Chapter 74: The Unexpected Proposal

The silence that followed Alex Morán's words was heavy. Clara felt the atmosphere grow dense, filled with a tension that was hard to ignore. Her eyes fixed on Alex’s, trying to understand if what she had just heard was a cruel joke, but the seriousness on his face told her it was not.

"If you want to know more, if you truly want the truth about your mother, you’re going to have to spend a night with me." Alex spoke with an unsettling calm, his words like sharp knives piercing Clara's chest.

Clara felt her breath quicken. Indignation began to fill every fiber of her being. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. The mix of pain and rage consumed her, and her eyes shone with contained fury.

"What?" she exclaimed, standing abruptly from her seat. Her body trembled with anger, her voice broken but firm. "Do you think you have the right to ask that? After everything you've done to me? I don’t know what the hell is wrong with you, Alex, but the last thing I’m going to do is fall for your games."

Without giving him time to respond, Clara tried to take a step back, but suddenly, Alex reached out, grabbing her roughly by the arm. His grip was strong, almost painful, and Clara struggled to free herself, but he wouldn’t let go.

"Don’t be so stubborn, Clara," he said, his tone a bit sharper. His face, so close to hers, reflected something that she couldn’t decipher. Was it desperation? Desire? She wasn’t sure, but she knew something in his gaze disturbed her deeply.

"Let me go!" Clara shouted, shaking her arm fiercely, but Alex didn’t release her.

At that moment, the sound of the café door opened, and the figure of a man appeared in the doorway. Clara, still struggling to break free from Alex's hold, looked up, only to see someone she hadn’t expected to see there. Marco.

Her heart skipped a beat. Marco’s presence, the man she had met under such different circumstances, made her pause for a moment. Marco walked toward them with determined steps, but upon seeing the scene, seeing how Alex Morán was holding her tightly, his face hardened. Without thinking, Marco quickly approached, his eyes shining with a protective air, as if nothing else mattered at that moment.

"What the hell is going on here?" Marco asked in a firm voice, his eyes fixed on Alex, immediately recognizing who he was facing.

Upon hearing Marco’s voice, Alex finally released Clara’s arm, but his gaze remained defiant. Clara, her heart still racing, pulled away from him, looking at Marco with a mixture of gratitude and confusion.

"This guy is crossing the line," Marco said, looking at Clara with a mix of concern and fury. He stepped closer, as if trying to put distance between her and Alex.

Clara took a deep breath, trying to calm the internal storm that threatened to overwhelm her. When she saw Marco stand next to her, her mind began to process what had just happened. How had it come to this? Why was Alex Morán back in her life, and why was he now daring to make such a repulsive offer?

"He..." Clara began, unsure whether to explain the situation or just let it go. Finally, she opted for a tense silence.

But Marco didn’t need explanations. In his gaze, there was something more: protection, possessiveness, and a strength Clara hadn’t noticed before. An inexplicable impulse led her to take his hand, intertwining her fingers with his, as if the simple contact helped her feel she still had control over the situation.

"Let me clear this up once and for all," Marco said, looking directly at Alex with a clear challenge in his eyes. His words weren’t a threat but a firm promise. "Clara is my girlfriend, and if you lay a hand on her again, or even suggest something like that, it won’t be a good day for you."

Alex, surprised by Marco’s reaction, frowned. Clearly, he hadn’t expected to be challenged in this way. The tension in the air heightened, but Clara, still shaking from the confrontation, felt, for the first time, somewhat relieved. Marco was there to defend her, to protect her, and for a moment, the protection she felt from him made her forget a bit of the fear and discomfort she had felt with Alex.

"I’m not done with you, Clara." Alex let the words escape harshly before turning to leave. But before he went, he stopped and, looking at her one last time, added, "But remember, if you want the truth about your mother, you don’t have to go far to get it. You’ll know when you least expect it."

With those words, Alex left the café, leaving Clara with her heart still racing, her arm still marked by his grip, and a confusion she couldn’t shake.

Marco, still standing beside her, watched her carefully, as if looking for signs of harm. Clara, feeling a mixture of gratitude and vulnerability, took a deep breath and squeezed Marco’s hand.

"Thank you," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I don’t know what I would have done without you."

Marco gave her a slight smile, but his eyes were serious.

"You don’t have to thank me. No one is going to hurt you while I’m here."

Clara, looking at Marco, realized something she still couldn’t fully process: life was changing rapidly around her, and for the first time, maybe there was someone she could trust without fear of betrayal. But the path to the truth about her mother was still filled with shadows and mysteries.

And in that moment, Clara knew she couldn’t escape everything that was to come.

The tension still hung in the air, even after Alex left. Clara stood still for a few seconds, processing what had just happened. The fact that Alex Morán, a man who had been such a dark part of her past, had come back into her life this way, left her speechless. And, worst of all, it was that implied threat, that cruel manipulation. Was he really willing to follow her as far as needed to get what he wanted?

Marco, with a protective look, observed her silently. He still hadn’t let go of her hand, as if he wanted to make sure she was okay, that she was safe. Clara, with a deep sigh, finally looked into his eyes, grateful yet filled with doubts.

"I don’t know what to think..." Clara said, her voice trembling slightly. "It’s all so confusing. Alex... he’s always been a threat, but now... it seems like he doesn’t want to go away."

Marco nodded slowly, understanding how Clara felt. It was clear that what had just happened wasn’t just a simple chance encounter. Alex had returned for a reason, and that reason probably had to do with her mother. But why now? Why after all this time?

"I know," Marco replied, his eyes locked on hers. "But you’re not alone in this. I’ll be here to help you. I won’t let him manipulate you again."

Clara looked at Marco, feeling a connection she hadn’t anticipated. There was something about him, something that made her feel stronger, more capable of facing whatever was coming. For a moment, her mind wandered to her feelings, but the truth was, right now, she could only focus on solving the problems in front of her. And among them, the most urgent question was her mother.

"What do I do now, Marco?" Clara asked with a sigh, feeling the weight of uncertainty. "How can I find out the truth? Alex... he knows something, I know it, but I don’t know if I can trust him. And if what he says is true... if my mother is alive... I don’t know if I’m ready to face what that means."

Marco looked at her intently, his eyes filled with understanding and determination. It was clear he didn’t have all the answers, but he was willing to help her find the truth, no matter what it took.

"Whatever you need, Clara, we’ll do it together. You’re not alone in this, I promise."

Clara nodded, feeling a warm wave of gratitude. Although her heart was still torn between fear and uncertainty, there was something comforting in knowing that, at least for now, she had someone to trust. Marco wasn’t there for his own gain, he wasn’t looking for anything in return. His support was genuine, and that meant more than Clara was willing to admit.

The café, once a quiet place, now seemed darker and heavier with emotion. The murmur of the customers around them no longer mattered. Clara knew this was just the beginning of something much bigger, something that would lead her to confront her past, her fears, and perhaps her mother. But she wasn’t ready to face all of that just yet.