Page 118 of Please, Forgive Me

I nodded, swallowing the frustration clawing at me.

I’d made enough mistakes already. Now all I could do was wait. But before she walked away, I said, gathering every ounce of determination I had:

“I’ll wait, Maria Gabriela. As long as it takes. And I’ll prove to you, day after day, that I can be the man you deserve—the father Clara needs.I’m not giving up on you.”

CHAPTER 47

“True love is the kind that withstands both time and storm…”

MARIA GABRIELA

I’d been looking for a new place to open my business when I got a call that completely caught me off guard—the space I wanted had accepted my offer.

My heart leapt, and I could barely contain my excitement. I couldn’t wait to tell my mom. She was in the living room,playing with Clara, and I practically ran in, bursting with the news.

“Mom, you’re not gonna believe this! I got the space!” I announced, my voice full of excitement.

She looked up at me, a wide smile lighting up her face.

“Really? That’s wonderful, sweetheart!” She stood and wrapped me in a warm hug. “I knew you’d make it happen. I’m so proud of you!”

As I went on excitedly, describing how I wanted to decorate the place, the kind of services I’d offer, and all the ideas spinning in my head, I started to notice that my mom seemed distracted—like something else was weighing on her mind.

“Mom, is everything okay?” I asked, taking her hand. “You seem… worried.”

She sighed, glancing away for a second before meeting my eyes again.

“Actually, there’s something I need to tell you. It’s about Diego.”

My heart skipped a beat. Just hearing his name put me on alert, bracing for whatever was coming next.

“What about Diego?” I asked, trying to keep my tone even.

“He came to see me, Maria Gabriela. He said he wanted to help somehow—that he wanted to contribute to your new business.” She hesitated, unsure if she should go on. “I ended up giving him a few details about the place you were trying to get,and… well, now I’m almost certain he had something to do with your proposal being accepted.”

I stayed silent for a few seconds, letting it sink in.

My first reaction was irritation. I didn’t want to owe him anything—I didn’t want him to feel like he still had any kind of power over my life, even if it was to help. But at the same time, a small part of me wondered if this was just another sign that he really was changing.

“Do you think he’s actually changed, Mom?” I asked, needing her perspective—the one that always came from such calm, steady wisdom.

She looked at me with tenderness and a hint of concern.

“Sweetheart, I think he’s trying. From what I’ve seen, he seems genuinely sorry and willing to do things the right way this time. But only you can decide what to do with that.”

I let out a long breath, feeling the weight of the decision settling on my shoulders.

It was hard to know who to trust, hard to leave the past behind and make room for something new—something that might actually be better.

“I’ll think about it, Mom. But for now, I just want to focus on my business, on my future. I need to make sure I’m doing this for me—not for anyone else.”

She smiled and nodded, giving my hand a reassuring squeeze.

“I’m here for you, my love. And I know you’ll make the right choices.”

“So now you’re gonna be the boss, you badass bitch?!” Carol shouted, making me burst out laughing.

I was at home, curled up on the couch while Clara slept peacefully in her crib beside me.