Even If It Hurts

Even If It Hurts
💎 Angel💎

The drive was long—long enough that my back ached from sitting so long, but the moment we arrived, I had to admit: it was worth every second.

A modern, wooden cabin stood like something out of a travel magazine—clean lines, wide windows, and the kind of cozy luxury only the D'Amanos could pull off so effortlessly.

Despite the sandals on my feet, I could feel the heat of the sand radiating up through the soles. 

Tall palm and coconut trees swayed gently with the wind, framing a breathtaking view of the rolling waves. It almost felt like we had arrived on a private island.

"Aunt, can I get down?" Nikki asked from my arms, her eyes wide with excitement.

I shook my head gently. "No sweetie, the sand's really hot. I'm sure you don't want to burn those tiny feet, do you?"

She quickly shook her head and clutched me tighter.

Raul was already helping to unload the bags as we stepped inside the cabin. The interior was just as stunning as the outside—luxurious but still warm and inviting.

"This is beautiful," I breathed, turning in a slow circle to take it all in.

I found myself wondering how much the D'Amanos' architects were paid to bring visions like this to life.

"¿Mamá, dónde está Joanna?" Raul asked with a furrowed brow, and I realized I hadn't seen the other sister he had mentioned—the architect.

"She went on a trip with her friends but she'll be joining us this evening," Jasira said casually, and he nodded.

"Alright, everyone get some rest. We'll have lunch in an hour," she called out with that warm, commanding tone of hers. We all murmured our agreement.

"Nikki baby, come here," Mia said, beckoning her daughter. 

Nikki slipped down from my arms and skipped toward her mother.

"Let's get you all cleaned up, then you can go play." 

The little sweetheart nodded enthusiastically and waved at us as they walked off.

"Sis, can I talk to you?" Luca's voice pulled my attention.

I paused, instinctively reading his tone. 

"Should I wait for you?" Raul asked, concern etched into his expression.

I smiled reassuringly and shook my head. "No, go ahead. I'll catch up with you soon."

He nodded and left with a final glance over his shoulder. 

Bianco clapped Luca on the shoulder, muttering something about finishing their game before following him. I raised a brow—when did they get so close?

Luca and I stepped outside again, walking quietly until we stood side-by-side at the shoreline, arms crossed, the sea breeze tangling in our hair.

"What is it?" I finally asked, turning slightly toward him.

"Dad's coming to Spain for the summer," he murmured quietly.

I blinked, unsure if I'd heard him right. My gaze drifted back to the horizon.

"I don't think that'll sit well with the D'Amanos," I said, barely above a whisper.

"He's not joining us here," Luca explained. "He just... wanted to have a vacation nearby so he could see you. Would you—could you give him a chance to explain?"

I didn't respond right away. My heart felt like it was caught between anger and longing.

"I want to... I really do," I admitted quietly, "but I'm not sure I'll have the time."

He let out a deep sigh and turned to face me, gently taking my hands in his.

"This is a vacation, sis. You'll have the time—you just need to be willing to make it."

I hesitated a second longer, then nodded slowly.

"Really?" His eyes lit up.

"Yes," I said, soft but sure. "I'll talk to him."

"Thank you, sis. He'll be so happy."

And I got it now. Why he forgave Dad so easily. Why his eyes lit up at the mention of him. Because between the two of us, Luca was always closer to him. Those weekend drives through Malibu. Fishing trips. Courtside seats at Lakers games just because Luca loved basketball.

Dad had once been the perfect father. And maybe that's why the betrayal cut so deep.

But if I was willing to forgive myself for loving someone forbidden, I had to at least hear my father out.

"Alright, let's go back inside," I urged with a small smile, linking my arm through his.

"You're never going to ask about Mom, are you?" he asked softly.

"There's no point in caring about someone who's already forgotten you exist," I replied flatly, my voice colder than I intended.

"Sis—"

"Don't spoil the vacation, Luca."

We fell into silence, walking back into the cabin together.

"Luca," I called out just as we were about to part ways.

He turned, brows raised in question.

"I didn't get to hear about your last semester results," I pointed out, folding my arms with a raised brow.

He shrugged casually. "It was good, sis."

I rolled my eyes and smacked his chest. "That wasn't the question, you idiot. I want the actual scores."

He groaned and made a dramatic face. "4.67."

I was impressed, but I kept my poker face on.

"You dropped from your last result, Luca. I hope you aren't being distracted."

His eyes widened. 

"Hold on! Do I look like a kindergartener to you? Besides, I dropped by just one mark!"

"Exactly, Luca. That's how it starts. From one to two, and before you know it—"

"Angel," he cut me off with a hand on my arm and a soft smile. 

"You really know how to worry about the littlest things. You went through this stage too, didn't you? So you know—it's normal to slack a bit sometimes. But I promise, I'm not being distracted. I know how much you've sacrificed to bring me this far. I'll make you proud, sis."

My eyes watered despite myself. I smiled and pulled him into a hug.

"Thank you, Luca."

He kissed my forehead, then pulled back with a mock-serious look.

"Sometimes I really think the Lord made a mistake."

I blinked, confused. "Why do you say that?"

"I swear I was meant to come out of your womb instead. Are you sure you're my sister and not my mother?" 

He muttered the last part under his breath and walked away in mock annoyance.

I laughed and shook my head, watching him go.

"We may be just five years apart, but Luca... I've always seen you as more than my brother. You're like a child to me." I whispered the words to myself and headed off to find our room.

I barely made it through the door when a familiar pair of lips crashed into mine.

Raul.

He pulled me in by the waist and used my back to close the door. His hand slid up to wrap gently around my neck, and his tongue pushed deep into mine, slow and consuming. 

When he pulled back, his eyes searched mine with concern.

"What's wrong, tesoro?" he murmured, his hands now resting on my hips.

"Nothing is wrong," I said softly. "Why?"

"You just... don't look very happy. Is it bad news?"

I shook my head, and he gently guided us to the couch. 

I curled between his legs, resting my head on his chest while he wrapped an arm around me protectively.

"There's no bad news, Raul. I was just... thinking about my dad."

He played with my hair, and his touch was so calming I almost fell asleep.

"You've never really told me about him," he said quietly.

"There's not much to say."

"It doesn't matter, tesoro. I still want to hear it—whatever you feel like sharing."

I sighed, eyes fixed on a spot across the room. 

"My dad was the best family man—at least at first. He made time for us, no matter how much of a workaholic he was."

A small smile tugged at my lips. 

"Before Luca was born, I was the center of his world. I felt like a princess—loved, spoiled, untouchable. But my mom didn't like how close we were. She used to quote from her Bible, claiming it was 'unholy' for fathers and daughters to be that close."

Raul's brows knit together, clearly taken aback by her logic. He was trying hard not to judge—but I could see the struggle in his eyes, and honestly, I understood. Completely.

"To this day, I don't know what version she read. It definitely wasn't the one everyone else does. It's not like my dad ever touched me the wrong way. He was just being... a dad. A good one."

My smile faded. 

"When I was five, Luca came along. I was so excited. I thought I'd finally have someone to boss around. I didn't know he'd steal all my dad's attention."

I took a breath, voice quieter now. 

"He used Luca as an excuse to push me away. Because of her. I didn't know my real mom until the day we had a fight. And now my dad... he's coming to Spain."

Raul didn't say anything at first. He just tightened his hold around me.

"Do you want to talk to him?" he finally asked.

I nodded. "Yes. I need answers to all the questions I've kept buried."

"Then you should. And if you want me there with you, just say the word."

I looked up at him and smiled. "Thank you."

He kissed my forehead softly. And for the first time in a long time, I felt ready—for answers, for closure, for whatever was coming.