A Night Together
Ava had many doubts, and she hoped to resolve them that very night.
“I understand that this girl you’re talking about caused you a lot of suffering. What I don’t understand is, if you love her, why were you going to marry Daría?” She needed to know why he had done it.
“Daría was Ava’s uncle’s assistant. I needed to obtain some files so that she could reclaim the inheritance her parents left her. The only way I could get those files was through that woman. I had to make her agree to help me.”
“Ah, now I understand.”Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.
Ava felt terrible; everything he was doing was for her, even though she had hurt him so much. She wanted to tell him that she was the one, that she loved him, but she knew he wouldn’t forgive her, especially when he found out they had a child. She had to find a way to get closer to him again.
“Why?” Mateo asked that question while looking at her intently.
“Why, what? I don’t understand, Mateo,” Ava felt for a moment that maybe he had discovered her secret.
“Why can a woman be so selfish?” This question pierced Ava’s heart. She was making a great effort not to burst into tears right then and there.
“I imagine she must have her reasons. Perhaps she thought that if she stayed by your side, she would condemn you to a dark and gray life like hers, that you would have to take care of her constantly. We can’t judge another person without knowing their true reasons. For a blind person, falling in love must be very difficult.”
“Wait, how do you know that Ava is blind?”
“Tadeo mentioned it to me at some point.” Fortunately, she came up with that response. She felt sorry for Tadeo, but she didn’t want to be discovered.
“Ava is the perfect woman for me, the only one I have loved. Before her, I didn’t have that capacity; I felt it was impossible for me to love.”
“You shouldn’t torment yourself. Perhaps she’s fine, and one day she’ll return.”
Ava didn’t know what to say. She felt a deep pain in her chest. She had made a big mistake by leaving him, and now she would have to find a solution.
She approached and hugged him, wanting to convey all her regret in that embrace. Mateo stayed there, still in her arms, he closed his eyes, not wanting to think anymore. If only he could turn back time, he would have let Ava know how much he loved her, maybe she wouldn’t have left.
After a while of drinking, Ava told him it was enough and that she would accompany him home.
“I can drive perfectly,” he replied, slurring his words.
“I know, but let me take you home now.”
Mateo looked at her, and for a moment, he thought he saw Ava. His gaze reflected infinite love and tenderness. He got into the car, and she fastened his seatbelt, driving him to the building where the penthouse was located, just as he had asked her to, so he wouldn’t have to explain things to his grandfather.
She helped him out of the car, and Mateo put his arm over her shoulder. He needed support, or he would fall. He couldn’t stand on his own.
She accompanied him to the entrance of the penthouse, and Mateo used his card to open the door. It was a beautiful place, spacious, elegantly decorated in monochromatic tones. The furniture was in black, white, and various shades of gray, creating a very stylish atmosphere. Large windows provided a stunning view of the city.
She led him to his bed, helping him to lie down. Ava removed his shoes and covered him with a blanket. As she was about to turn and leave, he grabbed her arm and pulled her closer, cupping her face in his hands and kissing her gently.
“Ava, my Ava, don’t leave again. Stay with me forever, right here beside me,” Mateo said with great passion, keeping his eyes closed.
She remained still, watching him. Had he recognized her, or was he just rambling due to the alcohol?
She sat down beside him and hugged him. He pulled her closer and asked her to lie down beside him. Ava complied, and they stayed like that. She fell asleep without realizing it.
The next morning, Mateo woke up, and she was still asleep, resting on his chest. He looked at her with confusion. “What was Grecia doing in his bed?” He observed her sleeping peacefully, her long eyelashes accentuating her closed eyes. He didn’t want to wake her, but he needed to use the bathroom.
He moved very slowly, and she woke up at that moment, but she pretended to keep sleeping. Mateo got up and went to the bathroom, hearing the sound of him brushing his teeth. She quickly got up, put on her shoes, grabbed her bag, and hurried to the door, wanting to leave.
As she was about to reach the door, Mateo grabbed her arm tightly.
“Wait,” he said. Mateo wouldn’t let her go, not remembering what had happened between them the previous night.
“Please, let me go,” she pleaded.
“What happened last night?” He couldn’t recall the events.
“You were in a bad state, and I brought you home. You didn’t let me go; you held onto me and asked me to stay with you. I have to leave; Tadeo must be worried.”
“I understand. I owe you an apology for my behavior. Thank you for what you did for me.”
He looked at her intensely. In his dreams, he had felt like it was Ava in his arms. That’s why, after a long time, he had slept so well.
He pulled her closer and kissed her. She responded to the kiss and then pushed him away and ran out. He ran his fingers over his lips. “By all demons!” He could swear that the girl was Ava, despite the differences. He picked up his phone and made a call.
Akiro answered the call immediately, always ready to help.
“Pronto.”
“Brother, I need a big favor.”
“Whatever you need, you know we’re here for you.”
“I want you to investigate Grecia, where she was born, who her parents are, everything about her, but make sure the information is real. As a hacker, you know what I mean.”
“I understand perfectly, it’s already in progress, brother.”
“Thank you. Send me the information to my email as soon as you have it.”
He had to know if his suspicions were correct. Something deep inside him told him it was Ava, even though the image before his eyes said otherwise. If he was wrong, he would definitely seek psychological help.
In the afternoon, he went to his office to interview several candidates for the secretary position. It was urgent to find one. He had selected five candidates whose documents looked the most promising. As soon as he arrived, he called in the first candidate, a brunette with a strong resume, but her appearance and behavior reminded him of Daría. He asked to see the next candidate. He didn’t want to deal with that type of behavior at work.
The next one had the same behavior as the previous candidate.
“Lord, have mercy on these women! I’m looking for a secretary, not someone who constantly tries to seduce me.”
The last candidate was a girl with black hair and a peculiar silver streak at the front. She wore large glasses and had freckles on her face. She was very serious and formal, and her resume was excellent-his ideal secretary, he thought.
“What’s your name?” he asked.
“Camila, sir,” she replied timidly.
“Perfect, Camila. I need someone I can trust completely. You’ll have a one-month trial period, and if you pass it, the job is yours.”
She seemed like a shy little mouse. At 22, she looked much younger. She was slim and flat-chested, just what he was looking for-someone who could help him with work and not provoke inappropriate thoughts. He had a motto: “Work and pleasure must be kept separate.”
Meanwhile, Ava also had a clear goal: to win back Mateo’s love. Tadeo was doing his best to win her love, but she only saw him as a friend and nothing more. As the saying goes, “The heart doesn’t obey orders.”
She researched Mateo’s life on the internet. There were many things said about him, but in the photos, he always appeared alone until he started dating Daría. Previously, he had been labeled as a playboy due to statements from various girls, but they could never prove the truth of what was said. She even read rumors that he was gay, which made her laugh because she knew it wasn’t true.
There was nothing published about his preference for bondage practices. It was logical that he would be very careful about that; it could damage his image as an entrepreneur.
Tadeo had visited the bondage club a few times. He knew well what could be obtained in such places. He remembered mentioning it to Ava to discourage her from Mateo, but it hadn’t worked. He had seen them together at the club. Perhaps he needed to go again now that he could see things he couldn’t that night.
At Ava’s house, Lola was very concerned about her. She had been in front of the computer for two days, only taking breaks to sleep a bit.
“My dear, you should get some more sleep. You’ll get sick if you keep this up.”
“Sorry, Nana. I’ve been researching some things.”
“Remember, you shouldn’t strain your eyes too much. Your surgery is still recent.”
“Yes, Nanny, you’re right. I think I’ve researched enough.” She shut down the computer and picked up her son from Lola’s arms.
Meanwhile, at the company, Camila was adjusting well to her new job. Mateo was an authoritarian boss, but within that, he was very considerate. When she was near him, she couldn’t help but tremble. She had researched a lot about him, in fact, she had been doing so for years.