Chapter 77 A Simple and Perfect Plan

"Isabella..." Máximo called her gently.

She looked up, to remain engrossed in his green eyes, which were no longer looking at her seriously, with that dark look that she remembered when she met him, but his eyes had transformed into two emeralds, full of brightness and calm.

"With Elisa's death, not only did I swear to disregard the Collins surname, but I also swore never to fall in love again... That was the real reason for my rejection...

"But you..." Isabella looked at him confused; Máximo smiled sweetly.

"Me?" If I'm completely honest, I think I fell in love with you from the first moment I saw you, when I ran over you, do you remember? She nodded, incredulous, practically with her mouth open. - I remember being captivated and very impressed with your beautiful eyes... - Máximo stared at her, sliding a hand down her cheek.

"What...?" Isabella stammered, perplexed and a little nervous, feeling a startle and a warmth run through her chest.

- Then I saw you on that cruise ship and I... I couldn't believe it. I couldn't stop thinking about you, even though I refused to accept it. I looked for every excuse to see you and talk to you, but at the same time, I was reluctant to get close," Máximo continued, watching Isabella breathe heavily. That tormented me, I couldn't allow myself to fall in love, I flatly refused and filled my head with a thousand ideas to convince me that you were not for me... So, when your grandmother chose you as the heiress, I knew I was lost.

"Lost?"

"I was afraid of everything you provoked in me from the beginning... That's why I refused the marriage, despite my father's orders and threats," Máximo explained. Isabella put her hand to her mouth, surprised by these confessions. His heart skipped; his eyes filled with tears. How could Máximo tell her all that?

With those words, he felt that he was going to have a heart attack if his heart continued to gallop so hard.

- Isabella, on the day of our marriage, my father made me that proposal and I accepted it. It's the truth and I'm sorry, I'm very sorry, my honey," Máximo gently tucked a lock of hair behind his ear. I did it because, first of all, I didn't want to get married, I didn't want to be the heir and much less fall in love. I thought that if I did what my father asked me to do, I could escape all that. I thought you wouldn't mind because you'd be well taken care of when you used to live on the street, and at the time, I stupidly thought it wasn't that bad. I was blinded by my priorities, I know that's no excuse and that it was wrong, but I swear to you," Maximo knelt in front of Isabella. I swear to you in front of Elisa's grave that I am sorry and that I only wish for your forgiveness.

"Max," she whispered, surprised.

"Listen to me, Isabella. I want you to understand that I remember Elisa with sweetness and affection, but what I feel for you... I don't know how to explain it, but I can tell you that now I understand better what true love is.

"Maximo," Isabella muttered, pouting, feeling that she could no longer hold back the tears or the lump in her throat.

"I also know that I must have told you everything from the moment I decided not to accept my father's plans. I should have told you about my past, but I was afraid that you would react as you did yesterday... "Isabella," said Maximus, taking both of his spouse's hands with conviction. The day after my father's welcome dinner for us, that first "I love you," do you remember? She nodded. He was sincere. He was already in love with you and had decided that he would never let you go.

"What?" Isabella felt everything shake inside. He had thought that those first words of love had been a deception.

- That was the day I decided not to follow my father's plans... Only..." Máximo looked down in embarrassment. I hadn't said anything to him before. I was a fool, and I didn't tell Maximilian from the beginning...

When Maximo looked up again, Isabella had already thrown herself into his arms, hugging him tightly, leaving Maximo very impressed. She was crying, the tears were falling uncontrollably, although she kept a smile on her face, they were tears of complete and absolute happiness.

"Isabella?" Máximo called her, perplexed, receiving her embrace without fully understanding.

"I'm sorry, Max. I'm sorry I was so you, I'm sorry I hid everything from you and didn't give you a chance to explain..." She squeezed him tighter. I love you, I'm also madly in love with you, I love you too much...

Maximo's eyes filled with tears, and he clung to his spouse more intensely.

"My Isabella, my dear..." Máximo began to murmur, when Isabella abruptly parted from the embrace.

"But before you say anything else, I have something to confess to you too..."

"What?" Máximo looked at her confused, wondering what Isabella could confess to him.

"There's a lot I have to tell you, and I just hope you don't hate me, or you can forgive me for the decision I've made, because I'm not going to change it..."

---

"Mr. Sinclair! Maximilian got up from the desk with a huge smile. What a pleasure to see you here!

"Good afternoon..." Hector began.

"Mr. Maximilian, excuse me, but you sent for us..." interrupted Ricardo, confused. We want to know why.

"Yes, yes, of course, I just doubted that they would come," Maximilian explained without erasing his smile. With the fact that the two families have always had their frictions, and it seems that the only one pleased with the marriage of my son and his niece is Mrs. Sinclair...

"Was there anything you wanted to tell us about, sir?" Hector insisted, surprised by Maximilian's words.

"Don't get us wrong, but we don't want to be here. "As you said, we don't get along very well with your family, especially your son," said Ricardo, frowning and crossing his arms.

"Really?" Maximilian asked, feigning surprise.

"Sir, please get to the point," Hector insisted, feeling distrustful of Maximilian.

"Oh, of course..." Maximilian opened a locked drawer in his desk and took out a document, placing it in front of the Sinclair brothers. "Sorry for the inconvenience, but I wanted to ask something about the treaty. Since your mother, Mrs. Sinclair, is traveling with my daughter-in-law, I thought it best to communicate with you.

"The treaty?" Hector and Ricardo looked at each other strangely before approaching to examine the document.

"Yes, the treaty that formalizes the marriage of my son with his niece," Maximilian explained with an evident inner satisfaction, while both men leafed through the document quickly.

"Oh, sure... The treaty. Ricardo and Hector murmured, trying to hide their ignorance on the subject, while they understood the union of their families.

"You see, I'm confused with a clause, and I wanted to see if you could clarify it for me..." Maximilian continued, clearing his throat.

"Yes, tell me..." Ricardo nodded with interest.

"I read in the treaty that, after three months, if the fortunes of both families remain stable, the couple can divorce, and each fortune will return intact to its original family..." continued Maximilian.

Ricardo took a look at the document that Hector was still holding and located the clause mentioned by Maximilian.

“Yes, that's right. What is the doubt? Ricardo asked, visibly confused.

“My question is, what happens if one of the parties dies? Would fortune also return to the original family? Maximilian asked, trying to maintain a serious expression, although a slight malicious smile appeared.

Ricardo reviewed the document more closely. There was no explicit clause about that, but he found a little note near the end.

"Here it is!" "Yes, that's right..." Ricardo examined the section carefully. “If one of the contracting parties dies without an heir, both fortunes will be distributed in full to their respective families.

"Oh, of course, I understand..." nodded Maximilian, satisfied to notice the significant look that Ricardo and Hector exchanged.

"Why did you want to know that sir?" Hector asked seriously.

"I'm worried about what might happen to the Collins' fortune if something happened to my son..." Maximilian replied with dignity. "As you know, there is no sign of an heir yet..."

"Oh, yes, of course..." Ricardo nodded.

"Well, Mr. Maximiliano, if that was all..." Hector put the document down on the desk. "We'd better go..."

"I'm sorry for having occupied you with this question, I shouldn't have taken up your time..." Maximilian apologized.

"Don't worry, sir, it's been a pleasure to help you. Ricardo replied with a triumphant expression before leaving with his brother.

Maximilian poured himself a glass of whiskey to celebrate. He was sure that he had achieved his goal. If he couldn't get both fortunes as he had originally planned due to destitute and his son's crush, he would at least ensure to keep the Collins' fortune in his hands. With the homeless woman out of his way and Ricardo and Héctor taking care of recovering the Sinclair fortune, Máximo would be so devastated that he would probably give up the position of head of the family to his father and leave the country.

It was a simple and perfect plan.