The ride was uneventful and the car soon pulled into the Santangel family’s driveway.
After getting out of the car, Albina intentionally looked at Matthew’s expression and realized that he did not show even a trace of surprise and curiosity at the sight of the Santangel family mansion.
There was a vague suspicion in her mind.
Mateo had been around all these years, and perhaps he had not been living as badly as they thought, he even feared that he was just like Jaime in the Seco family.
It was also true that even staying in Sogen City all this time and still escaping the search of multiple forces, the Santangel family couldn’t find him, and it didn’t make sense that there wasn’t some power behind it to cover it up.
He was alone and could have all this either by being adopted by someone in a powerful position or by putting in more than usual work and effort.
Albina watched his somewhat dark eyes and the coldness of their initial encounter in the elevator and was basically certain it was the latter.
Her encounter with Mateo had been recounted in the family group, Umberto was on his way back, and Sergio was sitting in the living room waiting from the moment the message was sent.
When Albina and Olivia entered the house with Mateo, Sergio got up from the couch.
To be exact, from the moment Mateo walked through the door, Sergio’s eyes were fixed directly on him with a look of great excitement, and he took two sharp steps on his crutches.
Alonso hurried to support him, and said in an agitated voice.
-Sir, be careful.
But Sergio not only did not slow down, but the closer he got to Mateo, the faster his steps became until he stopped in front of him.
Olivia and Albina, intimidated by Sergio’s posture, stood aside, not speaking.
Mateo also stood up and allowed Sergio to examine him.
-He looks exactly like Luis Seco did back then,” said Sergio with a little moisture in his eyes.
Luis Seco, who Sergio watched grow up, was a good kid from a very young age, especially compared to Daniel’s untalented looks, Luis Seco was so well behaved it was heartbreaking.
Handsome, good-natured, with good skills, and a talent for shopping. Simply the most ideal heir model for any family.
But who would have thought that the normally more temperate and mild-mannered man could be so stubborn, as if all the decades of rebellion had been stirred up, breaking with the Seco family and getting into that kind of trouble with Alfredo over a woman.
Maybe the woman wasn’t that important, maybe it was just an excuse to vent the stress that had built up inside him for so many years and to make such a scene when he found a breakthrough.
Luis left the Seco family and never returned, after which came the news of his death.
Sergio was also sad for a while when he learned of Luis Seco’s death, and he was so sorry that all the memories of Luis came back to him the first time he saw Mateo.
Sergio was basically certain that the man in front of him was definitely Luis Seco’s own son.
The face and body were the same as his father’s.
-Well, well, well! -Sergio said three good ones in a row and patted Mateo’s arm, “Finally you’re back, your grandfather would be so happy to see you.
Mateo’s eyelids fluttered.
-Sir…
-You don’t have to be so polite, call me Grandpa Sergio. Your father used to call me “uncle”, I saw him grow up, and you don’t need to be so formal.
Sergio was in a good mood and finished noticing Mateo’s disheveled appearance. He had lived to such an advanced age and was as human as he was intelligent, and he could guess at a glance what had gone before.
-Good boy, go freshen up first. Alonso, go get the doctor to come and help the boy with the wounds to his body.
Mateo was put on the spot before he could speak.
Albina looked at his overwhelmed look and nodded to him.
-You don’t have to be formal, grandfather likes you very much. I’ll have someone take you to the guest room, and for now you can wear Umberto’s change of clothes, he’s about the same size as you.
The Santangel family looked at him sweetly. Mateo was good at dealing with all kinds of people who weren’t nice to him, but he really didn’t know how to react to these people who were unleashing kindness on him.
The maid took him to the guest room when he was dazed and confused.
When he came out of the shower, there were two more men in the room.
One very young man with an extremely handsome face and a powerful aura that exerted an invisible pressure when he raised his eyes slightly to look at him.
The other was a little older and very handsome, and you could tell from his face that he was good-natured, and as soon as he saw him the man’s eyes turned red.
-Luis… Dad, you’re right, the boy looks just like Luis!
Daniel got a little excited, he and Luis Seco had grown up together as best friends and it had been years since they had seen each other. After the passage of time, he didn’t remember anything from the past, but when Mateo came out, all the memories came alive as if it were yesterday.
Daniel’s eyes were moist.
-Are you all right? -Mateo asked hurriedly, somewhat at a loss for words.
Daniel wiped the corners of his eyes with a gentle smile on his face.
-I’m fine, I’m fine. I thought of your father when I saw you, your father and I grew up together….
I was beginning to remember when Umberto suddenly spoke. His voice was still cold and he looked directly at Mateo.
-I heard Albina say that your name is now “Mateo”, right? You gave yourself that name knowing who you really are?
Mateo froze for a moment.
The whole room was also silent. He had to say Umberto was Umberto, always catching the most important clues right on the spot.
Mateo pursed his lips and nodded at the stares.
-Yes, I know I am a grandson of the Seco family. My father informed me before he died and I haven’t forgotten it in all these years.
Umberto frowned.
-Jaime cajoled you into being sent away years ago, at a young age when you might not have been able to return. If you knew that, why didn’t you choose to return to the Seco family when you could have? -He said, waggling his eyebrows, “Even you have been in Sogen City all this time and you knew that Alfredo was looking for you, but you kept avoiding him, why?
Umberto used to have an elevated position and spoke unconsciously with a tinge of authority, with an aggressive tone.
Mateo didn’t want to say much about it, but seeing that Albina was also looking at him curiously, he took a deep breath and finally spoke.
-The truth is, I don’t want to go back to the Seco family, and since they have raised Jaime as their own grandson for so many years and cared for him the most, why would I intervene?
Mateo spoke, and for some reason, Albina heard a hint of aggression and resentment in him.
Yes, it was only fair that he should feel aggrieved after seeing his only relative, his own grandfather, treat an imposter with such affection.
But Alfredo had no idea at the time that Jaime was an imposter and thought he was his own grandson, and there was no excuse for this attitude.
She did not interrupt and listened attentively to Mateo as he continued.
-For now I cannot recount my experiences over the years, except to tell you that I have not been very free over the years. Even if I wanted to return to Sogen City, it has only been possible in the last two years.
Matthew laced his fingers together, as if he had some difficulty talking about his past experiences.
-This time I also came to Sogen City just to see my grandfather from afar. I don’t want the Seco family fortune, I just want to see him healthy and happy to see that he is living a good life.
Mateo sat on the sofa with his head hanging. His father had always told him about his grandfather and he was very curious about him.
But it had been more than twenty years since Jaime had tripped him up, and the grandfather had raised the man as his only family for so many years that he had probably grown fond of him long ago, more so than his own grandson.
He lacked confidence and was afraid to face the fact that Alfredo should be the closest person in the world to him and feared he would let him down.
His life is dark enough as it is, he didn’t want to add to it.
Mateo was careful to speak his mind, and no one in the room said anything. It was Umberto who finally spoke, his voice clear and light, but dropping a heavy bombshell.
-And do you know that Alfredo is now hospitalized having been drugged by Jaime, and is still unconscious?
-What?! -Mateo stood up abruptly from the sofa, with a shocked face as he looked at Umberto.