34

THIRD PERSON

Perhaps many wondered where such kindness from Eleonor's father towards Ever had come from, and it's because Benjamin hadn't changed his mind overnight. He wasn't vouching for the boxer just because he was his daughter's boyfriend and therefore going to help him, no.

Let me tell you that, mind you, I'm not a fan of gossip. Just a few days ago, a younger man than Benjamin, named Josh Rutherford, was his client. He had been transferring all his assets to his only son from an early age. Benjamin doesn't usually delve into the private lives of his clients, but Josh was the one who opened up to his lawyer one day in a meeting, telling him that his son was a boxer, that he had grown into a man, and that he regretted leaving him as a baby, specifically when he was two years old. He never came back for him. He shared that his mother had raised the child to be an educated man, a graduate in international business, well-mannered, and a great guy, and even though he had tried to reconnect with his son, the son no longer wanted anything to do with his dad.

But that's not all, what changed Benjamin were these words.

>>If someone ever asks me for advice, I would tell them to share as much as they can with the people they love. Time doesn't turn back, and what we may not need from a person today, we might need tomorrow. I would give anything to be in my son's life, to witness his achievements and stumbles, to advise him, to accompany him. You have no idea what a child means to us men, I truly wish I had never walked away from my boy. And if I saw him today, he's this big guy twice my size, a boxer, and even though he doesn't know about me, I'm proud of him. You know, it feels so wrong to father a child and not know them, yet I'd give my life for him if he's ever accused of anything. If you have children, take care of them and love them, no matter how old they are. I learned that when it comes to love and care, age is never a barrier.>>

Benjamin, struck by those words, was reminded of Michael, and his heart clenched. He had never walked away from his son, he knew him very well, and he had let himself be blinded by his wife. He started judging him for his choices, hurt him, and made him feel bad when he rejected him for being a boxer, forgetting that he had shaped his son's heart. He had doubted the education and values he had instilled in him, and this realization made him reconsider just in time.

Both sides failed here, both the parents and the son. Benjamin and Carmelia focused on the idea that boxing wasn't a suitable career for a family like theirs, ignoring the positive aspects and other pros.

But getting back to the point, when Benjamin heard his daughter introducing her boyfriend, he realized that Ever Rutherford was the same son of his client, the heir to all of Josh's fortune, who had gone to Spain at a young age to become a professional, achieving great success and turning his bank account into a blessing. To soothe certain guilt, he had now transferred all his money to his firstborn. However, Benjamin decided to keep the secret because that's what professional ethics were about, and he applied the lesson he had learned from his client, who had become a confidant. Due to his work, he had to research Ever without knowing he was the boxer driving his daughter crazy. So, he didn't hesitate when he had to help him, and that's why he remained composed when he brought Eleonor home that night after they had attempted to kidnap her and he had saved her. Benjamin realized that the world was indeed small and that maybe it was an advantage for him, as he was now confident that his daughter wasn't in just anyone's hands.

"Dad, what are you doing here?" Michael was surprised when he saw his father at his door, standing there with a sad and devastated expression.

"I've come to ask for your forgiveness. Parents also make mistakes," Benjamin wanted to talk to him, to get closer to him because Michael wasn't on the right path.

Michael was left speechless and with just a gesture, he let him into his apartment.

"I know you're surprised because you weren't expecting this reaction from me, but I'm your father, and I have to help you, not force you into anything you don't want to do. If you don't like the career you're studying, leave it and do what you love, but understand that you'll have to make a living out of it and that you can be someone great with it, that you won't struggle or be on the brink of death. Son, I've never wished harm upon you. Let's try to agree for your benefit because I won't be going anywhere except toward old age, but you won't. You have many paths to walk, and I don't think being a boxer is what you truly want to do for the rest of your life. You can do it as a hobby, but not for illicit money. You could go blind, suffer brain damage, end up quadriplegic, and... I don't want to see you suffer." For Michael, these were the most sincere words his father had ever spoken to him. This moment meant a lot to him; he swallowed his pride and hugged his father. After the bad times, the fights, the disagreements, the sleepless nights, none of that mattered anymore. Michael possessed the heart of a fighter, but also one that didn't hold grudges.

"Forgive me for letting you leave home, for those days in jail, for not thinking with my heart. Forgive me, my child, forgive me for forgetting what it truly means to be a father. I will be there for you in everything from now on, I promise."

And everything... everything for Josh, Ever's father, who had given Benjamin the best lesson, and of course, Lucía, who had also made him see that what he lacked was security.

>>I am always sure about Ever because I know what I raised and what I brought up>>

He had forgotten what he had raised, but once again he had remembered and was sure of the wonderful children he has.