Chapter 4: The Mud and the Marble
Diego grabbed the remote and flicked on the large flat-screen TV in the suite's living area. Marisol stood frozen beside him.
On the screen was a live interview with Paulina Robles. She was dressed in a demure, conservative outfit, holding a tissue, playing the perfect victim. The headline at the bottom of the screen read in bold, flashing letters: BILLIONAIRE DIEGO VILLASEÑOR BRAINWASHED BY SCHEMING MAID?
"It was terrifying," Paulina was saying to the sympathetic interviewer, wiping a fake tear. "This woman, Marisol, she was obsessed with him. She was sneaking around the house, trying to seduce him. And then she dragged this poor, fatherless child into the mansion, claiming it was his, just to extort him for millions and break our engagement. Diego is a good man, but he's being manipulated by a desperate gold-digger."
Marisol felt her stomach drop. Her face burned with shame as photos of her in her maid uniform—likely taken secretly by Paulina—flashed across the screen.
"Turn it off," Diego growled, furiously hitting the power button. The screen went black. He turned to the phone. "Arturo, prepare a press conference for tomorrow morning. Main lobby of the Villaseñor Tower. Invite everyone."
"Sir, are you sure?" Arturo asked hesitantly. "The board is already panicking. Stock prices dipped three percent in after-hours trading. Maybe we should issue a quiet statement and let it blow over."
"No," Diego snapped. "I am not hiding my family. Prepare the press conference. And call Dr. Mendez. I want a certified DNA test conducted tonight. Rush the results."
Marisol grabbed Diego's arm. "Diego, no! You can't put Valentina in front of the cameras. She's just a little girl! They'll tear her apart!"
Diego turned to her, placing his hands firmly on her shoulders. "Marisol, look at me. As long as I have breath in my lungs, no one will ever hurt you or Valentina. If I stay silent, Paulina wins. She paints you as a fraud and Valentina as a bargaining chip. I have to legitimize her in the eyes of the law and the public. It’s the only way to protect her future."
That night, a discrete medical team arrived at the mansion. They took a simple cheek swab from Diego and a highly confused Valentina, who held Marisol's hand the entire time.
Sleep eluded Marisol entirely. She paced the luxurious suite, terrified of what the morning would bring. She had spent three years trying to keep her daughter invisible to protect her. Now, she was about to be thrust into the glaring spotlight of Mexico's high society.
By 8:00 AM the next morning, the results were in. Diego walked into the suite, holding a sealed manila envelope. He looked exhausted, having clearly not slept either, but his eyes burned with a fierce determination.
He didn't even open the envelope. He handed it to Marisol.
"I don't need to read it," he said softly. "I know she's mine. But the world needs the paper."
Marisol opened the envelope with shaking hands. Her eyes scanned the medical jargon, landing on the bold text at the bottom.
Probability of Paternity: 99.999%
May you like
Diego reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, velvet box. He didn't drop to one knee this time, but he looked deeply into Marisol's eyes.
"When we walk into that press conference today," Diego said, his voice thick with emotion, "I don't want them to see my maid. I want them to see my partner. My equal. Marisol, I lost you once because I wasn't strong enough to protect you from my world. Let me protect you now. Marry me."
