‘Of course, Boss,’ Hugo replied before he walked back to the car.
Before I could follow him, Alejandro took hold of my arm. He looked like he was about to hug me, but then seemed to change his mind. ‘I’ll be home for dinner. Okay?’
‘Okay. I’ll see you later,’ I said as I forced a smile.
I was sitting at my desk a few hours later, still reeling from the news Dr. Kelly had given us earlier. I’d made some calls and organized as much as I could for the fundraiser, but I could hardly focus on anything. All I wanted was Alejandro. I wanted him to tell me that everything was going to be okay, and that what we’d found out today didn’t change anything between us. I shook my head in annoyance at my own stupidity. I should have taken him up on his offer to do something together.
Hugo stood up and stretched his legs and I realized the poor guy had been sitting in my office for the past two hours without so much as a drink.
‘Hey. How do you fancy finishing work early today?’ I asked him.
He flashed his eyebrows at me. ‘What exactly do you have in mind?’
‘Can you take me to the hotel? I’ll wait in the suite until Alejandro has finished with his meetings, and you can go visit your mom. I know she’s still a little under the weather.’
He frowned. ‘I’ll have to take you up to the suite.’
‘I wouldn’t expect any less,’ I smiled at him.
‘Okay. Whenever you’re ready then.’
I closed down my computer and picked up my purse. ‘I’m ready now. Let’s go.’
Forty-five minutes later, Hugo and I were standing outside Alejandro’s hotel suite. Four armed guards stood in the hallway.
‘Is the Boss in?’ Hugo asked.
‘Yeah. He’s in his office with his father.’
‘I’ll just let Mrs. Montoya inside then,’ Hugo said and they stepped aside to allow him to open the door.
‘Of course. Good afternoon, Mrs. Montoya,’ one of the guards said and I nodded in greeting.
‘Thanks, Hugo. I’ll see you tomorrow,’ I said as I walked inside and the door closed behind me. I hadn’t seen Alejandro’s father, Matteo for a few weeks, and thought I’d just say a quick hello and let them know I was there. And then I would leave them to their meeting and wait in the suite.
I walked towards Alejandro’s office. The door was open and I could hear their voices drifting through into the room.
‘So, you’re telling me she can’t even have children?’ I heard Mateo say. ‘I’m sorry, mi hijo. It seems I chose you a defective model.’
‘Papa!’ Alejandro said.
‘What? I would never have chosen her for you if we’d known that. She tricked you, hijo. What good is she to you, to this family, if she can’t even give you an heir?’
I stood frozen to the spot with shock and anger. I knew that I was eavesdropping on a private conversation and I should walk away, but I couldn’t. I stood there, waiting for my husband to tell his father that he was wrong. To tell him that I wasn’tdefectiveand that my value to him, and to this family, was so much more than my ability to reproduce.
I waited for him to stand up for me. For us!
But, he didn’t. Then I heard Mateo again. ‘Your mama is going to be devastated. You should find yourself someone who can give her some grandbabies.’
I felt the tears pricking my eyes as I turned on my heel and ran from the room. I put my hand on the door and wiped the tears from my cheeks. Alejandro’s guards would never let me leave if they saw me crying.
I took a deep breath, plastered on a fake smile and opened the door.
‘Everything okay, Mrs. Montoya?’ One of the guards asked me.
‘Yes. Everything is great. But, Mr. Montoya asked me to wait in the bar downstairs for him until he’s finished his meeting with his father.’
‘I’ll escort you downstairs, ma’am,’ he replied.