Episode 5

Luke.

Lydia wasn't making things easy for me. I made a promise. I promised my son that his mother would be with him. I'll use everything in my power to fulfill it.

I had her life investigated for the past four years, and I didn't see anything interesting. She only has one friend, lives in a mediocre apartment, and works part-time in a store. Her bank statement made me laugh.

I'll start by offering her money. I sent her a contract with the monthly payment I would give her if she agreed to be Byron's mother. She returned it to me in pieces.

I visited her at work; she reluctantly attended to me and demanded that I leave.

"What do you want to accept?"

"I don't want anything. I already told you. I won't be the mother of a child that isn't mine."

"Would you kill for him to be yours, wouldn't you?" Her eyes turned colder. "You're angry that I fell in love with your sister. That's why you don't like Byron. Because he will always be a reminder that your love was never reciprocated." I saw the fire in her features. If I wanted to make her angry, I succeeded.

"Get out." Her voice, full of disdain, froze my blood for a second. I'm not someone who gets intimidated, but something about her was achieving it.

"I'm willing to marry you." For a moment, I saw a glimmer in her eyes. "If you agree to be Byron's mother, I'll give you what you've always wanted. I'll give you my love." I lied; that love could only be Layla's, no one else was worthy of it. Much less Lydia.

"Ha ha ha!" Her laughter caught the attention of some customers. "Wow." The fire disappeared; instead, I found myself face to face with mockery. "Your ego soared to the sky." She wiped a tear from her eye. "Do the math, idiot. Four years have passed, forty-eight months, 192 weeks, and 1460 days. In all that time. Do you think I haven't gotten over you? Do you believe I still love you?" Her mockery was irritating me. "If you really think that, you're very wrong." She grabbed my shirt and pulled me closer to her. For a second, I thought I was seeing Layla; their eyes are very similar. "Look at me closely. Do you see the love that used to be there?" The answer was no; I distinguished hatred, determination, and perhaps a little pain. "It's not there. It's not there because you killed it. I don't love you anymore, I'm no longer interested in your love. You're wasting your time with this stupid deal." She released me with a push. "Thank you for making me laugh. It's been a while since I've had so much fun."

Lilia.

That bastard. Who does he think he is? I used to be crazy in love, but not anymore. How can you keep loving if your heart has vanished? They broke it, it shattered, and instead of piecing it together, it decides to disappear. I decided I didn't need it to continue living.

I've spent four years alone. Getting attached to a child is not a good idea. No matter what happens. I will remain strong and firm in my decision.

"I need to talk to you." Sierra caught me in the hallways.

"Hello, traitor."

"I didn't abandon you for pleasure, please understand me. Everyone knows Luke, he's not someone you can play with. Can we continue our friendship?"

"Yes." She smiled.

"Are you two close?"

"No."

"Liar. You two have a history. I know it. Why don't you tell me about it?"

"There's no story to tell." I'm not ready to open up to her, or to anyone, really.

I walked while remembering my past. A past that I buried.

Flashback.

Two couples of friends are at a family gathering. Their children at their sides, a seven-year-old boy and two little girls of three.

The children are also friends, they love and care for each other. Upon turning seven, Lydia is clear about what she wants, studying art and being Luke's wife become her greatest dreams.

"We'll get married one day." She assures him on her seventh birthday. Luke looks at her bewildered. A tender smile is what she gets.

From seven to seventeen, she is always behind him. She sees him at every soccer game. She gives him a flower every day. For the first five years, he doesn't seem to care, he accepts her gifts without saying much, however, upon becoming a man, he finds it annoying to have a girl after him.

"Again?" He sees her annoyed.

"You know I'll do it all my life."

"You're crazy. Sick, you should go to the doctor."

"Love isn't a disease. Besides, flowers are used to conquer women."

"I'm not a woman."

"It could work on men too. You're not one to have details, I'll be the one with details in this relationship."

"We don't have a relationship."

"Not today, but later yes, we'll have a beautiful story to tell our grandchildren."

"Keep dreaming."

"Okay." She acts carefree, Luke gets irritated seeing that smile, she won't give up, that's clear.

Practically the entire female population doesn't give up, from the fifteen-year-old girl to the 27-year-old teachers, Luke is the delicacy that everyone wants to eat.

Who is he to refuse to give them what they want?

Luke is no different from all men, he's with a different woman every day, but he feels attracted to the girl who doesn't pay attention to him, to the prey that is difficult to catch. He falls in love with Layla, Lydia's twin, why if they are so similar is he attracted to her? Perhaps because she isn't crazy in love with him, she doesn't chase him like the rest, she doesn't show interest and desperation to have him.

That's what he loves about her. She's not like the others, she's a lady he must take care of and conquer.

Lydia lives in her fantasy world. She spends hours painting in her studio, imagining what her life will be like after being Luke's wife. She imagines him coming home and kissing her intensely, telling her he loves her and they'll make babies. She laughs imagining those things.

"Sister."

"Layla, you're back?" Lydia gets up and hugs the woman with green eyes, pale skin, and black hair like hers, they are twins, they share several features, but they are not exactly the same. "How did it go?"

"The company is incredible. Dad taught me everything and said it will be mine in the future."

"I'm very happy for you. You're going to be the best CEO in the country. Well, second best."

"And who will be the first?"

"Luke, of course." They both laugh.

"How are things going with him?"

"I'm still trying to fix him. I don't like that he's such a womanizer."

"I heard he got involved with a teacher, is it true?"

"I don't know." She hopes not, experienced women are dangerous. "I don't want to think about that. Luke will be my husband sooner or later."

"Of course, he'll be yours." Lydia doesn't see it at that moment, but her sister is also interested in him, she shows indifference because of her mother's advice, Luisa has told her that men like difficult prey, if she shows indifference she'll get the guy. That's why her strategy is different from Lydia's. She doesn't go to the mountain, she waits for the mountain to come.

The sisters seem to have a good relationship despite the great differences that their parents make between them. While Layla receives love in handfuls, Lydia only receives scolding and anger.

"Why can't you be like your sister?"

"There can't be two perfect daughters in the same family." She says smiling. There's no malice in her, her heart is as pure as that of a newborn. "Daddy, don't get angry." She looks relaxed despite the scolding, she's so used to them that they don't hurt.

"You're grounded."

"But I passed."

"I don't accept sixes in my family. If you want to paint again, I expect better grades next time."

"Okay." She leaves, before leaving she sees how her father wraps Layla with his arms.

"You are my pride." Lydia sees it and feels a little envy, although she's also glad that her sister isn't treated so harshly. But she wonders when they're going to treat her that way. When will they hug her protectively and give her sweet words?

"One day they will." She smiles hopefully again.

End of flashback.

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