-Umberto, how can you doubt me?
Yolanda pretended to be hurt by his words with her face pale and her body trembling.
-Am I such a vicious person in your mind? I didn’t intimidate her, Emma and I were just here for dinner and we bumped into her. I tried to stop them, but Emma stopped me from approaching for fear of hurting me.
Emma heard her name and turned her head, meeting Yolanda’s cold eyes and responding in panic.
-Yes, Mr. Umberto, Yolanda barely woke up and those kids are reckless, I was afraid of hurting her, I stopped her.
-Okay, I misunderstood you. If you’re not feeling well, you should stay home and get well, don’t go around.
Hearing this, Umberto became more relaxed.
-Do you want to come to my house, my parents want to see you? -Yolanda nodded, like a little rabbit, and asked shyly.
This look made Emma sweat.
-I have guests here, the chauffeur is taking you back,” Umberto looked in the direction of the stairs and declined.
-No, since you’re busy, Emma can take me back.
Yolanda said kindly, taking Emma’s hand and bidding him farewell.
Watching her leave, Umberto breathed a sigh of relief and frowned, not sure why, but he always felt awkward around Yolanda, probably because they hadn’t been together for three years and they were both a little rusty.
He returned to the room and ended the conversation with a quick word to his client, and turned to Albina.
Umberto’s figure disappeared as the two women rounded the corner of the staircase, the sound of screaming still rising from the second floor.
Yolanda’s eyes were red as she watched Umberto’s back, nails clenched in Emma’s arm.
“He must have gone to see that bitch, he must have! They’ve divorced, why can’t he forget that blind woman!”
Emma was in great pain, but she dared not cry out, and only after a long while she spoke shakily:
-Yolanda, come on.
Yolanda turned her head and looked away, the cruelty in her eyes made Emma’s knees go weak.
-Emma, we are friends because you know what is right, and I don’t want anyone to know what happened today. Do you understand?
-Yes, yes, I understand, I won’t say anything about it,” Emma nodded hurriedly.
Yolanda saw that look of fear on his face, which led her to the door.
***
-Albina, don’t be sad, I will find a way to restore the ring.
Miguel took care of Albina’s wound and sighed as he looked at her frozen, reddened and swollen eyes.
-There’s no need, since it’s broken.
Albina’s eyelashes fluttered and she pursed her lips.
This was the only thing she had taken out of the house, but the God had treated her cruelly, not even this last thought.
Michael’s heart shrank at the sight of her appearance.
It was not easy to forget a three-year relationship. What he needed most now was time, time can erase everything.
-Rest, I have asked permission from the director, take the next few days to recover and when you are well, go back to work.
Albina looked at him with a guilty expression:
-I’m sorry, just a few days and you have caused problems to the restaurant.
-It’s the guys who got you in trouble, those bastards. You are suffering unjustly.
Miguel finished calming her down and left the room, giving her space to rest.
The room was silent and Albina lay back on the pillows, her bandaged fingers carefully squeezing the ring, tears falling again, crying and falling asleep as if she had exhausted all her strength.
She didn’t know how long she slept, but she felt itching and warmth in her eyelids, her eyelashes fluttered and she slowly opened her eyes.
The glow of warmth disappeared instantly.
-Dr. Eagle, are you still there?
Albina’s heart filled with confusion, wondering what had just happened, and she was about to get out of bed when she suddenly heard a light breathing next to her, and with a start she spoke timidly.
At the sound of the voice, the breathing stopped for a moment and then intensified in anger. A little terrible.
-Ha!
laughed the man.
Albina’s body shuddered and she jerked backward, clutching at the blankets.
After three years together, the voice was all too familiar, it was Umberto, and Umberto was in her room.