The moment Maria noticed the calculating gleam in her husband’s eyes, a chill ran down her spine.
She had lived with Omar for long enough. No one understood him better than she did. Whenever he wore that expression, it meant he had already begun weighing profits against losses.
And right now, Leonardo represented far more profit than anything the Gallo family had ever possessed.
Before anyone else could speak, Maria forced a smile onto her face.
“Vin.” she called hurriedly, taking Vincenzo by the shoulder. “Come upstairs with me. Your sister still has things to pack.”
Vincenzo blinked in confusion. “But I...”
“Come.”
There was an urgency in her voice that left no room for argument. Still innocent enough not to notice the tension filling the room, Vincenzo scratched the back of his head before obediently following her toward the staircase.
Halfway up the stairs, he glanced back.
“Sister, hurry up.”
“I will.” Jasmine rose from the sofa. “I’ll pack a few clothes.” She had barely taken two steps before a warm hand wrapped gently around her wrist.
She stopped.
Looking down, she found Leonardo’s long fingers encircling her slender wrist.
His grip wasn’t forceful.
It was almost...careful. She lifted her eyes to meet his.
He looked as expressionless as ever, his deep black eyes revealing nothing.
“Take your time.” His calm voice drifted softly between them. “There’s no need to rush.”
For a split second, Jasmine forgot to breathe. Those simple words somehow soothed the panic inside her.
She gave a faint nod. “Alright.”
Only then did he release her.
She turned and continued upstairs, though she could still feel the lingering warmth where he had touched her.
The living room gradually fell silent.
Now only two men remained.
Omar poured another cup of tea himself, his smile considerably more respectful than before. “Mr. Madrigal.”
Leonardo didn’t touch the tea. Instead, he spoke directly. “The hundred million promised by the Madrigal family...”
Omar subconsciously straightened.
“...will be transferred tomorrow.”
His eyes widened.
“So soon?”
Before the older man could recover from the shock, Leonardo continued. “As for the West District development project...”
Omar’s breath caught.
That project had become the greatest burden hanging over the Gallo family.
Millions had already been invested, only for construction to stall because of financial problems and complicated ownership disputes.
Every passing day cost the company another fortune. It was the thorn lodged firmly in his flesh.
“The Madrigal Group will take it over.”
Omar stared blankly, he almost thought he had misheard.
“The...the West District project?”
“Yes.” Leonardo answered as though discussing the weather. “We’ll assume responsibility for the remaining investment and negotiations.”
The teacup in Omar’s hand trembled violently.
That wasn’t merely helping.
That was saving the Gallo family.
No.
It was resurrecting them.
His eyes reddened. For the first time in years, genuine gratitude replaced his usual calculating demeanor.
He slowly stood. “Mr. Madrigal...”His voice quivered. “I don’t know how to thank you.”
Leonardo finally lifted his teacup. He took one unhurried sip before placing it back down. “If you wish to thank someone...”
His dark gaze settled calmly on the staircase. “...thank the Gallo family.”
Omar looked confused.
Leonardo continued. “For raising such a fine daughter.”
Those words landed heavily inside the spacious living room.
Omar opened his mouth but came out. His heart became strangely complicated.
Fine daughter...
Did he deserve those words?
The answer echoed clearly within him.
No.
Not even a little.
*******************
Meanwhile, the second floor looked exactly as Jasmine remembered.
Cold and quiet. She pushed open the bedroom door.
Dust floated lazily through the afternoon sunlight. The room no longer resembled a bedroom.
Cardboard boxes were stacked against the walls. Old furniture had been shoved into corners.
Several suitcases were piled beside broken shelves, even her former dressing table had become a place for miscellaneous storage.
Her wardrobe had been emptied long ago, only a few forgotten dresses still hung inside.
It looked less like someone who had travelled to another city, more like someone who had never intended to return.
She smiled bitterly. “So this is my room now.”
Behind her, Maria dismissed Vincenzo.
“Vin, go to your room.”
“But...”
“I’ll call you later.”
Reluctantly, the young man left.
The air immediately grew heavy. Neither mother nor daughter spoke.
Jasmine silently opened the wardrobe and began folding clothes into her suitcase.
After several minutes, she finally asked without looking back,
“Did you know?”
Maria froze.
Jasmine carefully folded another sweater.
“That this marriage was meant to ward off misfortune. And Maliyah was supposedly the one who can cure Leonardo.”
Silence greeted Jasmine.
That silence alone was enough, she let out a quiet laugh. “So you knew.”
Maria lowered her head. “Yes.”
The single word felt heavier than any explanation. She hurried forward, her eyes already moist.
“Jas...I know we’ve wronged you. But our family truly has no other choice.” She clasped her daughter’s hands desperately. “The company is collapsing. If the Madrigal family withdraws their support, we’ll lose everything. I beg you. Help your family through this.”
Jasmine slowly withdrew her hands. Her expression remained frighteningly calm.
“Why me?” Her voice carried no anger.
Only exhaustion.
“I am your biological daughter, mom! I am! Not Maliyah. But ever since you got married to her father! You stopped treating me like your daughter. Maliyah suddenly became more important to you! She ran away because she obviously didn’t want to be tied down to that man. But you didn’t hesitate to make me become tied to him instead!”
She looked directly into Maria’s eyes.
“Do you know that if this all goes south, I’m the one who’d suffer the most! I’m the one who’d be living with him but you don’t care about that, do you? You just kept pressuring me that the Madrigal would hurt this family, would ruin our lives, I should think about you all! I should think about Vin...what about me? What about my life? Do you even have any idea what I’ve gone through while in Barcelona! You never reached out to me. You only did after Maliyah ran off!”
“You want to believe that you truly couldn’t find Maliyah! You think Omar would be that calm with Maliyah being missing. I know that you two gave in to what she wanted and decided to let me take her place instead!”
“Maliyah...has been spoiled since childhood. She can’t endure hardship. She’s impulsive, and she doesn’t understand responsibility.”
“So I’m the one who can ensure hardship?” Jasmine smiled, bitterly..
Maria grabbed her arm. “Jasmine. Just bear with it only for a while. Everyone says Mr. Madrigal won’t live much longer. When...” She hesitated. “When he passes away, you’d be free again.”
“By then the Gallo family will have survived this crisis. You’ll be free to do whatever you want.”
The room fell deathly quiet.
Jasmine looked at her mother as though seeing a stranger.
“So...” She spoke slowly. “If he discovers that I’m only a substitute bride...What happens then?”
Maria’s lips parted but no answer came.
“If he finds out the woman he married isn’t the one promised, will he spare this family? Will he spare you?”
Jasmine took another step closer. “Will he spare me?”
Maria’s face turned pale.
She couldn’t answer because everyone in Spain knew the Madrigal family.
Especially Leonardo Madrigal.
No one dared deceive him. Those who did rarely ended well.
Jasmine laughed softly. It was a sad sound.
“So...You were so willing to gamble my life.”
She zipped her suitcase shut and placed the suitcase upright.
“This is the last time I’d let you treat me like this.” Her eyes were calm. “After today, I no longer owe the Gallo family anything. We’re even.”
Those words struck Maria harder than a slap.
Her expression changed immediately. “Even?”
She stared at her daughter. “You call this even? I carried you for nine months. I raised you without that asshole father of yours! I fed you. And now you’re saying we’re even?”
Her voice grew sharp. “You’re being unfilial!You’ve become so ungrateful! You don’t even care whether your own family lives or dies!”
Jasmine didn’t argue.
There was nothing left to say.
Some wounds had already gone too deep, she pulled the suitcase toward the door.
Its wheels rolled heavily across the wooden floor. As she opened the door and stepped forward, she froze.
Standing outside the bedroom was Leonardo.
His tall figure blocked the corridor, dressed in an impeccably tailored black suit. His hands rested casually inside his trouser pockets, his expression as unreadable as ever.
No one knew how long he had been standing there. No one knew how much he had heard.