Alba took a deep breath and, seeing Carlos’ expression of surprise, pain and disbelief, a surge of relief rose within her as she continued:
-She didn’t hate the man, she hated herself! She had always been conservative, but she hadn’t expected to be attracted to a man who raped her, so she despised herself for it, she tortured herself, she didn’t even care to think about who had drugged her… she was in too much pain….
Alba couldn’t catch her breath, she took a deep breath and sat down on the couch:
-So I took her to hypnosis, that’s the last secret I kept from you, and now you know everything…..
“So the first person Micaela had her heart set on was not me, not Marcos, not even Javier, but the one I wanted to kill? The bastard who had taken away her innocence and still had no idea?”
Carlos felt a little dazed and his mind was in a daze….
…
Micaela was crouched in the hallway, her hands still holding her head in the air….
Turns out she was hypnotized, so she forgot about the incident and Alba was left alone with the secret….
“So, I don’t hate the man because love? It’s so ridiculous to love a stranger who raped you, really? Now that I finally know, and Carlos too, what will he think of me? Would he think I’m dirty? Would he think I have no shame?”
…
Micaela got up, went to her room. Then she washed her face and went out, looking around the room….
In her mind she remembered how surprised she had been when Carlos had first brought her to this room.
The beautiful bed, the pink wallpaper, the closet of clothes, all chosen by Carlos himself….
Her heart was in these details little by little…..
“But how can I match him, Micaela, you’re not good enough for him anymore!”
She took a deep breath and turned around to go downstairs.
She had just opened the door when she stopped dead in her tracks, and Carlos was standing in the doorway, his eyes deep and inscrutable.
Micaela looked away quickly, not daring to look at him, her heart beating faster.
-So, where is Alba?
Carlos looked at her and frowned, asking in a deep voice:
-You’ve gone out, haven’t you?
Micaela’s body shuddered, still not looking up at him, but asking:
-How do you know?
“Isn’t that admitting that I’ve heard everything?”
Micaela was a little anxious and mentally cursed herself for being stupid….
Carlos couldn’t say why, but he sensed it then that Micaela had left the room. He tried to stop Alba from continuing, but it was too late, what Alba said hit him so hard that he forgot how to react….
Micaela pulled the corner of her coat and looked at Carlos so far from speaking, and said:
-Well, then, what was it that you talked about? What was the discussion about and why was Alba so excited? Uh, let me go find Alba…..
With that she dodged him and ran away a little, but was grabbed by Carlos from behind….
Carlos took her in his arms, burying his head in the nest of her neck, he said with his voice low:
-Just a chat about inconsequential things. Alba is gone and I have asked Ernesto to pick her up.
He really regretted the outcome, which he would rather not have known.
Seeing Micaela with her eyes so averted, unwilling to look at him and averting her eyes from him, Carlos was sure that the person in his arms had remembered something.
Perhaps she had overheard the conversation he had just had with Alba.
Or maybe, something had occurred to her last night and that was why the fever had settled in….
Carlos wanted to ask, but he was afraid the answer he got would make them both suffer even more….
Micaela’s heart was beating fast and furious, her back pressed against his chest. She wanted to break free, but also unwilling to do so….
-Oh, well, also… “I have to go…”
She couldn’t say it, the words stuck in her throat.
Carlos smelled the fragrance of her body and squeezed her arms even tighter.
-Are you hungry? I’ve asked Sofia to make you some light porridge.
Carlos let go of her and took her by the hand to go downstairs.
Micaela looked at his hand, and fond memories flew into her mind.
If she pretended not to know anything, could she be as happy with him as before?
It would be possible, wouldn’t it?
Carlos could pretend he didn’t know and embrace her tenderly, so she should be able to do the same, right?
Her heart skipped a beat…
She sat down at the table, the food was mostly light and there was a small casserole with thick porridge simmering on the side, she was a little thirsty….
Carlos sat down opposite her and handed her a bowl of thin rice and put it in front of her eyes.
-Keep the rest of the afternoon at home, eh?
Micaela raised her eyes to his for only a second before turning away, but only a second, it was enough to etch Carlos’ concern in her own mind….
Her actions caused Carlos to frown.
“She’s never been shy enough to look at me before…”
The man’s low voice rang out, peppered with temptation:
-Or, do you want to come with me to the office and translate French for me?
“Her fever just broke, I don’t want her to work too hard, it’s okay to take her to the office to rest, as long as she’s by my side.”
Yes, even though he was incredibly upset to know that, he still loved her, just her!
He had said he would never leave Micaela’s side, no matter what.
-Good,” Micaela’s answer surprised him a little, but it also gave him more peace of mind.
After the meal, Carlos delivered the medicine, followed by carefully prepared water and sweets.
Micaela’s mouth did look bitter after taking the pills, and she immediately reached for the candy and popped it in her mouth before the bitterness disappeared.
-Is it sweet? -Carlos asked quietly.
Micaela was still sitting in the chair and Carlos was standing next to her.
At that moment, with one hand on the back of his chair and another resting on the table, Carlos leaned slightly and looked at Micaela.
“This girl still won’t look at me, she hasn’t even looked at me since she came downstairs…”
Micaela held up her candy and tilted her head slightly:.
-Yes, very sweet…
The man’s cold scent enveloped her. Her heart was thudding, but she couldn’t look up at him. Micaela felt an invisible wall between them….
Carlos lifted her chin and said:
-Let me prove it…