Chapter 18
“Girl, you made quite a mess, huh?”
I’ve spent the whole morning with the little girl.
God, she’s adorable! Tiny and yet so clever.
Guillermo sent a message warning that the meeting would take longer than he initially thought, but I don’t mind at all. These were, without a doubt, the most enjoyable hours I’ve had since my mother passed away, rivaling the night I had dinner with Nina’s father.
It’s almost time for my lunch break, and I think about sending a message to Melissa to bring me a sandwich. He said not to go out with Nina, and I also don’t feel like asking Kathleen for anything.
As if she could read my thoughts, the woman who looks at me every day as if I were a bug enters the room with her queenly posture.
Kathleen is very tall—I estimate at least fifteen centimeters taller than me—but it’s not the physical difference between us that bothers me; it’s her gaze.
I don’t like what I see there. Along with Thomas, she’s the second person I can remember disliking from the get-go.
“You can take your lunch break. Leave her with me.”
Nina, who was falling asleep in my lap, wakes up, startled by the sharpness and loudness of Kathleen’s voice. I feel like throwing one of the toys within reach in the direction of the secretary. Couldn’t she see that the girl was sleeping?
“No, thank you. Mr. Guillermo asked me to take care of her, and I won’t leave Valentina for anything in this world.” I don’t raise my voice when I say this. I just want to make it clear that she won’t intimidate me.
“Don’t be foolish,” she says, shocking me. Despite the way she treats me when we cross paths in the corridors, I didn’t expect such aggression. “Are you challenging me?”
“No, just obeying my boss’s orders.”
“I can make you lose your job because of this insolence,” she threatens. “Do you know how long I’ve been working here?”
“Perhaps too long. That’s the only reason I can see for you to try to interfere with one of my orders.”
Both she and I look in the direction of our boss, who at this moment has a completely stern expression.
“She hasn’t eaten anything yet,” the fake woman says, trying to justify her actions.
“I know, and that’s why I’m here. What I don’t understand is why you thought you could override my orders and take Valentina away. If I wanted you to take care of her, I would have asked directly.”
I swallow hard, a little frightened.
He’s never talked to me like that before. Despite not raising his voice, Guillermo makes it clear that it’s not a good idea to contradict him.
I don’t know what’s wrong between them, but something tells me it didn’t start now.
Just when I think the atmosphere is going to sour completely, however, Nina, now fully awake, sits up in my lap and starts calling for her father. “Da-da-da-da-da . . .”
The CEO’s coldness disappears instantly, but he still adds, “You can go now, Miss Taylor. I’ll call you if I need to.”
As soon as she leaves with her skin slightly red and seemingly foaming with anger, he comes to where we are and reaches for his daughter.
“How was your morning, my love? Did you drive our Olívia crazy?”
I’m smiling because I never imagined Guillermo capable of being so gentle.
That is until something he said hits me hard: our Olívia.
“If you want, I can take care of her for the rest of the afternoon. Melissa informed me that your schedule today is quite complicated.”
“Would you do that for me?”
“It wasn’t exactly a sacrifice to spend time with your daughter. I had forgotten how interesting babies can be. Valentina is very smart.”
After the initial excitement of her father’s arrival, Nina fell back asleep, and now we’re having lunch in the adjoining room while she lies in the stroller.
“Thank you for standing up to Kathleen and not leaving Nina with her. Of course, it’s not your responsibility to take care of my daughter, but I really didn’t know what to do.”
“I would never hand her over to anyone other than you.”
“In the past, I would have left her with my mother, but she’s too busy now that my father’s health has worsened.”
“May I ask what’s wrong with him?”
“He suffered his second stroke a few months ago. The first one was over ten years ago, and although it was the reason he handed over the company to me, he still led a normal life, albeit not at the forefront of everything anymore. This second one, however, practically incapacitated him.” There’s such torment on his face that I immediately feel sympathetic.
I know what it’s like to see a loved one deteriorate.
“I’m so sorry. It’s horrible, isn’t it? The feeling of helplessness, I mean. I spent almost four years like that.”
“Tell me about it.”
“I’m adopted. My adoptive mother was Brazilian. She worked as a social worker in the orphanage where I was left. It was just the two of us, so when she got sick, I dropped everything to take care of her.”
I notice his jaw clenching.
“You asked why I didn’t try community college.
That was my intention and still is for the future, but when Mama Heloísa found out about the tumor, I decided to stay by her side until the end.
That’s why I said that day that I would go out with Melissa and her friends.
I don’t even remember what it’s like to have fun anymore. ”
“Did you have a happy upbringing, Olívia?”
“Yes, very much so. We were nowhere near having a financially stable life, but there was so much love in our home, you know? To the point where I didn’t even remember that I wasn’t her biological daughter.”
“And what about afterward?”
“After what?”
“When she passed away.”
“Ah, yes. I grieved a lot because I wouldn’t see her anymore, but at the same time, I felt relieved that she was finally resting. Does that make any sense?”
“It does indeed.”
“Cancer is not a pretty disease to witness. She was in a lot of pain.”
I lay the utensils down on the plate, as my appetite has disappeared. He seems to notice and holds my hand over the table. It’s the first time we’ve truly touched, and a wave of warmth washes over me.
“I’m sorry for bringing this up, but I want to know more about you.”
“That’s okay. It’s good to talk. You’re only the second person who knows about my mother’s death.”
“You can talk to me whenever you need.”
I get lost in his gaze for a moment, my hand absorbing all the warmth of his skin.
The sound of his cellphone interrupts the atmosphere, which I’m now sure isn’t just my imagination.
“Excuse me. It’s my mom. I need to answer.”
He gets up, but I remain where I am, unsure if my legs will obey me. But the urgency in his voice brings me back from the dream world.
“Which hospital? Okay. Did you inform the others? I’m coming there, Mom.”
In two strides, he’s back with me.
“Olívia, I need you. My father had a fall. Apparently, he tried to get up by himself and felt dizzy. Would you stay with Nina at my place while I go meet them at the hospital? My security guards will take you and will be at your disposal for anything you need.”
“Of course I can. I just need to inform Melissa.”
“Don’t worry about that.” He’s already gathering Nina’s things, but then he stops and stands in front of me. “Thank you. I don’t know what I would do without your help.”