Chapter 10 - The Truth Behind the Wedding
Three days after the wedding disaster, Ricardo stood before the world.
Every major news channel covered the event.
The same man who had appeared on magazine covers as a symbol of success now stood alone behind a microphone.
No expensive suit.
No confident smile.
No carefully prepared image.
Just the truth.
“I called this press conference because I owe people an explanation.”
Cameras flashed.
Reporters waited.
Ricardo took a deep breath.
“Three days ago, during my wedding, my past returned.”
He paused.
“And I learned that the story I believed for years was not the truth.”
The room became silent.
“My former wife, Beatriz, was not the reason my first marriage ended.”
A wave of reaction spread.
“She was not unable to have children.”
Ricardo looked directly into the cameras.
“She was separated from me through lies, manipulation, and decisions made by people who believed they had the right to control my life.”
The reporters began shouting questions.
“Are you accusing your father?”
“Are you accusing Juliana?”
Ricardo closed his eyes briefly.
Then answered.
“Yes.”
The entire world reacted.
At the Valente headquarters, employees watched the broadcast.
At home, Juliana watched.
At her side stood Adrian.
“You’re making a mistake,” Juliana whispered.
Adrian looked worried.
“He is destroying everything.”
But Juliana was not only afraid of losing Ricardo.
She was afraid of what would happen if he kept digging.
Because there was still one secret she had not revealed.
The biggest one.
After the press conference, Ricardo went to see his children.
Mateo was waiting outside.
“You were on television.”
Ricardo smiled slightly.
“Yes.”
“Everyone knows now?”
“Yes.”
Mateo looked at him.
“Are you embarrassed?”
Ricardo thought carefully.
“No.”
A pause.
“I’m ashamed.”
The boy looked surprised.
“Why?”
“Because I spent years believing a story without asking the person I loved if it was true.”
Mateo nodded slowly.
“That sounds like something Mom would say.”
Ricardo smiled.
“I’m starting to understand your mother.”
For the first time, Mateo smiled back.
It was small.
But it was a beginning.
That evening, Beatriz received an unexpected visitor.
Juliana.
She stood outside the door.
Alone.
No makeup.
No designer clothes.
No perfect image.
Just a woman carrying years of guilt.
Beatriz opened the door.
“What do you want?”
Juliana looked at her.
“I came to tell you something.”
Beatriz remained silent.
Juliana swallowed.
“The truth about the night you left…”
She hesitated.
“It was worse than you know.”
Beatriz’s expression changed.
“What do you mean?”
Juliana looked away.
“Ricardo’s father wasn’t the only person involved.”
A cold feeling passed through Beatriz.
“Who else?”
Juliana whispered:
“Ricardo himself.”
Silence.
The words felt impossible.
Beatriz stared at her.
“No.”
Juliana’s eyes filled with tears.
“He made a choice that night.”
May you like
And suddenly, the past was not finished.
Because the greatest betrayal had not yet been revealed.
