Chapter 2: Echoes of the Past
The luxury suite was silent save for the faint hum of the air conditioner. Victoria stood near the floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the city skyline, her arms crossed over her red dress. Mateo sat on the edge of the plush leather armchair, staring blankly at the floor.
"You told me you were divorced, Mateo," Victoria said, her tone controlled yet firm. "You told me your past was entirely settled."
Mateo ran a hand over his face. "We separated eight months ago, Victoria. I thought... I thought she had returned to her family in Texas. I had no idea she was working here, or that..." He paused, the image of Lucia's visible pregnancy burning in his mind.
"That she was expecting?" Victoria finished quietly. "How could you not know?"
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"When I left, we weren't talking," Mateo said softly. "My company was failing, the debts were crushing us, and I made choices I wasn't proud of. I walked away because I thought I was losing everything. I didn't know about the baby."
Victoria looked at him for a long moment, seeing the genuine remorse and shock in his eyes. "You need to fix this, Mateo. Not for us, but for yourself and for her."
