And even her loyalty couldn’t quiet the loneliness.
When the mayor began to speak, trying to restore order, the tension was already beyond control.
“We’re here today to address concerns regarding the Dreamland project,” he said. “I believe Valentina can clarify her position.”
All eyes turned to me.
My heart pounded violently.
“I want to start by apologizing,” I said, my voice shaking despite my effort. “I never meant to betray your trust. This situation spiraled beyond my control. It was a misunderstanding.”
“A misunderstanding?” someone snapped. “You hid that you knew Enrico Ferrara from the beginning. That he’s your daughter’s father. That you almost married him.”
Heat flooded my face.
Voices rose all around me.
“You always knew who he was!”
“And now you expect us to believe it was just a legal meeting?”
“And those Ferrara Corp statements? You thought we’d believe that?”
I tried to speak, but my words were drowned out.
“Oh, we understand perfectly,” Dona Ana said, tears in her eyes. “You made us believe one thing while hiding the truth behind a smile. There’s no trust left, Valentina.”
That was it.
The mayor ended the event abruptly.
I stood frozen on the stage, unable to move, drowning in shame.
When the crowd dispersed, Júlia came to me and took my hand.
“Let’s go,” she whispered.
I barely made it down the steps, leaning on her, tears slipping silently down my face.
“I thought she was different,” someone murmured as I passed. “What a disappointment.”
When I finally closed my front door behind me, I let myself collapse.
This time, the damage felt irreversible.
TWENTY-FIVE
ENRICO FERRARA
The studio lights were too bright. Too hot. Like they were designed to make you sweat truth out of your skin.
I’d sat through hundreds of interviews over the years without a flicker of discomfort. Cameras didn’t intimidate me. Questions didn’t corner me.
This did.
My posture was perfect, my suit flawless, my expression carved into something calm and executive—but inside, every muscle in my body was coiled tight. My jaw ached from holding the same neutral mask.
I glanced at my watch again.
