Chapter 4 - Juliana’s Perfect Lie
Juliana had always believed she controlled every room she entered.
She knew how to smile.
How to speak.
How to make people trust her.
She built her entire life around perfection.
The perfect appearance.
The perfect relationships.
The perfect image.
But perfection was fragile.
And Ricardo’s past had just shattered it.
She stood inside her luxury apartment, staring at the city skyline.
Her wedding dress was still hanging in the bedroom.
A dress she had imagined wearing while becoming the most admired woman in society.
Instead, she had become the woman everyone was whispering about.
Her phone was filled with messages.
Friends asking questions.
Reporters requesting comments.
Business partners expressing concern.
Juliana ignored them all.
Her attention was focused on one thing.
Beatriz.
She opened an old drawer.
Inside was a small envelope.
Something she had kept hidden for years.
Something she hoped she would never need.
She removed a photograph.
A younger Ricardo.
A younger Beatriz.
And another person standing beside them.
Her own brother.
Juliana stared at the image.
“You should have stayed gone,” she whispered.
Because Juliana knew the truth.
She knew Beatriz had children.
Not because she discovered it recently.
Because she had helped hide it.
Years ago, before Ricardo met her, Juliana had been working in the same company owned by the Valente family.
She had seen the conflict.
She had seen Ricardo’s father pressure him.
She had seen Beatriz being pushed away.
And when the opportunity came, Juliana took it.
She told herself she was protecting Ricardo.
She told herself she was giving him a better future.
But deep down, she knew the truth.
She wanted him.
And she wanted the life Beatriz had.
The luxury.
The status.
The name.
The power.
She had spent years believing she had won.
Until three children walked through those doors.
Meanwhile, Ricardo arrived at Beatriz’s house.
It was not the mansion he expected.
It was a simple home.
Warm.
Clean.
Full of photographs.
Photographs of children growing up.
Children he never knew.
He stood frozen near the wall.
There was Mateo at five years old.
Sofia holding a birthday cake.
Clara sleeping on Beatriz’s shoulder.
Every picture was proof of the years he lost.
Beatriz appeared behind him.
“You didn’t have to come.”
Ricardo turned.
“I should have come years ago.”
She looked away.
“Yes.”
The honesty hurt.
“I want to be part of their lives.”
Beatriz studied him.
“That’s not something you can decide in one day.”
“I know.”
“No, Ricardo.”
Her voice became emotional.
“You don’t know.”
She pointed toward the photographs.
“You missed every difficult night.”
“You missed every hospital visit.”
“You missed every birthday.”
“You missed every moment they needed someone.”
Ricardo lowered his head.
“I know I failed.”
Beatriz looked at him.
“Then don’t ask them to forgive you quickly.”
He nodded.
Because he finally understood.
He was not the victim.
He was the person who needed to earn back what he lost.
Before Ricardo left, Mateo appeared at the doorway.
“Are you coming back?”
Ricardo stopped.
The question was simple.
But it carried everything.
He looked at his son.
“Yes.”
Mateo watched him carefully.
“Promise?”
Ricardo felt tears forming.
This time, he understood the importance of promises.
“I promise.”
But as Ricardo walked away, he did not notice someone watching from across the street.
Juliana.
And she was not alone.
Because the person standing beside her was the same person who helped erase Beatriz from Ricardo’s life years ago.
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The secret had survived for a reason.
And now, someone was willing to destroy everything to keep it hidden.
