GETTING THE HEART OF THE CEO

Maximiliano doesn’t know what to do to reach Stefany’s heart. He’s confused. He has caught her many times looking at him and biting her lower lip, but whenever he gets close, she runs away. He was in his office, gazing out of the window, unsure of what to do with his beloved wife.

Stefany is in the garden, playing with Max when one of the employees approaches her.

“Stefany! There’s a lady looking for you, insisting on talking to you.”

“Me? Who could it be? Where is she?” she asked, puzzled.

“Yes! She asked for you. She’s at the main entrance. Marco didn’t give her access to the mansion until you give permission to let her in.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll go see who it is,” she walked toward Max, leaned down with a smile. “Prince, wait for me here. Mom will be right back.”

Stefany straightened up and left the garden, heading towards the entrance of the mansion. The closer she got to the woman whose back was turned, the more familiar she seemed. Her steps quickened until she was just a few inches away.

“Tell me.”

The woman turned, looked at Stefany with longing, and said,

“Daughter! Aren’t you going to greet your mother?”

“Ma’am, I didn’t know it was your mother. That’s why I didn’t grant her access,” explained Marco, the guard at the main entrance.

Stefany was paralyzed. Her heart stirred, and she began to palpitate rapidly. Her mind was in chaos. Her past was there in the form of a woman, the one who should have been her mother when she needed her the most, the one who got drunk and allowed her stepfather to molest her. Many times she asked for help, and her mother just told her to cooperate and enjoy it. The woman who saw her cry many times and laughed at her, the one she asked for help when she bled and writhed in pain from the spontaneous abortion.

“Ma’am! Are you okay?” Marco asked.

Stefany reacted and turned to Marco. She heard a whisper but didn’t process the information.

“Ah!”

“What if she’s okay?”

“Yes, Marco.”

“Tell me, do I let the lady in?”

“Of course, you have to let her in. Can’t you see she’s my mother?”

Stefany was surprised by Fabiana’s attitude. In her mind, she thought, “So many years without seeing her, and she’s still as arrogant as ever.” She took several breaths to control herself.

“Marco, the lady will enter for a moment, and then she’ll leave. Follow me.”

Stefany led her mother to a bench on the side of the mansion, and they sat down.

“Why have you come?”

The lady sat next to her, clasped her hands, and with sadness said,

“I’ve come to see you. These years without seeing you, I wondered what had become of my daughter. I want to reconcile with you and ask for your forgiveness for not being there when you needed me the most.”

“Do you think that after more than seven years, you can just appear in my life as if nothing happened?”

“Daughter! I know I failed as a mother, but understand me. Francisco had me threatened. That man was obsessed with you. You know he was dangerous. Since you left, and he was imprisoned, my life has been a Calvary. I’ve been looking for you, and finally, I’ve reached you to ask for forgiveness for everything I did to you.”

Stefany started to cry, and Fabiana took advantage of her weakness, embracing her and passing her hand over her back.

“Forgive me! Please, my daughter.”

Stefany desires to free herself from the past that torments her at night and aspires to forgive to move on. She had learned that one cannot live with resentment. She reciprocated her mother’s embrace. When they separated, she stammered with a fragile voice.

“I forgive you.”

“Thank you, God. You’ve heard my prayers. My little girl is with me again.”

Stefany glanced at her mother and gave her a half-smile.

“Tell me, daughter! What has become of your life?”

She hesitated for a while, debating whether or not to make her part of her life. She took a deep breath for a few seconds and decided to give her mother a vote of confidence.

“After I left that hell, my life changed for the better. I lived in a foster home where I healed my wounds. I met some kids who are my family, Luan is my life brother.”

“I’m so glad, daughter. At least you’re happy after freeing yourself from Francisco’s clutches.”

“Yes! I found peace. Here, I am a nanny for a beautiful child.”

“God is great, daughter. He placed good people on your path.” She paused. “Haven’t you married? Haven’t you found love?”

“I’m married, but I’m soon getting divorced. It’s complicated to explain.”

“What do you mean you’re getting divorced? Don’t be crazy enough to lose your comfort.”

“I already told you it’s complicated. And you! How are you?”

“After you left, I missed you a lot. I live in our house, work when I can cleaning houses. Some days I don’t have enough to eat, but thanks to God, I found you.”

Stefany was surprised by her response, and doubts about her mother’s sincerity arose. She stood up from the bench and observed her from her height.

“I was glad to reunite with you and seal part of my past. Now, I have to go to work.”

“Are you firing me? Aren’t you going to invite me to your house and introduce me to your new family?

“This is not my house, and I work here. I have to take care of a little one.”

“Don’t lie to me, Stefany. You are the wife of the owner of this house, as such, you are the lady. It’s only fair that I also enjoy with you as your mother.”

Stefany confirmed her suspicion. She wasn’t there to ask for forgiveness. She’s the same mother from her past.

“I imagine you heard about my new life. You came to take advantage. Let me tell you that I was fine without you, and I will continue to be so. If what you wanted was my forgiveness, I already forgave you.”Nôvel(D)rama.Org's content.

Fabiana was upset by this attitude. She also stood up and positioned herself in front of her daughter, shouting.

“How can you be so heartless to your poor mother?”

“Think whatever you want, but I can’t give you more than my forgiveness right now. I’m leaving. ”

As Stefany was turning to take her first step, she felt a strong grip on her arm.

“How dare you speak to me like that? I’m your mother, and by right, you owe me respect. Your duty is to take care of me.”

“I’ll treat you as my heart dictates. At the moment, all you can receive from me is my forgiveness. I don’t want to hold onto resentment.”

“Enough with the sentimentality. I’m old, and you should be attentive to me.”

“Fabiana! If you want money, wait for me here, and I’ll give you something. But then I want you to leave my life.”

“You’re not going to give me alms. You’re going to give me what I deserve for being the mother who gave birth to you and had to endure your father until his death.”

Fabiana became furious and was about to slap her daughter, but she was stopped by a hand.