Chapter 14: Too Attractive?

The sun reflected off the crystal-clear waters of the island as Valeria reviewed the blueprints of one of the villas under construction. The salty breeze tousled her hair, but she barely noticed, too focused on her conversation with the architects.

Nicolás, on the other hand, watched her with a mix of admiration and amusement. Since arriving on the island, he had discovered facets of Valeria he had never noticed before—her discipline, intelligence, and, most of all, her ability to ignore him whenever he tried to annoy her.

That only made him want to try harder.

“Valeria,” he suddenly said, interrupting the meeting.

She looked at him with a frown.

“What is it, Nicolás?”

He smirked, that arrogant expression that made her want to throw the blueprints at his face.

“How does it feel to ‘live richly single’?”

For a moment, Valeria was speechless. She hadn’t expected Nicolás to bring up something she only mentioned on social media.

“What?” she asked, as if she hadn’t heard correctly.

“That thing you say in your live streams—‘Se pasa rico soltera’.” He repeated with a mocking smile. “I’m curious, do you really believe that, or is it just marketing?”

She held his gaze, suddenly feeling uncomfortable.

“It’s how I live.”

Nicolás chuckled softly, as if he didn’t entirely believe her.

“Really? Are you serious?”

Valeria felt irritated. She didn’t have to explain her life to anyone, least of all to Nicolás Beltrán.

“Of course. Do you think all women dream of getting married and becoming housewives?”

Nicolás raised his hands in surrender.

“No, I never said that. I just find it interesting that you say it with such conviction.”

Valeria didn’t respond. Deep down, Nicolás’s question had made her think.

Did she really enjoy being single that much?

For the rest of the day, Nicolás kept finding small ways to provoke her. At every opportunity, he made subtle comments—questioning her views on life, her way of working, even the way she walked with such confidence.

Valeria tried to ignore him, but Nicolás had a special talent for getting into her head.

That night, after dinner, she decided to relax on her bedroom terrace. She poured herself a glass of wine and watched the moonlit sea.

Suddenly, someone knocked on the door.

“Who is it?”

“Your indispensable companion.”

Valeria sighed before opening the door. Nicolás stood there, dressed more casually than usual, his shirt unbuttoned at the collar and a glass of wine in his hand.

“Am I bothering you?”

“Always,” she replied, crossing her arms.

Nicolás laughed and, without waiting for an invitation, stepped inside.

“What do you want, Nicolás?”

He walked over to the terrace and looked at the ocean.

“Don’t you think it’s a bit boring to enjoy this view alone?”

“No. I love my own company.”

Nicolás smiled.

“I believe you. But I think sometimes you overdo that whole ‘living richly single’ thing.”

Valeria shivered—not from the cold, but from the way Nicolás was looking at her.

“I’m not overdoing it.”

“Maybe not. But tell me something—have you ever wondered if something’s missing?”

She pressed her lips together.

“Of course not.”

Nicolás studied her intently, as if trying to see beyond her answer.

“If you say so.”

Valeria felt the need to change the subject.

“Why are you so interested in my personal life?”

Nicolás leaned against the railing and smirked.

“Because you’re very interesting, Valeria.”

She looked at him, surprised by the sincerity in his voice.

“Interesting?”

“Yes. You’re not like the people I usually work with. I like discovering what’s behind the confident, sophisticated woman everyone sees.”

For a second, Valeria felt vulnerable, but she wasn’t about to let Nicolás win this game.

“Well, don’t waste your time. There’s nothing more to discover.”

Nicolás chuckled softly.

“We’ll see about that.”

Meanwhile…

While Valeria dealt with Nicolás, elsewhere, her mother was furious.

“She can’t treat me like this!” she shouted, throwing her phone onto the table.

Her sister, Lucía, rolled her eyes.

“I told you she wouldn’t answer.”

“But it’s her damn duty to help us!”

Lucía crossed her arms, annoyed.

“She has everything. She travels the world, lives the high life, and we’re still stuck in this miserable little town. It’s not fair. We should be living in a mansion, but Valeria’s selfishness has no limits.”

Valeria’s mother nodded angrily.

“After everything I did for her, she should be more grateful to her family.”

At that moment, Valeria’s father, who had been silently listening, decided to intervene.

“Valeria doesn’t have to pay for your wedding, Lucía.”

Both women looked at him in shock.

“If you want a mansion, finish your degree, get a job, and buy it yourself. You chose an expensive wedding knowing full well we can’t afford it. That’s your fault, not Valeria’s.”

Lucía opened her mouth to protest, but her father wasn’t finished.

“And you, dear wife,” he said, turning to her mother, “let me remind you that you’ve never worked a day in your life. You spent your entire inheritance, and I was the one who worked hard to buy this house.”

Valeria’s mother turned pale.

“What are you implying?”

“That if you don’t want to live here because you think this house isn’t up to your standards, you can leave. Remember—the house is mine.”

Silence filled the room. Mother and daughter were furious, but they couldn’t say anything.

For the first time, someone had told them the truth without sugarcoating it.

The Next Morning

The next morning, Valeria tried to focus on her work, but her conversation with Nicolás still lingered in her mind.

He had managed to do something few people could—make her doubt.

During breakfast, Nicolás sat across from her with a triumphant smile.

“Did you sleep well, Valeria?”

“Perfectly,” she replied without looking at him.

“Good, because we have a very busy agenda today.”

They spent the day inspecting the construction and discussing details with the architects. Despite his constant teasing, Valeria had to admit that Nicolás was brilliant at what he did.

When the workday ended, Valeria decided to take a swim in the sea. She slipped off her light dress, revealing an elegant black bikini, and walked into the water.

Nicolás, watching from a distance, smirked.

“Not inviting me?”

She glanced over her shoulder.

“Would you dare?”

“Always.”

Without hesitation, Nicolás took off his shirt and stepped into the water with her.

“I didn’t picture you as a beach person,” he commented.

“There’s a lot you don’t imagine about me.”

Nicolás looked at her intensely.

“That’s what I like most about you.”

Valeria felt her heartbeat quicken but forced herself to stay composed.

“Don’t get any ideas, Nicolás.”