Chapter 8 - WHY HE MARRIED ME

I didn’t ask Daniel.

I asked Valeria.

She lasted nine minutes.

We met at a café where she arrived wearing sunglasses despite the cloudy weather.

“I don’t want to be involved.”

“You already are.”

“I didn’t know about the forged signatures.”

“You knew he used my cards.”

She looked down.

“I thought you allowed it.”

“You spent 180,000 pesos in eight months.”

Her mouth tightened.

“You make a lot of money.”

There it was again.

The family religion.

Mariana has money, therefore Mariana cannot be hurt.

“What did Daniel say the night before our wedding?”

Valeria went still.

“Mom told you?”

“Yes.”

“She’s angry.”

“So are you.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“Then say it now.”

Valeria stared at her coffee.

Finally, she whispered,

“He was drunk.”

“What did he say?”

“He said marrying you was the smartest business decision he’d ever made.”

The café seemed to go quiet around me.

“What else?”

“He said you were crazy about him.”

I said nothing.

“And that once you had a baby, you’d never leave.”

My fingers tightened around the cup.

“Keep going.”

“He said you liked taking care of people.”

A bitter laugh escaped me.

“He got that right.”

“He said Mom would never have to worry about money again.”

I looked at her.

“And you?”

Valeria’s eyes filled.

“He promised to pay for my degree.”

“You dropped out after one semester.”

“I know.”

“And kept using my card.”

She wiped her face.

“I know.”

I should have hated her.

Part of me did.

But most of my anger belonged elsewhere.

“Did he ever love me?”

Valeria looked away.

That was answer enough.

I left without finishing my coffee.

That evening, Daniel’s first supervised visit with Camila took place at a family services center.

I watched through one-way glass.

He brought a stuffed bear.

Camila refused it.

He tried to hug her.

She stepped backward.

His face fell.

“Sweetheart, Daddy missed you.”

Camila stared at him.

“Why didn’t you open the door?”

Daniel froze.

My breath caught.

He crouched.

“Camila—”

“I knocked.”

“I know.”

“You heard me.”

His eyes flicked toward the camera in the corner.

“Daddy made a mistake.”

“You said Grandma could.”

His mouth opened.

Camila’s lower lip trembled.

“I was cold.”

Daniel reached for her.

She moved away.

“No.”

He sat back.

For once, he looked genuinely devastated.

Then Camila asked,

“Do you like Grandma more than me?”

I covered my mouth.

Daniel started crying.

Not dramatically.

Quietly.

“I love you.”

Camila looked unconvinced.

After the visit, Daniel waited for me in the hallway.

“I know you hate me.”

“I don’t have the energy.”

“I did terrible things.”

“Yes.”

“I want to fix it.”

“You can’t.”

“Let me try.”

“No.”

He rubbed his face.

Then he said,

“Rodrigo contacted me.”

I stopped.

“He wants his money.”

“That’s your problem.”

“He says he’s going after your company.”

“That’s his problem.”

“No, Mariana.”

Daniel looked genuinely afraid.

“He has copies of documents I gave him.”

“What documents?”

Daniel swallowed.

“Documents that make it look like you approved everything.”

My stomach dropped.

Then he said,

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“And one of them has your real signature.”

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