Chapter 23

Lorenzo stepped off the plane with a tired but determined face. He had spent days in a whirlwind of emotions and revelations that he still hadn't fully processed. However, returning to Colombia meant regaining control, or at least that's what he wanted to believe.

As he crossed the doors of his mother's house, where he needed to pick up some important documents, he stopped dead in his tracks. There, in the foyer, stood his mother, impeccable as always, in an elegant dress and a gaze that mixed coldness with sweet manipulation. Lorenzo frowned.

-What are you doing here? -he asked, dropping his suitcase to the floor.

-Isn't a son supposed to be happy to see his mother? -she replied with a measured smile.

Lorenzo crossed his arms, not bothering to hide his irritation.

-The last time we talked, you said you were staying in Paris. What happened to your decision to help Clarisse?

His mother let out a soft laugh, as if the question seemed childish to her. She took a few steps toward him, extending her hand to stroke his cheek, but Lorenzo pulled away.

-Clarisse is perfectly fine -she said, lowering her hand with a slight expression of disdain-. She doesn't need my help. You, on the other hand, do.

-Me? -Lorenzo raised an eyebrow, incredulous.

-Yes, my son. Since you left Colombia, the company has been teetering. I've heard rumors that your decisions haven't been the best. It's been three years since Amelia left, it's time for you to take control of your life, my son.

The comment hit like a direct blow, but Lorenzo didn't let his face show anything.

-I don't owe you any explanations -he replied, his voice harsh-. Besides, the company is fine. If I left, it was to save what you and your allies almost destroyed. Also, my separation from my wife was a tough blow.

His mother raised an eyebrow, visibly offended, but kept her calm tone.

-Allies? I hope you're not referring to Clarisse. That girl has done more for you than you realize.

Lorenzo scoffed, stepping toward her.

-Clarisse is a problem, not a solution. Don't talk to me about her "efforts," because all I've seen is her trying to manipulate everything for her convenience, just like you.

His mother narrowed her eyes, her sweet facade beginning to crumble.

-Be careful what you say, Lorenzo. Clarisse is an important ally, someone who understands what it means to protect what's ours. You, on the other hand, seem more interested in chasing ghosts.

Lorenzo felt anger rise in his chest but forced himself to stay calm.

-They're not ghosts -he said firmly-. What I did abroad had a purpose, something you'd never understand because you've always controlled everything from your comfortable bubble.

-And what did you gain from that? -she challenged him, crossing her arms-. A new design? An alliance? I hope it's worth it, because you're risking everything for something you haven't even explained. And don't speak to me like that, you never used to.

Lorenzo gritted his teeth. He knew any explanation would be useless with his mother. She always found a way to twist things to her advantage.

-I don't have to justify myself to you -he finally said, grabbing his suitcase and turning toward the stairs-. Thanks for your "concern," but I don't need it.

His mother remained in the foyer, watching him with a mix of frustration and calculated disappointment. When Lorenzo was halfway up the stairs, she spoke again, her voice laden with a venomous tone.

-And what will happen with Clarisse?

Lorenzo stopped but didn't turn around.

-Clarisse is your problem, not mine -he replied without looking at her.

When he reached his room, Lorenzo slammed the door shut, as if that gesture could contain the emotions that threatened to spill over. He leaned his back against the wood, letting out a heavy sigh filled with frustration and exhaustion. For a moment, the silence of the room enveloped him, but instead of bringing him peace, it only amplified the echo of his thoughts.

He looked around, observing the familiar details that once comforted him. Yet now, every corner seemed empty, devoid of meaning. He was unsure whether to stay in his mother's house, with the constant tension she created, or return to the other house, the one that still held the memories of Amelia. But going back there also meant confronting the weight of the past, the pain of what was lost.

With slow steps, he sank into the armchair by the window, resting his head against the backrest as his eyes drifted toward the view of the illuminated city. The blinking lights seemed to reflect the chaos within him. No matter how much he tried to sort his thoughts, they always returned to the same thing: Margaret, Mateo, and Amelia.

Margaret. Every time he thought of her, a whirlwind of emotions tore through him. The strong, impenetrable woman he worked with had an air of familiarity that unsettled him. There was something in her gaze, in the way she spoke, that disarmed him, as if touching on strings he thought were buried. And then there was Mateo that boy who, unknowingly, had awakened feelings he never thought he'd have.

-This isn't over -he murmured, with a renewed fire igniting in his gaze.

He knew he couldn't keep avoiding the truths that were beginning to surface from the shadows. The way Margaret became defensive whenever Adrien was mentioned, the obvious connection between Mateo and him... Everything was falling into place, yet it was still filled with gaps that needed answers.

He stood up from the chair with resolve, but his steps stopped when he looked at his reflection in the window. His own eyes, filled with uncertainty, stared back at him. Was he ready to face what he would discover? Because, if what he suspected was true, his world would change forever.

He clenched his fists, trying to suppress the mix of anger and pain that engulfed him. Not only did he have to face Margaret and her hidden truth, but also his mother and Clarisse, whose manipulations seemed endless.

-First Margaret... then the rest -he decided quietly, marking the start of a plan that was still not fully formed.

It was chaos he hadn't asked for, but was willing to untangle, no matter the cost. He knew he couldn't move forward without answers. And if Margaret held the keys to understanding his present, he would do whatever it took to get them, even if it meant confronting his own past.

But what Lorenzo didn't know was that, at that very moment, Margaret was also fighting her own internal battle. A battle that, like his, would lead her to make decisions that would inevitably bring them face to face again, in a struggle for truth, forgiveness, and perhaps, a second chance.

Capítulo 24: Interferencias calculadas

Margaret was in her Paris apartment, watching from the window as the city lights began to turn on. Mateo was playing on the floor, unaware of the tensions consuming his mother. Since Lorenzo returned to Colombia, their collaboration had been put on hold, and Margaret thought she would take advantage of the time to focus on new designs. However, an unexpected call disrupted her peace.

The phone rang, and when she looked at the caller ID, Margaret saw an unknown number. She hesitated before answering but finally swiped her finger across the screen.

- "Mrs. Margaret?" - a female voice resonated on the other end, clear, elegant, and slightly condescending.

- "Yes, who is this?"

- "This is Clarisse. Perhaps you've heard of me. I'm a close friend and currently Lorenzo's personal assistant."

The name struck her like a blow. Though Margaret hadn't dealt directly with Clarisse in a long time, she knew who she was: a woman not only close to Lorenzo but also to his mother, a key player in the web of manipulations.

- "How can I help you, Miss Clarisse?" - Margaret asked, forcing herself to stay calm.

Clarisse chuckled softly, a sound that Margaret found filled with insincerity.

- "Oh, don't worry. I don't need anything from you, dear. In fact, it's me who has something to inform you."

Margaret furrowed her brow, anticipating that it wouldn't be good news.

- "Go ahead."

- "From now on, any matters related to Lorenzo's collaboration will have to go through me first," Clarisse said, with a mixture of sweetness and authority. "Lorenzo has asked me to represent him in Europe while he attends other important commitments in Colombia."

Margaret felt a mixture of indignation and distrust begin to form in her chest.

- "Was that Lorenzo's decision?" - she asked, her voice cautious but loaded with doubt.

- "Of course. Lorenzo trusts me completely. He assured me you'd understand. Besides, since he's been absent, he thought it would be more efficient to have someone like me overseeing things."

Margaret stayed silent for a few seconds. She knew Clarisse wasn't just an assistant; she was someone who enjoyed power and would do whatever it took to maintain her influence over Lorenzo.

- "Understood," Margaret finally replied, though her tone was colder than she had planned. "If that's what he thinks is best, I will comply."

- "Perfect," Clarisse said, with evident satisfaction in her voice. Then she added in a more cutting tone, "By the way, Margaret, I know you're a reserved woman, but I hope that doesn't mean there's something Lorenzo should know and you're hiding. He despises secrets."

The words hit Margaret like a poisoned dart. Though she tried to maintain her composure, her hand gripped the phone tightly.

- "Lorenzo and I have a strictly professional relationship, Miss Clarisse. There's nothing you should be concerned about."

- "I'm glad to hear that," Clarisse replied, as if she had already won an invisible battle. "I hope it stays that way. Have a good night."

The call ended, but the tension remained. Margaret placed the phone on the table and took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. She walked to the window, watching the lights of Paris as a storm raged inside her.

Mateo appeared, running and interrupting her thoughts.

- "Mom, look! I made a drawing!" - he said, holding up a colorful sheet of paper.

Margaret crouched down and took her son in her arms, hugging him tightly.

- "It's beautiful, sweetheart," - she said with a smile, though her heart still weighed with worry.

As she held Mateo, Margaret reflected on what had just happened. Clarisse was making it clear that she saw Margaret as a threat, though without knowing the full truth. Lorenzo, on the other hand, was far away, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to understand his true intentions.

That night, as she watched Mateo sleep, Margaret made a decision: she would not let Clarisse or Lorenzo's mother interfere in her life any longer. For too long, she had let others dictate the course of things, dragging her into a web of lies and secrets that kept her trapped. But Mateo was her priority, her reason to fight, and she would not let anything or anyone disturb her son's peace.

She stayed by his bedside for a while, watching as the little figure of Mateo breathed peacefully, unaware of the storms swirling around his world. His brown curls fell across his forehead, and Margaret couldn't help but smile sadly. She had dreamed of a complete family for him, with a father who would be present, who would love him as much as she did. But that illusion seemed as distant as the stars twinkling in the Parisian sky.

- "No more games, Mateo," - she whispered softly, caressing his hair. - "No more lies."

The decision weighed heavily on her chest, but it also filled her with a determination she hadn't felt in years. If Lorenzo truly wanted to continue the collaboration, he would have to be honest and face the consequences. It was no longer her responsibility to chase him or beg for his attention, not after everything she had endured.

However, admitting that didn't erase the knot in her throat. She knew Clarisse's words were no coincidence; they were a veiled warning, a reminder that there were still people willing to drive them further apart.

She stood up from the bed and walked to the window, crossing her arms as she looked out at the city. The lights of Paris seemed endless, but her reflection in the glass returned a tired image, filled with secrets she could no longer hide forever.

- "If Lorenzo wants the truth," - she murmured softly, as if speaking to herself - "he'll have to prove he deserves to hear it."

For now, she would continue protecting Mateo and keeping her secret. But something inside her told her that the time for hiding was coming to an end, and when that moment arrived, neither Clarisse nor anyone else could stop her.