CHAPTER 5 — The Woman Who Stole Three Years From a Father and Daughter
The word kept echoing inside Diego’s mind.
Daughter.
One simple word.
Yet it shattered everything he thought he knew about his life.
For three years, he had walked through his own mansion without knowing that his own child was living just a few meters away.
For three years, he had sat at the same dining table.
Walked through the same halls.
Passed the same kitchen.
And never realized that the little girl who always looked at him with those familiar eyes was his blood.
His daughter.
Diego sat in the living room that night.
The room where businessmen, politicians, and investors had once sat across from him.
The room where powerful people begged for his approval.
But tonight…
None of that mattered.
Because the most important person in his entire world was sitting on his lap.
Valentina.
She was asleep.
Her small hand still held onto his finger.
As if she was afraid that if she let go…
He would disappear too.
And that thought destroyed him.
Because she had every reason to be afraid.
He had not been there.
He had missed her first steps.
Her first words.
Her first birthday.
Every fever.
Every nightmare.
Every moment when she needed a father.
And the worst part?
He had been so close.
Marisol stood near the window.
Quiet.
Watching them.
She expected anger.
She expected accusations.
She expected Diego to ask why she had hidden his daughter.
But instead…
He looked broken.
Not because he hated her.
Because he was hurt.
“Why?”
His voice finally broke the silence.
Marisol lowered her eyes.
“Diego…”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
She closed her eyes.
Because she had imagined this moment hundreds of times.
But never like this.
Never with him looking at her like she had taken something precious away from him.
“I tried.”
Diego looked up.
“What?”
“I tried to find you.”
Her voice trembled.
“When I found out I was pregnant, you were the first person I wanted to tell.”
The billionaire stared at her.
“Then why didn’t I know?”
Marisol looked away.
Because the answer was painful.
“Because someone made sure you never received my messages.”
Diego froze.
“What are you talking about?”
Marisol remembered the past.
The unanswered calls.
The emails that disappeared.
The visits to his old office where security told her she was not on the appointment list.
The assistant who suddenly became impossible to reach.
She had spent months thinking Diego had abandoned her.
But maybe…
Maybe he never knew.
“I thought you chose not to answer.”
Her voice became smaller.
“I thought you didn’t want us.”
Diego stood immediately.
“No.”
The word came out stronger than he intended.
“No, Marisol.”
He stepped closer.
“I would never do that.”
She looked at him.
For the first time in years, she saw the man she used to love.
Not the billionaire.
Not the CEO.
Just Diego.
The man who once held her under the rain and promised he would protect her.
Before Diego could say more…
A voice interrupted.
“How touching.”
Both of them turned.
Paulina stood at the entrance.
Perfectly dressed.
Perfectly composed.
But her eyes were filled with something different.
Jealousy.
“You finally found your missing family.”
Diego’s expression hardened.
“Paulina.”
She ignored him.
Her eyes moved toward Valentina.
“So this is the reason.”
Marisol immediately stepped forward.
“Please don’t involve her.”
Paulina smiled.
“Oh, I’m already involved.”
She walked closer.
“Do you understand what you’ve done?”
Diego stared at her.
“What are you talking about?”
Paulina looked at him.
“You have spent years building an empire.”
A pause.
“And now you’re willing to destroy your future because of a secret you never knew existed.”
Diego’s face became cold.
“My daughter is not a secret.”
The sentence hit Paulina harder than a slap.
Because he said it without hesitation.
My daughter.
Not the maid’s child.
Not the girl.
Not the problem.
His daughter.
Paulina clenched her fists.
“You’re choosing them.”
Diego looked directly at her.
“Yes.”
No hesitation.
No regret.
Just one word.
And that was when Paulina realized something.
She had never truly owned Diego.
She only owned the image of becoming his wife.
But now…
A three-year-old child had walked into the mansion and taken the place she thought belonged to her.
Later that night…
Paulina entered her bedroom and locked the door.
Her calm mask finally disappeared.
She threw her phone onto the table.
“How dare she…”
Her voice shook with anger.
“How dare that maid come back with a child?”
She looked at the engagement ring on her finger.
The symbol of the future she believed was guaranteed.
Then she remembered Diego kneeling in front of Valentina.
The most powerful man in the country.
Kneeling.
For a child.
For Marisol.
For a family he never knew he had.
And Paulina hated them for it.
The next morning, Diego made a decision.
A decision that shocked everyone.
He canceled all meetings.
Canceled business appointments.
Canceled everything.
Because for the first time in his life…
He had something more important than his empire.
His daughter.
He walked into the kitchen where Marisol was preparing breakfast.
The same kitchen where she had spent years working silently.
But today was different.
Today, Diego walked in and sat at the table.
With her.
Marisol looked surprised.
“Diego…”
He looked at her.
“No more hiding.”
She froze.
“What?”
“No more pretending you and Valentina don’t belong here.”
His voice was firm.
“From today, everyone in this house knows the truth.”
Marisol felt nervous.
“Are you sure?”
Diego nodded.
“I lost three years because someone took the truth from me.”
His eyes darkened.
“I won’t lose another day.”
But neither of them knew…
Someone had already started digging into their past.
Someone was searching for every weakness.
Every mistake.
Every secret.
And that person was determined to destroy Marisol before she became the woman standing beside Diego.
That afternoon…
Paulina received a file.
A thick envelope.
Inside were photographs.
Old documents.
Records.
And one message:
“You were right to be suspicious. Marisol has been hiding more than just a child.”
Paulina slowly opened the first page.
Then her eyes widened.
May you like
Because what she saw…
Could destroy everything.
