Upon noticing Diana's hand beginning to bleed, Fatima gently grasped her daughter's hand, preventing Susana from getting covered in Diana's blood, and slightly pulled her back.
Yet, the girl was not satisfied with having hurt her cousin; she needed to unleash all the hatred inside her.
She broke free from Fatima’s hold, bent down in front of Diana, grabbed her arms, digging her long nails into the girl's pale skin, and then yanked her to her feet in one swift motion.
Susana raised her hand again, intent on bringing it crashing down on Diana's face, her contempt for her cousin so strong, her only desire was to make her suffer…
Diana shielded herself, knowing she couldn’t count on anyone to protect her from Susana's wickedness… Covering her face with her hands, Diana closed her eyes, bracing for the beating that, like before, was sure to come.
Defending herself against her cousin would be futile anyway, for if she did, she would be punished as in all those times she tried to stand up for herself against Susana's abuse, and that of their uncles.
Unexpectedly, before Susana could carry out her intent, Mateo intervened as the girl needed to look beautiful the next day, and he wouldn't allow anything to happen to her.
"ENOUGH!"
Mateo caught Susana's hand before it could strike Diana again. The girl, terrified, shut her eyes tight.
Upon opening them, she saw Mateo holding her hand in a manner he had never done before. This caused Diana to open her eyes in disbelief, blinking repeatedly, unable to believe it.
This was the first time Mateo had ever done anything like this for her. On all other occasions, he had let his daughter do as she pleased with her.
"How dare you defend this trash over your own daughter?!" Fatima rebuked her husband.
Mateo released Susana's hand gently. He did not want to favor Diana over her, but he also wouldn't allow Susana to harm her.
The well-being of all now rested on Diana, and her marriage to Edwin.
"Dad, do you realize what you've done?" Susana's voice cracked.
Mateo hung his head, tired of his wife's and daughter's reproach. But he couldn’t allow Diana to be injured; she was to become the wife of a very powerful man.
"Don't you see?!"
"If she doesn't marry Mr. Shop, you and I will be sleeping on the streets in less than a week…" He tried to reason with his wife and daughter.
"Why can't it be me who marries that man? She's hideous, and she's mute!" Susana's voice rose hatefully, pointing at Diana.
Susana, enraged, couldn't accept that Edwin would prefer Diana, mute as she was, over herself.
"Be quiet!"
"Didn't you hear?"
"Mr. Shop preferred a mute to you…"
"So she will be the wife, and we will enjoy the benefits of that union," Mateo concluded.
Susana was not prepared to let Diana have happiness with a man like Edwin, so she would do everything within her power to ruin it.
Susana turned and walked to her room, plotting against the girl.
Fatima had remained silent, merely watching and listening to the exchange between her husband and daughter. Yet, she couldn't bear to see how Mateo had treated her beloved Susana.
Fatima grabbed a glass of red wine, brought to the living room to celebrate Diana's engagement…
Without warning, Fatima threw it in Diana's face, with venom. In seconds, the beautiful dress the girl was wearing was horribly stained with red.
"What did you think, you wretch?!"
"You'll never be better than Susana, she is a thousand times more beautiful than you!"
Fatima threw the glass to the floor, where it shattered, ringing loudly throughout the room. Diana's slight frame shook violently, as if rather than things turning out well, they were descending into a far worse nightmare.
"Don't fancy yourself above Susana; you’re nothing but a hanger-on in this house! Have you forgotten you came here after your mother, the harlot, died?"
"And if you’re marrying that man, it’s only because you’re mute, and he pities you!"
Diana lowered her head, tears starting to fall down her cheeks, utterly humiliated. Yet she was powerless, unable to speak a word in her defense.
Fatima turned to her husband, Mateo, who stood motionless, saying nothing in defense of his niece.
"Arrange a marriage for our daughter with a man as powerful or more so than Edwin Shop; I won't settle for anyone less than him," Fatima demanded, unable to accept Diana's marriage to a man like Edwin.
Fatima walked away from Mateo and Diana, unable to bear another second beside her traitorous husband.
The woman ascended the stairs to console her cherished daughter and lend her all her support. It was the least Susana deserved after being addressed so contemptuously.
Left alone with Diana, Mateo's gaze rested warmly on the girl, who couldn't stop crying.
"Go to your room, right now! I absolutely forbid you to keep crying…"
Diana moved away from Mateo like a frightened little rabbit… With each step, her legs grew more unsteady.
Diana was on the verge of collapsing if not for the hands that caught Diana's own, preventing her fall to the floor...
"Come, let's go to your room. You’re very weak…"
Diana clung to the hands of the elderly woman beside her. Teresa was the servant who had looked after Diana since her arrival at the mansion…
She was the only one who knew Diana bore Wlop blood in her veins and that she was related to Mateo and Fatima.
All the other servants thought Diana was just another maid in the house…
Reaching the bedroom, Teresa helped Diana onto her small bed, covering her with a tattered blanket she had used for years…
"My child, cry no more…"
"It breaks my heart to see your tears on your cheeks…" Teresa wiped the tears that wet Diana’s cheeks.
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