Marissa and Stella walked through the ranch, the peaceful surroundings providing a brief escape from the turmoil in Marissa's heart."So, how are things with you and Efrain?" Stella inquired. "We're... we're doing great," Marissa replied, her nod more for her own reassurance than anything else."Marissa, you need to tell him the truth before it's too late. Daniella will spill everything to him soon, especially now that Juan has made his decision about the divorce," Stella urged, her tone firm yet empathetic."I know," Marissa admitted. "And I'm terrified of losing him. And the truth is, I've started to develop feelings for him, even though deep down, I know our desires for the future don't align. Efrain was raised without the idea of a family, and I'm not ready to commit to that either. It's just... when I'm with him, I feel this pull towards something more, yet at the same time, I'm overwhelmed with confusion.""What if he wants to marry you and start a family? I know it's a long s
Marissa returned home, finding peace in the familiar comfort of Efrain's arm. Nestling herself against him, she sighed contentedly. "How was your day?" Efrain shifted his attention from the TV to her, his arms enveloping her in a warm held. "Just got back from the station, nothing eventful to report. I missed you all day, couldn't get you out of my mind," he confessed, his words a gentle caress against her ear. "I haven't even been able to concentrate on the TV."Marissa sat up, a serious expression crossing her features. "Efrain, I need to tell you something important. It's about Aurora.""What happened?" Efrain's concern was palpable.Before Marissa could respond, the doorbell rang, interrupting their conversation. "Can we talk later? Marcus is here with pizza," he suggested, hoping to delay the discussion until they had more privacy.Marissa watched as Efrain rose from the couch and made his way to the door, her heart heavy with the weight of the secret she carried. She longed to
Rosairo descended the staircase, her steps echoing softly in the spacious living room as she approached Juan, who sat with a sad expression. Concern etched on her features, she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright, son?" she inquired."It feels like my world is crumbling, Mother," Juan confessed, "I finally mustered the courage to tell my wife that I want a divorce. I can't bear to continue living in a marriage where I'm not truly happy.""Is this because of Aurora and Marissa?" Rosairo ventured cautiously, her gaze searching his troubled expression for answers.Juan's eyes widened in disbelief at her question, the shock evident in his features."Marissa confided in me about your situation," Rosairo revealed, "when I learned about what Daniella did to her, manipulating her and making her feel guilty for a miscarriage she wasn't responsible for... Well, whatever happened, happened. Marissa seems to have found it in her heart to forgive you, even though her affections
Daniella entered a room, with Efrain following closely behind. "I'm sorry for calling you here. I just couldn't stand the way your girlfriend was insinuating that you couldn't bring justice between me and Juan," she began, her tone apologetic."Just tell me what you want to say," Efrain urged, his expression unreadable."Efrain, amidst all the drama outside because of Marissa, I've made a decision. Even though Juan may be guilty, I... I've decided to no longer press charges. I can't see how Marissa was humiliating you because of her feelings," Daniella confessed."I can understand, Juan is her brother," Efrain acknowledged, his tone thoughtful."No, Marissa has been deceiving everyone all this time. To her, you're just an escape, a distraction from her intense feelings for him that have never changed. That's why she's causing a scene outside," Daniella asserted."I don't get what you're saying," Efrain replied, his confusion clear in his voice.Daniella walked to her wardrobe, retriev
Efrain lay on the bed, his hand resting behind his head as he gazed pensively at the ceiling, lost in thought. When Marissa entered the room, her expression filled with concern, she approached him and sat down beside him. "What's wrong?" "Nothing, I just thought you would be staying at the hacienda tonight. Juan needs you," Efrain replied, his tone distant.Marissa reached out and took his hand in hers. "I'm sorry, Efrain, for what happened at the house. This is just how I can be sometimes—I act without thinking or considering the consequences. One day, I'll be able to share my story with you, the parts I'm not proud of," she confessed."I'm going to sleep now; tomorrow will be a long day," Efrain stated, withdrawing his hand and rolling over to face the other side."I'll take a shower first and then join you in bed," Marissa replied, rising from the bed and making her way into the bathroom. As she undressed and stepped into the shower, her mind was consumed with thoughts of the rece
Marissa sat in her bedroom, tears streaming down her face, when Juan entered with a tray. "Marissa, here's your dinner. You missed lunch with us," he said."I'm not hungry. I just want to be alone," Marissa replied."You know I never listen to you when it comes to taking care of yourself. That's why you're going to eat, and then we're going to talk," Juan insisted, his tone firm but compassionate.He placed the tray on the nightstand and offered his hand to help her sit on the bed. "So, what went down with Guerra?""He's aware of everything, maybe even more, and it's all twisted up thanks to Daniella. I don't know what she told him, but she mixes things up, making me feel insignificant. And maybe I made it worse because he proposed, and I turned him down.""Why? You love him, don't you?" Juan inquired."I do, so much that it's tearing me apart. I've fallen for him. I love that he's the one I love," Marissa confessed."Then why say no?" Juan pressed."Because I don't want to lose him,"
Valentina entered Efrain's room quietly, observing him as he slept. She couldn't help but notice how much he had changed. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine her brother would fall in love after all these years. Before returning to town, Valentina will ensure that both Efrain and Marissa realized how deeply they couldn't live without each other. They belonged together, and she was determined to make them see that.Valentina released the drapes, letting the morning sunlight gently fall on Efrain's face. Efrain rubbed his eyes as the sunlight poured in through the open drapes. "Damn it," he muttered, then noticed Valentina standing before him. "Why did you have to wake me up like this?"Valentina settled herself on the edge of the bed. "Listen, I came to take you back to town to stay with me for a few days, away from here. And you won't say no to me because... because you can't.""Vale, I won't say no to you because I can't keep living like this, with everyone seeing me this wa
"Will you hurry, please... we're going to be late," Valentina urged impatiently.Efrain descended the stairs with his luggage in tow. "Will you just relax? It's still afternoon," he replied, attempting to placate her.Ignoring his response, Valentina marched out of the house and settled into the back seat of the car. Efrain loaded his luggage into the trunk before joining her in the back seat, and the driver started the car, pulling away from the house.As they were driving, their path was suddenly blocked by a line of cars. "What's going on?" Valentina exclaimed, peering out of the window in confusion.Efrain stepped out of the car to investigate, only to find Stella, Ignacio, Paula, Danna, and Carlos waiting for them. "What's going on?" he asked, puzzled by the unexpected gathering.Marissa approached him with a serenade band and began to serenade him, her voice filled with emotion.Marissa came closer to Efrain, who looked surprised to see her, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Efr