Chapter 2: The Woman Who Almost Became His Wife
I had heard that name once before.
Years ago.
Before our wedding.
Before I moved into the house.
Before I learned which family traditions mattered and which ones were simply excuses for control.
Camila.
Mateo’s almost-fiancée.
I never worried about her.
At least, I thought I didn’t.
Because Mateo had always told me the same thing.
“It ended before I met you.””
But there is a difference between something ending and something disappearing.
The next morning, I woke before my alarm.
The house was silent.
Usually, I loved that silence.
That morning, it felt like the walls were listening.
Mateo was standing in the kitchen making coffee.
He looked exhausted.
“You didn’t sleep,” I said.
“Neither did you.””
I sat down.
“Tell me about Camila.””
His hand stopped moving.
“I knew you would ask.””
“That means there’s something to tell.””
He sat across from me.
“Camila was my parents’ choice.””
I waited.
“She wasn’t just a girlfriend. Everyone thought we were going to get married.””
“And you?””
“I thought so too.””
That answer hurt more than I expected.
Not because he had loved someone before me.
Everyone has a past.
It hurt because I suddenly wondered if I had entered a story that had already been written.
“What happened?””
Mateo looked toward the window.
“She wanted the company. The family life. Everything my parents imagined.””
“And you didn’t?””
“I thought I did.””
He took a breath.
“But then I met you.””
I didn’t respond.
He continued.
“You challenged me. You didn’t agree with everything my father said. You asked questions. You made your own decisions.””
“That sounds like a compliment.””
“It was.””
“Then why does your family hate that?””
Mateo looked down.
“Because Camila never did that.””
The answer sat between us.
Heavy.
Quiet.
Then his phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
His father.
He almost ignored it.
Almost.
But he answered.
“Dad?””
I couldn’t hear Ernesto’s voice.
Only Mateo’s reactions.
“No.””
Pause.
“No, I’m not coming alone.””
Another pause.
His face hardened.
“You don’t get to decide that.””
He ended the call.
I stared.
“What did he say?””
Mateo looked at me.
“The meeting is still happening.””
“And?””
“He wants me there before everyone else.””
“Why?””
Mateo hesitated.
“Because he says there are documents to discuss.””
My stomach tightened.
“What kind of documents?””
He didn’t answer.
That was the first moment I realized Mateo was afraid.
Not angry.
Not annoyed.
Afraid.
At ten o’clock, we arrived at Ernesto’s house.
The entire family was already there.
Of course they were.
They sat around the dining table like a courtroom.
Beatriz at the center.
Ernesto beside her.
Camila’s name already existed in the room before she did.
Beatriz looked at me.
“I’m glad you came.””
I smiled politely.
“I said I would.””
She nodded.
“Good. Then we can finally be honest.””
Mateo pulled out a chair for me.
Ernesto placed a folder on the table.
“This family has protected certain things for many years.””
Mateo frowned.
“What things?””
Ernesto opened the folder.
“Promises.””
I saw papers.
Contracts.
Letters.
My heart started beating faster.
Beatriz spoke.
“Before you married Valeria, everyone expected you to build your future with Camila.””
Mateo’s jaw tightened.
“Mom.””
“No. Today we finish this.””
Camila.
The past.
The company.
The house.
Everything suddenly connected.
I looked at Mateo.
He wouldn’t look back.
Ernesto pushed the folder toward him.
“We need to know if you’re willing to correct mistakes.””
“What mistakes?””
Beatriz answered.
“Choosing someone who doesn’t understand this family.””
The room went silent.
Then I reached into my bag.
I placed a folder on the table.
Everyone looked at it.
“What is that?”” Ernesto asked.
I smiled.
“The deed.””
Nobody moved.
I opened it.
“My house documents.””
Beatriz’s expression changed.
“Your house?””
“Yes.””
Mateo finally looked at me.
I continued.
“Since everyone seems interested in deciding what happens to my home, I thought we should start with facts.””
Ernesto’s face darkened.
“You’re misunderstanding the situation.””
“No,” I said.
“I think I understand it better than I did yesterday.””
Then a man standing near the doorway cleared his throat.
Everyone turned.
I had never seen him before.
He carried a briefcase.
And when he placed another document beside my deed, Mateo went completely silent.
The man looked at him.
“Mr. Cárdenas, we need your signature.””
Mateo stared at the paper.
“What is this?””
May you like
The attorney answered:
“The agreement your father and Camila’s family prepared six years ago.””
