Chapitre 5: Chapter 4
It all seemed like it happened within the twinkling of an eye as she woke up almost immediately after they had sprinkled a small amount of water on her. She was still in shock but was fully aware of her surroundings. Mateo held her in his arms against his wish,
"Juan." She muttered and Mateo looked at her surprisingly.
"Who's Juan?" He asked and she only nodded.
"The guy that came here...I heard his voice."
"Martinez?"
"Juan!" She insisted. Mateo gently pushed her away. "I've got some things to do, I see you're better now, mom would take care of you till I'm back." He said and walked over to Sofia.
He didn't like her mom, but he so much liked the pretty that stood in front of him.
"Niña, I'll be back soon. What would you want?" He asked with a smile on his face as she stared at him coldly, still holding onto her stuffed pet. It was as though she was caught in a trance. She looked at him...chocolates. She muttered before scampering away.
Mrs. Joan smoothened out her hair as she stared into nothing.
The house was very quiet and all that could be heard was the sound of her breathing.
"I'm sorry," She said and pulled away. Mrs. Joan only nodded before letting go.
"So, tell me, what do you do for a living? I mean, you look respectable and classy...Mateo's got quite an eye. You look nice and you're beautiful too." Mrs. Joan complimented.
"Ah, yes. About that...I'm the CEO of multiple business organizations. Like, the very popular hotel you know, Nisa." She said.
"You're Anisa Rodriguez?"
"Yes ma'am."
"That's a big shocker. I'm a fan, I must admit. I like your fashion sense. I was going to fix a day to have an appointment with you." She said.
"Oh, is that so?"
"Yes, that'll be for later. Tell me about yourself."
"Well, I'm Anisa Rosalinda Rodriguez, I'm a widow and a single mother but engaged to your son. I'm 23, I'm a CEO."
"About that, what of that little pretty?" She asked, referring to Sofia.
"She's three."
She scanned the room with her eyes in search of Sophie.
"Excuse me, ma'am, I would bring her to you shortly." She said and walked away in search of Sofia.
She found her sitting on the stairs with her bunny in her arms, her head leaning against the wall. She didn't look happy.
"Hey honey, what's it?" She asked joining her on the stairs.
"I don't like this place." She replied facing her mom.
"I don't either, but we'd get to like it."
"If you don't, why are we here?"
"Oh, mummy has some business to do here. Don't worry, you'd get used to it." She said.
"I saw daddy."
"You did?! I did too. But that's not daddy, he just looks like daddy, or maybe we're imagining them." She said. "Come on, cheer up now. Someone wants to see you."
"Who?" She said tailing behind her mom. "My legs hurt."
"Granny." She carried her up in her arms.
"Granny?" She asked.
Mrs. Joan sat cross-legged on the sofa, busy with her phone when Sofia walked up to her. She blacked out her phone and took her in her arms, expressing her happiness and telling her how beautiful she looked.
Anisa got on talking and trying to know some things about the Fernandez from Mrs. Joan when a short plump maid she assumed to be a maid, walked in, informing them of the food on the table.
She proceeded to the dining with Mrs. Joan, Mr. Thiago hadn't spoken to her since her arrival...it was as though he didn't want to accept her.
They had a short prayer before munching their food quietly.
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MATEO
The house was dead silent as Anisa waited for Mateo, it was starting to get dark and she didn't want to spend the night with his parents although his mom was welcoming. Mr. Thiago looked like someone who'd strangle her at night as he kept shooting her daring looks.
Thoughts about Juan and the guy that came earlier filled her mind. Sofia lay on her lap, sleeping soundly as she was lost in her thoughts. How could someone look and sound exactly like Juan? She wondered. Memories of what happened before she blacked out, started to return in patches. She remembered seeing Juan look alike after hearing him talk outside. She remembered him calling her by her name when she blacked out and that reminded her, she never told this stranger her name, maybe Mateo did. She peered down at a sleeping Sofia before heaving a sigh. She glances at her wristwatch, it was already 5:00 p.m. and Mateo wasn't back. She was starting to worry, not that she liked him, but she didn't want to spend the night here. Mateo showed up 30 minutes later, looking all worn out.
"The fuck?! I've been waiting for you." She lashed out.
"I'm sorry baby, I got caught up with work." He said as he eyed her.
Hearing him call her baby reminded her of Juan, it also hurt her as she hasn't been called that since his death.
"Like seriously?!" The word *baby* irritated her coming from Mateo.
He tugged at her wrist, attempting to pull her outside but then noticed Sofia on her lap and let her go.
"This is all acting, don't ruin it for me or I won't help you." He whispered.
"Alright, ba....by." Her lips twitched into a fake smile.
She just needed a green card, she can do this!
They stay a little longer at his parents before heading back to his mansion.
Sofia lay at the back sound asleep as silence engulfed the car. The environment was a bit tense between them, each stealing deadly glances at the other. She rolled down the car window for some ventilation.
"Can you please roll up the glass? I don't want paparazzi." He said with his gaze still fixed on the screen, she looked at him from the corners of her eye, and let out a sigh before rolling it up.
*Silence*
He broke the silence by asking her a few questions which she was reluctant to answer.
"We're gonna have a date tonight, look pretty. I'll text you the location."
"I can't leave her behind." She replied firmly and he smirked, reassuring her that she'd be in good hands as the maid would take care of her.
"I can't entrust my daughter's life and safety in the hands of a stranger."
"She's staying!" He thundered.
"To hell with your date!"
He swallowed hard and kept mute the entire time as he focused his gaze on the screen.
"I'm sorry." She spoke up after a little while but he ignored her.
She leaned against the door as she watched the view outside as he drove, a cool breeze brushing against her skin, causing her wavy chestnut hair to scatter all over her face. She tucked a little strand of hair behind her ears as she listened to the song emanating from the radio.
"I thought I said to roll that up?!" He said and stopped the car almost immediately. She got down and took Sofia from the backseat, heading toward the mansion, ignoring his calls.
Mateo was starting to be a huge pain in the ass for her. She was about to walk in when her eyes caught something, it was a man in the garden, he was on a phone call and holding a newspaper. Caramel-skinned, brunette hair, she wasn't able to make out the features of his torso as he was seated with the newspaper covering a reasonable amount of his body. His call came to an abrupt end as though he figured he was being stared at, he placed the papers on the table and that was when she saw him.
"You?!" They both asked.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone