-Albina, let’s eat. We’ve prepared a lot of good food today, all your favorites…..
Bianca wanted to pull Albina to take her to the restaurant, but her daughter didn’t move.
Looking back, she found Albina motionless, her eyes fixed on Doria.
-Who are you?
Umberto sensed the difference in Alina, and followed her gaze. He looked at Doria with a vague suspicion in his mind.
Hector’s eyes deepened and he called out to Doria, who wanted to leave.
-Doria, don’t go yet, we were so busy exchanging pleasantries that we forgot to introduce you to Albina. Albina, this is Doria. Doria used to take care of you when you were very little, apart from your grandmother, she was the closest to you.
Doria pursed her lips and pressed her fingers together before looking at Albina with slightly moist eyes.
-Miss, I am Doria, I have had the privilege of taking care of you in the past. It was my negligence that made you disappear for so many years, I am very sorry.
Albina looked at his honest and loyal face, and the reddened eyes, and was a little taken aback.
-I think I remember you a little. Not your face, but your voice.
At these words, the Espina family looked at Albina in disbelief.
She didn’t remember her parents or her brother, or even her grandmother, so why would she remember only Doria’s voice?
Doria’s face lit up with joy and she became excited.
-Do you still remember me?
Albina gently bit her lower lip.
-I can’t say I remember, I think I’ve always heard your voice somewhere.
Doria reflected for a moment and said:
-I read you stories and sang to you before you went to sleep. I sang in your ear for over a year, maybe that’s why you remember my voice so much?
-Maybe.
Alina said it, but her instinct told her it shouldn’t be so.
-I also hugged Albina when I was little and talked in her ear a lot, so why don’t you remember my voice? -Bianca complained.
She said this with a hint of jealousy and a sour note.
Albina smiled and took her by the arm.
-Mom, don’t be jealous, I’ve had a head injury before and I’ve forgotten a lot of things. From now on I’ll have everything about you in my head.
Albina’s cuddles were something few could resist, least of all Bianca, who loves her with all her heart.
-What a pretty girl you are.
Hector squeezed in next to Albina and interrupted them.
-Come on, come on, stop talking and go eat, I’m very hungry.
He made a funny face and the whole family was amused when they finally passed into the dining room.
Hector walked away, exchanged a glance with Umberto and lifted his chin in Doria’s direction.
Doria was talking to Diana at that moment, she had a much more affectionate and natural expression than her exaggerated performance in front of Albina, and it was clear from the first glance that she must love Diana very much.
-Doria and Diana are close? -Umberto asked.
Hector nodded.
-As I told you before, Doria took care of Diana since she was adopted.
Umberto nodded.
-When Albina said she had an impression of Doria’s voice, I always thought this woman seemed a bit unnatural, as if she was nervous.
-I found that out too, but I checked before and found nothing wrong. After Albina’s loss, she was doing the things she always used to do.
Umberto’s eyes passed Doria and turned to Diana with a thoughtful expression.
Diana was just finishing her conversation with Doria when she looked up to meet Umberto’s focused gaze.
Diana had not looked closely at him, but her attention was on Albina, and Umberto’s aura was too strong for her to look directly at him.
She froze for a moment when she met his eyes so unexpectedly, and then her cheeks flushed.
Having someone so handsome look at her intently always made her mind wander, even if she has Javier as a fiance.
Umberto noticed her shyness and frowned.
He thought it was strange that this woman was suddenly blushing.
He looked away in disgust and turned his head to meet Hector’s eyes, who was looking at him warningly.
-Since you have my sister, behave yourself and don’t seduce people blindly.
-Who have I seduced? -Umberto wondered.
Hector snorted coldly.
-Who did you just look at?
He had seen the blush on Diana’s face, how could she be like that if it wasn’t for Umberto!
Umberto looked innocent.
-You can’t blame me for someone else’s lack of shame, can you?
-I don’t care so much about you, I only ask you one thing, don’t make my sister sad or I’ll take her home immediately and her son will be raised in the Espina family.
-Don’t you dare! -Umberto looked at him furiously.
Hector returned his gaze without showing weakness.
-See if I dare or not!
Their gazes crossed and in the end it was Umberto who lost the battle.
-I wouldn’t betray Albina even if I betrayed myself, don’t worry about that.
-Anyone can say that. We are both men and we know very well that you can’t trust men’s words, you have to show real actions.
Seeing Diana approaching, Hector put his arm around Umberto’s neck and lowered his voice.
-As long as I don’t die, don’t you dare break my sister’s heart, or I’ll crawl to you and beat you up even if I’m paralyzed in bed! And if I can’t beat you up, I’ll have my son and grandson do it!
Umberto really didn’t know what to say.
But seeing how much he loved Albina, Umberto put up with it.
Neither of them wanted to be next to Diana, so they hitched up and walked briskly to the dining room.
Bianca, who was already seated, saw the two enter with a smile in the corner of her eye and joked:
-Wow, Hector, Umberto, when did you two become so close?
Umberto smiled haughtily.
-Maybe it’s just the eye contact. As soon as I met my older brother, I felt like we hated each other.
Hector’s sweat instantly rose on the arm resting on his neck at those words.
This man was a real knucklehead.
But looking at Albina, who was also looking at him with an unfriendly face, he said stiffly:
-Yes, I hate this brother-in-law of mine too. I think we hit it off, I really can’t say enough about him.
One minute he was threatening Umberto and the next he was acting very affectionate. Life was very difficult.