Eda felt that her life would be a bit stormy just because of the presence of that other son of the man she would marry in a month. She knew immediately that when Joseph described Max to her, he had fallen short. Luckily for her, Mr. Maximo and his youngest son were kind people, as was the kitchen employee she had been introduced to.
After that inconvenience, Maximo took her by the arm and led her upstairs. Eda began to feel a lump in her throat, but then she remembered what her grandfather had told her and remained calm.
"He's a good man, daughter, he will never disrespect you." "Marrying him will be the only way I can protect you better."
Those words echoed in her head, and she knew it was true when, upon reaching a corridor on the second floor, he guided her to the last door.
"This will be your room, Eda" he began to say with a sweet smile "after the wedding we will look for a solution so that no one suspects"he assured her, and she nodded.
"Thank you very much, sir.."just when she was about to say that, Maximo raised a hand and smiled slightly
"Call me Maximo"he said calmly "remember that you are my fiancee, it's not good for you to call me sir, is it?"he said with a smile, and she nodded with another.
"Okay, have a good night" said the girl sweetly and opened the door to enter.
Eda almost fainted when she saw all that. The room was like the size of her room multiplied by 20. A large light wood bed was in the middle of the room, right in front of the huge window. The walls were high and light pink with gray tones in some of them. The light that entered through the large window gave more life to that bedroom. Eda felt better than she had in a long time. When she approached the bed, she confirmed that it was as soft as it looked. Despite not seeing a fireplace for the cold nights, she felt that she would never be cold again.
Eda took a hot bath and washed her hair with a shampoo she found on the large shelf in the bathroom, along with many other products she had only seen on television.
After putting on comfortable pajamas and drying her hair, she went to bed, but to her unawareness, that hard and cold look from those beautiful blue eyes kept her restless for a long time until she could fall asleep almost at two in the morning.
That morning the sun didn't even show up. Gray clouds would cover the entire sky, announcing a strong storm. The weather was cold while the rain was already falling. Eda put on a red floral dress with a black background, making a unique contrast with her fair skin. Although she put on her old coat, she knew that it wouldn't protect her from the cold in the environment. She checked the time before leaving the room, and it was already eight in the morning. Although the kitchen lady had told her the night before that breakfast was served at seven thirty, she wasn't used to having breakfast so early, not for pleasure but because in her old house she could only eat after doing some of the main tasks that her father left her from a very young age.
When she went down the stairs, she discovered that everything was silent.
"Good morning, dear" she heard, and when she turned around, she saw Maximo coming behind her, but he was wearing a perfect suit, which indicated that he was going out.
"Likewise, si.."she began to say, but she stopped quickly "I'm sorry, likewise to you, Maximo"she said with a small smile that softened his heart.
"Go have breakfast and then come to the office, I'll tell you something" he said calmly and with a smile.
"Very well" she said...
Eda finished going down the stairs. Upon entering the kitchen, her hairs suddenly stood on end. When she looked up and saw the broad-shouldered figure sitting at the head of the table, she understood the reason.
"Good morning" she exclaimed, but as expected, Max didn't bother to answer. He only fixed his gaze on her for a few seconds, then focused it again on the newspaper that was on the table.
The woman who was cooking served her the food and gave her a smile.
Eda thanked her and began to eat.
"A strong storm is coming today" said the woman calmly while looking out the large kitchen window, the same one that overlooked the garden.
"Yes, it's a pity" Eda began to say "I would have liked to take a walk around" she said enthusiastically, and the woman smiled slightly.
"You can do it as soon as it stops" she assured, and Eda nodded.
Max watched the two women in absolute silence, finished his cup of coffee and stood up without giving the girl a single look.
Eda finished her breakfast, and just when she was about to take the dishes to the sink, the woman approached and immediately took them away.
"But what are you doing," dear?"she asked."
"I was going to wash the dishes and help you a little" she replied in a soft voice, and the woman smiled apologetically.
"Don't worry about that, dear" she began to say"you will soon become the lady of this house and doing this is improper" Claudia explained calmly.
"Please just call me Eda" she asked with a smile "I wouldn't feel comfortable with someone older than me like you addressing me so formally" she assured sweetly, and the woman nodded.
"I'll see what I can do" Claudia was a fifty-four-year-old woman who had been on those lands since Maximo had married the previous Mrs. Santos.
"Very well" exclaimed Eda before leaving the kitchen.
Eda remembered which was the office door among that large room and went there because she remembered that Maximo had asked her to.
Upon opening the door, she realized that he wasn't alone. Max was with his father, and when he saw her, his expression became very somber and full of disgust.
"Oh, I'm sorry" she apologized quickly "I didn't know you were busy" she said.
"Don't worry, dear" he said with a smile "I was waiting for you" Eda approached, closing the door behind her.
Max felt his stomach churning when he saw that. He couldn't understand anything that was happening no matter how hard he tried to find the logic.
His father had asked him to come see him after breakfast, but he didn't expect that he would have also summoned her.
"I wanted to inform you that I have to go on a trip this afternoon" he said suddenly.
"I won't be back for a couple of days, I'll come for the engagement party and then I'll leave until next month"he explained.
"What does that have to do with me, father?"asked Max without understanding anything "in any case, it's with your fiancee that you have to talk about these issues"Max blurted out.
"I know, son, but I want you to take care of her in my absence as well as the hacienda" said Maximo confidently "try to make Eda feel comfortable, please."
Max almost let out a hysterical laugh, because did his father not remember that that girl was not to his liking? As if to ask him for such a thing, but just when he was about to respond, an idea occurred to him.
"Okay, father" he said without saying more, leaving the other two surprised.
"Can I trust you then," son?"he asked, and Max nodded, forcing a slight smile"
"I'll do it for you, father" he said, glancing sideways at Eda and looking back at his father.
After that, Max left the office without saying anything else. A completely malevolent smile appeared on his handsome face.
"You can rest easy until I come back, Eda" said Maximo calmly.
"Okay" she said, although deep down she felt that things wouldn't be that way. She didn't swallow Max's story that he would support her, although the man hadn't done it completely either.
"I would have liked to show you the surroundings, dear, but this storm won't let us go horseback riding around there" he pointed out with regret.
"Don't worry, we'll have time" she said with a sweet smile.
Maximo could recognize the innocence in her as well as her sincerity, so he was convinced that bringing her to his home was the best option.
"Very well" he said.
A couple of hours later, the rain was still falling, but Eda was with Maximo on the porch of the house waiting for the driver to pick him up to take him away. The man's two sons were also there.
A moment later, Maximo saw Eda holding her arms against herself, and then he realized something. She was wearing a coat that seemed very thin for that time and the cold that it was.
"Dear, go inside, it's cold here" he said, approaching her
"Oh, don't worry" she exclaimed "I'll wait for you to leave."
Maximo smiled, but made a mental note to buy her new coats in the city, he would ask his assistant to buy new clothes for her since it was inappropriate for the future lady of the Los Santos hacienda to be without good clothes. Or at least with clothes that would protect her in these times of rain and cold.
When the car finally arrived, Maximo said goodbye to his sons with a hug and a handshake. When he went to approach her, he felt the fixed gaze of his eldest son on him as if he were his prey or something similar. Maximo approached Eda and hugged her affectionately, leaving a kiss on her forehead.
"Be careful out there" she whispered sincerely.
After all the greetings, the engine resonated when the car was running.
Eda waved her hand in the direction of the car. This seemed very sweet to Joseph, but very ridiculous to Max.
Joseph entered the house, leaving the other two outside.
When Eda was about to enter, Max's voice stopped her.
"Go to the office in a few minutes, I have to talk to you" he said in an authoritarian tone. She realized that this had been the only time he had spoken to her more than two words together.
"Okay" she said. Max entered the house, and she stayed outside for a moment longer thinking about what he had to say to her.
When Eda entered the house, she went to the office. Upon opening the door, he was sitting comfortably and motioned for her to come closer.
"The acting can end now" he said incredulously. She raised her eyebrows without understanding anything"Don't act like the saint is talking to you, Eda" he blurted out, losing patience.
"I don't understand what you mean" she said sincerely.
"My father is gone now, it's not necessary for you to pretend to be the sweet and innocent girl" he said dismissively, and she began to understand what that was about.
"I'm not pretending anything, Maximiliano" she blurted out confidently "you have no right to disrespect me in this way" she stated.
Without saying anything more, Max put his hand in his shirt pocket and took out a paper envelope and threw it on the table.
"Look at that before giving me any answer" he blurted out.
Eda hesitated a bit before doing it, but she took it anyway.
Upon opening it, she realized what it was. Eda opened her eyes a little when she saw the amount that was put on that envelope, many zeros, she had never before had a check for that amount in her hands, or rather she had never had a check in her hands before.
"It's what I can give you to leave" he said as if nothing had happened "think about it well, it's a good offer"he continued saying while he approached her, going around the desk.
"But..."
"It's better than marrying my father, think about it better Eda, you wouldn't have to reach the altar with a man you don't want and even less would you have to reach the moment of the wedding night, think about it" he said with great naturalness..
Eda looked at him and couldn't believe that. How was it possible that any man could think like that about a woman he doesn't even know? She looked for some sign of hesitation on his face, but it was serious.
"If you want a little more, I could think about it if you leave today of course" he said when he saw that she didn't respond "I know that you're doing all this plot for money and I'm giving it to you so that you save yourself all the little wedding act and everything that includes your married life" he assured "so what is your answer?"he asked.
Without hesitating twice, Eda looked at him with rage and his smile disappeared when he felt her hand hit his cheek.
"I won't allow you to insult me in this way!!"she blurted out with rage.
Max had been shocked by that reaction of the girl.
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