"You people always appear out of nowhere," she continued bitterly. "Hidden children. Secret families. Men ruining lives because they can't stay loyal for five damn minutes."
"I don't know your father," Daniella cut in sharply now, her voice colder than before.
"That's what they all say."
That was the line.
Something inside Daniella snapped after that.
The last several days had already pushed her dangerously close to emotional exhaustion. The hidden questions surrounding her mother. Santiago's impossible silence. The pressure surrounding her pregnancy. The growing feeling that secrets existed around her everywhere she turned.
And now suddenly some stranger stood in front of her projecting family trauma onto Daniella like she was personally responsible for destroying someone's household.
Valentina stepped even closer.
"Tell me the truth," she demanded. "Did he send you here? Is that why you're with Thiago now?"
Daniella shoved her.
Hard.
