Chapter 16: A Painful Memory

The sky over the private island was clear, with a beautiful bright moon illuminating the sand and the sea. The tropical breeze was warm and enveloping, but inside Valeria, a storm of emotions was beginning to form.

Since morning, Valeria had been trying to regain control of her private life after the social media scandal. She knew the only way to stop the rumors was to face them head-on.

She took her phone and wrote a clear and direct statement:

"To everyone speculating about my private life: I have no romantic relationship with Nicolás Beltrán. We are working together on a project, and nothing more. I appreciate your interest, but I ask for respect for my privacy."

She pressed "post" and let out a sigh. It was the best she could do.

Within minutes, the post was flooded with divided comments. Some believed her, while others insisted there was chemistry between them and that she was just trying to hide it. The speculation didn’t stop.

"No matter what I do, they’ll always talk," she murmured to herself, leaving her phone on the table.

But Valeria had no idea that the worst was yet to come in the following hours.

The Wedding

That afternoon, a wedding was taking place on the island. The event, organized by a couple of businesspeople who were friends of Nicolás, was a secret ceremony, held outdoors, with a breathtaking view of the ocean.

Valeria and Nicolás were among the guests, enjoying the atmosphere with a glass of champagne in hand. The bride entered in an impeccable dress, dazzling under the ceremony lights.

At that moment, Nicolás turned his head and, in a casual tone but with a curious look, asked:

—"Wouldn’t you like to wear a wedding dress like that someday?"

The sound of music and the guests' voices faded in Valeria’s mind.

A buried, painful memory resurfaced with force.

Roberto.

The altar.

The letter.

The words that had once broken her heart:

"Valeria,

He wants to be with me, not you. We love each other. I’m sorry, but I couldn’t let him marry you.

Carolina."

She felt the blood drain from her face, and her hands trembled slightly. She stared at the glass in her hands, not daring to look at Nicolás.

He noticed the change in her expression and frowned.

—"Valeria…"

—"I don’t want to talk about it," she replied, her tone colder than she had intended.

He watched her for a few seconds, as if trying to decipher what had just happened. Finally, he nodded.

—"I understand."

But the truth was, he didn’t understand at all.

Valeria took a deep breath and drank her champagne in one go, trying to regain her composure. She wouldn’t allow that memory to drag her down again.

The Scandal

Meanwhile, in a secluded corner of the island, an infiltrator at the wedding had been secretly taking photos of the guests.

He wasn’t just any paparazzo but someone with advanced digital manipulation skills. With the help of artificial intelligence, he replaced the faces of the newlyweds with Valeria’s and Nicolás’s, creating incredibly realistic images.

Minutes later, the news exploded on social media:

"Surprise! The beautiful Valeria Díaz tied the knot with Nicolás Beltrán today in a private ceremony on an exclusive island."

The images showed "them" at the altar, exchanging vows and kissing as husband and wife.

The post went viral in seconds.

Valeria’s Friends

Mónica nearly choked on her wine when she saw the news.

—"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!"

Camila and Sofía rushed to check their phones, their expressions shifting from shock to excitement.

—"She got married and didn’t tell us?!" Sofía exclaimed.

—"No, no, no… this has to be a mistake," Mónica said, scanning the image. "But… they look so real."

Valeria’s Family

Her mother and sister were at home when they saw the news on TV.

Valeria’s sister jumped up from the couch, screaming:

—"This can’t be! Valeria had the wedding I wanted!"

Her mother frowned, crossing her arms.

—"And without even inviting us."

—"That dress! That island! That wedding was supposed to be mine!" her sister continued, hysterical.

Her father, sitting silently at the table, just shook his head.

—"You should stop depending so much on Valeria."

But his comment was ignored as the two women continued lamenting.

Roberto, the Ex-Fiancé

Elsewhere in the city, Roberto saw the news and felt his world collapse.

His phone slipped from his hands as he stared at the screen in shock.

—"No… this can’t be…"

The apartment he now lived in after his divorce from Carolina became a disaster zone in minutes.

He threw a chair against the wall, shattered a lamp, and slammed his fists on the table.

—"She can’t have married that bastard!"

His breathing was ragged, and his mind was clouded with rage.

He had lost Valeria once.

He wasn’t going to lose her again.

Meanwhile, at the Wedding…

Unaware of the chaos unfolding on social media, Valeria decided to relax and enjoy the wedding.

She had left her phone in her room to avoid distractions.

As she sipped another glass of champagne, Nicolás watched her with a smirk.

—"Ready to dance?"

She looked at him hesitantly.

—"I don’t know if that’s a good idea…"

—"Come on, Valeria. It’s just a dance. It doesn’t have to mean anything."

She hesitated for a moment, but the champagne bubbles were doing their job.

—"Fine."

Nicolás took her hand and led her to the dance floor.

The music was soft and romantic, and Valeria allowed herself to get lost in the moment.

As they danced, he leaned in and whispered near her ear:

—"I don’t know what memories I stirred up in you earlier… but if you ever decide to talk about it, I’ll be here."

Valeria felt a lump in her throat.

She didn’t respond.

She simply closed her eyes and let the music envelop her.

Unaware that, at that very moment, her name was burning across all social media platforms.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***