CHAPTER 3 — A Letter Never Meant to Be Read
After the reception ended, Rafael quietly asked Elena if they could speak alone.
She agreed.
They met in the villa's library, where silence settled between towering bookshelves.
"I deserve your anger," Rafael admitted.
"But I never abandoned her willingly."
Elena folded her arms.
"You walked away."
"I thought you wanted us gone."
Rafael slowly removed an old envelope from his jacket.
The paper had yellowed with age.
"I wrote to you every month."
"You never answered."
Confused, Elena opened the envelope.
Inside were copies of dozens of returned letters.
Every one stamped:
Recipient Unknown.
There were birthday cards.
Christmas letters.
Photos.
Checks that had never been cashed.
Rafael looked down.
"My parents hated that I married beneath our family's social status."
"When I left for work overseas, they intercepted every letter I sent."
"They told me you had remarried."
"They told me Valeria had another father."
Elena's hands began to shake.
"My parents..."
"...told me you disappeared."
Neither of them spoke for a long time.
The truth had stolen sixteen years from all of them.
Just then, Miguel quietly entered the library.
"I wasn't trying to replace you," he said.
"I was trying to keep a little girl from wondering why nobody came."
Rafael looked at him.
"I know."
He walked over.
Extended his hand.
"Thank you."
Miguel accepted it.
May you like
Not as rivals.
As two men who had loved the same child in different ways.
