I stepped forward with purpose and stopped in front of her. There was something familiar about her posture; it was as if I had seen her before. Yet, if I had seen her a long time ago, I wouldn't have recognized her clearly due to my blurry vision from not wearing glasses or contact lenses, which I found uncomfortable and annoying. Still, I felt that her face was vaguely familiar—not from the galas or auctions I attended, but from some other place I couldn't quite recall.
"Hello, Judith," she greeted me, rising to her feet and pulling me out of my thoughts.
"Hello," my voice sounded more serious than I intended.
"Sheldon, please leave us," she requested."Yes, ma'am," he nodded and walked away.
"Alright, would you like to sit down?" she offered, pointing to the sofa."Yes, thank you," I replied, almost like a robot.
"Sheldon mentioned that you had something important to tell me," she said, sitting on the adjacent sofa. Looking at me attentively, she asked:
"What is so important that it can't wait?"
I stared at her for a few seconds. She had dark circles under her eyes, looked a little pale, and appeared exhausted.
"Are you feeling okay?" I asked, concerned at her condition.
Her face showed a brief moment of confusion, but then she smiled softly and replied:
"I have a slight cold, but I'm getting better," she said. "But don't worry, I'll give you my full attention. Also, I'm sorry I didn't see you yesterday and that you had to come all the way here," she apologized, looking genuinely remorseful.
Without further preamble, and remembering what Sheldon had told me yesterday, I finally asked the question I had been desperately wanting to ask:
"Why did you ask me to marry you if you didn't even like me?" My voice sounded serious, unwavering.
She was taken aback by the question, but her face quickly became serious again.
"I thought you wanted to tell me something important…" she began. "But to answer your question, I can tell you that I didn't choose this. I didn't choose to marry you. I didn't want you to break off your engagement. I didn't want you to suffer by marrying me. And no, Judith, I didn't choose you," she confessed.
"Then why… why did we have to get married?" I asked, confused.
"I'll tell you everything, unless you don't have time to listen…" she said."I do have time," I interrupted, frowning.
She smiled at my affirmation and began her story. She told me how her grandfather, out of nowhere, had specifically asked her to marry me; how she helped my family save our company; how my parents had put her between a rock and a hard place, demanding that she return the company or they would expose her "problem" to everyone. She had no other choice but to ask for the "favor"—or rather, demand—that I marry her in return for saving our company. In that moment, I understood that all this disaster was her grandfather's fault. To that, she added, with a thread of frustration:
"I really don't know why my grandfather insisted on you."
It was maddening. Now I understood a lot about her insistence that I marry her: it wasn't love, it wasn't personal preference—it was her grandfather's order. She also took the opportunity to apologize for delaying my wedding with Amber.
I realized that both of us were victims of a stubborn man, capable of leaving his own granddaughter on the street and my family in ruin until the last day of our lives. And all because of a whim that neither she nor I could understand.
But besides that unjustified whim of Mel's grandfather, there was something in her story I couldn't grasp:
"Why did you help my family? We were direct rival empires… why help us without asking for anything in return or seeking some benefit?" I asked incredulously, standing up abruptly.
She stood up as well and planted herself in front of me. She was very tall, too tall—maybe 5'8", while I, at 5'4", had to tilt my neck to look her in the eye. Her presence was imposing, but there was also a determination in her gaze that made me want to understand her, to unravel every piece of this complicated puzzle we found ourselves in.
"Because, Judith, even if you don't remember, you saved me once," she confessed, looking at me intently. "And for that, I will always be grateful to you. And now, finally, at least I can thank you face to face. Thank you, Judith. Thank you for saving me."
I didn't understand anything she was saying.
I thought she must be mistaken. I had never saved her; she must be confusing me with someone else.
"I'm sorry, Mel," I said gently, "but I didn't save you," I corrected her.
She smiled faintly before asking me:
"Do you remember a rainy day on the university campus…? A girl who seemed unaware was heading…" she began.
"Toward the lagoon," I finished for her.
I looked at her with wide eyes.
"That was you?" More than a question, it was a statement.
Mel nodded, a sweet smile on her face.
"I'm glad you haven't completely forgotten that day," she said softly.
"No, I'll never forget that day," I confessed, recalling that moment.
I would always carry that day in my memory because after it, I kept an eye on the lagoon to make sure she wouldn't try anything foolish again.
"I was worried about you until I graduated. Afterwards, I asked a guard to make rounds there, just in case you tried to do something reckless," I said, slightly annoyed.
"I didn't know," she replied, incredulous.
"Well, that's how it was. And I didn't know it was you," I said, bewildered.
"Maybe it was because that day it rained so hard you could barely see anything, or maybe you simply forgot my face. But for me, seeing you for even a second was enough to remember you for life," she confessed.
"It's true that it rained a lot, and being almost blind didn't help me recognize you," I admitted. "But you never spoke to me, even though we crossed paths many times," I reminded her.
"See?" she asked, confused.
"Now I see. I've been wearing contact lenses for two years," I pointed to my eyes.
"Oh, I understand. And to answer your question, I didn't want to bother you. Now that you tell me you couldn't see at that time, I thought you were always in a bad mood, because whenever you saw me, you frowned…" She touched her brow.
"No way… how embarrassing, I looked like that?" I said, ashamed. "I was never angry; I was just trying to focus on people, recognize faces, and in some cases, the light really bothered me," I explained, now even more embarrassed.
Mel smiled, holding back her laughter. She knew she had to hide it, placing her hand on her face thoughtfully to mask it.
"Well," she clarified, "you know… I did look for you at the university, but I couldn't find you. And exactly three weeks later, we saw each other at the auction between our two companies, and… well, I didn't approach you there because you looked very sad."
"The only time I left the campus was because my grandfather passed away," I remembered suddenly, a lump forming in my throat.
"That explains why you were sad," Mel said quickly, as if finally everything made sense to her.
"Yes," I murmured, lowering my gaze. "Thank you for saving us." I thanked her sincerely.
"You don't even need to mention it, I'm the one who's grateful," she replied, smiling at me again.
I returned her smile, though my mind was already elsewhere. Now we needed to talk about what really mattered: how we would proceed with the divorce. Sheldon hadn't been wrong when he warned me that Mel would surprise me with what she had to say, but what he hadn't told me was that she was a remarkable woman. I didn't understand why everyone thought she was a womanizer, although, to be honest, maybe that reputation was less harmful than the truth: that she couldn't feel anything for anyone. And if that were true, she could never provide an heir to the Castle family or continue its succession.
Now I understood. And I felt a little sorry for her. It must be very painful to carry that burden.
"Mel," I called gently, "I'd like to talk about the divorce."
She sighed, looking at me with regret.
"I'm sorry… I still can't give it to you." Her voice sounded pained and heavy. "Because if you remember the original plan, right?"
"The original plan?" I asked, confused.
"Your mother didn't tell you?" she looked at me incredulously.
"Tell me what?" I insisted, feeling an unpleasant premonition.
"Everyone had to believe that for a year we would travel together to 'get to know each other,'" she said, making quotation marks with her fingers. "That's why no one was supposed to see you in the city where you live. Then, in the last six months, we would both return to the city, and I would start making my changes. You know, the one about seeing someone else…"
"—That you'd be unfaithful?" I raised an eyebrow, incredulous.
"Yes… I didn't want to use that horrible word, but it's the only way I can describe it," she said resignedly.
"Are you aware that this would damage your family's reputation and credibility?" I warned, annoyed.
"I know," she sighed, pacing back and forth across the living room. "But they would just be rumors, and they would have to stay that way, as simple rumors. In the end, I'll tell Grandpa that on one of our trips I met someone I liked"—she paused—"girl or boy, I haven't decided yet… but that, by coincidence, I ran into them again in the city, and I want to make it official with the other person." She finished explaining her plan.
As she spoke, my mind raced. I tried to remember if anyone had seen me with Amber. And yes… there was only one person who knew. Then another doubt hit me: why hadn't my mother said anything? She had only mentioned that Mel would leave for a year and then return… she never told me about this plan.
"Judith, are you listening to me?" Mel called, her tone worried.
"We have a problem," I said, distressed, barely finding the strength to speak.
"Don't tell me… they saw you?" she asked, the same anxiety reflected in her eyes.
"Yes," I nodded, feeling like I couldn't catch my breath.
"Please, tell me at least it was while you were shopping with your fiancée," she pleaded, almost begging.
I just shook my head before confessing:
"They saw us while we were going camping in a forest area near a gas station."
"That can't be!" she exclaimed, defeated, covering her face with her hands.
"And when was this?" she asked, barely catching her breath.
"A week ago…" I replied, repeating it in a panic. "A week ago."
"No, Judith, no. Why didn't you follow the plan?" she said as she grabbed her phone to call someone.
"My mother didn't tell me! I only knew that you were coming back a year after the wedding," I defended myself desperately.
Mel paled and murmured incredulously:
"Sheldon… how is she here? How did she find me?"
She didn't say anything else. She hung up abruptly and came toward me, her eyes wide open.
"No… it can't be. Now we have a bigger problem," her voice trembled.
"What are you talking about?" I asked, distressed, my heart racing.
"My grandfather must already know. He's coming up here." Her tone was pure panic.
"What?" I screamed, terrified.
"You don't speak, I'll do it. Understood? Unless you have to follow my lie. Got it?" she asked, almost ordering me.
"Yes… okay," I murmured, resigned.
Mel's grandfather entered the penthouse with a firm stride, accompanied by a serious-looking man, likely his assistant or secretary. The tension filled the air like a knife.
"Hello, Grandpa," Mel greeted, making an effort to sound calm.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Castle," I replied as well, barely nodding my head.
"Good afternoon, Mrs. Castles," said the man beside him, in a grave and respectful voice.
"Good afternoon, Robert," Mel responded with courtesy, barely hiding her nervousness. "He's my grandfather's assistant," she whispered to me.
"Good afternoon," I returned the greeting.
Grandpa then looked at me sharply. His voice thundered through the room like a blow.
"Can you explain to me why, being married to my granddaughter, you go camping with your ex-fiancée?"
"Grandpa…" Mel interrupted, stepping in front of me, instinctively protecting me.
The silence that followed was so thick I could barely breathe. Mel's grandfather stared at her with a severe gaze.
"And you should know better… do you want to be the year's biggest cuckolded woman?" he spat, his words dripping with venom. "What kind of woman…?"
"That's enough, Grandpa!" Mel's voice boomed firmly. "I will not allow you to speak to my wife that way. Yes, my wife met with her ex-fiancée, but it was only to close that chapter with her. A chapter that you yourself did not allow to be closed, because, in case you don't remember, my wife couldn't even say goodbye or explain that she was going to marry me. It was the least I could do for her." Her voice sounded so convincing that it seemed absolute truth.
Grandpa squinted his eyes.
"Do you think I'm an idiot, girl? Do you think I'm going to swallow that farce that you didn't see each other before the wedding? Or are you so naïve as to think you didn't… get intimate?"
"I will not allow you to insult her or make false accusations!" Mel replied, stepping in between us again. "I am the one who has been with her all this time, I am the one who has slept beside her, and I am the one who is getting to know her, Grandpa."
Grandpa held her with an iron gaze, a silent duel that seemed endless. I couldn't remain silent. If he didn't come away convinced, all would be lost.
"Mr. Castle, I apologize for the misunderstanding. It's true that I met with my ex-fiancée, but it was only to give closure. I owed her that. And we went… camping, as you call it, because I didn't want anyone to see us and create rumors that are not…"
"Well, they've already been created," he interrupted, raising his voice, furious. "Now everyone will think you're taking my granddaughter for a fool."
"Mrs. Davies was the one who saw me, and you know how she is… she always exaggerates or omits information. Honestly, you can never believe her," I said eloquently.
Mel's grandfather exhaled sharply, and let out a threat that made us reconsider whether it was a good idea to proceed with the divorce in a year and a half, or extend the time.
"Listen to me very carefully, both of you. Don't try to be clever with me. If you attempt anything, believe me, I won't hesitate to throw the Prestons into the street. I'll make sure they don't just live in misery, but that their entire lives become hell. And unless you want that for your nephew, the one your sister-in-law is taking care of right now, continue with this charade. And you, Mel… I will forget that you are my granddaughter, and those who will pay the consequences of your stupidity will be your parents. I don't care if one of them is my son." He concluded, turning around.
The man walked a few steps toward the exit but stopped. Without turning, he left his final command in an imposing voice:
"Robert, take care of the rest. And you, Mel Castle, take care of that damned cold. Or can't you afford a doctor?" He shouted, then left the penthouse.
We stood frozen, watching him leave. Then Robert, the assistant, positioned himself in front of us.
"Mrs. Castle, these are the keys to your new mansion. Your grandfather bought it three months ago and has requested that you be installed there tomorrow, to confirm that you are a married couple. The mansion has all the amenities, security, and bodyguards for…"
"To keep us under surveillance?" Mel interrupted, her tone full of annoyance.
The assistant didn't respond. His silence was confirmation enough. He then continued:
"Mrs. Mel, your grandfather has been benevolent this time, because even after this incident with your wife, he believes that uniting the two families is beneficial in many ways. Lastly, he asked me to give you these two folders." Robert handed us two folders, which we both took. "In the folder you hold, Mrs. Mel, is all the information on Mrs. Judith: behaviors, qualities, hobbies, etc. And in the one you hold, Mrs. Judith, is all the information on Mrs. Mel. You will need to read them, and on Friday, your grandfather will ask questions at the dinner to which you must attend without excuses. The sole purpose of this dinner is to verify that you read them, because even though your performance was magnificent, Mrs. Mel, in protecting and ensuring that you have been getting to know Mrs. Judith, the truth is that your grandfather already knew in advance that everything said was a lie."
My eyes widened in shock as I looked at Robert—there was no way his grandfather could know. Mel, on the other hand, held Robert's serious gaze firmly.
"There are open questions that Grandpa will also ask, and these require each of you to give your version of the events. Therefore, you will need to speak with each other. Only then will Grandpa have the certainty that, this time, at least, you talked. That's all I needed to say. With your permission, have a good afternoon, Mrs. Castles." Robert said his goodbye, leaving with the same calm with which he had arrived.
The silence weighed heavily in the room. Finally, Mel broke it with a frustrated sigh.
"It can't be…" she murmured, letting the folder drop onto the table.
.............
Narrator
In the parking lot, Grandpa, who was with Sheldon, watched him with a furrowed brow and a stern expression.
"Sheldon, it seems you've forgotten where your loyalty lies," the grandfather said, irritated.
"I would never forget, sir," he replied, maintaining his composure.
"Then can you explain why you didn't inform me that my granddaughter has been alone all this time?" he shouted furiously.
"Sir, my loyalty is to Mrs. Mel Castle. I cannot inform you of anything because it would be a betrayal to her," he responded calmly.
Grandpa scrutinized him more closely, as if assessing the sincerity of his words, before adding in a grave voice:
"I admire your loyalty to my granddaughter, but there are limits, Sheldon. For your own good, I hope you know when to inform me of things, before my granddaughter gets hurt." He concluded, getting into the car.
Robert arrived shortly after and closed the door behind him. He prepared to accompany Grandpa Castle to the airport. During the drive, the elder's frustration was evident; he tapped his fingers against the window as if trying to release tension. Finally, without taking his eyes off the scenery, he voiced the question that had been burning inside him:
"Do you think she's in love with her?" he asked gravely.
The thought gnawed at him. The only logical explanation for his granddaughter covering up a supposed infidelity by her wife was that she must be deeply in love… even if she hadn't realized it yet.
"It's very likely, sir," Robert replied cautiously.
"I just can't find another explanation, Robert. And if that's the case, that woman will make my granddaughter suffer. Mel isn't the kind of person who lies, much less to her family, but today…" Grandpa lowered his voice with sorrow, "…today she lied to me while looking me directly in the eyes. And if I hadn't known the truth beforehand, I would have believed her."
"It was a big surprise to discover that Mrs. Mel can indeed lie with such credibility and conviction," Robert said, his voice filled with evident astonishment.
"That's why… I feel that if she loves that woman and doesn't realize it yet…" Grandpa finally said, letting out a deep sigh before falling into complete silence.
Thanks to the way Mel had defended Judith, Grandpa was convinced that his granddaughter felt something far deeper than she was willing to admit. He was certain that Mel had feelings for her wife, even if Mel herself hadn't fully realized it yet.
It had to be that, he thought, because she had never experienced such a strong emotion before, nor had she ever truly liked anyone. That feeling had trapped her in a storm of new emotions that she could barely decipher, leaving her more confused than she was willing to admit.
With all of this echoing in the patriarch of the Castles' mind, he promised himself that Judith would not hurt his granddaughter. Even if he had to force the impossible—push her to love Mel—he would do whatever it took to prevent his granddaughter from becoming the subject of ridicule or scorn. He knew well that the weight of a scandal could be fatal to her reputation. And he, as her grandfather, would never allow that to happen.
He settled into his seat and slowly leaned toward the window, frowning at the horizon. The memory of Mel's gaze—firm yet pained—haunted him. If she gives herself to that love without realizing it, I must protect her more than ever, he thought. In that moment, he made a firm decision to use all the power and influence of the Castle family to ensure that no one—not even Judith—could harm his granddaughter's heart.
............
Mel
I don't know how we got into this situation. When Judith stood in front of me, the first thing I thought was that she was beautiful, with blue eyes that seemed to hold entire oceans within them. I am certain that if it weren't for this problem, I would have asked her out the first time she saved me at the university. I wouldn't just have told her we needed to leave that place; I would have found any excuse to prolong the moment by her side.
Since the first time I saw her on campus, she seemed understanding, gentle, and kind. And I wasn't wrong.
Although at the beginning of this whole mess she seemed quite upset and frustrated, there was a reason behind that attitude. In the end, the only one to blame was me for not having the courage to tell her things face to face. And, of course, also my grandfather—so stubborn and obstinate as always—who had made decisions without thinking about the consequences.
The silence left by Robert's departure was so dense it was almost tangible. I, who hated awkward silences, had to break it, even if it was with something that I knew would sound very unpleasant.
"Judith… we're going to have to live together," I blurted out, causing her to stare at me intently, as if to confirm she had heard me correctly.
Her silence made me uneasy. It didn't take an expert in romance to understand that this proposal wouldn't please either her or her fiancée. However, we had no choice: we had to follow my grandfather's orders for the sake of both families.
"I know this will be awkward and that your fiancée will be upset, but I have no other choice, Judith…" I spoke hurriedly, as if trying to say everything before losing courage. "I can talk to your fiancée and tell her I will never attempt anything stupid. And, in the worst case, I'll tell her about my condition…" I said with sorrow, "though she mustn't tell anyone," I warned seriously.
Judith looked at me as if she couldn't believe my words. Before answering, a trembling sigh escaped her.
"It won't be necessary. Amber and I… we took a break," she confessed, her voice fragile, almost broken.
I closed my eyes for a moment. That was what Judith's father had asked of me: that her family not suffer. And here I was, once again breaking my promise, dragging her into a situation she didn't deserve.
"Judith, if you allow me, I'll speak with her so that…"
"It's not necessary, Mel," she interrupted sharply. "I know this isn't just your grandfather's fault. First, if my father hadn't behaved like a homophobic man, he would never have given the presidency to Tomás, the company would never have been affected, and you wouldn't have had to help us," she said, each word an open wound.
"Judith… I'm so sorry," I apologized again, though I knew my words were as insufficient as air in a fire.
I didn't know what else to say to make her understand that I never meant to hurt her. All I wanted was to thank her, but that gratitude had come out terribly wrong.
"Alright, we'll do this together," she said, now with renewed energy in her voice. "The sooner we convince your grandfather that we're getting to know each other and that later you'll be unfaithful to me, the sooner I can get back with Amber," she said, motivated, as if she had suddenly found an escape plan.
A small smile appeared on my face. Her determination was strange, even contradictory, but in that instant I felt part of the weight on my shoulders lift. I was no longer alone in this disaster. Now Judith was with me, and even if her reasons were different from mine, the important thing was that we shared the same goal: to make sure this ends well.
"Sounds good to me," I smiled as I picked up the folder with her information again.
"What are you doing?" Judith asked, visibly confused.
"I'm going to read your information," I answered, hesitating slightly as I opened the folder.
"Or… maybe we should just start asking each other questions? Don't you think that would be easier?" she said, stating the obvious in a way that left me speechless.
"You're right," I nodded. "But my grandfather put questions here. How about we read those first, and then we ask each other questions?" I suggested, trying to find a middle ground.
"That sounds perfect," she agreed naturally.
I was about to ask her to sit down when the door suddenly opened, and Sheldon appeared.
"Boss," he called in his usual tone, "the plane is ready to return."
"That's right, we should go back," I murmured, glancing at Judith.
"We'll catch up on the way," she smiled at me as she rose gracefully. "By the way, will you be able to travel? You still look terrible," she asked, with a hint of doubt.
That threw me off. Did I really look that bad for her to say it so confidently?
"Do I really look that bad?" I touched my face with my fingertips and stood up, following her.
"No, of course not…" she replied, moving her eyes suspiciously from side to side.
"In fact, she does look terrible, Boss," Sheldon interrupted as we passed by him.
I rolled my eyes in annoyance before answering:
"Sheldon, you always think I look bad: if I'm too thin, if I have dark circles, if I have broad shoulders or too many biceps, if I'm too small or suddenly too tall… I'm never right for you, Sheldon," I complained, with a touch of dramatics.