72. A Fragile Promise

Marissa sat by herself in her room, worrying about Aurora being at the hacienda. Stella had told Rosairo about Aurora, and now she was with Carlos, getting to know the horses. Marissa watched Daniella look at her daughter, feeling uneasy. She worried Daniella might be a danger to Aurora and hoped Aurora would stay safe.

It appeared that Juan was aware that Aurora was his daughter, prompting Marissa's instinctive urge to protect her from any possible harm.

Juan entered Marissa's room with a sad expression on his face. "Marissa, can we talk?" he asked.

Marissa nodded, meeting his gaze. "What do you need to say?" she asked.

"I want to know if she is..." Juan started, his voice fading as he struggled for the right words.

Marissa's lips tightened, a flash of pain crossing her features before she interjected, "She shares your blood, but she's not your daughter. The day you chose to believe Daniella over me and threw me out of this house, you severed any bond between yourself and your daught