Alejandro sat on the porch outside his home, staring out at the modest compound. His earlier outing had been futile. The port officials wouldn't budge, giving him no valuable explanation as to why his goods had been confiscated. He sat there, weighed down by frustration, wondering why these troubles kept crossing his path. First, Esmeralda lost her job. Then, his goods were confiscated. And now, there was the ongoing problem with Oscar.
Lost in thought, Alejandro didn't notice when Estelle and Rafael walked in.
"Papá, you are back!" Estelle said, rushing to hug him.
"Uncle, how did it go?" Rafael asked.
Before Alejandro could respond, Camila stepped out from inside. "They refused to release the goods," she stated. Then, turning to Estelle, she asked, "How did your lunch date go?"
"Mamá, Rafael is the perfect gentleman. He took me to a very expensive restaurant," Estelle replied, clinging to Rafael with a smile. Rafael's chest swelled at her praise.
"That's good," Camila nodded approvingly. "I know my son-in-law is capable."
Alejandro stayed silent. From the first day he met Rafael, he hadn't approved of him. There was something about Rafael that felt wrong—perhaps a wolf in sheep's clothing. And besides, he was prideful, so very prideful. Yet, Alejandro held his peace; he wanted Estelle to be happy.
"Uncle, I have already spoken with my boss," Rafael added. "He said you could come by tomorrow morning to see him."
Alejandro's eyes narrowed. "I thought I made it clear that you shouldn't go to Mr. Salvador concerning this issue!" he snapped, his patience finally worn thin. What kind of son-in-law did he plan on becoming, one who doesn't even listen to him? He would never allow it.
Rafael flinched, visibly shaken. This was the first time Alejandro had raised his voice at him.
Camila noticed Alejandro's irritation and quickly stepped in to defend Rafael. "Mi amor, he is only trying to help. Why are you yelling at him?" she said firmly. "Besides, he has already spoken with his boss. You have no choice but to go—refusing would seem disrespectful. Hence, incurring Mr. Salvador's wrath and that is the last thing we need. You know Oscar is breathing down our necks. Just so you are aware, I have no intention of my daughter and I ending up working in a brothel," she snapped, her voice tight with frustration.
"Yes, Papa, please listen to him," Estelle added softly, standing by Rafael's side.
Alejandro looked at his wife, a little surprised by her blunt words and the support from his daughter. He considered it for a moment before sighing. "It seems I don't have a choice then."
A collective smile of relief spread across their faces as he agreed, but Rafael hesitated before speaking again. "Uncle… there is just one condition."
Alejandro's brow lifted. "And what is that?"
Rafael paused, glancing at Estelle. "He said… he would like you to bring Estelle along."
"¡Qué el joder! (What the fuck!) No way!" Estelle protested immediately, her eyes wide with disbelief.
Alejandro frowned, caught off guard. "Why?" he asked, genuinely puzzled. This was far from the condition he had expected.
"I don't know, Uncle," Rafael replied, shifting uncomfortably.
"I don't want to go, Papá. Lorenzo Salvador is…" Estelle hesitated, searching for the right words. "He is mean, heartless, and, most of all, ruthless. I am honestly afraid of him, so I don't want to go," she said, unwillingly.
"Cotton candy, it's not up to me," Alejandro responded firmly. "You heard your mother, and you already agreed. So, we are going."
"Estelle, just think of it as escorting your dad," Camila added gently. "Please, do it for me—for us."
Estelle looked around at their expectant faces and sighed, finally nodding obediently. Rafael smiled inwardly, satisfied that he had managed to convince the family.
***
LORENZO'S MANOR
Lorenzo watched as Alejandro and Estelle took their seats, each adjusting until they found a comfortable position. Standing nearby, Enrico observed them as well, though he tried not to make his scrutiny obvious. Both he and Lorenzo had the same thought.
Lorenzo wondered why the girl sitting across from him looked so different. The last time he had seen her, back in Las Vegas, she had had little to no makeup, long hair, and striking green eyes. Now, her makeup was bold, her hair was shorter, and her eyes were a light brown. Was he mistaken, or was she wearing contact lenses?
"Seems you take good care of your looks?" Lorenzo remarked, testing his suspicions.
Estelle smiled sheepishly, a playful glint in her eye. "Yes, I visit the salon often. It takes quite a bit of effort to get this look."
"Your hair—is it usually this short?" He questioned further.
"I got a haircut recently," she replied with a warm smile.
It was true; she had cut her hair just last week, tired of dealing with the length.
Lorenzo's face remained unreadable. "I see. It suits you," he said, the hint of a compliment in his tone. Satisfied with her response, the doubts in his mind faded.
Estelle blushed, her initial fear of him slowly dissipating. A compliment from this handsome billionaire made her feel unexpectedly flattered. Alejandro, on the other hand, watched with a frown, curious why Mr. Salvador seemed so interested in his daughter.
Then Lorenzo turned to Alejandro, his tone businesslike, going straight to the point. "I will give you the money, but instead of the two million, I am willing to make it five million."
Estelle and Alejandro's eyes widened in shock.
"Mr. Salvador…" Alejandro started, but before he could finish, Lorenzo interrupted.
"Please, just call me Lorenzo. And if five million isn't enough, I can increase it."
Estelle's mouth dropped open, and Alejandro could barely believe what he was hearing. "Lorenzo, that is very generous of you, but we only need the two million pesos. I wouldn't be able to pay back five million."
"You misunderstand me," Lorenzo said calmly, watching their confused expressions. "Who said it's in pesos?" He paused, letting his words sink in. "I will be transferring five million dollars, and I am not lending you the money."
Estelle gasped, and Alejandro's brow furrowed in suspicion. Why would Lorenzo offer such an enormous amount for free? Alejandro knew better than to believe there was no catch; he, too, was a businessman, and in business, nothing came without strings attached.
"What do you want in exchange for your generosity, Lorenzo?" he asked, his voice steady.
A faint smile appeared on Lorenzo's otherwise impassive face. "I like a man who is straightforward."
With a snap of Lorenzo's fingers, Enrico stepped forward and opened the door, allowing someone to enter. A well-dressed man walked in and gave a respectful bow.
"This is my lawyer, Mr. Mauricio," Lorenzo explained. "He has brought some documents with him."
Mr. Mauricio took a seat, shuffled through his briefcase, and pulled out a neatly arranged stack of papers, handing one of the documents to Alejandro.
Alejandro opened the document and began to scan through it. His eyes widened as he reached the heart of it: in exchange for access to the five million dollars, he would have to marry his daughter off to Lorenzo. Alejandro's jaw tightened, his mind racing as he tried to process the shocking proposal.
Lorenzo brought his hands together, resting his chin on them as he spoke. "That is my only condition. I want your daughter to be mine."