MasukAdrielle Hale "Sofia told me that Pedro harbors an unparalleled anger toward Max for the things he did, but she believes it's because of everything he prevented Pedro from living. You and I both know very well that his plans involved marrying you." Lyla says, her expression more serious this time. I nod, agreeing. Pedro used to tell me his plans for our future, and they involved us both being married, with children, and a house overlooking the ocean. I've never forgotten that. "I don't like that Pedro continues to harbor this anger toward Max. I'm afraid it will consume him at some point." I reply, in a sincere tone. "He's just upset that he's not having the life he planned, that Max interfered," Lyla says, in a calmer tone. "Maybe he needs a psychologist too. Speaking of which, how did things go with Abby today?" The focus of our conversation seems to turn to my daughter, and the atmosphere is lighter now. I take a deep breath and wipe my face. I know it must still be red from c
Adrielle Hale Lyla watches me silently. She's been like this since I got here, and I can't blame her. Her steady eyes scan me from head to toe, and I can't tell if she's noticed any marks I've tried to hide with makeup. I can see her leg moving up and down, but no words echo in the room, and the silence is the only thing that affects us at the moment. “Can you say something?” My tone is almost desperate; I can't stand this silence any longer. Lyla swallows hard and takes a deep breath. Her body leans toward me, as we're sitting on the couch, facing each other. “We've known each other for ten years, Adrielle.” it's the first thing she's said, and it still leaves me confused. “And while I have enough freedom to say some things without you rushing me, there's nothing to say that I haven't already said.” Her tone is calm, but I can't tell if she truly feels this way. “I've been warning you for almost two years about this marriage you've gotten yourself into. If you intend to conti
Adrielle Hale “I don't want to talk right now.” he growls, before setting his shoes down beside the bed and standing up. “Leo, just let me explain this.” I ask, trying to ensure the atmosphere between us doesn't become too tense to breathe. “I already told you I don't want you near him. And you still insist on going to see him.” His tone seems hurt, but there's also anger. Leo raises his arm and points his index finger at my face. “Elle, can't you see he's causing problems? How did Pedro make you so blind? He's back to destroy our family!” Leonard's screams must echo through the house, muffled by the closed door. His footsteps are firm and heavy, heading toward me. I take steps back, but Leo is already standing in front of me, his presence firm and imposing. My back hits the bedroom door, and I have no way out of his way. I'm trapped between him and the door. His strong hand comes up to my neck, warm and clammy, and seems about to suffocate me, but there's something in his eyes th
Adrielle Hale I notice Abby in the living room; she's watching a cartoon about whales on TV. Pedro is right, our daughter is madly in love with sea animals, just like me. The apple never falls far from the tree, does it? Minnie made Abby's favorite food today: Mexican burritos. Without the chili, of course. Sofia taught her to like them, and Abby loved the Mexican recipes. She said Pedro was also addicted to burritos as a child. "I love burritos." Abby can barely speak with her mouth full. "Honey, don't talk with your mouth full, please." I beg, as if I haven't done this a thousand times already. Abby doesn't seem to pay much attention to what I'm saying, just continues eating her burritos. I have a smile on my face, seeing that she seems happier today. I feel my phone vibrating somewhere on the gray linen sofa, but I can't place it. I grab some pillows to make sure I didn't leave it underneath and find it almost falling between the backrest and where I'm sitting. The screen light
Pedro Hernandez I hear the door close and make my way to my desk, where Victor is now sitting back in his chair. His eyes scan me curiously. “I heard you were caught off guard by a barrage of journalists downstairs.” he says, his tone stifling a laugh as I remove my blazer and prop it on the chair before sitting down. I narrow my eyes as I lean back and watch him. If I remember correctly, Victor owns a media company, just like my father. “Please tell me they're not your journalists.” I beg, ready to break his face if he says he sent them to make my life miserable. Victor denies it, but keeps a smile on his face, like someone who enjoys this chaos. “They're from a rival company.” he replies, his expression more serious now. “Lilian Wood will be a pain in the ass for you. She's annoying, but she's great at what she does. Lilian works for Spencer, remember him?” Victor tilts his head slightly to the right, as if the name were familiar to both of us. I shake my head. Nothing comes
Pedro HernandezSmith spent the entire time prattling on about our company, talking about Max's great achievements, as if I cared. He said that Hernandez Companies is among the most profitable in the United States due to its significant business expansion, both in casinos and in the partnerships we formed with other companies, such as the electric car brand, CIO. MaxMidia was a company Max decided to found from scratch in recent years, and it seems to be fully operational, so much so that most news outlets cite it as sources.To me, this is just business flowing. I may consider Max a bad and crazy man, but I must admit he was a visionary in the commercial sectors. He knew exactly what to invest in and which stocks to sell.“Let's get back to work, Smith. The stock should rise again.” I say, determined to work hard to make that happen. “We're going to hold a meeting in two days with the shareholders and the board to lead the company into a better era.” Max gave birth, and I will carry







