Page 94 of Please, Forgive Me

Alexandre stayed silent for a moment, giving me space to process it all. When he finally spoke again, his tone was calm, almost protective.

“I’m just trying to help, Diego. You’ve got to find a way to deal with this without destroying everything around you.”

I didn’t answer. I didn’t have one.

He sighed, heading for the door. But before he left, he turned back, giving me one last look.

“Be careful not to lose more than you already have, brother. Sometimes pride just leaves you emptier.”

CHAPTER 38

“Redemption isn’t a destination, but an ongoing journey…”

MARIA GABRIELA

“Not going to open the envelope, friend?”

“I don’t need to. I know what it says,” I replied, my eyes never leaving Clara, who slept peacefully in my arms.

“Got it.”

There was a peace in holding my daughter that I hadn’t realized I needed until that moment. At the same time, turbulence churned inside me.

“But if you want to look, go ahead.”

Carolina picked up the envelope from the table, hesitated for a second, then tore the seal. Her face was pure curiosity, edged with nervousness—as if she wanted to protect whatever dignity I had left.

She unfolded the papers slowly, in silence. I kept smiling, but inside my mind raced, picturing how that result would change everything.

“I believe you, Gabi,” Carol said softly. “I always have.”

“I know you do, Carol.” My smile widened, almost mischievous. “Go on—open it. I want to see your face when it confirms what I’ve known from the start… and imagine Diego’s reaction when he finds out.”

She let out a nervous little laugh before scanning the page. Her eyes skimmed the technical terms—words that, even if hard to parse, carried an undeniable certainty.

She exhaled, then looked at me with wide eyes.

“Well, there’s no denying it. All three tests confirm,” she said, her voice a mix of surprise and satisfaction. “Diego really is the father. No room for error.”

“Like I always told him.”

I breathed a small sigh of relief, though I’d known the truth all along. Hearing it confirmed by someone else made it feel more real.

“Now the question is… what are you going to do next?” she asked, folding the paper back into the envelope. “Because, honestly, after everything he put you through… he deserves payback.”

I laughed, but there was a dark edge to it.

Diego—with his arrogance, his coldness, his constant suspicion—had treated me like trash. For months he’d made my life hell. The hurt he caused—the humiliation, the distrust, the veiled insults—was all burned into my memory.

He didn’t believe me. He tossed me aside like I was nothing.

But now? Now the cards were in my hands.

“It’s simple,” I said, with a firmness that surprised even me. My eyes stayed on my daughter, but my thoughts were on the man I’d have to face again. “He’s going to regret it. Diego will pay for everything he did. I’m going to make him feel it ten times over. He’ll regret every word, every insult, every doubt.”

Carolina glanced at me, taken aback by the strength in my voice.

“Gabi, are you serious? You really want to go after him like that?”