The wind was blowing hard that winter afternoon, the forecast called for rain and a severe thunderstorm. The cold was too intense and being indoors was what anyone would want except her.

Lisa knew that her life was doomed before she was born, but she never imagined that such a cruel life awaited her. She didn't know her father, he had left even before her birth, leaving her mother, still a teenager, with all the responsibility. Fortunately or unfortunately she was similar to that man and her mother hated her for it.

Lisa suffered mistreatment at the hands of her mother, sometimes physical, most of the time verbal. She was also in need and if she wanted to have the opportunity to eat or use shampoo she had to work and earn her own money. Her mother worked in a company as an assistant and earned a good salary that she spent only on herself and the utilities of the house they shared.

Lisa had been working as a waitress for three years in a small restaurant downtown, they couldn't pay her a good salary but they could at least give her a hot meal and sometimes a sandwich that became her only dinner. The tips from the customers helped her to buy sanitary napkins and personal hygiene products that she had to take care of to make them last as long as possible.

That day she left work tired, she had been at the restaurant since the morning and that had been twelve hours ago. They had been able to pay her because the cleaner was sick and she took her place. She arrived home to do the chores, her first duty was to clean her mother's room. She was tidying up and found a bag with something sticking out of it, she took it out and felt her world collapse, a small notebook rested under that cloth and its contents were macabre.

He felt like he was suffocating, the room was shrinking, he had a pain in his chest from it and he just ran from there. Sooner or later he would have to go back but he would rather die than have to.

She ran without direction even with the wind against her and the cold seeping deep into her bones. When she was tired enough she stopped and sat down on a park bench and cried trying to get it off her chest until she had no more tears. The sky was brightening up from a big storm but she was engulfed in her grief. It began to rain and she did nothing to take shelter, her clothes were not warm and clung to her skin, the wind was still blowing and she felt an intense cold but even more in her heart.

That night her hope died, the few dreams they had and all kinds of feelings, she would never cry again and she would never feel again so that no one could hurt her again. There were no more people, only a few cars passed through the streets due to the weather. She was not afraid, nothing worse could happen to her and if she died maybe in another life she could be happy.

With great pain she remembered everything that had happened in the last few months and could understand how they had planned to make fun of her. Her teeth clattered from the cold but it was no match for the cold that had settled in her heart. She lifted her gaze for a moment and saw that company where her mother and the others worked and felt even more pain and looked in another direction again. His eyes shed some tears that the rain took care to wash away.

All that time someone silently watched her from a distance without her noticing. The lights went out in the company, no one was there anymore except for the security guard and the boss who was getting ready to leave.

"Dear Mr. Blent"

"Good-bye Jose" said good-bye to his guard.

Maximo Blent got into his car where his driver was waiting to take him home. Inside the car in the back seat he checked his mails, ten minutes passed and there was no movement, Andres had not started driving. He looked in the direction he was looking and was surprised to see a skinny young woman completely soaked sitting on a bench with no intention of leaving the park.

"Have you been there long?"

"Yes sir, she arrived running and sat there long before it started raining, I could swear she was crying."

Maximo felt great pity and got out of the car even though his driver asked him to go inside. He signaled for him to stay in his place and headed towards the young woman. His Italian shoes stepped on the puddles and the water had stained the trousers of his tailored suit but he didn't care. The closer he got, the more he observed her.

That young woman with long, black hair like the night had a lost gaze. She was wearing simple and inexpensive clothes that had seen better days. He sat on that bench next to her but she didn't notice him and that perplexed him. He cleared his throat to gain her attention but she didn't hear him, was she deaf?

He touched her shoulder and Lisa looked at him for a moment without expression on her face and no interest whatsoever. He was breathless in front of her beauty but even more so because of the cold look that young woman had in her red eyes from the tears shed moments ago.

"Do you need something?"

"To be alone."

Her voice was sweet but it showed deep pain.

"Do you need to go somewhere? I can take you."

She started walking and moved away from there. He was stunned, no one had ever looked at him like that. He returned to his car and finally left, he didn't want to talk and his driver didn't ask any questions.

Lisa arrived home where her mother was furious because there was no food waiting for her, because, yes, her daughter was supposed to cook for her even though she wasn't allowed to eat anything but leftovers.

She was greeted with a strong slap.

"Where were you? Just look at how you've come back, I hope you clean up all this," her mother looked at her with disdain, something she was accustomed to, and pointed out the mud stains and water dripping from her clothes.

"I'm talking to you, aren't you going to respond?" Her mother pulled her by the arm, preventing her from going to her room, and hit her again.

Her mother hit hard, but the pain she felt was nothing compared to the pain in her heart.

"Why, Mom? Why did you do it?" Lisa asked with pain.

"I have no idea what you're talking about. Do you think I'm a stupid mind reader?"

She went to her mother's room and took that bag with both pain and deep hatred.

"Ah, this? Ha ha ha. Thanks to you, I made money. At least you served some purpose."

"Was it your idea?"

"Of course. Who would notice you? You're ugly, ridiculous, and graceless. You should do me a favor."

"I didn't ask to be born. I never thought you could sink any lower, but congratulations, you've achieved it."

Another slap didn't take long to arrive. Her mother laughed again, and Lisa went to her room, took a shower, and went to sleep.

Three months earlier...

Alexis, a co-worker of her mother's, came to their house, something that happened many times. Every weekend, her mother went out dancing or drinking with several of her colleagues...

He wasn't very attractive, but he made her laugh and often said nice things to her that nobody had ever said before. She was about to turn 20 and was still very innocent, never had a boyfriend or even had time to think about it.

Alexis was tall compared to her barely five-foot-three stature, at least fifteen centimeters taller, and had a few extra pounds, but she was enchanted by him and his personality. One day, he kissed her, her first kiss. She didn't feel the butterflies in her stomach that she had read in books, nor any electric shock or anything like that. A month later, after several shared kisses and some caresses, he got frustrated because she wouldn't let him go beyond that.

He always told her that he was a man with needs and that if she didn't fulfill them, he would never speak to her again, giving her a deadline for it. She wasn't ready; her mother had never talked to her about sex or love, nor had she ever given her advice. Finally, she agreed. He had taken her to his house, kissed her, and touched her. She just trembled in fear and bit her lips. He only removed her pants and underwear, she wasn't even wet, he spat on his hand, moistened her entrance, put on a condom, and entered her. After just a few thrusts, he was done.

She trembled, feeling sore and humiliated. She looked at Alexis's small member and the bloodstains he had and felt even worse. He told her to leave and didn't even accompany her because he was tired and wanted to sleep.

After that, she didn't see him for the next twenty days, during which he sought her to repeat it, but she refused, and he insulted her and punched her, causing her excruciating pain. He left her lying on the floor and walked away without looking back.

In the present

She found that sheet and a betting notebook, her mother had orchestrated it all. She felt deeply betrayed and more humiliated than ever.

Her mother had never cared about her, but she still couldn't believe she was capable of something like this.

While she remembered everything that had happened, Maximo couldn't stop thinking about that sad young woman and her gaze. He tossed and turned in bed and finally fell asleep.

The next day, his driver took him to work, and he asked for a special favor.

"I need you to do something for me. I'll triple your salary for the next quarter."

"Tell me what you need, sir."

"I want you to investigate the girl and tell me everything you find about her."

"It won't be easy because many places had their cameras out due to power outages caused by strong winds and rain."

"I know, and you have two weeks for this task."

"Fine, I'll have it as soon as possible."

He went to work and forgot about the matter, knowing that his chauffeur would accomplish every task entrusted to him, and this would not be the exception.

Maximo

A week passes, a damn week where my life seems to go to shit, my grandfather, who owns this company, passes away, and his damn lawyer comes to read me the will, and if I thought everything would be in order, it turns out it's not.

"Maximo, what a joy to see you despite the circumstances, sorry for your loss," he speaks with falseness. When my grandfather was in charge, he charged him significant fees for simple cases, but when I took over the presidency, everything changed, and his services were no longer required. In simple terms, the golden goose ran out of eggs.

"Cut the bullshit and get to the point; I don't have all the time in the world like you," I glare at him.

"This is the will; your grandfather said you must get married," I nod, our conversations always ended like this. "If you want to keep the company and its presidency, you must marry before your twenty-sixth birthday."

"What?!"

"Very clear, it says so here. If you want, you can check it for yourself. Personally, I told him it was crazy to do something like this, but you know how he was."

"I'll be twenty-six in a damn month, what am I supposed to do?" I walk frustrated from one side to another.

"Find a spouse by any means necessary. It's not up to me."

"I'll give you a million to cancel this," he denies. "Two million," he denies. "Ten million, damn it, but fix it."

"Even if you offered a hundred million, I couldn't do anything. Your grandfather planned everything too well, and even if I wanted to, I can't cancel this. I'll take my leave. If you need anything or have any doubts, Maximo, let me know."

"Thank you."

I punch my desk, drink a glass of whiskey, and sit down to think about how to get out of this. Get married at twenty-five? I'm still too young, and any woman would want to be with me and enrich herself, but then they would ask for love and more things that I couldn't give, exactly why I am alone.

I ask my secretary to cancel all my appointments for the day and reschedule them for next week. I call my driver to prepare the car. Two minutes later, I leave, and it's already prepared.

"Sir?"

"Home, and you can have the rest of the day off."

"Something happened?"

"Yes, my grandfather's lawyer read me the will, and I have to get married to inherit. I worked harder than anyone to grow the company and earned millions."

"What will you do?"

"Get married, but I don't even know with whom, and I have less than a month."

"Sir, I have what you asked for," he hands me a folder with information.

"Thank you very much; you're always very efficient. I'll review it right away."

"Sir, sorry for stepping where it's not my place, but have you considered that young lady as your wife?"

"I'll tell you later."

I go to my study to review that information, Lisa Ramos, 20 years old, daughter of Debora Ramos, never had a father, works too hard, no college education, and was the top of her class after finishing high school. She only had one boyfriend who coincidentally works in my company, just like her mother, and that was it. There are suspicions that her mother abuses her because she has been seen with bruises and marks on her face.

I close the folder angrily. How can such a fragile girl endure so much and not even pursue higher education? The employees in my company don't have financial problems, and we provide assistance when they have college-aged children if necessary. Maybe I can offer Lisa a contract; she is beautiful, intelligent, and it's evident that she desperately needs to escape her current situation.

I sleep, and even in my dreams, Lisa appears, but she appears crying and bruised. I wake up startled and go to the gym I have at home to vent my anger on a punching bag. I will make her my wife, it's decided, I will protect her.

I have breakfast, and my driver takes me to the company. I work for a bit, and since I have no meetings due to canceling everything, I call my driver again to take me where Lisa works.

"She's at the small restaurant where she works, do you want to go there? It's her time to leave; you might also find her there."

"Let's go to her workplace."

Note: The above paragraph is a revision of the original text while keeping the paragraph structure as requested.

I went there and chose a separate table; there weren't many people, which worked in my favor. She personally approached me, although she looked at me disinterestedly.

"Hello, I'm Lisa and I'll be serving you today. What would you like to order?"

"Hello, I'll have a cafe con leche with a ham and cheese toast."

"I'll bring it right away."

She didn't recognize me, didn't blush upon seeing me, and certainly not when speaking to me. Her voice sounded cold and controlled, and she appeared deeply sad or depressed and tired. Her clothes were worn out, faded, and didn't suit her at all. It's clear that her mother doesn't provide her with what she needs. I felt a lot of pity for her.

She brought me what I requested, placed everything on the table, and left without even looking at me. Well, at least she's not deaf or mute. The only woman I can't impress is the one I want to be my wife, I must be crazy.

I ask for the bill, she brings it to me, I pay, and I give her a $100 tip. She is too surprised.

"Sir, this is too much money. I can't accept it."

"Just take it anyway, thank you."

"Thank you very much, sir."

Tears filled her eyes because of that bill that means nothing to me, revealing how much she needs it. I'll wait for her to finish work so that we can talk.