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Joaquin was sure he had no time for love-until he met Sally, his niece's teacher. Her unwavering dedication, warmth, and compassion instantly capture his attention. As he becomes more involved in his niece's school life, Joaquin finds himself drawn to Sally's quiet strength and resilience. But Sally has a past filled with hurt, and letting her guard down isn't easy. Can Joaquin be the one to finally bring down her walls and show her what true love looks like?
The news that Sally is pregnant brings unexpected joy to the Mercedes family. The children were overjoyed, their eyes twinkling with excitement to have a new sibling. Joaquin, on the other hand, could not hide his happiness. The arrival of a new member in their family is a proof that their love continues to grow and bear fruit, even in the midst of trials.
But despite their happiness, the shadows of the past still linger. The case against Joaquin is still ongoing, and Katharina's threats remain hanging over their heads.
One day, while Sally was relaxing in their garden, Joaquin approached her, carrying a basket of fresh fruits.
"My dear, how are you feeling?" asked Joaquin, as he helped Sally to sit on a bench.
"I still get a little dizzy sometimes," Sally replied, rubbing her stomach. "But I'm happy because our baby is healthy."
Joaquin smiled and kissed Sally on the forehead. "Me too, my love," he said. "I can't wait to see our son."
"Me too, Joaquin," answered Sally, while smiling. "But I'm afraid. What if we can't protect our son from people who want to hurt us?"
"Don't worry, Sally," Joaquin comforted. "I will do everything to protect you. I will not let anything bad happen to you."
In those moments, Sally felt Joaquin's love and support. He knows that no matter what happens, he will always have someone to lean on.
Weeks passed, and Sally's belly gradually grew. Joaquin was more careful with her, and he made sure she was always in good shape. Joaquin often accompanies her to her check-ups, and he always offers to help with household chores.
One day, while Sally and Joaquin were walking in the park, they saw George sitting on a bench, deep in thought. They approached it and greeted it.
"George, how are you?" asked Joaquin.
"It's all right," answered George, but it was obvious from his face that something was bothering him.
"Is there a problem?" asked Sally, looking into George's eyes.
"Nothing," George replied, but he couldn't look directly at them.
Sally and Joaquin know that George is hiding something. But they did not force him to speak. Instead, they invited him to join them at a coffee shop so they could talk in depth.
When they arrived at the coffee shop, they ordered their favorite drinks and sat down in a quiet corner. After a while, George spoke.
"I would like to apologize to you," he said, bowing his head.
"Why, George?" asked Joaquin, surprised by what he said.
"Because of what I did before," answered George. "I know I hurt you guys a lot, and I can't forgive myself for that."
"George, we forgave what you did a long time ago," said Sally, while holding George's hand. "The important thing is that you learn from your mistakes."
"Thank you, Sally," replied George, smiling. "But I have one more thing I want to tell you."
"What's that, George?" asked Joaquin.
"I wanted to tell you I'm leaving," George admitted.
Sally and Joaquin were surprised by what they heard. They didn't expect George to say this.
"Where are you going?" asked Sally.
"Overseas," answered George. "I want to start a new life, away from all the bad memories."
Sally sighed. He understands George's decision. He knew he had to walk away to start over.
"George, be careful," said Sally, as she hugged George. "I hope you are happy in your new life."
"Thank you, Sally," George replied, hugging Sally too. "You too, I hope you'll be happy."
George looked at Joaquin and held out his hand. "Joaquin, please forgive me for everything I've done," he said.
Joaquin accepted George's hand and smiled. "I forgive you, George," he replied. "I hope everything goes well for you."
George said goodbye and left. Sally and Joaquin were left hugging each other. Despite the sadness they feel, they know this is the right decision for George. He needs to walk away to start over and find his true happiness.
With the departure of George and the arrival of new life in the Mercedes family, Sally and Joaquin thought that their lives were gradually returning to normal. But there seems to be a shadow that continues to follow them-a shadow that is destined to disturb their peace once again.
One night, as Sally lay in their bed, she felt a heavy weight in her stomach. Although she was used to the simple pains that came with her pregnancy, now it felt heavier and more painful than before. Joaquin immediately supports her, but their peaceful night is interrupted when Joaquin's cellphone rings on the bedside table.
Joaquin remained silent, his eyes fixed on the phone. It wasn't registered in his contacts, but he had a strange feeling enveloping him.
"Who could it be at this hour?" Sally whispered as she wiped sweat from her forehead.
Joaquin was speechless as he picked up the phone. "I don't know," he answered, slightly taken aback, but forced himself to remain calm.
He answered the call, and in an instant, his face went cold. His brow furrowed, and his once cheerful expression was replaced by concern. He turned his back on Sally and went to the balcony to talk quietly.
"Who called?" Sally asked, her voice shaking, but Joaquin didn't answer her. His every move seems to be shrouded in nervousness.
On the other line, Joaquin heard a familiar voice-a voice he thought he would never hear again. "Don't you remember me, Joaquin?" asked the voice, cold and full of scorn.
"Katharina?" Joaquin was stunned for a moment, the name almost made his heart stop beating. He never expected to hear from the woman who was once a part of his complicated past.
"I miss you so much, Joaquin. You know I came back to fix everything we started?" The soft tone of Katharina's voice was full of menace.
Joaquin was speechless, but his jaw tightened. He felt the memories he had been trying to put out of his mind come back again. The intrigues, the sins, and the things that almost destroyed his life. Now, it seems a ghost from the past is coming back to terrorize them again.
"Why are you calling, Katharina? Haven't you caused enough trouble for us yet?" Joaquin asked, almost whispering but each word full of anger.
"You really miss being angry too, Joaquin," answered Katharina, laughing slightly on the other line. "But that's not the only reason I'm here. Be careful, Joaquin. You don't know who your allies are now. Your downfall is near, and you can't blame me for that."
After hearing Katharina's warning, Joaquin hangs up. He tried to stay calm, but couldn't get the woman's threat out of his mind. He knew that Katharina was not joking, especially that she had the ability to manipulate people and situations.
When he came back into the room, Sally was looking at him, worry evident on her face. "Who is that?" Sally asked, but Joaquin was reluctant to answer her. He knew that revealing the details now would only bring more tension to Sally that she should be avoiding stressing.
"That's nothing, dear. Just an old friend. Don't worry about it," replied Joaquin, trying to avoid a direct answer.
But Sally was not happy with his answer. "Joaquin, you know you can't put me through this. I know you," he answered, looking intently. "Who called?"
Joaquin fell on his forehead. He knew he couldn't lie to Sally. "That's Katharina," he said, as he approached his wife and sat her on the edge of the bed. "He's back."
When Sally heard Katharina's name, she seemed to lose her breath. This was not the news he expected to hear tonight. He knows that Katharina's name is a symbol of trouble and trials in their married life. They have talked many times about the goodness of keeping it out of their lives.
"What does he mean by your falling?" Sally asked, her voice shaking.
Before Joaquin could answer, a loud sound was heard from their door. They were both surprised, and Joaquin immediately got up to see what it was. A letter was revealed to him, left on the front door.
Joaquin picked up the envelope. No name written or anything. He opened it and saw a photograph-a picture of their family, Sally, Joaquin, and the children, but with a gruesome detail attached. There was a big red X mark on their faces.
"Joaquin, what is that?" Sally asked worriedly, seeing her husband's look as if he was getting cold.
Joaquin immediately pocketed the picture, but it was too late. Sally had seen the picture and the ominous threat etched on it.
"Honey, we have to be ready," Joaquin said, but the tremor was evident in his voice. "This is not a simple warning. Someone is planning to harm us."
"Did Katharina do this?" Sally asked, kneeling on the edge of the bed, her hands sliding down her stomach.
"I don't know," Joaquin answered, but he knew there was a high possibility that Katharina was behind it. He also knew it wouldn't end with a simple threat. They need to act before the situation worsens.
---
A few days later, Joaquin remained anxious. He has taken out all the security that can be done for their family. He posted guards at their house, and made sure that Sally and the children were always safe. But despite all these steps, he still feels unprepared for anything that might happen.
One morning, while Joaquin was driving to the office, he received a call from his lawyer. "Joaquin, you need to get here immediately. New evidence has come out against your case. It's not going well."
"What do you mean?" asked Joaquin, while driving his car fast. "I thought the case was almost over?"
"I thought so too, Joaquin," answered the lawyer. "But there are new documents that have been released. It seems that someone has given testimony against you, and there is a good chance that you will go to jail."
Joaquin suddenly felt heavy. He remembered what Katharina had said in their last conversation-that she didn't know who her allies were now. Now, it's crystal clear that someone is moving to bring him down, and it's possibly Katharina.
---
When he arrived at his lawyer's office, he was shown the documents. This is a detailed report from a former employee of Joaquin, accusing him of corruption and improper business practices. Although they are untrue, the former employee's testimony is enough to cause serious problems in Joaquin's case.
"Joaquin, we need to take care of this immediately. Otherwise, your name will be ruined," said the lawyer.
But that's not what Joaquin is thinking about now. His name is not the only thing at stake. His family's security, Sally's safety, and the future of their children are also at stake. He has to take action, and he has to protect everyone he loves, no matter the cost.
While Joaquin was thinking about the next steps, mul
when his phone rang. An unknown number calls again.
Joaquin stared at the screen of his phone, and with a deep sigh, he answered the call.
"Be careful, Joaquin. We're closer than you think," threatened the voice from the other line, before finally cutting the call.
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