Alejandro paced Isabella's living room like a caged animal, his mind racing through calculations. One week. He had one week before his creditors came to collect—and they wouldn't accept excuses.He stopped abruptly, turning to face Isabella with an expression of sudden inspiration. "Mi amor, I've been thinking."Isabella looked up from her phone, her eyes still red from crying. "About what?""About us. About our future." He crossed to her, taking her hands in his. "If you want my father to truly invest in your career, to use all his resources to help you—there's only one way to guarantee his commitment.""What do you mean?""Marriage." The word hung in the air between them. "Once you become his daughter-in-law, he'll move heaven and earth to support you. Family loyalty is everything to the Morales family."Isabella's breath caught. "You want to marry me?""I want to make you my wife as soon as possible." Alejandro's voice dripped with false sincerity. "I can't stand watching you suffe

Diego stepped through the villa's entrance, his mind still processing the encounter with Vittorio Caruso. Three days to live—possibly less. The old man's condition was severe, but not entirely beyond help. The question was whether it was worth the effort, and what price Caruso would be willing to pay.He was so lost in thought that he didn't notice Esperanza descending the staircase until her heels clicked against the marble floor."You're back early," she observed, adjusting the cuff of her tailored navy blazer. The suit hugged her figure perfectly—professional yet undeniably striking. "I thought your morning exercise sessions lasted at least two hours."Diego glanced up, his expression neutral. "I ran into some complications.""What kind of complications?" Her eyes narrowed with concern. "Did someone bother you?""Nothing I couldn't handle." He moved toward the stairs, intending to head to his room."Wait." Esperanza stepped into his path, her perfume—something subtle and expensive—

"Five seconds is more than you deserve!" Carmen marched forward, positioning herself between Diego and her daughter like a human shield. "Do you see what's happening here? Do you see all of this?" She gestured wildly at the decorations, the workers, the elaborate preparations. "Isabella is getting married! To a real man! Someone who actually matters!"Diego's eyes flicked to Isabella. "To Alejandro Morales.""That's right!" Isabella's voice dripped with vindictive satisfaction. "In one week, I'll be Mrs. Alejandro Morales. I'll have a husband who has real power, real connections, real money! Not some pathetic leech who lived off my charity for three years!""Isabella, listen to me—""No, you listen!" She stepped around her mother, her finger jabbing toward his chest without quite touching him. "You destroyed my partnership with Ricardo Vega! You humiliated me at that banquet! You've done nothing but sabotage my life since the divorce! And now you have the audacity to come here on the

Diego's fist connected with Alejandro's jaw with surgical precision, sending him sprawling backward into an ornate vase that shattered against the marble floor. Alejandro tried to scramble away, but Diego was already there, grabbing him by his expensive collar and delivering another measured strike to his ribs."Stop! Please!" Alejandro's voice came out as a wheeze, blood trickling from his split lip.Diego released him, letting him collapse onto the floor in a groaning heap. "Listen carefully, Alejandro. As long as your intentions toward Isabella are deceitful and fraudulent, I'll be there to stop you. Every step of the way."Alejandro coughed, crimson staining his pristine white shirt. Through swollen lips, he managed a weak, mocking laugh. "You—you still love her, don't you? That's what this is really about. You can't stand that I'm about to marry the woman you couldn't keep."Something dangerous flickered across Diego's face—a crack in his usual composed mask. His jaw tightened, h

Esperanza stepped through the villa's entrance around seven in the evening, her heels clicking against the marble floor. The exhaustion from a full day of meetings and negotiations weighed on her shoulders, but the moment she caught the aroma wafting from the kitchen, she paused.Someone was cooking.She followed the scent and found Diego at the stove, his sleeves rolled up, stirring something in a large pan. Various ingredients were laid out on the counter with practiced organization."You're cooking?" The surprise in her voice was evident.Diego glanced over his shoulder, offering a small smile. "It's the least I can do. I don't expect you to head into the kitchen after a long day at work."Esperanza set her briefcase down, studying him with an unreadable expression. "I... thank you. That's very thoughtful.""Go freshen up. Dinner will be ready in twenty minutes."She hesitated for a moment, as if wanting to say something, then nodded and headed upstairs.When she returned, she'd ch