-I’m not sure I can restore this painting,” Albina muttered.
Her ability was far worse than her master’s and she didn’t even dare to try to restore the painting.
-It’s all right, I’ve guessed this result, and this painting is just an excuse to confuse Jaime.
Although he felt sorry for her, Pedro didn’t care and couldn’t force Albina to do it.
Besides, all he wanted was an excuse to get in touch with Mateo.
Albina saw that Pedro’s expression was full of regret and felt bad. The painting was his master’s and it was really a shame that it had been ruined like that.
-I am not a specialist in national painting and I only studied with my master for a few years. But I will be able to send this painting to a colleague who is also apprenticed to my master and ask him to restore it. Luckily the ink mark is not big, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to restore.
Hearing the words, Peter’s eyes sparkled and he hastened to say:
-Thank you, Miss Albina! I will never forget your great kindness for the rest of my life!
Albina was so amused by his exaggerated appearance that she laughed.
-You are too kind. I also feel very sorry for my master’s painting. But you can’t let my master see it, or his blood pressure will skyrocket.
Pedro had a funny character, he wasn’t very young, but he was so dynamic that he seemed very young, besides, he was also easy with others.
Albina knew Pedro’s mother, who was stingy and harsh, so she wondered why her son was like that.
In the next moment, Albina remembered that Pedro had been raised by Alfredo before he was six or seven years old. It was true that childhood education was important.
Surely Alfredo had educated his grandson very carefully, so Pedro had a good character.
Mateo was also very well educated by Luis, and had even been away from home for so many years, but he was still good-natured and upright.
Albina contrasted them with Jaime and her idea became firmer.
She touched her belly and thought that, when her baby was born, she would surely let Sergio raise him.
The child was like a blank piece of paper and his education depended mainly on the kind of thinking the educator instilled in him. What Sergio had been able to make Umberto excellent meant that Sergio was good at educating children.
Peter and Matthew did not know that Albina had thought so much in an instant.
They stood together and had a conversation, and suddenly Peter’s cell phone rang.
Pedro answered the phone calmly, but when he heard what the caller said, his look suddenly became serious.
-Okay, I know. I’ll get there right away.
After hanging up, Mateo asked hurriedly:
-What’s up, is something wrong at the company or the hospital?
Pedro flashed a smile and said:
-The hospital has informed me that Alfredo will wake up soon.
Hearing this, Mateo’s brow furrowed:
-The plan has finally begun.
Albina looked at them and walked up the stairs silently with the parchment in her hand.
As a pregnant woman, she had to get away from this battle and take good care of her baby that was still in her womb. She also had to explain the painting situation to her partner and ask him to do his best to fix it, for, if Raphael found out, he would be furious.
The last time Albina was engaged to Umberto, Rafael had gone abroad to attend a very important event and had been unable to attend the engagement ceremony. When Rafael learned that Albina had married, he was angry and insisted on seeing Umberto to warn him not to intimidate Albina ever.
Albina still remembered exactly what her master said at the time, and every time she thought about it, she felt very moved.
Her master said back then:
-Albina, although your parents are already dead, your partner and I are still alive, and as long as we are alive, we won’t let them bully you. So, don’t bear any complaints alone, but tell us everything.
But Albina loved them so much that she did not want to disturb them.
Although her master and companion enjoyed a certain reputation in the world of calligraphy and painting, in the face of the gentry and those who could do everything without thinking of consequences, they would not only have little advantage, but would also get into trouble.
The most important thing for people in the calligraphy and painting industry was their reputation, which was also very easy to ruin.
By the time Albina told her partner about the situation, packed the parchment and sent it to him, Pedro had already left the Santangel family home.
Mateo stood alone in the courtyard, looking in the direction of the door, frowning.
-Are you worried about them?
A soft female voice came from behind him, bringing Mateo out of his thoughts.
He turned his head to look at Albina.
She was wearing a white cotton dress, her face was delicate and beautiful, and her smile was soft. The fact that she was just standing there doing nothing made people feel very comfortable and want to open up to her involuntarily.
-Well, Jaime is so abject. My father had raised him from infancy to the present, and now my grandfather is very old, but Jaime still cheats on him. I grew up together with Jaime, but he tricked me into a car going somewhere far away, with no regard for my safety. My grandfather raised him for over twenty years and gave him all the good things, but still, he wants to kill him?
The more excited Matthew got, the harsher his voice became, but when his eyes met Albina’s, he controlled the anger for fear of scaring her.
-I’m sorry, I’ve lost my manners.
-It’s okay,” Albina shook her head. I also met that kind of people. That whole family was abject and to them, other people’s lives were like weeds. So I understand your mood.
Mateo was astonished. He didn’t know Albina very well nor had he asked about her previous life.
Since Albina was living happily now, he had thought she was a princess who had grown up with pampering, and he had not expected her to have experienced something like that as well.
Seeing him frown again, Albina thought he was still worried and comforted him:
-Sergio said that your grandfather has a lot of ability and is very excellent, besides, he also experienced a lot of difficulties, so Jaime is no match for him. You don’t have to worry too much about your grandfather and trust him. As for Pedro, I think he is more intelligent and excellent than Jaime.
-Well, you’re right.
Mateo wrinkled his eyebrows and looked up at the sky.
He should have confidence in his grandfather, but this time, he was using his own life as bait.
Olivia was all dressed up and about to leave the house with a delicate bag. Seeing the two of them standing in the yard, she frowned and grabbed Daniel standing next to her.
-Daniel, look. Albina and Mateo are together.
Daniel took a look and asked:
-Yes, what’s wrong?
-You don’t know what’s wrong? -Olivia pinched Daniel’s arm anxiously, “Albina is very pretty, what if this boy falls in love with her?
Daniel sighed in pain, rubbed his arm and whispered:
-You think too much, I don’t think Mateo is a man with bad manners, and the distance between the two is just right. Albina doesn’t like him…
Olivia rolled her eyes.
-Of course I know Albina doesn’t like him, since Albina likes Umberto. But it’s possible Mateo likes Albina. The day Albina and I took him home, he didn’t yet know that Albina is married and pregnant, and his look at Albina was very odd. He probably likes her!
Olivia said with great certainty, seeing Mateo with the most watchful look.
-Even if he likes Albina, if she doesn’t listen to him, nothing will happen,” said Daniel.
Just like Miguel’s case, he liked Albina, but nothing came of it.
Olivia looked at Daniel as if looking at a fool.
-“Don’t you know that girls with a very firm rejection attitude would also be won over by guys who insist on pursuing her? How did you get me to go out with you? Do you need me to remind you?
Daniel’s heart skipped a beat.
Back then, Olivia didn’t feel much for Daniel at first, but Daniel pursued her hard and finally married her.
-Although Miguel did many things he shouldn’t have done, the education he received since he was a child forbade him to harass Albina knowing that she is married and pregnant. But Mateo is different, he grew up outside his own home, and no one can anticipate his thoughts.
Suddenly Daniel felt that Olivia was right.
Seeing that Daniel agreed with her, Olivia made the decision on the spot.
-When Mateo is in the Santangel family, you have to keep an eye on him to prevent him from contacting Albina.
-Good,” Daniel said with a serious expression.
-So don’t go to the charity auction today and let Albina accompany me.
Daniel couldn’t say no.
-Okay.