The faint lights of dawn and the birds singing were the evident signs that the day she had feared so much had arrived. She got up with heaviness; she hadn't been able to sleep at all and felt lost now that Karen knew the whole truth. She never thought things would escalate to this point, but they had. With some urgency, Ava got up, not wanting this to be her reality. She tried to process it in the shower, but it was impossible. She barely touched her breakfast, and Doña Rosaura couldn't contain her distress. But for the first time, she wanted to let her daughter be, so she didn't ask anything, even though she saw her leave with a backpack instead of her expensive bag. She only gave her blessing, and they said goodbye as she disappeared into that limousine. Ava sighed the whole way; she felt watched every second, with every move. She was almost sure that Karen saw every step, even on her phone. It was evident that Karen knew how to handle technology and devices at her whim. During th
"Do you always have to give me a scare, sir?" Mrs. Rosaura said, while putting her hand on her chest because the last person she expected to see was Daniel Busch.Without permission, Daniel took the lady's hand and kissed the back of it, an action that left her paralyzed but reacted in time to withdraw her hand, still with wide-open eyes."Mrs. Rosaura... mother-in-law, I swear it wasn't my intention, but I had to come as soon as possible" he said, while finishing catching his breath and fixing his gaze on the bewildered young woman who was right behind Mrs. Rosaura.Daniel seemed agitated, and thousands of questions crossed Ava's mind, who couldn't believe seeing him there in such a strange way. Mrs. Rosaura stepped aside because she had definitely noticed the pair of intense looks."Ava, I needed to see you... come with me, please" Daniel extended his hand to the young woman, who didn't hesitate and took it.Ava's heart raced, and she knew it wasn't out of fear or anxiety... it was
The atmosphere seemed empty for a moment with the silence that fell over the hall of that event that was on the verge of being canceled. There was Daniel Busch, with his elegant demeanor and his beard trimmed in a style different from the French style, which definitely gave him a more youthful look. Without further delay, he took a step into the hall.Daniel moved gracefully among the tables, taking his time to greet everyone present. He exchanged greetings with great courtesy, as if he had all the time in the world. When he reached Karen's table, she tried to speak to him more closely, but her initiative failed as Daniel didn't even look her in the eyes."Karen... a pleasure," was the only thing that came out of Daniel's lips, followed by a light pat on the back of her hand."Daniel? Wait, let's talk..." she murmured with eyes filled with emotion as she saw him, stretching her hand as if, with helplessness, she tried to reach him, but it was impossible.The ladies next to Karen only
Karen called Mrs. Daniela to stand by her side and also called Patrick, an undercover investigator working for the Busch family. The tall, overweight man walked to the front without looking at Daniel, then handed Karen a yellow folder and headed to the back of the hall, turning on a device that displayed images on the wall.Without erasing that triumphant smile, Karen spoke up and turned to look at Ava, who was hugging herself to calm what she was going through."I think it's time to dismantle this little play and let everyone know the truth about the kind of imposter this woman is," said Karen, while some images passed before everyone's eyes."In reality, the woman present here is not called Ava Spencer; her real name is Ava López, a poor and ambitious woman who clearly enamored and deceived Mr. Busch because she was interested in the family's money. There is no other reason!"I suspected it, and it turned out to be true!" Mrs. Daniela nodded, arms crossed, looking proud of everythin
Two months later...In a luxury hotel located on a private island, with a splendid view of the sea and the exterior filled with tropical flora, a couple was enjoying the pleasant sensation of intimacy. There was nothing and no one to interfere with this moment filled with love and passion.The room was illuminated by the rays of the sun, almost announcing noon, but there was no doubt that the couple of lovers did not yet want to leave that refuge exclusive to the two of them.A couple of white robes were strewn on the floor at the entrance of the shower, and on the table, the trays from the delicious breakfast that Daniel and Ava had shared a couple of hours ago were still present.Within those four walls, the sounds of sweet words, moist kisses, and varying intensities of moans echoed.The couple of enamored spouses were entranced in their moment, unconcerned about how sweaty they both were, as they were in the midst of their third session of the day, making love as if their lives de
Daniel Busch checked his watch for the third time, anxiety and anticipation gnawing at him. He was about to meet his former business rival, and to make matters worse, his ex-lover, Karen Hastings; she had summoned him for an important meeting.The last time they spoke was at a conference in New York, and it didn't end well. Now, they were meeting at an elegant restaurant in the heart of Barcelona, and he wasn't looking forward to it. He knew she had something up her sleeve.As he entered the restaurant, he was greeted by the aroma of delicious food, the clinking of glasses, and the sound of a beautiful piano melody in the background. The hostess directed him to a table near the window, from where he could see the bustling street outside. Daniel sat down and waited for Karen Hastings, his mind filled with thoughts of the past and the present.Suddenly, he noticed a young woman approaching his table. She was petite and beautiful, with long, curly hair and a warm smile."Good evening, si
—Hello? Hello? —said insistently before realizing that the call had cut off with her phone falling.Ava felt overwhelmed by the proposal Daniel had just made to her over the phone. She knew her answer would affect not only her life but also Daniel's, her family's, and their entire world in general.She went to bed without having dinner, her heart pounding. Her mother noticed her strangeness, but soon returned to her usual concerns and decided not to question her. Maybe it was nothing serious.After a night of waking up unable to get a good sleep, in the morning Ava knew she needed fresh air and to go for a walk to clear her mind. So, she got up much earlier than usual. Her mother was still asleep, exhausted from taking care of her husband, who was sick.As she walked through the park, she remembered how it all started, how Daniel had fallen in love with her from the first time he saw her in the restaurant where she worked as a waitress.How could she, a working-class girl, accept marr
Ava felt overwhelmed by the responsibility she had taken on by accepting Daniel Busch's marriage proposal that same morning. After finishing work, she arrived home, greeted her family quickly, and headed to her room. Anxiety quickly set in, her heart racing.She felt her hands becoming sweaty and cold, and the weather wasn't helping with all the nervousness about her future decisions. She was about to tell her family about her fake engagement, but she didn't know where to start. What were the right words? As she prepared to leave the house, her phone rang, and she answered it immediately."Ava? How are you?" It was her father's weak voice. He was still in the hospital, recovering from cancer treatment."Don't worry about me; I'm getting better every day," she told him.Ava felt a lump in her throat, hearing her father's voice, knowing that her mother had told him how sick he was. He had always been her rock, her source of support in difficult times, but she couldn't understand why he