Two: Meeting the Montagues

Antonio was overjoyed by this news. It felt like an amazing stroke of luck to him, meeting the Montague family when he needed it most.

“I spoke with the head nurse before coming in, and she said you still have to be here for a while, so when you're better and good to go, we'll discuss this again," Maria informed him.

Antonio's spirits took off. He had always strived to improve his life, and it was in that pursuit that he had resorted to borrowing money from a loan shark, only to see his business fail miserably. It often felt like the universe was conspiring against him. Even his parents had looked down on him. The girl he had thought cared for him had abandoned him for his best friend.

"Thank you, Miss Montague," Antonio replied gratefully.

"Please call me Maria," she said with a warm smile.

Antonio's parents woke up that morning, and an alarming realization dawned upon them — their son was nowhere to be found. This was not the first time they had locked him out, and he had often ended up sleeping on the front step or at Sofia's place.

His mother turned to her husband, who had already resumed his drinking habits early in the day. "Where could he be?"

"He's probably at Sofia's place, woman," he replied curtly, showing little concern.

"Well, wherever he is, I'll be off to the market soon. He better meet me there, or we'll have a repeat of history," she declared firmly. Her frustration spilled over as she continued, "And you, resuming your nonsense so early? Your peers are out there working hard, while you're drinking your life away."

"Please get out of my face before I lose my temper. You and that son of yours, you'd better return him to where you found him," he warned.

"Utterly useless," she spat out, then quickly headed for the bathroom before he could respond.

Antonio's mother, Mrs. Torres, was getting ready to leave for the market, but there was still no sign of Antonio. She reached for her phone, intending to call him, but then remembered that he had lost his phone at the market a week ago when it had accidentally fallen into a pot of scalding hot oil.

With a sigh of frustration, she muttered to herself, "Well, he's as useless as his father. Like father, like son," she muttered in frustration before making her way to the market.

Antonio had no intention of returning home to his current state. He was determined to find a way to make money, and meeting the Montague family felt like the beginning of a prosperous life for him.

The Montagues were known as one of the wealthiest families in the city, ranking second only to another prominent family. They were the owners of a company known as "The Montague Empire," and the current CEO was Mr. Andrés Montague, who also happened to be Maria's father. Besides the Montague Empire, they had various other business interests and were incredibly affluent.

Antonio's excitement was palpable after this revelation. Once Maria had left, the nurse who had been attending to him returned to change his IV bag. "I'll be back with your food and medication shortly," she informed him.

"Thank you," Antonio expressed his gratitude. However, as she was leaving, Antonio stopped her with a question. "Do you know anything about the Montague family?" he inquired.

The nurse paused and turned to look at Antonio, sighing. "All I can tell you is to be careful; the Montagues are quite a formidable family," she warned before walking away.

After three days of receiving continuous treatment and care, Antonio felt like a new person, fully recovered from his ordeal. Maria had visited him twice during his four-day stay in the hospital.

On the fourth day, Maria arrived early to pick him up. She had even brought him a brand new set of clothes, as the ones he had worn on the night she found him were discarded. They completed the necessary paperwork for his discharge, and together, they walked to the car waiting for them.

Antonio saw this as an opportunity to express his gratitude. "Thank you so much, Miss Montague," he began.

"Quit thanking me, it's nothing," she dismissed his gratitude.

Antonio attempted to say more, but he paused when he noticed the car they were about to board. It was an impressive vehicle, and there were two guards stationed outside, dressed in dark suits and dark sunglasses. As soon as they saw Maria, they approached her and took her bag.

The guards opened the back seat for Antonio and Maria to enter. Antonio was overwhelmed with gratitude; he had never experienced such a gesture in his entire life. One of the guards took the driver's seat, while the other sat in the front passenger seat.

The car ride was quiet, leaving Antonio to wonder why Maria was out alone that night. Had she hired them after what happened to her that night? He didn't dare to ask.

Their journey led them to a location that resembled the White House for the President. Antonio exited the car before the guards had a chance to open the door for him. His eyes widened in awe at the magnificent surroundings.

Maria joined him and said, "Welcome to my humble abode."

"Let's go in; my dad is already waiting for you," she added, leading Antonio toward the outstanding mansion.

Inside the Montague mansion, Antonio was even more astonished by its interior beauty. Maria informed him that her father was in his office.

"He has an office at home?" Antonio expressed his surprise.

"Of course, his home workspace. Follow me," Maria gestured for him to follow.

Mr. Andrés Montague stood by the window, gazing outside as Maria and Antonio entered. Antonio immediately bent to greet the prominent businessman. "Good morning, sir."

Andrés smiled and motioned for Antonio to take a seat on the nearby couch. The maids soon brought in drinks, set them up, and left the room.

"My daughter has told me quite a bit about you. First, I'd like to thank you for what you did for her that night," Andrés expressed his gratitude.

Antonio replied modestly, "It's nothing, sir."

"You're welcome to our home," Andrés continued. He then turned to Maria. "Help him settle in, and we can discuss things later after he's well-rested. Feel free," he told Antonio.

Antonio couldn't contain his excitement. This opportunity might finally allow him to escape the difficult life he had endured for so long.

As Maria led Antonio to the room prepared for him, her father called her back.

"Wait here," she instructed Antonio before returning to her father's office.

Andrés Montague sat upright, his chair creaking as he leaned back. "Are you sure this is what you want?" he asked his daughter.

Maria nodded confidently. "Yes, Dad, he's perfect for the role..."