CHAPTER 29
A week has passed since Victoria”s confrontation with Javier. She left his house unsure if granting him that time was wise. Her mind a whirlwind of doubts and confusion, Victoria longs only to reach the sanctuary of her home, hoping it might offer a reprieve, a moment to figure out how to handle the situation with her son and Micaela.
That night, Victoria barely manages a wink of sleep, her mind in turmoil. As dawn breaks, she”s resolute, planning to call Santiago. He”s the father of her son, after all, and deserves to know the upheaval in their lives. If she crafts her words just right, she might temper his fury, prevent him from confronting Javier. But her preparations are unnecessary; a knock at her door interrupts her morning routine.
Victoria”s voice catches in her throat when she opens the door to find her son, Daniel, standing there—nervous and slightly embarrassed by the recent revelations.
“Hello, Mom,” he says, hesitating on the doorstep, not daring to step inside.
Victoria quickly pulls him into a tight embrace, so fierce that Daniel’s cheeks flush from the squeeze. She ushers him in and busies herself making coffee, fetching his favorite cookies, and setting them on the dining table where they both sit.
“Javier came to see me yesterday,” Daniel starts, gathering his courage. “I can’t believe I didn’t realize—if you went into my room, you”d have seen the photos,” he adds, shaking his head in self-reproach.
Victoria remains silent, giving him space to speak at his own pace, not wanting to add to his stress.
“Please don’t be mad at Javier,” Daniel pleads, his voice mature beyond his years. “We both decided this.”
He explains, just as Javier had, how his feelings for him have deepened, yet he still yearns to explore, to meet new people.
“But Javier is married, and he’s twice your age, Daniel,” Victoria finally speaks, her voice laden with concern.
“He’s getting a divorce, you know that as well as I do. And the age thing doesn’t bother me. As I said, I’m not closing myself off to meeting other people because Javier has had his experiences, and I”ve only had feelings for him. But every time I meet someone closer to my age, I realize I prefer older men.”
Their conversation stretches over two hours, and by the end, Victoria is reassured. Her son knows what he’s doing; he’s not being coerced. Once again, she finds herself feeling a pang of pity for Javier, recognizing his deep love for her son, so profound that he’s willing to let Daniel see other people as needed.
When Daniel leaves, Victoria calls Javier. “I won’t interfere, and I won’t tell Santiago until it’s official,” she declares.
Javier’s voice cracks with gratitude. “Thank you,” he manages, on the verge of tears, apologizing for not having the courage to tell her sooner.
“I’ll forgive you if you take me to lunch at that restaurant we went to last time,” Victoria quips.
“You’re relentless,” Javier chuckles, and they hang up, feeling like perhaps things could return to how they were before.
Now, Victoria paces her kitchen like a caged lioness. Her head feels ready to explode at any moment. She knows she needs to talk to Micaela, but the fear paralyzes her. She always thinks back to how she fled from her home, a cowardly exit that now fills her with shame. She had used the issue with Javier as an excuse to run, but that was resolved days ago, and here she is, still holed up in her Toledo home, secretly hoping Micaela might be the one to knock on her door.
Victoria”s hand hovers over her phone, her heart racing with the urgency of unresolved feelings. She”s about to tap the call icon, her mind swirling with the words she needs to say to Micaela, when a sharp ding redirects her attention. A notification from Twitter flashes on her screen, curiosity clawing at her resolve. She taps, and her world tilts.
The post is nothing less than a photo of Micaela, radiant as ever, but not alone. She”s cozied up with another woman, their proximity leaving no room for doubt in Victoria”s mind. Her heart sinks, jealousy igniting like wildfire through her veins.
”Bitch,” she hisses, the word a venomous whisper torn from the depths of her jealousy.
Relieved that she and Javier had mended fences, Victoria finds herself needing an outlet, a confidant. By the next day, over a lingering lunch, she spills everything to Javier, her voice a mix of confusion and longing as she tries to untangle her feelings for Micaela.
Now, instead of calling Micaela, she dials Javier, her tone sharp as she skips greetings. ”Did you see her Twitter?” she demands, pacing her dining room, a storm of emotions whirling through her.
Javier, ever the calm in her tempest, confirms with a soothing steadiness, ”Yes, I just saw it.”
”And you have nothing to say?” Victoria challenges, her voice rising as she stalks the floor.
”Well, I...” Javier starts, but Victoria cuts him off.
”It”s clear she doesn”t feel the same, right? Look how quickly she”s moved on to another conquest.”
Victoria”s rant is fierce and fast, words tumbling out in a torrent that Javier can scarcely follow.
”Wait, Vicky, just stop a second,” he interjects, and she collapses onto the sofa, breathless from her own tirade.
”What?” she snaps.
”I think you”re not in the right to be angry,” he says, and her eyes widen in shock. ”This mess, in my opinion, is your fault.”
”Excuse me?” she retorts, incredulous.
”You heard me. Micaela tried to reach out, and you dodged her, in a way that was, frankly, quite cowardly.”
Victoria stammers, her words dissolving into confusion, so she falls silent, surrendering to Javier”s calm.
”You’re playing with fire by dragging this out. If you don’t make a move with Micaela, you”re going to lose her, and we both know you don”t want that,” he concludes, his words striking deep.
”Yes, maybe I should...” Victoria starts, her voice trailing off as she hits another mental block, unsure how to proceed.
”Tomorrow you two have your first interview together,” Javier reminds her, his voice a gentle nudge. ”Use it as a chance to talk to her.”
”Yeah, but that woman in the photo—” Victoria recalls, fire blazing in her eyes once more.
”Forget about her. You know Micaela’s flings don’t last more than a day, and I think it’s clear she wants you. It’s your fault for ignoring her,” he states, bluntly.
”Stop saying it”s my fault,” she protests, rising to her feet.
”I will when you act like an adult,” he counters.
”Fine, I’ll talk to her tomorrow,” Victoria decides, determination lacing her voice as she ends the call.