The next day, just after dawn, Micaela is sleeping soundly when she suddenly remembers that Katarina is home, and in a daze she tries to roll over and get up.
-Micaela, be good, sleep a little more….
-Carlos, Katarina is next door, I have to go and see….
-She’s not awake yet. You’ll sleep a little more, you slept late last night.
Carlos is always alert and wakes up easily even when he is asleep, so he knows naturally when there is no movement next door.
When she woke up again, Carlos was already up, and with a quick movement she also hurried to change her clothes and clean herself, opening the door and looking into the hallway to find Carlos downstairs, who was watching the economic news, and Sofia, who was bringing breakfast to the table.
Still not up yet, Katarina?
Micaela turned around and gently pushed the side bedroom door, and sure enough, Katarina was still sleeping on the bed, on her side, with her whole body curled up in a shrimp shape, which is said to be how people sleep when they are insecure….
Micaela became a little uneasy and gently approached her, she was sleeping heavily, her brow was slightly furrowed and there were still marks of dried tears in the corners of her eyes….
Looking at the time, it was almost eight o’clock and she also had to go to the hospital with Mr. Carballo.
-Katarina, get up for breakfast….
Katarina opened her eyes slowly, as if she was still very sleepy, and saw Micaela sitting in front of her bed, in a trance.
-Micaela, I’m sorry to bother you.
Katarina sat up.
Micaela looked at her with a smile.
-What nonsense, I’m glad to be your refuge, there are new toiletries in the bathroom cabinet, why don’t you tidy up and come down for breakfast.
Katarina nodded with gratitude in her eyes.
Micaela went down first and Carlos approached and took Micaela’s hand in an unmistakable and natural way, and without him asking, Micaela answered him.
-Katarina just woke up and she is much better than last night.
Carlos nodded his head, getting to the point.
-Katarina is the only daughter of the Carballo family, before getting married, she was always a strong woman figure, with the ability to fend for herself for the Carballo Group, only after getting married she was relieved of her responsibilities and burdens, so she is not as fragile as you think, don’t worry, eh?
Micaela didn’t think twice and nodded, looking at Katarina much better now than last night, in fact.
In a few moments Katarina came downstairs, still looking a bit haggard after a night’s sleep, but in good spirits. Micaela took her with her to the table and Katarina looked at Carlos who was sitting across from her and greeted him politely.
-Mr. Aguayo, excuse me.
Carlos nodded slightly and helped Micaela move the stool away from her.
-Katarina, I have no work scheduled for the morning, why don’t I accompany you to visit your uncle later?
Micaela spoke with concern as she sat down.
Katarina knew Micaela wanted to be by her side and agreed.
-I’m also going to see Mr. Carballo.
Carlos also opened his mouth.
Half an hour later, the three of them arrived at the hospital together. The last time I saw Mr. Carballo was a month ago, when he was not as thin as he is now, and his eyes looked a little more cloudy, which made Micaela’s heart sink.
How little power one has in the face of illness….
-Mr. Aguayo is coming….
Kimberly smiles and waves, Marisa helps her husband sit up and Katarina rushes to help….
The broad, familiar chest pressed against Katarina’s back warmly.
-I’ll do it.
Warm breath in her ear….
It’s Antonio.
Katarina turned around and quickly moved out of his arms, her back to Antonio, not seeing the flash of pain in his eyes….
Antonio arrived at the hospital early in the morning, Katarina’s phone was still off, but he knew she was coming to the hospital, he had just gone to the family room next door to change, and then Katarina approached, not only her, but also Mr. Aguayo and Micaela, and the moment she leaned in, her dodging movements made his heart clench hard….
Carefully help Kimberly sit up and put a pillow on her back.
Marisa went to pour water for Carlos and Micaela and looked at her daughter.
-Katarina, did you go home to stay last night? Why didn’t you come with Antonio in the morning?
The two boys were at the hospital together every day, and when neither was around anymore yesterday and in fact Antonio came first this morning, she assumed the two had not been together last night.
Katarina responded vaguely.
-Katarina, you need to go back to your in-laws’ house more often, you are already in the hospital most of the time, go back and show your face in front of your in-laws more often, the daughter-in-law of the family after all, you can’t lose sight of that.
Marisa loves her daughter, but she also remembers her duty as a married woman, and she belongs to a wealthy family, so naturally she doesn’t have to do the job of serving tea, but not showing your face once every ten days and half a month is not acceptable.
-Mom, it’s okay, we don’t need to bother with that, Katarina can stay wherever she wants, I’ll go with her, I’ll stay wherever she is.
Antonio took the initiative and spoke softly.
Marisa and Kimberly broke into smiles.
-Antonio, you can’t spoil Katarina like that, before we had Katarina as half of our Carballo Group, helping your father a lot, but since you have you, you are so lazy that you dedicate yourself to play every day, you don’t know how long it’s been since you’ve been to the office.
Although Marisa’s tone is reproachful, it is not difficult to hear a note of affectionate joy.
Naturally, she is glad to have someone to share her daughter’s burdens, being a strong woman is too tiring….
Katarina looks away, excuses herself from washing the fruit and turns to the balcony.
Antonio looks at Kimberly and Marisa and says to them, and also to Katarina.
-Dad, Mom, with me, Katarina no longer needs to be a strong, hard-working woman, I’ll take care of the mall, she just needs to be happy and cheerful.
He deliberately did not raise his voice, he knew Katarina heard him, but she quickened her pace at the sound of his voice and went out onto the terrace with the fruit.
Micaela looked at Carlos.
-I’m going to give Katarina a hand.
Then she got up and walked over.
Kimberly nodded with satisfaction and said meaningfully.
-I’m relieved that Katarina is in your hands.
She then looked at Carlos.
-Mr. Aguayo, in the future at the mall, teach us more Antonio, the boy is good at everything, but he is not tough enough, soft of hearing and soft of heart…..
On the balcony, Katarina turns the faucet on full blast and the sound of the water drowns out the noises inside.
-Katarina…
Micaela approached, her eyes full of concern.
Katarina shook her head, her eyes cold.
-Micaela, I’m fine, it’s my own stupidity, before I let myself be carried away by love and thought that if he loved me I had everything, you were right then, I shouldn’t have let my father rush and give him everything the Carballo family had.