“Pretend You Love Me, Please…” — Powerful CEO Begged Single Dad Right In Front Of His Ex.
“So, I can sleep peacefully now,” the girl said, returning to her room. Lucía and Miguel remained silent, listening to the sound of the rain hitting the glass. It was as if the universe had finally granted them a break. Lucía looked up at the gray sky. “You know? I think life is like rain.”
Sometimes it wets, sometimes it cleans, but it always leaves something new. Miguel nodded. And we are that something new. They kissed slowly, their hearts full of scars, but also of hope. They had gone through shame, pride, distance, and pain, and they were still there together against all odds. And as the wind swept through the streets of Valencia, Lucía felt that for the first time her life belonged to her again.
The dawn in Valencia had a golden hue that seemed to herald a new beginning. Lucía woke up to the light streaming through the window and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. Miguel’s soft voice drifted from the kitchen, humming an old Serrat song while preparing breakfast. For a moment, everything seemed perfect.
She walked down the stairs barefoot, her hair still disheveled. “Are you up so early?” she asked with a smile. “Someone has to make sure you start the day with joy,” he joked. Lucía laughed. It was a new laugh, light, without the weight of the past. It had been two weeks since Derek had last tried to blackmail her. The Sofia Foundation was thriving.
The media had changed its tone, and even former partners were beginning to reach out again. However, Lucía felt a fragile calm, as if something dark still hung in the air, and she wasn’t wrong. That same morning, while checking her emails, she saw a message with the subject: Court Notice. Investigation by the Sofía Foundation.
Her heart sank, and she opened the file. A formal summons was in the process. A judge was calling her to testify for alleged tax irregularities at the foundation. “It can’t be,” Miguel murmured. Seeing her pale face, he leaned closer. “What’s going on?” She showed him the document. He read it with a frown. “This bears the signature of a lawyer from the Salvatierra group.” Lucía clenched her fists.
Derek, again. Derek knew he wouldn’t rest until he saw her ruined. The following days were a nightmare. Headlines filled the newspapers again. Lucía Ortega was under investigation for charity fraud; Spain’s most famous foundation was under suspicion. The same press that had once admired her now devoured her with sharp headlines.
Lucía held her own in public, but inside she felt like her past haunted her like an endless shadow. Miguel tried to hold her firm. “This will be clear, Lucía. You have nothing to fear. That’s what you say,” she replied in a trembling voice. “But in my world, the truth doesn’t matter, but who tells it the loudest.” The day of the hearing arrived.
Lucía entered the courtroom in a sober dress, without jewelry or ostentatious makeup; she carried only a folder and her dignity. Derek waited for her in the courtroom, impeccably dressed and confident. “What a coincidence to see you here,” he whispered with false politeness. “There are no coincidences, Derek, only consequences.” The judge began the session.
Derek presented documents that he claimed proved funds had been diverted to private accounts. Lucía stared at them in disbelief. They were doctored copies of her own internal transfers. A piece of manipulation so subtle it seemed authentic. The prosecutor looked at her harshly.
“Mrs. Ortega, can you explain why your foundation received money from shell companies? Why don’t they exist?” she responded firmly. “They’re fabrications, I can prove it, but judges aren’t impressed by emotions.” The proceedings were cold and methodical. Lucía felt like every word she said was like shouting in a tunnel without an echo. When she finished, she walked out into the hallway, exhausted. Miguel was waiting for her.
She leaned against his chest, almost without strength. I don’t know if I can bear it again. Yes, you can, he told her. Not because you’re strong, but because you’re fair. And the truth, sooner or later, comes out. Days later, the rumors grew. Businessmen were leaving.
Volunteers hesitated, and even some beneficiaries stopped coming for fear of the cameras. Lucía watched helplessly as everything she had worked for began to crumble. One afternoon, in the empty office, Miguel found her sitting in front of the computer, staring at the screen without blinking. “What are you doing?” he asked. “I’m looking for something to restore my faith,” she whispered.
He approached her and showed her a small box containing Sofia’s drawing. “And this?” asked Lucia. “She told me to give it back to you. She said rainbows are only seen after a storm.” Lucia smiled through her tears. “That girl has more wisdom than all of us put together.” A couple of days later, Marta came running into the office. Lucia, you have to see this.”
He turned on his laptop and showed her a new story. A Salvatierra Group employee confesses to falsifying evidence. Lucía brought her hand to her mouth. The article detailed how one of Derek’s accountants had decided to speak out in exchange for immunity from prosecution. The documents had been manipulated on Salvatierra’s direct orders. Miguel hugged her, laughing through tears.