Chapter 84 I Meet Diego

Maximo had already spoken to the doctor, who immediately left for the Collins mansion to check on Emily. He approached the sofas, where Elena told Isabella and Marian what had happened.

"It was a big surprise when that man found me, Aiden..." Elena began to tell. “He was looking for information about Maximilian and, at first, I was very afraid. I thought it was one of his murderers that I had found... I have been hiding for so many years and, even recently, I was afraid that Gustavo would find me...

"How did you know that Maximilian, excuse me, Gustavo, wanted to kill them?" Isabella asked curiously.

"I escaped from the town where we lived because I found out that Gustavo had stolen a huge amount of money from some mafiosi. I was afraid that those men would come to our house looking for my spouse, and I was not wrong. One morning, some men entered the small motel where I was staying. Luckily, I was awake and heard the noises. I hid, thinking it was the mobsters looking for me, but... Everything fell apart when I heard them talk about everything they would buy when they collected the money my spouse had offered them for my head and our son's.

- How horrible... Mrs. Elena, I'm very sorry for what happened..." Isabella murmured, stunned, and surprised by the level of evil of that man.

Máximo and Marian listened in silence, as surprised as Isabella, but also full of pain and anger.

"It's okay, thank heavens, it's over..." The woman sighed with relief. "Isabella, your mother, her..." Elena commented, taking the young woman's hands with concern.

"Yes, it was several months ago, that she..." The young woman swallowed thickly, lowering her gaze sadly.

"I'm so sorry, she was a great woman..." Elena hugged her tenderly.

"Mrs. Ortiz..." Máximo intervened suddenly, taking Isabella and Elena by surprise. "I'm sorry to interrupt you, but I need to know, what happened to your son?" Isabella looked at her spouse, somewhat perplexed, but understood that perhaps Máximo wanted to verify what this woman knew about Diego.

"I... I don't know..." Elena muttered sadly, letting go of Isabella's embrace.

"Don't you know where Diego is?" Isabella asked impatiently.

"No, Isabella... When we left the suburbs, Diego got very sick. She suffered a lot for separating from you, especially because of your mother's illness..." Elena began to explain.

Máximo tensed, looking sideways at Isabella, wondering what kind of relationship she and Diego had had.

"He was desperate to help you, to get money and change our lives. He didn't want to hide from his father anymore and I couldn't stop him. I was already practically a man, and I knew that one day that would happen, but it was still very hard for me...

"Did you leave her alone?" Isabella asked, perplexed.

"No... Well, yes... He went out to look for a job, that's what he told me. But I practically lost contact with him. He said it was for my safety, that we shouldn't communicate. After that, he disappeared from my life..." Elena said with teary eyes. "I only know that he is alive because of the money that comes to me occasionally. It's a good amount, I don't need to work, but...

"She wants to see him again..." Isabella muttered, understanding. Then she turned to her spouse. "Max?"

"And you'll see him again..." Máximo said.

The woman looked up with an expression full of surprise and excitement.

"What?" Do you know where it is? Can I see it? Please, now that Gustavo is not an obstacle, I would like to see him again..." Elena's eyes were shining.

"Yes, Mrs. Elena..." Isabella took the woman's hand. “In fact, Diego is working abroad, in some of my spouse's companies...

"What?" Elena stammered, perplexed.

"That's right... Diego will take several hours to arrive, but don't worry, you can wait for him here..." Elena nodded, grateful. "Only...

"What?" Is something wrong? Elena asked with concern.

"I think that before we can talk to you, Diego owes us a lot of explanations...

"What?" Why?

“Because your son was working with Maximilian, or Gustavo, his father. Isabella said seriously.

Elena was silent, confused. She wondered if that was why Isabella's spouse had complained to Gustavo for having planted Diego. She had overheard the conversation but hadn't fully understood it.

- No, that can't be... If Gustavo wanted to kill him..." Elena muttered, surprised.

"That's what I don't fully understand. Maybe Diego reached an agreement with his father...

“No, I don't think so. Diego hated him..." Elena replied.

"Mrs. Elena, I can't say for sure that Diego hated Maximilian. I saw them greeting each other myself. As my spouse told him, his son works with me and has been in contact with my family several times..." Máximo said.

"It can't be..." Elena muttered, putting her hands to her lips.

“That's true. I saw it myself. In fact, Diego was the best man at our wedding and was present in the church, in front of Maximilian..." Isabella said.

"Oh, heavens..." Elena was thoughtful.

"I'll call Diego." Madam, you will be able to talk to him today, but it is important that you know that first you will have to clarify some points for me..." Máximo said seriously.

- Of course, I understand. The woman nodded, with an expression full of contradiction. At that moment, Marian approached with a warm smile, pulling her out of her reverie.

“Mrs. Ortiz...

"Yes?" Elena looked at her with some embarrassment since Marian was her spouse's new spouse.

"Why don't you come with me, and we'll have a cup of tea?" I think it would be good if he relaxed a little and then we could get to know each other...

"I... This... It's just that..." Elena didn't know what to answer.

"Okay, Mrs. Elena. I think it would be good for you, too. Marian is a sweetheart and will gladly accompany you..." Isabella nodded, smiling at him, while waiting for her spouse, who was already on the phone, giving instructions to Diego.

Elena nodded, feeling somewhat lost and uncomfortable, but very willing to stay as long as necessary to see her son again.

Both women left the office, leaving the couple alone.

"I think it's time for us to talk..." Máximo approached Isabella, who settled on the sofa, knowing that her spouse wanted to talk about Diego.

Isabella took a deep breath, slid her gaze around the place and then looked seriously at Maximo, who was already next to her.

“I've known Diego since I was very young. We were great friends for a few years. He was one of my neighbors, and Mrs. Elena was my mother's best friend. Until one day, they left suddenly. Now I understand why it was his sudden trip... It must have been because of Maximilian. Isabella concluded, thoughtfully, as she clasped her hands in her lap. “That happened almost at the same time that my mother was diagnosed, and I hadn't seen Diego again until our wedding day.

"Why didn't you tell me before?"

- I didn't know you; I was afraid of you. I was to marry you and I... I don't know, I didn't think it was appropriate to tell you...

"What?" Appropriate? Why? Máximo wrinkled his eyebrows, sensing that something had happened between them.

- That day, just before our wedding, Diego appeared in my private room in the church...

"What?" Maximo said, indignant and angry.

- He told me that he did not know that I was the bride until that moment. He told me that I couldn't marry you, that you weren't good for me... He said that he had been looking for me for a long time and that he bought the house that I lost, and it was my parents for me..." Isabella swallowed thickly, feeling uncomfortable as she recounts it. - He also told me to run away together and that he was in love with me.

Isabella ended her story, noticing how her spouse clenched his fists at his sides. Máximo practically snorted. It was lucky for Diego that he was not present at that moment, because if not...

Máximo was already thinking about the different ways to break Diego's skull.

"And what did you answer him?" - Máximo murmured with a clenched jaw.

"I refused, of course..."

- You could have gone with him, why didn't you? - Maximo's heart was galloping hard.

"I... I don't feel the same way about him, I just see him as a friend, Max..." Isabella approached her spouse and took his hand affectionately. - What would be the point of going with him and

"I sent you with him, I put you in his hands..." Maximus murmured to his spouse. "When you went abroad, I asked her to take care of you...

"He didn't try anything, believe me..." Isabella clarified immediately. “It was awkward at first, but he was just there doing his job... He was very supportive.

Máximo took a deep breath, feeling how he was releasing himself from the tension and thanking heaven that Diego had not gone too far. Otherwise, I would have annihilated him.

"Well, thank you for telling me..." Maximo murmured.

"I'm so sorry I didn't tell you sooner." Isabella's expression was full of regret.

"That's fine, as long as we don't keep any more secrets. He affirmed, while she nodded.

Maximus sighed, lightening his expression. He couldn't blame her after he had also hidden something much bigger from her. He approached her, caressing her cheek. There were no more secrets, and once everything was cleared up with Diego, they would only have to enjoy his love and the little one who was on the way.

They bonded in a tender kiss, one that evoked not only their feelings, but the relief of loving each other without further misgivings, fears, or secrets. A kiss that they enjoyed and savored when someone interrupted them by knocking on the door.

"Go ahead!" Maximus replied, after grumbling a little.

"Sir..." An employee entered. "The doctor has already arrived.

"Oh, of course..." Maximo and Isabella came out to greet him in a hurry, it was time to go and see how Emily was doing, who had probably already woken up from fainting.

After greeting the doctor, they went up to the room and in the midst of the eagerness, Máximo did not bother to knock on the door, why would he do it, if they were supposed to be waiting for him.

And Emily was definitely more than awake, reciprocating a passionate kiss that Aiden had given her.

Máximo cleared his throat with a wrinkled brow.