"Dr. Scott, you have a surgery at 10:00 a.m.," a nurse informed me.
"Thank you, I'll go get ready," I replied calmly.
Minutes later, I was already in the operating room, fully focused on my work. I couldn't be happier: I'm engaged to the love of my life, I love my job, and soon we'll be expanding the family.
"Dr. Scott, did you have a good weekend?" one of the nurses asked.
"Yes. How do you know?"
"Well, even with the mask on, we can see your smile," she replied in a playful tone.
"I can't help it," I said, a bit embarrassed. "This weekend I met my fiancée's family, and we got along really well. They're very kind and gentle." I couldn't hide the excitement in my voice.
"That's great!" Lucía, a resident, congratulated me.
"So lucky. I got stuck with grumpy in-laws who criticize everything," commented another nurse, who seemed to be new.
"And mine talk badly about us behind our backs," complained Belén, another nurse.
"But your mother-in-law must have been wonderful, because Miss Shanti is very gentle and loving," Sara, another resident, chimed in.
"Unfortunately, I didn't get to meet my mother-in-law," I said with a hint of sadness. "She passed away when Shanti was a child."
"I'm sorry, doctor. I didn't know," she apologized.
"It's okay," I replied empathetically.
"So then, how did your father-in-law react to you?" she asked, changing the subject.
"Well… my girlfriend doesn't speak to him," I answered honestly.
"So you don't really know your in-laws," Mady intervened as she walked into the room.
"Mady, what brings you here?" I asked sarcastically.
"I came to get lunch, but I see you're very busy. I was about to leave, but your conversation is way too interesting," she laughed.
"So, are you going to help me?" I joked.
"If you keep telling me about your ghost in-laws that you supposedly met this weekend, I'll keep you company while you finish the surgery," she offered with a mocking smile. "So tell me, if you didn't meet your father-in-law or your mother-in-law… who did you meet? Her friends?"
"I met her sister, her husband, and her nephews," I replied, still focused on the surgery.
"Oh, I see… and how was it? Does her sister have the same abs as your girlfriend?" she asked with fake curiosity.
"How would I know that?" I said, uncomfortable.
"I would've asked," she teased.
"So it runs in the family, because Miss Shanti has very well-defined—"
Suddenly, I paused and turned my head to stare directly at Sara. The others followed, looking at her attentively.
"What?" she asked, distressed.
"How do you know my fiancée has such well-defined abs?" I asked, resuming the operation.
"It's an open secret, Paulina," Maddison intervened in a tired tone.
"If I may say something, Dr. Scott…" Belén spoke cautiously.
"Go ahead, Belén," I encouraged her kindly.
"I don't know if you were aware that before we knew Miss Shanti was your girlfriend, practically all the nurses wanted to take care of her," she said nervously.
"That's why I had to tell the whole hospital she was my girlfriend," I commented plainly.
"Belén, Dr. Scott had to mark her territory," Maddison added, causing laughter all around.
"Good thing you're my friend," I complained.
"Always, friend," Maddison teased. "So tell me, what is your sister-in-law like?"
"Well… she's not very athletic," I said thoughtfully. "Although I must admit I felt a bit nervous when she looked me up and down after Shanti told her I was her fiancée."
"That's normal. They always look annoyed because they want the best for their sister," Mady commented. "Actually, I'm surprised you're still standing after telling her you ran over her sister."
The operating room fell completely silent.
"Wow, you seem to know a lot about the subject," I said, raising an eyebrow, changing the topic.
"That's right. I met Mary's parents, and it was torture. They asked me everything. Her mother hates me because I didn't know the name of the sixteenth president," she said in frustration.
"And what does that have to do with anything?" I asked, confused.
"Nothing, absolutely nothing. Except that, according to my mother-in-law, that's general knowledge. She's a history teacher," she replied tiredly.
"That's awful," we all agreed.
"Yeah…" she sighed. "But I've got an ace up my sleeve. So tonight I'm having dinner with your fiancée," she informed me.
"Why do you want to have dinner with Shanti?" I asked, intrigued.
"Because we all agree she has a baby face," she said, and everyone nodded. "But I also discovered she has a great ability to make older people adore her."
"What?" I asked, confused.
"She won over your mom, and now she loves her like a daughter," she reminded me.
"And what does that have to do with you having dinner with her?"
"I want her to give me tips," she replied completely serious.
"Oh, God…" I said, sensing bad things.
"Dr. Stuart, if the tips work, could you share them with us?" Belén asked.
"Of course," Mady agreed.
"So, do you get along with your sister-in-law?"
"You could say so… although the one I had the most trouble with was my youngest niece."
"Why?" she asked anxiously. "Didn't she grow fond of you?"
"Nothing like that. She was very attached to Shanti and thought I stole her away," I explained, making everyone laugh.
"Dr. Scott, children can be even more jealous than adults," Sara said.
"Wow, I see a worthy opponent for Dr. Scott," Maddison teased. "And she might even win the battle."
"Not anymore, because I won her over. In fact, she already calls me aunt," I said proudly.
"Did you bribe her?" she asked, surprised.
"I had to," I justified myself.
"How old is she?"
"Seven," I replied, embarrassed.
"You bribed a seven-year-old child, Paulina!" Maddison exclaimed, her eyes widening in shock.
"And did it work?" Sara asked, interested.
"Yes, it worked," I said proudly. "Now she adores me."
"Who would've thought Dr. Paulina Scott would dare to go that far," Maddison teased.
.............................
"Are you serious, Valentina?" I burst into her office without bothering to knock.
"What are you doing in my office?" she asked irritably, setting aside the documents she was reviewing.
"Are you trying to accuse me of fraud, Valentina?" I confronted her bluntly. "Do you even understand how serious this is?"
"It wouldn't be the first time," I replied calmly, crossing my arms, "but unfortunately for you, I haven't done anything."
"Then what do you want?" I asked without any delicacy.
Valentina clenched her fists, staring at me.
"If it were up to me, I'd give you back a bit of the pain you made me feel," her voice was controlled, but her eyes reflected a storm. "But I have nothing to do with this," she defended herself again. "I'd also love to know who's behind all of this."
Her expression was sincere. She wasn't lying.
"If it wasn't you, then who was it?" I asked, confused.
"I'm surprised you believed me so quickly," she said ironically.
"I know you're not lying," I replied honestly.
I noticed her surprise, but before she could say anything, I turned around and walked out of her office. I spent the entire afternoon looking for clues about who was causing this disaster, but everything led me back to Valentina. It was too obvious. Someone was framing her, and it could only be one person.
When I got home, kicking off my shoes was the first thing I did.
"I'm home, love!" I shouted.
Silence.
"Love!" I insisted, walking toward the living room and leaving my blazer on the couch. "Darling!" I called again as I entered the kitchen.
Nothing. She must have had an emergency. I thought about making her dinner for when she got back, but first I wanted to call her. I searched for my phone in my pants pockets, but it wasn't there. It must be in my blazer! I quickly turned to look for it on the couch. I was sure I had left it there, but now it was gone.
"Looking for this?" a voice behind me made me shiver.
I spun around.
"Paulina, for God's sake, you scared me!" I said, trying to calm my racing heart.
Paulina was wearing my blazer, a mischievous smile drawn across her face. She knew exactly what she was trying to do, but I wasn't going to give her the pleasure of seeing me fall into her game.
"Darling, are you okay?" she asked with apparent concern.
I stepped closer to her.
"I'm fine, love," I replied, watching her closely. "But tell me, why are you wearing my blazer? And when did you take it?"
"While you were looking for me in the kitchen, I borrowed it," she said with feigned innocence.
I smiled and stole a kiss from her.
"Are you cold?" I asked softly. "I can warm you up if you want…" I whispered against her lips.
"I'd love that," she murmured, kissing me back.
But at the last moment, I pulled away with a mischievous smile.
"Great. Then you're coming to the gym with me."
I took her hand and started guiding her toward the exercise room, but as soon as she realized my intentions, she stopped dead in her tracks.
"No, no, no! You're not pulling that joke on me," she exclaimed, freeing herself and taking off the blazer.
That was when I noticed what she was wearing: a black babydoll. She looked absolutely irresistible.
Paulina thought she had won, but I had plenty of self-control. The torture would be hers.
Calmly, I picked up the blazer from the floor and, with slow movements, placed it over her shoulders, covering her completely.
"You'll catch a cold," I said with false innocence, giving her a quick kiss before walking away toward the gym.
"Are you seriously going to punish me for a whole week?!" she shouted in frustration.
"That's right," I replied, laughing.
I heard her muttering curses and the tantrum she was throwing in the living room. I couldn't help but smile.
"We'll see tonight!" she shouted. "I swear I won't leave you alone!"
"I'm very tired, so I'll sleep like a log, darling," I replied mockingly.
There was a moment of silence, and then…
"If we don't have sex today, there won't be anything for a whole month!" she yelled with such force and anger that I was one hundred percent sure the entire building had heard her.
I stayed silent for a moment.
"Tomorrow I should leave earlier so no one sees me," I murmured to myself, feeling embarrassment wash over me.
But without a doubt, I loved this woman.
.........................
"Love, tonight I have dinner with Maddison. I'll be back later," Shanti said, coming out of the bathroom, already showered and dressed.
"I know. She was with me in surgery today," I replied seriously.
She approached the bed where I was lying and crawled toward me with those sad puppy eyes she always used to convince me.
"So I can go, right?" she asked, pouting.
"Are you asking me for permission?" I raised an eyebrow, amused.
"Of course, darling."
"But you're already dressed. You were going to go anyway," I said with feigned annoyance.
"I can change if you don't let me go," she replied, shrugging.
I couldn't help laughing at her antics. With that face, it was impossible to say no to her.
"Go on already, Shanti Vega," I smiled, and she kissed my lips before standing up.
"By the way, do you know why Maddison wants to have dinner with me?" she asked, stopping in front of the bed.
"How are you going to a dinner without knowing the reason?"
"She did tell me, but I didn't really pay attention. The little I understood was that it was about Mary," she paused, thoughtful. "Does she want advice on how to propose?"
"I don't think so, darling," I replied, laughing.
"Then what?"
"She wants you to give her advice on how to win over Mary's mother."
Shanti's eyes widened in surprise.
"But I don't know anything about mothers-in-law," she said, confused.
"According to her, you're the expert because you won over my mother. So, by her logic, you're now the only one who can win over any mother-in-law."
Shanti snorted, exasperated.
"Well, I don't know what she expects me to tell her. If I won over your mother, it was because of this face," she pointed at herself. "The only way to win over Mary's mother would be for me to go in her place," she joked, and I threw a pillow at her.
"Idiot," I threw another one. "Leave before I change my mind."
She laughed and came back to kiss me again.
"By the way, you looked very sexy in that babydoll," she whispered against my lips before running out.
"I love you too," I replied, hoping she could hear me.
Since Shanti was going to be late, I made some popcorn and put on a series to wait for her. The first episode had barely started when my phone vibrated on the nightstand. Before I could grab it, five messages from Maddison came in back to back.
Mady: Your fiancée is a freaking narcissist 😤Mady: How do you even put up with her?Mady: She just told me I need to have her face for Mary's mom to accept me.
Mady: I knew she sweet-talked everyone, but I had never seen her in action 🙃Mady: Now I understand why you get jealous.
I laughed out loud at the first messages, but my smile faded with the last two.
Me: What is she doing?
Mady: I just told you she's a narcissist and all you care about is what she's doing 🤨
Me: You're exaggerating, and you still haven't answered my question, Maddison.
Mady: You know what the worst part is? She's not even doing anything, and two waitresses have already left her their phone numbers.
Me: She gets really nervous when she tries to flirt. That's the only thing that worries me.
Mady: She would never do that. And I'm not saying it because I'm with her, but because every time she gets the chance, she talks about you with heart-eyes.
I smiled at the last message. I didn't need Maddison to tell me that; I already knew it. Sometimes my jealousy surfaced, but now I could control it.
Me: Mady, can you get my fiancée drunk tonight?
There was no response. I waited for a while, but nothing. When the clock struck 12:15, I heard a creak and noises coming from outside. I got up to see who it was.
"Can you help me?" Maddison complained as she walked in, dragging a completely drunk Shanti with her.
"But what the…?" I huffed as I went to help her.
"Paulina, help me," she asked. "Damn, I think she's like 4'3", but she's really heavy," she complained.
"It's all muscle," Shanti slurred, and Maddison shot me a reproachful look.
"It's true," I nodded.
We took her to the bedroom and laid her down on the bed. I took off her shoes, and now the hard part would be her shirt.
"Well," Maddison sighed, leaving Shanti on the bed. "You owe me big time, Paulina. I almost had to tie her up to make her drink," she explained. "Now tell me, why did you want her drunk?"
"Do you really want to know?" I raised an eyebrow.
"I don't want to know the nasty things you do," she replied with disgust.
"Could you help me take off her blouse?" I asked.
"God, why me?" she complained again. "Just cut it and buy her a pretty one tomorrow."
"No, just help me pull it off over her head."
Shanti was terrible when she was drunk. She was always moving and never let anyone undress her. Even so, this time I didn't have that much trouble. I tossed her blouse aside and went to look for her pajamas.
"Congratulations, my friend. You eat really well!" Maddison clapped dramatically. "I should ask her for her routine for that abs. Or is it just me, or are they more defined? Is that even possible?"
"Yes, they're more defined," I confirmed.
"Do you want to know her routine to get that kind of abs?" I asked mischievously.
"Yes, of course. Tell me. You shouldn't be selfish with others."
"I'm her routine," I smiled wickedly.
Maddison opened her mouth like a fish out of water, not knowing what to say.
"I'm going to tell Katy that you're leaving me with severe trauma," she complained.
"Stop being such a crybaby. Besides, Katy isn't even thinking about coming back yet."
"Well…" she said nervously. "She's coming back this Friday."
"What do you mean she's coming back this Friday if she still hasn't finished her volunteer work?"
"It's possible… and by possible, I mean I definitely let slip what happened to you," she confessed.
"Maddison, I warned you not to tell her anything. Why did you do it?" I said angrily.
"I'm sorry, Pau, but she kept bothering me about not proposing to Mary, and somehow the conversation shifted to you."
"You used me as a cover, Maddison."
With every word that came out of my mouth, Maddison backed away more and more until she was standing in the living room.
"Friend, I have to go. We can talk about this tomorrow," she said, swallowing hard before running out of the apartment.
I cursed my luck. Now it was more than certain that Katy would interrogate me the moment she set foot in the airport.
Katy has always been like a sister to me. I've known her since we were babies; our parents were very close friends until hers passed away in a traffic accident. For her, the loss was devastating, and she decided to go volunteer in Africa and Latin America, providing free medical care.
I never opposed her decision. I knew how much it hurt her to stay here, so I understood when she chose to leave. Even though our calls are few, when we talk, we can spend hours catching up. The only thing she knows about Shanti is that she was the person I ran over, that she stayed at my house… and that I was falling in love with her.
My thoughts were tangled, spinning uncontrollably in my head. But when I looked at the small shape on my bed, I felt an immediate sense of peace.
I watched her tenderly and leaned in gently to place a kiss on her forehead. Then I curled up beside her, enjoying her warmth and letting sleep wrap around us both.
.............................
"Miss Vega, are you feeling well? You look pale. Would you like me to call Dr. Scott?" Mary asked, worried.
"I'm fine, Mary, but I've already told you to call me Shanti," I reminded her. "And the headache is thanks to Dr. Scott," I replied, frowning.
"Excuse me?" she asked, confused.
"Forget it, Mary. Could you bring me a very strong coffee, please?" I asked, almost growling.
"I'm sorry," she apologized, embarrassed, "but I can't give you coffee. Those are direct orders from Dr. Scott."
"Mary, Paulina won't find out," I lowered my voice so only she could hear me.
"I'm talking about your mother-in-law," she warned me.
"Oh my God! Her too?" I sighed, exhausted. "Fine then… tea, please," I asked, walking into the office heavily.
All morning I searched for information, but I found nothing. It was frustrating not to have a single lead. In the afternoon, I had a meeting with the committee, and I was worried about having nothing prepared.
The meeting with the board was a complete disaster. The partners started questioning what kind of relationship I had with Valentina, and to top it all off, Paulina didn't bother hiding her look of complete fury. My father-in-law and mother-in-law had the same expression.
When the meeting ended, most of the attendees left for their homes, as it had gotten very late. However, my in-laws, Paulina, Valentina, and Valentina's mother were still in the boardroom.
"What kind of stupidity are you pulling now, Valentina?" her mother snapped angrily.
"I haven't done anything, Mother," Valentina replied, irritated.
"Oh, really? So you're being accused of fraud because there was no one else to blame?" her mother glared at her with barely contained fury.
"Didn't you say it wasn't serious?" my father-in-law intervened, looking at me seriously.
I took a deep breath and began to explain how complex the situation truly was. Everyone listened attentively. My in-laws understood, and the only thing I asked of them was time to find the real culprit.
That same day, I took a flight to continue the investigation. However, everything had been coldly calculated, which forced me to make several trips. I hated being at odds with Paulina, but since that day she hadn't spoken to me. She was upset—not only because I hadn't told her anything, but because I had decided to handle everything on my own. Even so, when I said goodbye to her with a kiss on the cheek, she only looked at me in silence.
After two weeks of searching, with Valentina's help, I finally discovered the truth. The person behind this entire disaster was none other than Valentina's mother.
When we presented the evidence to the partners, I managed to prove both my innocence and Valentina's. My father-in-law, as president, took charge of all the legal matters, making sure the scandal never reached the media—for the good of the company and the family.
Throughout all this time, Paulina supported me in silence. However, I knew she was still angry. She didn't need to say it; I could see it in the way she avoided my gaze and how she pulled away every time I tried to get close to her.
Every day I told myself I had to talk to her, but something always came up and I kept putting it off.
When everything was finally over—including the sentencing of Valentina's mother—I took the first flight back. My heart was pounding wildly. When I arrived that night, I took a few minutes to calm myself before entering the apartment.
The lights were on. I went in quietly and heard Paulina's voice. She was on the phone. I approached cautiously, stopping right in front of our bedroom. For some reason, I was afraid to move.
"All right, Mom," she said as she hung up, taking a deep breath.
I remained frozen. I didn't understand why it was so hard for me to take the first step and talk to her.
"Oh my God!" she cried, clutching her chest. "You scared me, Shanti," she scolded me.
I snapped out of my trance and looked at her closely. Her eyes were teary.
"I'm sorry…" I said softly. "Were you crying?"
"It's nothing," she replied simply.
"Paulina, please don't lie to me. We agreed that we would—"
"That we would tell each other everything," she finished for me. "And you're the one who didn't keep that promise," she reproached me.
"I'm sorry…" I apologized again.
"I don't want you to apologize. I just want you to keep your promises," she said, disappointment reflected in her eyes.
"Love, it won't happen again," I promised sincerely.
"Just keep your promise," was the last thing she said before going into the bedroom.
I stayed outside. I didn't have the courage to go in, so I slept on the couch. The next morning, everything hurt—my body, my head… and my heart.
When Paulina came out, she barely spoke to me.
"I'm going to the hospital," she said, grabbing her car keys.
"All right… love, I love you," I said, though she had already left. I wasn't sure if she heard me or if she was simply ignoring me.
At noon, I arrived at the hospital and started looking for her so we could go have lunch together, but they informed me she was in surgery. She had gone in less than ten minutes earlier.
I asked how long the operation would take, and they told me it could last anywhere from three to five hours.
I waited patiently, but after three hours she still hadn't come out. Worried, I approached a nurse and asked whether Paulina had eaten anything. She couldn't give me an answer, which only increased my anxiety.
Half an hour later, I asked again, and she was still in surgery. Finally, the nurse offered to call me as soon as it was over. I thanked her and returned to my office, trying to calm the anguish that kept growing in my chest.
Knock, knock.
"Come in," I replied, thinking it was Paulina.
"Hi, Shanti," Valentina greeted as she appeared in the doorway.
"Valentina… how can I help you?" I asked, disappointed to see it wasn't Paulina.
"I wanted to apologize for what happened at the hotel," she said, making me remember that incident. "I won't tell Paulina anything if you want me to keep quiet."
I frowned, irritated.
"Why are you talking as if I had cheated on Paulina?"
"She could see it that way. Or how do you think she would react if she found out that her fiancée and her ex were alone in a hotel room late at night?" she challenged.
"If you put it that way, even I would think badly," I snapped, feeling even more annoyed, "but I remind you that my father-in-law went out to buy food and drinks so we could stay awake."
"I know, I just wanted to tell you that—"
"If that's all, don't worry. Paulina already knows, so please leave," I asked, exasperated.
She left reluctantly. Barely two or three minutes had passed when the phone rang. It was the nurse informing me that Paulina had just come out of surgery. As soon as I heard it, I ran toward the medical area.
"Love!" I called out to her from the hallway. She turned around and walked toward me with a frown.
"Shanti," she replied curtly.
"Love, you need to eat. Let's go get you something to eat," I insisted gently.
"I'm busy. I already ate," she replied, visibly exhausted.
"Oh… and did you drink fluids?" I asked, still worried.
"Yes, I did," she said in the same dry tone.
"Do you want us to leave together?"
"I don't know what time I'll be done."
"I can wait," I suggested.
Paulina sighed tiredly before speaking.
"Fine… since you didn't understand all the hints, as always," she murmured the last part almost to herself. "I don't want to see you until I calm down or my anger goes away. Do you understand now?" she said, clearly upset.
Of course I knew she didn't want to see me, but even so, I wanted her to know that, even if she was angry with me, I wouldn't stop worrying about her or loving her.
"All right," I agreed with my head lowered. She turned to leave. "I love you," I said, hoping she heard me, though she didn't stop.
That night, I slept on the couch again. I didn't want to disturb her rest.
Paulina
I know I've been punishing Shanti for quite some time now, and even though it hurts not being able to hug her, kiss her, or even touch her, I want her to stop hiding things from me "to protect me." I'm not a doll that's going to break from facing a problem; I want her to see me as support, not as someone she always has to shield.
Ever since I got angry, she comes by every day to check whether I've eaten or asks the nurses about me. Every night she leaves me a note next to already prepared food, and I always find her asleep on the couch. Apparently, she's still very busy with work. Two days ago, my father told me her workload had increased. I don't like her sleeping there—I think it's time to lift her punishment.
I quickly changed to join Shanti on that hard couch, which is undoubtedly much less comfortable than our bed.
"Hi, sis," I heard Shanti say on her phone. "I'm fine, but what happened? It's very late… That's right, I had forgotten! I'm the worst aunt," she complained. "I've been dealing with some issues… Did my mother tell you already? Well, yes, it was quite complicated… Okay, I'll be there tomorrow… I'll ask Pau if she can come because I don't know if she has any surgeries scheduled… Well, if she does… I'll try, but ugh!… I'll do my best, okay. Take care." She hung up and sighed so deeply it felt like she was right beside me.
After a few seconds, I heard the door to our apartment close. A few minutes later, she came back. I went out to meet her.
"Hi, love," she greeted me with a nervous smile, keeping her distance.
I looked at her strangely.
"What time did you get in? Have you eaten?"
"What's going on?" I asked in a hard tone.
"Alejandra is graduating tomorrow. Gina called to invite me, but I don't know if you want to go. I told her that maybe you were busy and that you would decide later." Her tone was uncertain.
"I know Alejandra is graduating tomorrow. That's why the helicopter is scheduled for four in the morning. I told you three weeks ago." I sighed, irritated. "Just because I'm angry with you doesn't mean I won't attend my niece's graduation."
"Pau, I didn't mean that, it's just that…" she sighed, tired. "I'm not hiding anything from you, love."
"Really?" I said incredulously.
"Love, when we were looking for clues, there was a moment when I was alone with Valentina in the hotel room," she confessed bluntly.
I opened my eyes in disbelief and clenched my fists.
"What? Now you want to tell me properly before I rip your head off?" My voice came out filled with contained anger.
I tried to stay calm, but her story didn't convince me. When she finished speaking, I felt like something was missing.
"So what are you forgetting to tell me?" I asked firmly, clenching my fists even tighter.
Shanti grew thoughtful. I knew she was making a real effort to remember any detail she might have missed.
"I think that's everything," she said, scratching the back of her neck.
"Why don't you try to remember again?" I insisted.
Whenever Valentina was involved, there was always something more.
Shanti looked at me, confused, but obeyed.
"Now that I think about it, there was something strange…" she murmured.
"What was it?" I asked, uneasy.
"I was sitting on the bench that's under the bed, and Valentina was sitting on top of it. At the time I didn't understand it, but I think she came on to me…"
"Go on," I asked, holding my breath.
"She was rubbing the back of my neck and told me I looked tired. I replied that I never got tired, and she commented, 'Always so insatiable.' I stayed quiet because my mind was focused on the papers. Then she spoke again and told me to go back to the bed, to see if I would get tired this time. Right at that moment, I remembered the only place we hadn't searched: the old corporate headquarters basement. I stood up immediately and went straight to my computer in the living room…" she explained.
"Wait… can you remind me why you were in Valentina's room?" I asked, trying to calm myself.
"Before your father went out to buy drinks and something to eat, Valentina went to her room and then called me because she had found something."
"And it didn't cross your mind that she was trying to seduce you?" I asked, struggling to keep my composure.
"No," she replied nervously. "There were papers on the bed and I started reviewing them too. Pau, if I had thought she was trying to seduce me, do you really think I would have stayed there? I don't want you to think something like that could ever happen between us." Her tone was calm, but firm.
I took a deep breath, trying to process everything. With Valentina, there was always something hidden—but for now, I had to trust Shanti. I only hoped she wouldn't hide things from me again in the future.