Episode 1

Natalia Neres:

I've just put the last piece of clothing inside the suitcase. I close it without difficulty because I didn't have much to take. I sit on the bed with tired eyes and my eyes observe every corner of that room where I lived my whole life. Today marks a month since I lost my parents in a serious car accident, and to fulfill my father's last wish, I will marry one of the sons of the Navarro family.

I will leave everything behind, including my job as a receptionist at a hospital clinic in my city.

The farewell to the childhood room is a melancholic moment, full of memories and longing for my deceased parents. Each object reminds me of a moment we lived together, the laughter, the hugs, every serious conversation. The walls still echo their voices, bringing a bitter comfort to my heart. The reality of the trauma and loneliness after the accident envelops me once again, but I try to cling to my father's wish as an anchor in this tumultuous sea of emotions.

In these twenty-three years that I lived in this house, I had wonderful moments.

My father's name was Alfredo and my mother's, Lucia, both were 43 years old.

Honoring my father's last wish is not an easy choice. Accepting to marry someone chosen by him, without love, without prior passion, is a test of faith in his wishes for me. The expectations and fears for the wedding consume me. What will my life be like with the Navarro family? Will I find space to plant new roots, create new memories, maybe even discover love? In the immensity of my thoughts, I lose myself in noting that this type of marriage could fail at any moment.

I didn't want to get married, as I carry a trauma within me, since I was abandoned by my ex-fiance, but as my father and Mrs. Navarro had already made this arrangement before the accident for reasons I don't know, I can't reject the will of the man who raised me and, alongside my mother, educated me honestly. The Navarro family is one of the most influential and wealthy in the country, and today I am wondering why Mrs. Navarro chose me to be the wife of one of her sons, as she herself told me that she has two sons, one of them will be my husband. I am just a simple young woman who lives in a small town and worked hard as a receptionist at a clinic to help my parents at home.

I know little about the Navarro family, but what my father told me is that he owed them favors. But after my parents' death, a very well-dressed and kind-looking woman came to my house and told me about everything my father Alfredo had already said, and today I am with my bags packed.

That woman's name is Sueli Navarro, my future mother-in-law. As for her two sons, I never bothered to know about them, although in recent days the curiosity has been great, but even so, I am leaving it to meet them when I arrive at the mansion.

Although I found everything strange, I decided to fulfill my father's last wish and marry a completely unknown man.

As the car moves away from the house that was once my home, I feel a mixture of emotions invade me. The sadness for the loss of my parents is still intense, but there is also curiosity and nervousness regarding my future with the Navarros. I look out the window and see the city passing quickly, the lights shining like distant stars. I feel small and vulnerable in the face of the unknown, but also determined to move forward. However, there is also a flame of courage within me, as I have decided to honor my father's last wish and face this new chapter of my life.

The tall buildings pass like shadows along the way, as I move further and further away from my old home. A sense of insecurity mixed with curiosity grows inside me as I think about the unknown future that awaits me as the wife of one of Sueli Navarro's sons. Still, I cannot deny the curiosity and courage in my heart to move forward.

As I crossed the gates of the grandiose Navarro Mansion, my eyes could hardly believe the beauty and majesty that unfolded before me. The architecture was a perfect blend of old and modern, with high walls that seemed to touch the sky while the stones of the walls told stories of centuries past. The gardens were an explosion of colors, with flowers of all kinds that extended around the house.

"We have arrived, Mrs. Navarro."

The driver says as he parks the car in front of the entrance door of the mansion. I confess that I felt awkward, as I had not yet married and he respectfully called me Mrs. Navarro.

As I got out of the car, my eyes immediately got lost in the magnificence of that house that stood majestically before me. The architectural style, the immensity of the gardens, and the almost gloomy silence that surrounded it, all seemed to come out of a fairy tale. My admiration was interrupted only when the door opened.

Suddenly, a very smiling woman comes towards me.

And with a welcoming smile she said to me. "Welcome, my dear," she said with an enthusiasm that immediately made me feel at home. I replied "Thank you" with a shy smile, still absorbed in the surprise of being received so warmly.

"Come on, come in. Mrs. Navarro is waiting for you in the living room," continued the smiling woman, guiding me inside. The interior of the house was as impressive as the exterior, with every detail revealing meticulous care in the decoration. Then, I spotted Sueli Navarro.

With firm steps and a smile that lit up the room, Sueli came to meet me.

"Natalia, I'm so glad you came. Welcome to the Navarro mansion," she said, enveloping me in a hug so tight that for a moment I was speechless. The surprise of such a warm welcome left me without words.

"How was the trip?" she asked, with genuine interest, as soon as we moved away. The simplicity of the question, asked after a hug so full of meaning, left me even more surprised. There, at that moment, I felt that the Navarro mansion held much more than stories and antiques; it held human warmth and possibly, many secrets.

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