"Oh my gosh! Is Lena alive all this time?!" Carlotta exclaimed, looking like she'd just seen a ghost."How, Miguel? That woman is dead! We all saw her being buried! Who is this woman?" Stefan was equally perplexed."She's not Lena! Her name is Lara, Stefan! Don't you all remember? Lena had a sister!" Grandma Cordelia answered, her patience wearing thin with her children."Sister? Oh, I remember now. That little brat who suddenly went missing! How did she grow up resembling her sister so much?" Sandra added."Did you have her face go through surgery, Miguel? Are you that desperate to bring her back?" Leonard joined the conversation."It's been seventeen years ago! How could you not get over her death until now?" said Stefan again."This is so ridiculous! What a shame! Are you so desperate to cling on to your position now?" Leonard remarked."All of you, stop this nonsense!" Grandma Cordelia ordered sternly. "Show some respect!""And you gave her the family heirloom, Mother?" Karen butt
The next thing Lara knew, the man was lying on the floor, with Miguel raining punches on him while other family members tried to restrain her husband.Another familiar guy pulled Miguel away from the man on the floor and also punched him.Grandma Cordelia desperately tried to stop the commotion as everyone took the opportunity to attack Miguel.In an instant, her husband was left battered, ganged up on by his own family.Lara couldn't stop screaming and crying. She rushed to Miguel, trembling, her initial anger now replaced by intense fear."Are you okay?" Miguel, his face covered in blood, managed to ask her.Grandma Cordelia positioned herself between them to shield them from the other men in the family. Meredith did the same, crying because of what happened to Miguel.The man who had hugged her earlier was still shouting Lena's name as if his life depended on it.Tears streamed down her face as she nodded in response to Miguel.The night ended with Lola Cordelia angrily sending eve
Lara hadn't been the same since that night. Often, she would stare into space, lost in her thoughts. She didn't know if Miguel noticed, but he had been preoccupied too, even though he stayed at home for a few days.He couldn't go to work looking like he had been beaten to death, so he doubled his efforts on various conference calls.As for Lara, she tried her best to recall Stefano's face and confirm her suspicions about him. She started searching for him on the internet. She found no pictures from many years ago; the oldest ones available were from five years ago.But she was sure. He was that man."Are you okay, Miss Lara?" Auntie Rosette pointed out. She was in the garden, lost in her thoughts, when the old woman approached her."Auntie, yes, I am," she replied, forcing a smile."I've been taking care of you for almost two decades. Do you think you can hide things from me?" She sat down beside her. "What's on your mind?""Nothing," she still denied. Then she didn't know what to add
"I can't go home tonight," Miguel said.Lara was talking to her husband via video call. He was indeed in the office, judging by the background, and he looked stressed out."Is anything wrong?" Lara asked, concerned. Migo wasn't his usual composed self."No… None at all. I just need to catch up with things I missed," he quickly replied and changed the topic of conversation. "Don't forget to eat dinner, okay?""You too. Do you want me or Auntie Rosette to send you dinner?" She was hoping he'd say yes, giving her a reason to visit him. But Miguel shook his head."I'll just have Jaxen order for us. I don't want you to come here, or I won't be able to do anything anymore. I miss you. You don't have any idea how much, sweetheart," Migo answered.She blushed a little. Lately, he really hadn't had much time for her, especially considering his recent recovery.She also missed him a great deal, but she was too shy to admit it."So, stay home. I'll be back as soon as I'm done with work. And you
"I'm sorry," Miguel said to her.They were in the living room, both seated. Meanwhile, Meredith was in the kitchen, throwing away the beef caldereta Lara had cooked because she deemed it inedible.Lara was hurt, but she tried her best to hold back her tears. She remained silent.It was already the next day. Meredith had the audacity to spend the night there and even slept beside Migo. Lara ended up looking foolish, sleeping on the living room sofa.Miguel was extremely surprised to find Meredith there, but he was even more shocked when he saw her. He seemed at a loss for words but didn't ask Meredith to leave, something Lara felt he should have done first."I was totally drunk last night," he added. "I couldn't even remember anything.""Yeah?" Lara couldn't help but be sarcastic.Adding to her frustration was the fact that Miguel had brought Meredith there. Lara thought that no one else could go there except her and Auntie Rosette?"I messaged you! Auntie Rosette did too. We told you
"Lara, what happened to you?" Tasya greeted her with a hug.Tears were streaming down Lara's face when her friend saw her. Since Tasya had already embraced her, she didn't hold back her tears.They stayed like that for a good several minutes, Tasya rubbing her back and Lara crying a river.When she calmed down, she began to tell her story. Her friend listened attentively without judgment."I can't believe that's just what I am to him, Tasya… To think that I loved him with all I got," she sobbed. She didn't know exactly how she managed to convey her story without revealing what she heard. She didn't mention the source of her distress.And Tasya didn't probe either. Perhaps her friend fixated on the fact that she heard something that upset her."Lara, you should have confronted him," Tasya said. "You should have asked. Because if you only heard it and didn't let him explain, there might be a chance that it's not really like that.""I already heard what I needed to hear, Tash!" she excla
"Please, not a word," Lara blurted out when she recovered. She held her hand up, halting Miguel's approach.Tasya had sold her out. Now she had no choice but to face her husband, even though traces of her tears still lingered in her eyes."Sweetheart, let me explain," Miguel's voice pleaded."I don't wanna hear it," she stubbornly replied, her voice trembling. "Just leave!"But deep inside, that wasn't what she truly wanted. She wanted to bridge the gap between them, to hold him close and say that all she wanted was to stay by his side, even if he couldn't love her the same way.But she couldn't keep hurting herself, could she?"I won't leave until you hear me out, Lara! You have to let me explain," Miguel insisted, taking steps toward her. "Tasya said you overheard me and Meredith talking about my feelings for you. I admit I might have said—""Stop!" Lara covered her ears with her hands, desperate to block out his words. It was a futile attempt to prevent him from telling her the tru
"Weak," Tasya teased her over the phone.She had been talking to her friend on the phone because she didn't get a chance to properly say goodbye earlier. Miguel had been in a hurry to take her home."Come on! Who was talking about forgiving quickly earlier? I just followed your advice," she rolled her eyes, even though Tasya wasn't in front of her."Even if I didn't say it, I knew one sweet word from Mr. Villareal, and you'd give in immediately. My gosh, if a guy like him pursued me, I'd stop running!" Tasya said. "I couldn't even speak when he talked to me earlier. I just nodded even though I didn't want to let him in!"Lara giggled. "You're insane!""Oh well, have you made up after your little tiff?" Tasya teased, her tone carrying a hint of malice.Lara blushed, clutching at the robe she was wearing. She peeked into the room where Miguel was peacefully sleeping. He must have been exhausted to fall asleep so quickly.Tasya laughed heartily when Lara remained silent. "You're married