When Roberto Rouco arrived at Las Vis of Repulse Bay, Estre Berrocal came down from the upstairs studio.


    “Dad, call me if you need anything and I’ll call you back, why did youe all the way out here by yourself?”.


    Roberto Rouco entered the room, smiled absentmindedly and said: “Estre, I have to talk to you about something… very important. very important.


    Estre Berrocal poured herself a cup of hot water and pulled her close, “Dad, have some water. What’s so important?”


    Roberto Rouco stared at her and asked, “I’m not going to beat around the bush, you … are rted to Adam’s second uncle, did you know that?”


    Estre Berrocal’s eyshes fluttered, her small face slightly white, and she did not speak, resting both hands in herp, sping them tightly.


    Roberto Rouco sighed: “It seems that you already know, and does Adam know?


    “I’m not sure Adam knows, I haven’t figured out what to tell him yet.”


    “So, what are you going to do?”.


    Estre Berrocal bit her lip hard, “I don’t know…. Dad, I’m sorry, I really didn’t know I was going to be Uncle Two’s daughter…”


    Roberto Rouco raised his hand, paused slightly and finally rested on Estre Berrocal’s shoulder, patting her gently. “You didn’t know, you’re not guilty. It’s more like a joke God yed on us, but the joke God yed on us is a real fact for you and Adam. From the time you entered The Rouco Family until now, I have not been kind to you and I have always thought that we in The Rouco Family had treated you badly. Now …”


    Estre Berrocal was vaguely aware of what the old man was going to say next, but she couldn’t interrupt him, so she could only bite her lip harder and pinch the fingers of her other hand, as if being in such perceptible pain would make her feel better inside.


    “Now that you and Adam have this rtionship, I, as Adam’s father, would like, for a time, for you to be apart.”


    Estre Berrocal’s tears, breaking, hit the back of her hand, and she kept her eyes down.N?velDrama.Org content.


    Roberto Rouco swallowed saliva and pursed his lips: “I know it’s not fair to you, and I know there’s already a bond between you and Adam, that you even gave birth to Paulita, but boy, I can only be a selfish father. I could defend you even if you did something wrong, but you’re … you are a rtive of the Rouco family, you are Adam’s cousin, and if this gets out, your life, and Adam’s, will be over. Maybe even Paulita’s life will be in the shadows. It would be a fatal scandal for Adán, for you, for the Rouco family, and for the Rouco group. I …”


    Estre Berrocal took a deep breath, sniffled and suddenly looked up and said, “Dad, I understand you.”


    “Son, I’m sorry you came into The Rouco Family and I couldn’t protect you.”


    Estre Berrocal shook her head softly, “Dad, you don’t have to apologize to me, it wasn’t your fault either. I respect your decision and I’ll do whatever Dad wants me to do.”


    If sacrificing herself would bring peace to the Rouco family, what wouldn’t she want?


    She wasn’t being disinterested, she just couldn’t see that the two people she cared most about were going to be disgraced or destroyed by public opinion.


    Adam and Paulita would not have faced this enormous crisis if she had not been there.


    Adam might have had a wife to match, Paulita might still miss her mother on Mars, but at least she wouldn’t be as scared as she is now.


    “In a couple of days I will arrange for you to go abroad, without Adam knowing, of course, will you be willing…?”


    The tears, atst, fell silently, drop by drop, onto the back of her hand.


    Roberto Rouco saw that the back of Estre Berrocal’s hand was reddened by his own fingernails, and he closed his eyes, hardened atst.


    Estre Berrocal’s voice was husky as she said, “Well, then the visa…”


    “Don’t worry about the visa, I’ll arrange for someone to get it for you in three days.”


    “So, could you … ask Paulita toe and stay at The Vis at Repulse Bay for these two days? I … would like to spend more time with her, even if it’s just a few more hours.”


    “Yes, I will have my driver bring Paulita to stay at The Vis at Repulse Bay tonight.”


    Mr. Rouco could not help but look at her again as he walked away with a sigh of helplessness.


    …


    Back at La Vi Rouco, Roberto Rouco sat in his car, remembering the call he had received from Shoshana Duque.


    “Brother, you better get Adam to divorce Estre Berrocal as soon as possible and get Estre Berrocal out of La Ciudad Santa and take her to a ce where I’ll never see her again, otherwise I don’t know what I’m going to do.”


    Roberto Rouco tightened his grip on his cane, his brow furrowed.


    Undoubtedly, Shoshana Duque had gone too far in this matter, but from his point of view, Roberto Rouco could do nothing to stop her; after all, it was Fresco who owed the debt.


    But how could it still affect Adam’s marriage, twenty yearster?


    Everything is a sin. Fate …


    It wasn’t because Estre Berrocal was unpleasant, but because when she found out she was Paulita’s biological mother, she lumped her into the shameless category, because deep down she thought that a girl who gave herself to a surrogate for money was not a girl who would do it. She had been in The Rouco Family because of her family background.


    But after all that, even when Adán had an ident and everyone thought it was impossible for Adán to return safely, Estre Berrocal was still determined to wait for Adán toe back.


    After that incident, his attitude towards Estre Berrocal changed a lot. He began to ept her and little by little he realized that this girl was simple and not so fanciful, and that she was faithful to both Adam and Paulita, and he had to admit that Estre Berrocal was a good girl.


    But he … had to sacrifice her.


    …


    When Adán Rouco returned to Las Vis de Repulse Bay from work, he had just entered the house when he saw Paulita’s small pair of slippers on the shoe rack.


    “Dad!”


    Inside, Paulita, seeing the return of Adán Rouco, ran towards him in her yellow ducky flip-flops and threw her arms around Adán Rouco’s legs.


    Adán Rouco patted the little girl on the back, “Why did youe today without saying hello?”.


    Paulita red at him, “Are you saying you don’t want me toe, Papa? Are you afraid I’ll steal Estre’s bedtime if Ie here?”


    The man’srge hand rubbed his daughter’s little head and he chuckled softly, “That’s very self-aware.”


    “Humph!”


    The little bundle of milk grunted louder, shrugged out of the little hand and ran back to the couch in a huff of anger toin to Estre Berrocal, “Estre, Daddy doesn’t want me here, do you think I was really born for Daddy? Did they find me in the trash?”


    Adán Rouco entered the house, took off his coat and smiled slightly as he joked: “Not from a bucket, from the road, yes”.


    Paulita’s tears came to her eyes: “…”


    Is this really the real father?


    Estre Berrocal caressed the milk bun’s little face and said, “Don’t mess with Paulita.”


    Adán Rouco came closer and leaned closer to Estre Berrocal, lowered his voice and said, “I did pick you up on the road.”


    It was a kind of destiny.


    Estre Berrocal froze: “Have we met before in …?”.


    “Three years ago you hit my car in the rain holding your father’s urn and your whole body fainted, it was me who took you to the hospital. Paulita and I were in the room next to yours that day. When I went to look for you, you were already gone”.