“Pretend You Love Me, Please…” — Powerful CEO Begged Single Dad Right In Front Of His Ex.
And the Sofía Foundation began to take shape. Lucía sold part of her shares, donated a considerable amount, and called on former employees who believed in her. The project was born with humility. A small office in Rusafa, white walls, the smell of coffee, and a simple hand-painted sign. No one is alone here. The curious press interviewed her again. Lucía spoke without a script.
For years, I lived surrounded by success, but alone. Now I prefer to be surrounded by humble people and feel supported. And what would I say to Derek Salvatierra if he were in front of me? Lucía smiled ironically. I would say thank you. Thank you for pushing me toward the abyss, because that’s where I found my way to the bottom.
And as if fate had listened to her, that meeting wasn’t long in coming. One gray afternoon, as she was leaving the foundation, she saw him leaning against a black car, his impeccable suit and his usual smile. “Derek, Lucía,” he said, opening his arms. “You’re still as elegant as ever. And you’re still as empty as you were then.” He laughed unfazed. “You’ve gained popularity, I’ll admit it, the martyr of impossible love.”
But sooner or later you’ll return to my world. I’m not going back to a place where I have to pretend who I am. Come on, Lucía. He leaned closer. You can’t live surrounded by people who have nothing. You were born to command. Lucía took a step back. No, Derek, I was born to feel, and that’s something you’ll never understand. He looked at her with disdain.
And the janitor, where is he now? He’s left you, hasn’t he? Lucía watched him silently, her cool. He may not be with me, but his presence is cleaner than all your words. Derek gritted his teeth, frustrated. Sooner or later you’ll fall. The world doesn’t forgive weakness. Lucía raised her chin. The world changes when someone stops being afraid, and I’m no longer afraid. She turned and left without looking back.
That was the last time she saw him. That night it rained heavily. Lucía lay awake by the window, watching the rain pound the glass. The flash of lightning illuminated his face, and for the first time in months, she didn’t feel alone. She had recovered something more important than love or reputation: her peace.
On the table, the foundation’s notebook was open. Among the papers, she found Sofía’s drawing, the one the girl had given her the day Miguel disappeared. The rainbow was still there, intact. Lucía ran her fingers along the crooked lines of color and smiled. I promised to take care of you, little one, and I will, even if your father isn’t looking.
A week later, the Sofía Foundation held its first charity event. Lucía spoke to a small audience. Single mothers, working fathers, volunteers. Her voice trembled at first, but then sounded clear and sincere. When I started in the business world, I believed success was a matter of numbers. Today I know that true success is being able to look someone in the eye and say, “You are not alone.”
The applause was long, warm, and humane. Lucía felt tears welling up, but she held them back. In the back row, a man wearing a dark jacket and cap watched her silently. When their eyes met, her heart leapt. It was Miguel. He didn’t say anything, just gave a slight thumbs-up, just like that day at the bar. Lucía smiled.
I didn’t know if that was forgiveness, a promise, or a simple goodbye, but it was enough to fill the void I’d carried for months. As the audience continued to applaud, she looked up at the ceiling, where the lights reflected a faint rainbow, and silently whispered, “Five pretend minutes led me to a lifetime of truth.” The battle wasn’t over; there were still wounds, words, and distances.
But Lucía Ortega, the woman who once feared losing everything, had learned to win the most difficult things. More than a month had passed since that night when Lucía saw him in the audience at the Sofía Foundation. His image continued to appear in her mind like a vivid photograph.
That shy smile, the tired eyes, the humble thumbs-up gesture. She hadn’t heard from him again, not a call or a message, but something inside her told her that Miguel was still there, watching from afar, waiting for the right moment. It was a peaceful afternoon. The sky was painted orange over the Turia River.
Lucía was leaving the foundation building with several envelopes in her hand when she heard a voice behind her. “You seem to like arriving last, as always.” She turned around and there he was standing, wearing his gray jacket and his hair slightly longer, but with the same warm expression she remembered. For a moment, time stood still. Miguel whispered. “Hi, Lucía.”
” Her voice was soft, almost a whisper. For a few seconds, neither of them knew what to say. They just stared at each other, trying to decipher everything words couldn’t encompass. Lucía was the first to break the silence. “I thought I’d never see you again.” “I thought so too,” he admitted. But life has a funny way of bringing us back to the places where we left unfinished business. Lucía lowered her gaze.