Chapter 8 #3
“She never wanted to tell me much about her job because she claimed she didn’t want me to use my influence to help her, although I always found it strange because in previous jobs she had asked me to do exactly that.
For that reason, I don’t even know the name of the company she works for.
All I know is that six months ago she started working there as the secretary to the head of finance. ”
“Exactly, that’s the information I was given and later confirmed.”
“Now I understand many things. First, her surprise when she saw you at your mother’s house and, above all, what she’s been saying about you,” I stated.
“I don’t understand what she’s trying to achieve, but I assure you that, now more than ever, I’m certain that woman is hiding something and wants to cause harm.”
“I don’t believe that, but there is something I’m now convinced of and it doesn’t make me feel good,” I said, looking at him sadly.
“What is it?”
“If she already knew you and is upset about our relationship, to the point of saying and doing all the crazy things she has these past few days, it’s because she must have feelings for you. She might even be in love with you,” I concluded, dejected.
“That’s impossible. I hadn’t even spoken to her or, better said, I didn’t even know her,” he said, shaking his head.
“Think about it. First, she tried to keep me away from you by describing you as a womanizer who would only break my heart, and gave me a thousand reasons why I should stay away from you. When I told her I had been with you, she became furious with me and stopped talking to me, then started defaming me. Although it seems like a cruel joke of fate, now I understand,” I said, shaking my head and covering my eyes with my hands.
“If she had told me, nothing would have ever happened between us.”
Henry came closer and took my hands to remove them from my face so I could look him in the eyes.
“If it’s as you say, I’m glad you didn’t know. Understand that I don’t want anything with her, I only want to be with you, Dalina.”
“I would never have hurt my friend, try to understand me. It doesn’t make me feel good to be with the person she’s in love with.”
“That’s just your assumption, we don’t know for sure,” he affirmed, caressing my face.
At that moment, the door opened and Bastián and Lolo walked in like they owned the place and looked at us with surprise.
I knew they would meet eventually, but at that moment, with what I had just discovered, I wasn’t prepared for introductions.
Henry stood up and approached them.
“I assume you’re Dalina’s brothers. I’m Henry Woollardy, her boyfriend. Nice to meet you,” he introduced himself very formally. And it was obvious that he remembered them from when he had seen me with them and thought they were my lovers.
“I’m Bastián Dukart, Dalina’s older brother. Pleased to meet you.”
“I’m Lorenzo Dukart, her other brother,” he informed, while extending his hand to greet him.
At that moment, all three looked in my direction because I was still sitting with my head in my hands, elbows resting on my legs.
“What’s wrong, little one?” Bastián asked, approaching my side.
“I don’t know if you’re aware of the problem Dalina had with the woman who claimed to be her friend, that girl named Sol,” Henry pointed out, and quickly came over, sat beside me and took my hand.
“I haven’t told them the details yet,” I interrupted.
“We were just talking about that. I asked an acquaintance to find out everything he could about that woman. Today I received a report and learned that she works at my company, which I was unaware of. The problem is that I suspect she’s not happy about our relationship, and I’m genuinely concerned for Dalina’s safety. ”
“Safety?” my brothers asked, completely bewildered.
“Better sit down and I’ll tell you everything that’s happened,” I indicated.
They took seats in the armchairs facing where Henry and I were sitting, and I began my account.
My brothers looked at Henry seriously, though they remained attentive to what I was narrating.
Once again, I listed everything that had happened and the latest information provided by Henry.
When I finished, they both looked at each other in surprise.
“When were you planning to tell us about this situation? This is serious,” Bastián said. “That girl isn’t well.”
“I don’t understand how we didn’t notice her fakeness. We need to expose her,” Lolo affirmed.
“Now you’ll understand my concern. I don’t know her and maybe I’m overreacting, but I don’t think anything is too much when it comes to Dalina’s wellbeing and safety.”
“I agree with you and I ask that you keep me informed,” Bastián requested.
“Stop, stop, stop,” I said, agitated. “I think this is all an exaggeration. Now I realize she must be jealous and I understand she hasn’t acted properly, but you’re taking this situation down a path I don’t agree with,” I affirmed, completely annoyed by the dimension this issue had taken.
“What do you mean by ‘all this’?” Henry asked, looking at me seriously.
“Your attitudes,” I responded.
“We can't just sit back with our arms crossed and act like nothing happened,” he responded.
“I agree with what he says, little one. You have to admit that Sol is acting in bad faith and hasn't been honest. She hid from you that she worked at your boyfriend's company and she's behaving like a psychopath.”
“I don't support you on this either, Dali,” and in this case it was Lolo who spoke.
I exhaled in defeat, knowing clearly that if these three men agreed on something, I had little chance of convincing them otherwise.
The intercom in my office rang. I got up to answer it, and Bastián's secretary informed me that he had a call, asking if she should transfer it to my office or if he would take it in his own.
When I asked him, my brother decided to take it in his office and Lolo decided to accompany him, but not before asking us to keep them informed about everything that happened with Sol.
When they left, Henry sat down beside me.
“This now warrants talking to the personnel department at my company to get that woman out of there as soon as possible,” he stated, looking at me seriously.
“Whaaaaat? Absolutely not! I don't want her to lose her job!” I exclaimed, horrified.
“This is not up for discussion. I cannot have someone in my company who has acted in such a dishonest manner.
I'm not one to fire people who work for me—I only do it when they commit some serious offense—but I consider honesty and loyalty to be the main characteristics of a human being, and your friend doesn't have them,” he stated in an authoritative tone.
“Please, Henry, don't fire her. She's not like that.
I'm going to talk to her; it's the only way to resolve this situation.
I need to look at this situation beyond the impact of this moment and consider everything we've experienced together, the shared memories, the anecdotes that unite us.
Besides, arguments are also part of friendship, right?
I'm going to initiate a reconciliation. We have many more reasons to fix this than to distance ourselves,” I stated confidently.
I cared a lot for Sol, and while her attitude had hurt me deeply and I didn't justify it, now that I understood she might be in love with Henry, I could begin to understand her, at least a little.
“You're not going to talk to her. Actions speak volumes about people, and you'll agree that her attitude is that of a disloyal person, even disturbed, I'd say.
A friend doesn't cause you unnecessary suffering.
She hurt you, she disappointed you, and that's enough to distrust her and not want to see her again.”
“I don't want to take such an extreme measure until we've talked. But this is a matter between Sol and me; no one else needs to intervene,” I stated.
“Don't be stubborn!” he warned, looking at me very seriously.
“Henry, she's my friend and I'm going to go. I have to do it. Besides, I'm going alone,” I stated, giving him a warning look.
“Don't even think about it!” he exclaimed.
For a few seconds we challenged each other with our gazes, Henry with his brow furrowed and me trying to rival his seriousness, though that was almost impossible.
“Please stop giving me orders,” I said, trying to sound calm.
“Very well, if the meeting happens, I'll take you and wait until you finish your conversation with that girl. And you'll make sure she knows I'm waiting for you. No further discussion.”
“Do you realize what you're asking me? We assume she's jealous of you, and you want me to tell her that I'm with you and you're waiting for me? I don't think the conversation will be very comfortable or sincere after I tell her that.”
“I don't give a damn what she thinks! You tell her and that's the end of the discussion—it's either that or you don't go.”
“Enough, Henry. Don't give me orders or speak to me in that authoritarian tone,” I stated, still making an effort to keep speaking calmly.
“This is how I talk when my patience is exhausted.” He sighed. “It must be that I'm not used to dealing with women your age. With women my age, it's simpler because they don't behave like capricious, disobedient little girls.”
“What did you say?” I asked, both surprised and hurt. Hearing him say that had caused such a sharp pain in my chest that it took my breath away.
“I think I was clear.”
I tried not to look disappointed, though I don't think I succeeded.
“Don't treat me like a little girl or compare me to your lovers, damn it!” I exclaimed furiously, sending tranquility to hell. I got up from the couch, moving away from him. He had wounded my confidence and self-esteem.
He also stood up to come toward me, standing in front of me and looking at me very seriously.
“I'm well aware that you're not a little girl, you're a woman, but then act like one and don't disappoint me!”
“Disappoint you? Do you think I'm not up to the standard of the women you've dated? Or am I not up to the standard of the powerful Mr. Woollardy? I can't believe you said that,” I said, shaking my head.
“I didn't say…”
“Enough, Henry, I don't want to argue anymore or listen to the nonsense you're saying.
It's better if you leave because you've already said enough, and I have work to finish.
I appreciate you coming to inform me about Sol, and I'm sorry you can't talk to me the way you do with women your age,” I said, unable to disguise the ironic tone in my voice, “but you don't have to worry because I know how to take care of myself.”
“Will you let me speak?!” he exclaimed, furious.
“No, I can’t. As I already told you, I need to finish reviewing some budgets and then I have an important meeting because, believe it or not, I’m an adult woman with responsibilities.”
“You’re right, I shouldn’t be wasting my time with you either. When you act like this is when you truly show that you’re a spoiled little girl, and I’m not here for childish whims. I have more important things to do. This makes no sense,” he said, serious and frustrated.
“What doesn’t make sense?” I asked, and the disappointment on my face couldn’t have gone unnoticed.
“Do I need to spell it out for you? Seriously?” he said sarcastically, turned around and left the office with energetic steps, closing the door with more force than necessary.
For a few minutes I stood there staring at the door through which he had left.
I still couldn’t believe what he had said to me, that I was too spoiled, too young, and I don’t know what else too much.
That I wasn’t up to the standard of his lovers and that, evidently, I complicated his life because I was like a disobedient child who constantly disappointed him.
I shook my head. I was furious and disillusioned—with Sol for not valuing our friendship, with Henry for not loving me and treating me the way he had, and with myself for allowing him to take over my heart without any discount and without even my permission.
Downcast, I went to sit in my chair to try to continue working, but I looked at the computer and couldn’t make sense of what I was reading. My mind was elsewhere.
Why did Henry Woollardy have to cross my path? Damn my fate! I thought.
I kept turning the matter over in my mind without being able to decide what was best for me: to have continued with my life without knowing love and suffering because of that, or loving with all my being without being loved in return and suffering because of that.
Quite a dilemma for which I had no answer, I suppose nobody did.
Anguish began to take hold of me, but I refused to cry.
I wasn’t going to cry because of them. My friend had hurt me deliberately, and Henry, with his harsh words, had done the same.
It was clear that he didn’t love me and there was nothing I could do about it, just as I couldn’t do anything to stop loving him.
Feelings escaped everyone’s control, without exception.