At this moment, I recall my entire life and especially the past few months.
I finally mustered the courage to read my biological mother’s letter to the end. I won’t lie and say that what was there didn’t hurt me. She didn’t want me because everyone would know I wasn’t her husband’s child. How could she abandon a child based on hair color?
Her actions are incomprehensible to me, and as I’ve told Guillermo more than once, I was the lucky one in this whole story. Being raised by Mama Heloísa was a privilege. No amount of money could give me what she provided.
I look up, preventing a tear from escaping.
I’ve done this many times over the past few years—prevented the tears from falling, I mean. Guillermo noticed my tendency to always hold back the pain, the need to be strong, and taught me that there was nothing wrong with admitting to struggling from time to time.
When I lost my mother, I stayed strong because I needed to fulfill one of the promises I made to her—to be happy.
My love asked me to teach him how to live, but I need to learn how to do that too.
After moving into his house, it has become easier to keep the promise about being happy. Coming home from work every day and having a moment just for the three of us, witnessing Nina’s growth, and of course, enjoying our love story.
We talked and decided that one day we’ll tell Valentina who Layla was. Without delving into the parents’ tumultuous relationship, we’ll just state the truth, including the fact that we were sisters and all the circumstances that led to that discovery. I know what it’s like to grow up in the dark, not knowing my origins. Even though I was protected and loved, there was always a question mark in my story. I don’t want Nina to go through that.
“Is something wrong?” Mrs. Isabel asks, entering with Valentina in her arms.
God, my little girl looks adorable in a long cream dress.
Of course, there was no possibility of any hair accessories. She still won’t let us put bows or clips on her. But she’s so beautiful that it doesn’t even matter.
“No, just pensive,” I reply.
My mother-in-law approaches. “Thinking about your mother?”
“Yes. She loved parties and would have been so happy to be part of such a big family like yours.”
“Likeours,” she corrects me.
Gradually, a bond has formed between my mother-in-law and me. Isabel Caldwell-Oviedo is a very loving woman, but she is also protective of her family, and that’s what made her suspicious of me at first.
“Thank you for accepting me so well.”
We both know what I’m talking about. Unfortunately, I can’t erase my blood ties with Layla.
“You are one of us, Olívia. You will be my son’s wife and my granddaughter’s mother. How could I not love you?”
“You didn’t seem to like me much at first.”
“Because I feared my son might be wrong about you. I don’t know if he told you, but Nina’s pregnancy was a very distressing time for all of us.”
As she speaks, Nina leaps into my arms, her little hands holding my face.
I look at her reddish hair and chubby cheeks, and I promise myself that I will do my best to give her all the love she deserves.
“But I have to admit I was wrong,” she continues. “You make him happy, Olívia. Guillermo had to take over the business very early on and didn’t get a chance to enjoy life like a twenty-five-year-old would, but in these months he’s spent with you, he’s more relaxed. He smiles, jokes around. Just the good you do for my boy would be enough for me to love you, but rest assured, I’ve adored you for who you are for a while now. I tried not to judge you, but I was afraid. For Guillermo, who from the start seemed completely enamored with you, and also for Valentina.”
“I appreciate you keeping an open mind and getting to know me. I only had my mother, who was very present and gave me all the love she could, but it feels like a dream to join a family with so many relatives.”
“My God, are you two still here? The party is outside, folks,” Martina say, entering the room out of breath.
I look at the beautiful girl, just a little younger than me. She has a strong temperament. She’s bold and drives her siblings crazy.
“We’re almost ready, aren’t we, Princess Nina?”
She nods her head in agreement.
