the words alone made my stomach tighten as though I had been asked to walk into something I was not ready to survive.

“I do not think I am ready to face Papá,” I murmured quietly, shame rising through me like a slow wave as I imagined standing in front of him and admitting that I had destroyed my marriage and misjudged everything I once believed in.

Xavier, who had been sitting on the white sofa, rose and moved to sit beside me on the bed, his presence steady in a way that always made it harder for me to refuse him. He urged me gently to come home and meet them, especially our father, his tone careful as if he was trying not to break something already fragile inside me.

I frowned, unsure of what to say, until he suddenly dropped the words that changed the entire atmosphere of the room in an instant. He told me that Papá was dying, and for a moment I could not even process what I had just heard.

My eyes widened in shock as I turned toward him. “What did you just say,” I demanded, my voice breaking slightly as disbelief fought to make sense of his statement.

Xavier sighed heavily, lowering his gaze to his intertwined fingers as though the weight of the truth was too much to hold directly. He explained that Papá had been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer and that the doctors had given him approximately one year to live, his voice quiet and strained as he spoke.

Tears began to stream down my cheeks before I even realized I was crying, my emotions spilling over in confusion and pain as I tried to understand why I was only hearing this now. “Why did no one tell me this earlier,” I choked out, my voice thick with hurt. “Did you all decide I was no longer part of this family”

Xavier lifted his head then, offering me a gentle smile that carried more sadness than comfort. He reassured me that despite everything, despite the anger Papá might have felt toward my choices, he had always worried about me in his own quiet way, and that in his eyes I had never stopped being his daughter. He even reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear as if trying to steady me, reminding me that I had always been Papá’s little girl whether I believed it or not.

I wanted to argue, to reject the idea completely because so much of my life had not felt like love from him, but I stayed silent instead, swallowing the emotions that threatened to overwhelm me. After a long pause, I finally nodded in reluctant acceptance and agreed that we would go home, although I made it clear that I would not be staying in the house because I needed my own space after everything that had happened.

Xavier accepted my condition without resistance, even adding lightly that he would not recommend living there anyway because Mamá would only make things more stressful for me. I could not help but let out a small, tired laugh because deep down I knew he was right, and for a moment the tension between us softened into something almost familiar again.

I got up to change, choosing a simple black dress that felt appropriate for something as heavy as the situation ahead, and when I stepped out of the closet Xavier studied me for a moment before asking about the brand in a tone that carried his usual mix of curiosity and subtle judgment.

I shrugged, admitting I did not even know because I had bought it cheaply from a store at a fair, and he responded with a faintly disapproving remark about it not being designer, though he did not push the comment further. Instead, he changed the subject and reached into his pocket, revealing a Tiffany necklace he had bought for me on his way over, asking me to turn around so he could put it on me.

I smiled despite everything and turned as instructed, lightly teasing him that I had expected anything except expensive jewelry, because Xavier had always had a habit of expressing care through extravagant gifts. He fastened it around my neck with careful hands, asking what I had expected instead, and I admitted honestly that I had thought it would be something simple like food or coffee rather than something worth thousands.

He admired the necklace once he was done, clearly satisfied, and I thanked him softly, touched by the gesture even though I did not feel like I deserved such kindness at that moment.

We left the hotel shortly after, moving into his car where his driver greeted me politely before starting the journey. The ride was quiet at first until Xavier broke the silence again, his tone shifting into something more serious as he told me I did not look well and asked what had happened to my savings, adding that if I had invested them properly things would not have fallen apart so badly.

I exhaled slowly, admitting with a heavy heart that I had given everything to Emiliano Navarro Reyes so he could start his real estate business, and the moment the words left my mouth I felt the weight of my own foolishness more clearly than ever.

Xavier looked at me in disbelief, repeating that I had given him everything, and I nodded again, unable to meet his eyes as shame settled over me. He let out a short laugh, though it carried no real humor, only a mixture of shock and pity as he acknowledged that I had truly been in love, even if it had led me to the wrong person.

Then he asked what had actually happened between us, and I turned my face toward the window because I could not bear to look at him while saying it aloud. I confessed softly that Emiliano had been having an affair and had wanted me to ignore it simply because the other woman had promised to help him grow his business.

The car fell into a heavy silence after my confession, the kind that presses down on everything until even breathing feels different, and when I finally looked back at Xavier I saw anger and concern written across his face at the same time. He asked slowly, with a dangerous edge in his voice, what Emiliano Navarro Reyes actually did for a living, as if he was beginning to see something far worse behind the story I had just told.

“I understand what you are getting at with that question,” I responded, my voice steady even though I fully understood the implication behind Xavier Jiménez Aguirre’s inquiry. “But please, just leave him be.” Even though I despised Emiliano Navarro Reyes for everything he had done to me, I did not want to interfere with whatever fragile stability he had managed to build for himself. “He is in my past now, and I want him to stay there.”

Xavier’s clenched fist rested heavily on his thigh, the tension in his body making it obvious that his anger was far from settled. “I cannot just let this go,” he insisted through gritted teeth, his voice tight with restraint as though he was holding himself back from saying or doing something worse.

As I opened my mouth to protest again, he lifted a hand sharply, silencing me before I could form another argument. “I will talk to Damián Ibarra Cruz about it,” he added, as if the decision had already been made. “I am sure he will come up with something.”

My expression changed instantly as unease settled deep in my chest. “What do you mean you will talk to Damián?” I snapped, my frustration rising faster than I could control it. “You do realize he is my ex, right?” I added incredulously, unable to understand how easily he was mixing people from my past into something that now felt dangerously personal. “How can you even think of asking my ex fiancé to deal with my ex husband on my behalf?” The entire idea sounded like chaos wrapped in bad judgment.

Xavier’s low chuckle only made my irritation worse, his amusement clashing with the seriousness I was trying to hold on to. “Who is your ex fiancé? Damián?” he asked, shaking his head slightly as though I had said something ridiculous. “You never spent a single real day with him, and yet you call him your ex.” He clicked his tongue lightly, still unconvinced. “Trust me, Damián does not consider you his ex in any capacity.”

Embarrassment and confusion twisted together inside me, making me shift uncomfortably in my seat. “Either way, he was going to marry me before I chose Emiliano instead,” I admitted reluctantly, my voice lower now as the memory returned.

As the car turned into a familiar and imposing neighborhood, Xavier’s next words caught me off guard again. “News flash, Valeria,” he said lightly, though there was a teasing edge beneath it. “Damián did not want to marry you either.”

My frown deepened immediately. “What do you mean by that?” I demanded, turning fully toward him.

“It means the same way you resisted marriage, he resisted it too,” Xavier explained, glancing at me with an amused expression that made me feel even more unsettled. “So really, you should be relieved. He was probably glad when everything changed and you ended up marrying Emiliano Navarro Reyes instead.” He paused briefly, as though trying to remember something important. “What was his name again?”

“Emiliano,” I replied flatly, refusing to entertain the conversation any further.

“Right, Emiliano,” Xavier repeated, then squeezed my hand lightly as if to soften the moment. “No hard feelings, but I am pretty sure you both rejected each other in your own way.”

The car slowed as it entered the compound, stopping near a large fountain in front of an overwhelming estate. The security guards moved quickly to open the doors, but I hesitated, my gaze fixed on the building ahead as something in my chest tightened.

“What is wrong?” Xavier asked, noticing immediately. “Why are you not getting out?”

I tore my eyes away from the mansion and looked at him briefly. “Are they expecting me?” I asked cautiously.

He nodded. “I informed them last night that you were coming back.”

“And were they happy about it?” I pressed, watching him carefully.

He hesitated, and that silence alone was enough to answer me. I let out a bitter scoff, shaking my head slightly. “Of course they are not,” I said quietly. “I am basically the prodigal daughter returning without permission.”

“You know Papá can be unpredictable,” Xavier said gently, reaching for my hand again and squeezing it reassuringly. “Let us hope for the best reaction. Besides, he has something he wants to tell you, and I think you might actually be happy about it.”

I stared at him for a moment, my heart tightening again. “And what could that possibly be?”