Chapter 31 Explanations about Lucian

It is clear that I owe an explanation and not only to Darío but also to my brother-in-law, who has burst
the bubble of happiness without realizing it. Darío places a hand on my shoulder and squeezes me
gently. He is confused, and I understand. Couples have the time to share the names of their exes, as
well as the events that set a precedent and the reason they broke up. In this case, the reason I was
going to break up with Lucian was that I was being forced to marry Darío, although I later realized that
he was nothing more than a fucking bastard who didn’t even deserve a greeting. However, I didn’t
bother to tell Darío about him. Maybe I wanted to forget all about my time with that man, knowing I had
been cheated on and understanding that Lucian didn’t deserve to belong in my past, not after he had
ruined my life and Teresa’s life. By hurting her, he hurt me in the same way.

I watch him and try to figure out if he’s angry or just upset. He furrows his brows and waits for my
response, one that almost urges me to vomit again.

“Lucian was my boyfriend,” I reply.

I have no idea how I’m going to explain the situation to Darío, let alone Dawson. I shudder to consider
the reaction Darío is going to have upon hearing me.

“And what does he want with your sister?” my husband asks, confused. Just the obvious. “Does he
want to see you? Didn’t you explain to him that you were getting married?”

“You have to admit that our wedding wasn’t especially planned ahead of time, love.” What an excuse I
make.

I set out to walk up to the balcony. I begin to feel the cramped space. I focus on Darío to distract
myself; he has a long-sleeved wine-red flannel that settles his half-tan color a bit.

The heater is working perfectly, so the temperature inside the house is comfortable. Even so, I feel
terribly hot. My hands sweat, and the back of my neck itches irrationally.



“Is that why it is? Because of the rushed wedding? That man comes looking for you a month after you
split up?” This time it’s Dawson speaking.

As the weeks have gone by, I’ve learned to tell them apart inside out. The smallest detail makes me
realize who is Darío and who is Dawson. Even more so after learning that Dawson has more golden
hair than Darío. It seems my brother-in-law has spent considerable time in the seaside part of the
country.

“Where are you going?” inquires Darío when he senses me walking away.

“I think we’d better sit on the balcony. I could use some air.”

“Are you sure you’re okay? Let’s go to the clinic and confirm it’s just a cold, honey.”

He’s worried about my health. So I try to get us all seated by the time I tell them about Lucian.

Why on earth wouldn’t Teresa have told Dawson about Lucian? Why not trust him for what that fucker
did to her? They’re getting married, and she hasn’t had the gentleness to tell him, to trust him enough
to let him know that someone tried to take advantage of her, her innocence, and her body.

“Dawson,” I turn to my brother-in-law, for I truly understand that it is not my place to speak to him on the
subject, “I think it’s better if you take it up directly with Teresa.”

“Bullshit, I’m sick of this mess!” he explodes.

I shudder from head to toe.

“Dawson!” it’s Donatella, “you’d better calm down! You’ll scare the kid.” She reaches over and scoops
him up in her arms.



I smile at her gentleness and kindness. I got a friend, a housemate, who advises me as if she were my
own mother and mainly because she bets on my relationship with Darío. She believes we can survive
and come out undefeated from how we started our marriage.

“Thank you, Dona,” I thank her. I grab Darío’s hand to walk up the stairs again. In the meantime, she
leaves with Dante. It’s a relief to take the boy away from what I know will be a disaster.

Two strong and determined men will not take well to the fact that Lucian tried to abuse my sister, more
so now when Darío explodes at any unfavorable situation. The first few days were difficult for him. His
anger even caused me to cry from helplessness for not being able to help him feel satisfied even with
the fact that he came out of the surgery well. Now he can be in his son’s life with me by his side.

“I can’t!” he cried one day when he stumbled as he left the room. “I’m going to go crazy.”

“Love...”

“I can’t go through with this. I can’t be a good father if I can’t see where I’m going if I can’t watch my
son take his first steps. How am I supposed to take him to the park to ride his tricycle?”

“We’re going to work it out, honey. You’ll see. This is all temporary. David says...”

“David has no idea what’s wrong with me! Don’t you see? Don’t you get it? I’m fucking blind!”

That’s when I knew, for the first time, that he was going to need the help of everyone he knew who
cared about him. That’s why I secretly asked Dawson to help me and not to go far away. I didn’t know
who else to turn to.

Who better than his twin, a man just as strong and intense, to help him?

“You already went to Teresa’s, didn’t you?” I tie the ends together quickly.



His reaction makes me think about how it must have affected my little sister, the light of my eyes.

“She won’t talk. What’s more, she slammed the door in my face.” He’s elated and beside himself. I’ve
never seen Dawson so out of control. He always looks carefree and detached from trouble as if nothing
would stain his peace. “She even called off the wedding!”

“She called it off? I don’t understand. She’s not...”

“Impulsive? By the gods, Tatiana! She agreed on impulse and called it off for the same thing!”

“Calm down, Dawson,” I implore him.

“What’s going on, Tatiana? Tell me at once what you’re hiding. I’m blind, not deaf or an idiot. What
happened with that boyfriend of yours that your sister decided to walk away from Dawson?”

I’m caught between a rock and a hard place. Dawson looks at me with his arms crossed.

“You better start talking because I swear, I’m thinking the worst, and I don’t like to think about the bad.
So I don’t give a damn about tracking down who he is and where he lives and going to beat the shit out
of him for so much as coming near my wife.”

I turn my head to the hallway that is only a few steps away. A few steps away is my freedom and the air
I need. Tiny black specks creep into my vision. I blink to clear my vision, but they are still there. I lean
back against the wall and begin to take a forced breath.

“Tati?” I hear Dawson’s voice and feel his approach.

“What’s wrong?” Darío has my hand held. I don’t feel the warmth of his hand, just a cold sweat soaking
my fingers. “Tatiana, are you okay? Say something, please.”

I want to tell them yes and that I’m fine. However, nothing comes from my lips.



“Let’s get you to lie down.” Before I realize it, Dawson lifts me in a flutter and walks up the stairs with
me in his arms. “I’ll call the emergency room and have someone come check on you.”

“Tatiana!” Darío arrives in the room seconds later, distraught. I worry that he went upstairs alone. I
imagine him desperate and distraught, not knowing what’s wrong with me.

“Let her rest. I think this goes beyond a simple breakup between her and that Lucian guy.” I want to yell
at him to butt out, not to add fuel to the fire, but my lips won’t cooperate.

“I don’t know, brother. There’s something not right here.” I hear them talking, but I start to lose my
senses. “She’s not like that. She even tells me everything. She... We have to talk to Teresa. There’s
something that doesn’t add up...”

Little by little, I fall into a deep sleep.

The blackout has overcome me.

The darkness has taken my consciousness.


62fb1bb41dcb31934bd49bda