Meanwhile, Mateo kept shooting anxious glances toward us — not out of concern for me, but because he had recognized Adrián. Not as my former lover, of course, but as Adrián Vega, a powerful businessman who practically owned half the city.
Minute by minute, I realized my son was ashamed of me, yet unknowingly relied on the man who now sat by my side with complete humility.
But what happened at the end of the reception… no one saw it coming — and it changed everything.
When lunch ended and guests dispersed to dance or stroll through the gardens, Mateo approached me at last, Clara close behind him. His smile looked forced, carefully practiced.
“Mom, I hope you’re comfortable,” he said — polite only because others were watching.
But his expression shifted the moment he noticed Adrián sitting with me. Surprise, panic, and… ambition flickered across his face.
“Are you Adrián Vega?” he asked, trying hard to sound relaxed.
“Yes,” Adrián answered with a courteous smile.
I stayed quiet, already predicting Mateo’s next move: trying to impress the millionaire, maybe fishing for work opportunities. What I didn’t expect was for him to start introducing me as though I were barely connected to him.
“She… she’s… well, the lady who raised me,” he said with an awkward laugh.
