“I can’t say the same,” I replied flatly.
She let out a dramatic sigh, studying me for a few seconds before continuing in a smooth, carefully controlled voice.
“I won’t waste your time with unnecessary conversation. I came to warn you about my grandson.” She paused, her sharp eyes fixed on me, waiting for a reaction. “Do you truly believe Enrico has changed, Valentina? Do you really think you can trust him again?”
I swallowed hard, fighting to contain the surge of anger threatening to consume me.
“Be direct, Eloá. If you have something to say about Enrico, say it. I don’t have the patience for your games today.”
Her cold smile deepened, the dangerous glint in her eyes making it clear this conversation was far from over.
“Very well. Direct, then,” she said softly. “Let’s talk about who Enrico really is. About everything you still—naively—don’t know about him.”
I met Eloá Ferrara’s icy, calculating stare head-on.
“If you came all this way just to repeat the same old speech, I’m sorry to tell you that you wasted your time.”
She raised a thin, elegant eyebrow and let out a small, disdainful laugh.
“Oh, my dear, that’s exactly where you’re wrong. I’m doing you a favor, actually. You should be thanking me. After all, you only know the version of my grandson he’s chosen to present now—because it’s convenient. But believe me, it never lasts. It never has.” She paused deliberately, leaning slightly closer. “Do you really think this marriage—this ‘fairy tale’ you’ve put together for the press and society—will hold once Enrico has everything he wants again?”
“And what exactly do you think he wants, Eloá?” I asked, feeling my blood begin to boil.
She smiled venomously, her expression almost predatory.
“The same things he’s always wanted, Valentina. Power. Control. You and your daughter are merely useful tools to him right now. Believe me—I know my grandson better than anyone. I raised him. I know exactly how his mind works.”
Anger surged through me, but I forced myself to remain composed, knowing that was exactly what Eloá wanted—to destabilize me.
“The Enrico you know, Eloá, is the Enrico you created,” I said firmly, meeting her gaze with resolve. “A man who lived for years under your manipulation and lies. The Enrico I know now isdifferent. He’s a man who recognizes his mistakes, who’s trying to be better—for me and for Clara. Something you’re incapable of understanding.”
Her eyes narrowed slightly, irritation flashing across her face, but she quickly regained her cold composure.
“You’re naïve, Valentina. You always have been. Do you really think a man like him changes?” she pressed. “What if I told you he never loved you? That he always knew exactly who you were and chose to believe me because it was more convenient? Do you really believe your love has that much power over someone like Enrico?”
Her words stabbed deep, reopening old wounds I’d been struggling to close. For a brief moment, my breathing faltered—but I regained control quickly, holding my posture steady.
“You destroyed my life once with your lies, Eloá,” I said calmly. “I won’t allow you to do it again. I’m no longer the frightened, lost girl whose life you manipulated five years ago. I know exactly who you are—and what you’re trying to do.”
Eloá smiled condescendingly, shaking her head.
“Oh no, dear. I didn’t destroy your life. You did that yourself by choosing a man like my grandson. And you’ll do it again if you keep insisting on this fantasy.”
And then I saw it—clearly.
Eloá was desperate.
That unexpected visit wasn’t an act of control, but the final move of a woman who was about to lose everything.
I straightened my shoulders, meeting her stare with even greater resolve.
“You’ve lost, Eloá. I know that’s hard for you to accept, but it’s time you do. You have no power over me anymore. Not over Enrico. And certainly not over Clara. It’s over.”
She stayed perfectly still, her gaze burning into mine for long seconds. Finally, she leaned back, though the cold expression remained intact.
“You’re foolish, Valentina. And fools always pay dearly for their naïveté. I hope you’re prepared for the price. You’ve been warned.”
“Believe me,” I replied, opening the car door with a cold smile, “the only price I’ll pay now is the satisfaction of watching you disappear from our lives once and for all.”
