Chapter 4
1564 Words
Bella
Within fifteen minutes, Miro was at my front door.
Thankfully, Ana was gone. The last thing I needed was her sharp tongue ready to twist this into gossip.
“Miro,” I said with a sigh, pulling him inside. “You didn’t have to do this. You don’t even know us.”
I mean, apart from the step relation that I didn’t even know we shared, we really were just strangers.
“I do,” he said softly, pushing his hands into his sweats as he looked me right in the eye. “You may not know me, Isabella. But I know you.”
“Don’t… don’t call me that, please.” It’s what my father used to call me, and just the thought of him made my eyes sting.
“I know you,” he said again. “And I want to know more about you… and Lucia. Let me take her out. Just this once. If she doesn’t like me, I’ll back off.”
His tone was calm, and steady, like it wasn’t demanding, only invited. For a fleeting moment, I wondered if he adapted that from my father from being around him, and it made my chest ache.
I pondered what he said, still confused. What was his endgame here? Was he trying to build a brother-sister, uncle-niece relationship? Or was it about the house my father left me?
Before I could redirect more uncertainty at him, a small voice broke me away from my thoughts.
“You’re really here?” Lucia was standing in the stairway, hugging her stuffed bunny… not the pony.
Miro side-stepped me and crouched in front of Lucia, and she watched him with tentative eyes.
“I would if you’d allow me,” he said softly, his tone gentler than I expected. “I booked the entire section of the amusement park for just the three of us. How does that sound?”
Me and Lucia had mirroring expressions of shock, except hers was excited and undoubtedly impressed, and I was downright terrified.
He actually went to this extent for Lucia?
“Did you really?!” she squealed, and my heart lurched.
“I did. If your mom says yes,” Miro said, “I’ll take you.”
Lucia’s hopeful eyes darted to me. “Please, Mommy? Pretty please?”
I sighed and grabbed her backpack. “Alright. But she’ll talk your ear off.”
“I can handle it,” Miro said, his faint smirk soft but sure, like someone used to keeping promises.
***
The amusement park was buzzing with life despite being practically empty.
I didn’t know how he pulled it off, but he actually did.
Lucia practically glowed. She darted between stalls, clutching our hands and squealing over cotton candy and bright balloons. Every laugh that left her lips felt like a small victory after the chaos of the last few days. Watching her smile like that made the world tilt back into place, at least for a few hours.
We hit the rides immediately. I didn’t get much time to question Miro further, but he seemed softer here.
Unlike Diego, who’d have spent the day on his phone, Miro actually joined in — carrying Lucia on his shoulders, winning her a bunny, and even riding the carousel when she asked.
He didn’t hover; he was simply present.
When Lucia got bored of the “old people,” she insisted Miro find the kids’ section again, so we took her to the other side of the park where there was a playground.
Miro and I sat under a tree, sharing an over-priced vanilla ice cream cup.
“You’re surprisingly good with kids,” I said as we watched Lucia play, her laughter carrying through the air.
He shrugged. “I like them. They don’t hide how they feel. It makes life easier.”
I somehow felt like that was meant for me. I glanced at him, noticing the way sunlight softened the lines of his face. Was he always this calm and grounded? It was everything Diego hadn’t been for years.
“You have any of your own?”
He shook his head. “No. Never really had the chance.”
“Well, Lucia loves you.” I almost laughed, because hell, he was growing on me too. “And thank you… again.”
“I want to,” he said, meeting my eyes. “I’ve wanted to for a long time, but you didn’t seem to need me until now.”
That caught me off guard. It wasn’t too forward, just… true. It made me feel seen in a way I hadn’t in years.
What did he mean he’d wanted to for a long time? Had he known my life all along?
The silence lingered, filled by the soft hum of carousel music.
“Are you really divorcing him?” he asked finally.
My breath caught. “You don’t waste time, do you?”
“I just want to understand.”
I looked away, focusing on Lucia’s bright face instead of his. “There’s nothing to understand. The marriage died a long time ago. We just haven’t buried it yet for Lucia’s sake.”
He said nothing for a while, and when I finally looked back, there was empathy there… quiet and unspoken.
“You deserve better than that.”
“Deserve doesn’t always matter,” I murmured. “You learn that the hard way when you love someone who keeps proving they don’t love you back. Until eventually, you just… stop.”
Miro’s gaze lingered for a long moment, as if he wanted to say something but chose not to.
Then his posture shifted, shoulders tensing, eyes narrowing.
“What is—” I stopped mid-question when I followed his gaze to see Diego storming toward us, anger twisting his features.
“Of course,” he seethed, marching past a confused Lucia. “I should’ve known.”
“Diego,” I said flatly, every trace of warmth draining from my voice. “What are you doing here?”
“What am I doing here?” he repeated mockingly. “That’s rich, coming from you. Having a date at our daughter’s favorite park?” His glare flicked to Miro. “With this same guy?”
Miro stood calmly beside me, but I saw the shift in his posture.
“I’m here because you weren’t,” he said evenly.
Diego barked a humorless laugh. “You’ve got a lot of nerve, buddy. You think you can just swoop in and play family now?”
Lucia, being the smart baby she is, sensed the tension and ran toward us. “Daddy?” she whispered. “What’s wrong?”
“Not now, sweetheart,” he said sharply, not even looking at her. She flinched, her lips trembling.
“Don’t talk to her like that,” I hissed, my patience snapping. “You promised her this, Diego. You promised you’d show up. And when you didn’t, someone else did. Don’t turn that into my fault.”
I bent to Lucia’s level, brushing her frown away.
“Why don’t you go back to play, sweetheart? Once we’re done, we’ll take one last ride before we head home.”
She looked between us, worry shadowing her eyes, then nodded and walked away.
I exhaled, pressing my fingers to my temple.
“You think you can just use another man to make me look bad?” Diego hissed.
“I don’t need help making you look bad,” I said quietly. “You’re doing that perfectly on your own.”
He glared, then forced a brittle laugh, glancing around as if to make a show of it. “You always did love playing the victim. You’re nothing but a little slut!” ”
Before I could respond, Miro moved, fast but measured, grabbing Diego by the collar and pinning him against the tree.
“Don’t you ever,” he growled, voice low and composed, “talk to her like that again.”
Diego’s face flushed red as Miro’s grip tightened.
“Miro,” I said firmly, gripping his arm. “It’s fine. Let him go.”
He hesitated, then finally released him. Diego stumbled, coughing and glaring.
“Where were you?” I demanded, tone low and controlled. “Don’t feed me that ‘client’ nonsense again. Who were you really with?”
He coughed a few more times, eyes blazing with resentment. “I told you. Sofia’s family is important to the company. I was with her father.”
“Right,” I said quietly, my voice cutting like glass. “And I’m sure Sofia’s lipstick just happened to crawl up your collar for good luck.”
“Watch your mouth, Bella.”
I took a step closer. “No, Diego. You watch yours.”
For once, he didn’t respond. Just straightened his shirt, avoiding my eyes.
“This is the last time you disappoint her,” I said flatly. I really didn’t give a s**t about Sofia. I was just pissed that he chose her over Lucia again. “I’ll have the divorce papers ready tomorrow, and you better sign them.”
“I’m not signing any damn papers,” he rasped. “We’re not getting a divorce.”
I stared at him, stunned as the cold clarity settled over me.
That manipulative, self-serving bastard.
- Writer
