Maria Gabriela
I knew contact with Diego would start happening more often—and I understood that. He was Clara’s father, and even though things between us were far from resolved, there was a bond that could never really be broken.
Still, I kept wondering how we’d manage to coexist after everything that had happened. I was trying to stay calm, but the truth was, my heart still beat faster every time the subject was him.
When he called earlier, my first reaction was surprise.
Diego wasn’t the kind of man who made unnecessary visits—especially not after all we’d been through. He said he needed to talk to me and asked if he could come by my apartment.
There was something tense in his voice, something that made me uneasy. Still, I agreed.
I knew this conversation was inevitable. And now, as I waited for him, my thoughts were all over the place.
I was tired—tired of the uncertainty, of the endless push and pull between us. It felt like we’d been stuck on a roller coaster that never stopped, always climbing, always crashing, never letting me breathe.
When the intercom buzzed, my stomach tightened. I took a deep breath before answering and buzzed him in. Diego came up quickly, and when the doorbell rang, I was already waiting at the door.
“Good evening, Maria Gabriela,” he said politely, though his tone carried something else—something that cracked through his usual calm.
“Evening, Diego.”
He took a step forward, ready to come in, but before he could, Max—my loyal four-legged bodyguard—burst into sharp, defensive barks, planting himself between us.
The scene happened so suddenly I couldn’t help but smile.
“I don’t think Max likes you,” I said, trying to lighten the tension. “They say dogs can tell who’s good and who’s not.”
Diego paused, watching the dog for a moment before looking back at me. His eyes were softer than I remembered, like he was searching for the right words.
“Maybe he’s right,” he said quietly.
I froze for a few seconds, letting that sink in. The idea that Diego might actually be admitting his own flaws—even indirectly—wasn’t something I’d expected.
Max kept barking, but less aggressively now, as if he too was weighing the situation.
“Come in,” I finally said, stepping aside.
Max gave a low growl but backed off, allowing Diego to enter.
He walked in, glancing around. It wasn’t his first time here, but now the atmosphere was different. Maybe it was Clara sleeping peacefully in the crib down the hall—or maybe it was the heavy silence hanging between us.
“How is she?” Diego asked, his tone softer, as if he were trying not to sound like the commanding man he usually was.
“Our daughter’s fine,” I said, watching him closely. “She’s asleep right now.”
He looked at me, and for a brief moment, I saw the man behind the cold CEO mask. His eyes looked tired—vulnerable in a way I’d rarely seen.
“I needed to see you,” he admitted, and that surprised me more than anything else he could’ve said.
“Why?” I asked, wary but curious.
Diego hesitated before answering.
“I’m trying to figure out how to… make things right.
” He let out a slow breath, as if he’d been carrying the words for a long time.
“I know I did a lot of things wrong. I know I can’t change the past. But I want to try—to be a good father to Clara.
And…” He faltered, searching for the courage to continue.
“Maybe… to be someone better for you too. I don’t expect you to forget what I did, Maria Gabriela.
I just want a chance to do things differently from now on. ”
My breath caught.
I was still processing it when Max bared his teeth again, as if warning me to be careful.
I looked back at Diego. He was clearly fighting to stay composed, and something in his expression disarmed me—but I couldn’t let that happen again.
“So, Max,” I said to the dog, using sarcasm as a shield, “what do you think of that?”
Diego sighed, frustration creeping into his face.
“I don’t think he likes the idea,” I murmured, my voice tinged with sadness.
“Don’t do that, Maria Gabriela. Please…” Diego started, but I cut him off.
“‘Please.’” I repeated the word slowly, almost bitterly. “That’s one of the words I used most when you made my life hell back at the company. And did it ever matter, Diego?” My voice trembled under the weight of the pain I didn’t want to feel anymore, but there it was—raw and relentless.
He lowered his head, unable to meet my eyes. Seeing him like that—vulnerable, stripped of arrogance—was jarring.
But it wasn’t enough. He needed to understand the damage he’d caused, and that fixing it wouldn’t be easy.
“The best thing you can do now is forget about me,” I said, forcing my voice to stay firm. “Focus on Clara. She needs you. And I want her to have a father who’s present. But us…” I paused, swallowing the lump in my throat. “We can’t happen again.”
Diego looked at me with a mix of pain and determination. I knew my words hit him, but he didn’t seem ready to back down.
“Go to her room, Diego,” I said, nodding toward the door. “Spend some time with Clara. She’s your daughter—she deserves to know you.”
He nodded silently and headed for the nursery. I watched him walk down the hall, the sound of his footsteps echoing in the quiet apartment.
When the door closed behind him, I sank into the couch, exhaustion washing over me—not just physical, but the kind that settles deep in your bones.
Being near Diego felt like reopening every old wound, and I wasn’t sure how much more I could take.
A few minutes passed. I knew he was in there, holding our daughter, trying to connect with her. And deep down, I knew he would be a good father. Despite everything, there was a bond between them that couldn’t be denied—and that brought me a sliver of comfort.
When he finally came back out, his eyes found mine—and something in them had changed. There was a quiet determination I hadn’t seen before. He stopped a few feet away, close enough for me to feel his presence.
“I’ll never give up on you, Maria Gabriela,” he said, his voice steady. “I know I hurt you, and I know I don’t deserve forgiveness—not yet—but I’ll do whatever it takes to win you back. Because, truth is… I love you.”
His words hit me like a blow. I hadn’t expected to hear that—not now, not like this—and the intensity in his voice shook me to the core.
I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t even know what to feel. I just stood there, staring at him as the floor seemed to fall out beneath me.
Diego didn’t wait for a response. He knew he’d said enough—for now. With one last glance toward the room where Clara slept, he turned and walked out, leaving behind a trail of emotions I couldn’t untangle.
I stayed there, alone in the silence, my thoughts swirling.
Diego had gotten to me—and that terrified me.
I didn’t want to believe he could change, but the way he’d spoken, the sincerity in his eyes… planted a seed of doubt I wasn’t ready to face.