Chapter 90 - A Step Towards the Truth
The young people inside the study felt the doors begin to open. The sound of the doorknob turning sent chills down their spines. Alexia and Mateo exchanged a panicked look, aware there was no time to escape. With their hearts in their throats, they quickly hid behind the bookshelf filled with books.
The smell of old wood and the faint scent of ink from the books filled the air, but all they could hear was the frantic beating of their hearts. Alexia pressed herself against the wall, trying to make as little noise as possible, while Mateo extended a protective arm to keep her close.
The creaking of the doors as they opened sounded like thunder in the silence of the study. The dim light from the hallway seeped into the room, casting elongated shadows that danced among the furniture. Their breaths were held, barely a faint whisper they tried to stifle.
—Thomas, I really don’t know how to reveal all this —said a familiar voice. It was Mr. Frederick. His tone was heavy with regret—. This secret is eating me alive. Thankfully, you, my old friend, have been an invaluable support in these months since you uncovered my story.
—Mr. Frederick, you must calm down —Thomas responded calmly, though his voice betrayed concern—. I can’t deny that what you and your wife Amalia did was very wrong. But after getting to know your daughters and the Thomson family, I’m sure that with time, everything will be fine. They’ll understand. It won’t be easy, but it won’t be forever.
Frederick let out a sigh, burdened with anguish.
—That’s what I hope, my friend. I wouldn’t want to earn my daughters’ hatred. Who would’ve thought Alexia and Analú would grow so close… For a while, I worried when Alexia discovered that her sister Analú had a locket identical to the one I gave her when she was a child. She confronted me about it, and I had no choice but to lie. I told her there was only one original locket and hers was unique, that perhaps the jeweler had made cheap imitations. What she doesn’t know is that there are three lockets: the one I gave her when she was handed to me at the hospital, the one for Analú when she was switched… and the original, which Amalia and I kept.
The confession hung in the air as the magnate sank into his thoughts. Thomas observed his friend, weighed down with sorrow, before placing a hand on his shoulder.
—You must have faith, sir. In the end, a father’s love always triumphs.
Frederick nodded, though without conviction, and both left the study, disappearing into the mansion’s silence. However, this time Frederick didn’t go up to Alexia’s room as he usually did to say goodnight. The emotional weight of his confession was too heavy for him.
Meanwhile, behind the bookshelf, Alexia remained paralyzed, her eyes filled with tears that began to stream down her face. Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, every word from her father echoing repeatedly. The betrayal, the lies, and the weight of the secret enveloped her like a storm she couldn’t control.
Mateo, aware of his friend’s state, held her tightly, trying to comfort her without making any noise that could expose them. He gently stroked her hair, whispering words of encouragement into her ear.
The young woman, unable to hold back, began to silently sob. Her tears fell onto the wooden floor, forming small dark circles on the ground. Her chest rose and fell irregularly, as if each breath was a struggle.
—Alexia... calm down, please. We can’t stay here for too long —Mateo whispered.
She nodded weakly and allowed Mateo to guide her out of the study. Carefully, they made their way to the garden, to the secret corner where they used to play as children. Once there, Alexia collapsed onto the grass and broke into uncontrollable sobs.
—I can’t believe it… All this time, my whole life has been a lie. Analú… she’s my sister! —she screamed between sobs.
Mateo sat beside her and took her hands, trying to instill some calm.
—Alexia, listen. I know this is a very hard blow, but you have to stay strong. Sooner or later, you’ll uncover the whole truth. But for now, you have to keep acting normal. We can’t tell anyone that we know this, okay?
Alexia looked at him with red, tear-filled eyes but filled with determination.
—I know, Nico. But understand this: my father, the man I admired most in the world, has broken my trust. I don’t know what happened in the past, whether Analú and I are sisters because of him and my mother… or because of hers. It’s all so confusing, but I’ll tell you this: sooner or later, I’ll uncover the entire truth. And if my father is guilty of something, he’ll have to pay for it, even if it hurts me.
The weeks passed with an agonizing slowness for Alexia. Her heart was torn between anger and disappointment, feelings that grew every time she met her father’s gaze. Before, Frederick had been her pillar, the man she admired and turned to for advice. Now, seeing him reminded her of every word of that clandestine conversation, every lie that had come from his lips.
The relationship between them began to deteriorate rapidly. Alexia, unable to openly confront her father without revealing what she knew, chose distance. Now, every time they were near, she couldn’t help but treat him with a coldness she had never shown before. Her responses were short and filled with indifference. Her gestures, once warm and affectionate, had become rigid and mechanical.