As Lucia descended the staircase, each step resonated through the room. Her movements were poised, her gaze steady as she watched Diego's reaction unfold. He was still sitting, oblivious, absorbed in his thoughts, until he heard her voice—her real voice, unmasked, bold and confident.
"How do I look, Diego Mendoza Lopez?" she asked, the words rolling off her tongue with authority.
Diego froze, his eyes wide as he looked up in stunned recognition. He rose slowly, turning fully to face her. "What did you just call me?" he asked, disbelief etched into his expression.
"Your name, Diego," Lucia replied, her voice unwavering. She took another graceful step down, her presence powerful, undeniable.
A flicker of suspicion crossed his face. "Who are you? Why do you sound… different?"
She held his gaze. "I am Lucia Gomez. Your Lucia."
He blinked, as if trying to shake himself from a dream. "No… no, it's not possible," he muttered, confusion clouding his face.
Lucia looked away for a brief moment, gathering her thoughts, then fixed her gaze on him with quiet determination. "You know, when I returned from Canada, I told myself I wanted to do something different—something that would reveal the man I thought I'd spend the rest of my life with. But instead, Diego, I walked into the biggest shock of my life."
Diego's face shifted, the initial shock giving way to frustration. He clenched his jaw, struggling to control his emotions. "Alright," he said, nodding slowly, trying to compose himself. "Let me understand this. You came all the way from Canada to Mexico, supposedly to see your fiancé, but you decide to pretend to be someone else, just to prove a point?" His voice was a mixture of anger and bewilderment.
"Do you really find this so strange?" Lucia asked, her tone calm yet intense.
"Yes, Lucia! I do!" Diego exclaimed, barely containing his frustration. "It's… it's irrational! You traveled across the world, just to play a role? To uncover secrets that are in the past?"
She raised her chin defiantly. "And how is that irrational?"
Diego shook his head, a bitter smile forming on his lips. "Because it makes no sense why you'd leave your life behind, fly five hours to Mexico City, only to pretend to be someone else—a driver, no less." He sighed, shaking his head. "Fine. Now that you've dug up my past, now that you've seen me for who I was, what did you gain from it? What was the purpose of all this?" His voice softened but held a sharp edge. "We were supposed to be building a life together, Lucia. You could have been my wife by now. But you chose this game instead."
Lucia remained silent, her jaw tense as she fought to control the emotions roiling inside her. Diego continued, unable to stop the flood of words. "I just don't understand. Why go to all this trouble if not to destroy everything we've built? What was worth uncovering that you'd jeopardize our future?"
She held his gaze, her voice steady but brimming with hurt. "Tell me, Diego, what exactly are you so angry about? What are you truly afraid of?"
He exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "I'm angry because this whole… ordeal is ridiculous to me. You came all the way from Canada, and instead of building memories together, instead of letting us be… you chose to play detective. Now you've proved your point, so I'll ask you again—what did you gain from all this?"
Lucia looked at him, her face softening as she tried to understand the man before her. "Diego," she whispered, her voice laced with sadness. "I wanted to see if you were still the man I trusted. The man I fell in love with. And I needed to know… before I gave my heart away completely."
He looked away, the silence stretching between them, thick with words left unspoken. Neither of them moved, each standing at the edge of a truth that couldn't be undone.
Lucia's tears fell freely, her voice trembling with each word as she poured out her hurt. "Diego, you're so evil," she whispered, her tone a mixture of pain and anger. "You're shameless. You're… devilish. I regret ever loving you. I regret coming all the way from Canada to see you. I regret giving you my heart, my trust… I hate you so much." She shook her head, biting back a sob as she turned away, only to feel Diego's hand grasp her arm, holding her back.
Diego reached for Lucia, his voice gentle but urgent as he pulled her close, "Babe... hey, hey, baby." His hand moved to her cheek, brushing away her tears, and before she could respond, he leaned in, his lips meeting hers in a desperate, soft kiss. "Lucia, I'm sorry," he murmured when they parted, his eyes searching hers, pleading.
But Lucia shook her head, her voice breaking. "You're not sorry, Diego," she whispered, her eyes filling with fresh tears. "You have no idea what this has done to me. You don't understand... I came here, giving you all my trust, my love—and you destroyed it."
Diego tightened his hold on her, his expression pained."Baby, please, listen to me," he insisted, his hands gently holding her arms as he searched her face. "I know I messed up,I'm not justifying what I did, and I know I hurt you… but I swear, I'll make it up to you."
She searched his face, her voice raw. "Diego, I can't believe that. I don't feel your love. I don't feel your respect."
"Lucia, I love you and I respect you" he said, his tone firm, as if he could will her to believe him. "I know I'm far from perfect, and I've got a lot to work on, but with you by my side, I can be better. Please… forgive me."
She shook her head, looking away. "You don't understand," she said, her voice breaking. "You don't love me. If you did, you'd respect me, you wouldn't have done any of this."
"I do love you, Lucia," Diego insisted, his tone pleading. "I know I've made mistakes and I've got a lot of work to do on myself. But I love you—more than anything. And I couldn't wait to see you again."
Her gaze softened just slightly, but she kept her guard up. "You're only saying that because you don't want me to leave."
"No," Diego said, shaking his head. "I'm saying it because it's true. I love you, Lucia, and I'm sorry for everything. I'll do better—with you by my side, I'll be better. Please… forgive me."
Lucia looked up into his eyes, still seeing the remnants of hurt and anger in her expression, but something else lingered there, too—a small spark of hope. Slowly, she felt her defenses crumble, her heart softening as Diego's hand reached up to gently stroke her cheek. Without thinking, she leaned in, letting his lips meet hers in a tentative, searching kiss.
As they pulled away, Diego continued to hold her, his gaze intense but tender. "I know it's going to take time," he whispered. "But I'm willing to do whatever it takes, Lucia. Just… give us a chance."
Lucia took a deep breath, feeling the weight of everything she'd been holding onto begin to lift, even if just a little. She wasn't ready to forgive him entirely, but in this moment, she allowed herself to believe—just a little—that change was possible.