LUST AND LOVE FOR POWER

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

5 years later

CAMPECHE CITY, MEXICO

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"Daddy!"

A little girl with black curly hair and brown eyes leaped off the elderly woman’s lap. She had been listening to a local Spanish poem, meant to keep her entertained and out of trouble, but the second she saw him, she could no longer be contained. With chubby legs pumping, she fled, launching herself into the strong arms of the man who had captured her heart.

"Ama!" Sebastian caught his daughter midair, holding her tightly before twirling her around. Her giggles were melodic, soft—an echo of a past he could never truly escape. She was her mother’s reflection, down to the curls framing her delicate face and the piercing brown eyes that once captivated him. Each time he tried to bury the memory of Catalina’s betrayal, Ama’s face resurrected it.

‘Dear Sebastian,

I love you dearly but I must say the time has come for us to put this love to an end. I cannot tell you much of my plans but know that I have left to get a better life for myself with the new man that is perfect for me. I see no good in life with you except sufferings and I am not born for a life like that. I have given you a child now give me the peace of my freedom, away from your feeble love. Take care of your daughter Ama as she is not mine anymore, I do not want her and please don't search for me.

From your, forever love Catalina’

The talk of Catalina’s sudden departure had been the gossip of the town. Even now, Sebastian wondered whether he buried himself in work just to escape the whispers, the pitying glances.

Once your anchor, now adrift—the tides of betrayal, a merciless shift.

No. He knew why he worked tirelessly. He needed to provide for his daughter. He needed to ensure his frail, ailing mother had access to proper healthcare.

She had been Ama’s mother figure, her anchor in a world without Catalina. Without his mother’s strength, Sebastian wasn’t sure how he would have raised his daughter alone.

” I have missed you so much, daddy”

” I have missed you too my princess, couldn't stop myself from thinking about you and granny”

She wrapped her tiny hands around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder while he walked and scouted to kiss his mother on her forehead.

"How are you feeling, Mama?"

"Better now, my son. The sight of you always makes me feel stronger."

Sebastian chuckled at her lightheartedness, but the worry remained. He saw the pain she tried to hide, and it hurt him deeply.

When did my life change from colors and happiness to such sadness and darkness?



He reached into his pocket and pulled out her medication. "The doctor asked me to give you these, Mama. They should help." He turned to Ama and whispered, "Go to the kitchen, mi amor, and bring Granny some water."

She nodded and happily ran inside. Sebastian watched her go, his heart aching.

If only Catalina were here to see the beautiful soul we created.

Pulling a stool closer to his mother, he spoke in a deep Spanish accent, his voice heavy with emotion.

"Sé que no te sientes muy bien, mamá. ¿Puedes, por una vez, dejar de actuar demasiado fuerte y decirme la verdad? Necesito saber cómo ayudarte. No quieres ver al médico, ni tomar tu medicación. Peor aún, te niegas a que contrate ayuda para cuidar de ti y de Ama mientras trabajo."

(I know you’re not feeling well, Mama. Can you, just this once, stop pretending to be strong and tell me the truth? I need to know how to help you. You refuse to see the doctor, to take your medication. Worse yet, you won’t let me bring someone to help care for you and Ama while I’m working.)

She smiled weakly. "You worry too much, Sebastian. It’s just a fever. I’ve been taking my medications. Yo estaré bien. You should focus on yourself and on Ama."

"Mama, if you're in pain, you must tell me," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "I lost Catalina, I can’t lose you too. You and Ama are the only reasons I live."

"I promise," she whispered.

Ama returned with the glass of water, and Sebastian reached for his bag.

“I have to leave for work again, princesa. I’ll be back late tonight.”

Her smile faltered. “But you just got home, Papa.” Her voice wavered, and her brown eyes glistened. “Why do you always leave?”

Sebastian opened his mouth, but his mother stepped in. She lifted Ama into her arms, stroking her back.

“Your papa has to work hard for us, mi amor. If he stays home, we won’t have food. We won’t have medicine.”

Ama sniffled. “But we have food… and Nana always has to take medicine.”

Sebastian crouched in front of her. “Listen to me, Ama. I love you more than anything. I wish I could stay, but Nana is getting older, and you need to go back to school. We need money to keep our family safe.”

She hesitated. "So, you’re not leaving us forever?"

His breath hitched at the thought. "Never, Ama. Never."

As much as he tried to protect Ama from the town gossips from the absence of her mother, it seems his efforts were futile.

She nodded, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Then I’ll wait for you and take care of Nana while you’re away. I love you, Daddy."

Taking his bag, he kissed his mother and daughter before Stepping into the night.

CRISCROW BAR

Sebastian walked into the dimly lit bar, shrugging off the exhaustion weighing on his shoulders.

“Back again?” Luisa smirked. “I thought you were done for the night.”

Arturo shot her a glare as he opened the back door for Sebastian. “Mind your business and focus on your job.”

Luisa scoffed, tossing her rag onto the table. “I just think it’s unfair he has to work so many extra shifts.”

“Oh, please. You think sleeping with the boss makes you better than the rest of us?” Arturo snapped.

Luisa bristled. “At least I stayed. Unlike Catalina.”

Sebastian froze.

“Say her name again, Luisa, and I swear—”

She raised an eyebrow. “Still hurts, huh? Face it, Sebastian, no one wants a broke man. Maybe you should find a real job. You’d make more money stripping than wasting away as a bartender.”

Sebastian lunged, but Arturo pulled him back.

“Enough!”

Luisa smirked. “I just don’t want Ama to end up like her mother.”

Sebastian clenched his fists.

Ama will never end up like Catalina. I will make sure of it.

Arturo placed a hand on his shoulder. “You’re doing fine, hermano. You’re a good father.”

Sebastian clenched his fists. He had no time for this.

Just then, his phone buzzed. His heart stopped when he saw the caller ID: Mama.

But when he answered, it wasn’t her voice.

"Daddy! Something’s wrong with Nana!" Ama sobbed.

His blood turned to ice.

"Stay with her, mi amor! I’m coming!" He hung up, turning to Arturo. “It’s my mother, something’s wrong! I need your truck."

Arturo tossed him the keys to El Toro, his battered but reliable old pickup. "Go. I’ve got you covered."

Sebastian bolted to Arturo’s old truck El Toro, his hands trembling as he called the doctor.

"Por favor, sé fuerte, madre..." (Please, be strong, Mother...)

By the time he reached home, the house was empty. A neighbor rushed over.

“The ambulance took her to the hospital.”

His heart pounded as he drove to the hospital, barely able to breathe.

Sebastian had known his mother’s condition was critical, but hearing the doctor confirm how fatal it truly was had shaken him to his core. She had been battling heart cancer for years, undiagnosed, and by the time they found out, it was already too late. It wasn’t until Catalina left him that he noticed something was wrong with his mother; her weariness, her pain. From that moment on, he made sure she took the right medication, yet he never understood why she sometimes skipped her doses, despite knowing how fragile her condition was.

As he approached the hospital, he quickly parked the car and ran inside, his heart pounding in his chest. His eyes darted around the waiting area until he spotted Ama standing beside Aunt Teresa, who was holding her protectively.

“Ama!” he called out, lifting his daughter into his arms and hugging her tightly. “Where’s your nana?”

“She’s in there,” Ama pointed toward the emergency room, her small voice trembling.

Sebastian rushed to the doors, peering through the small glass window, but he couldn’t see anything. Turning to Aunt Teresa, he asked urgently, “Thank you for being here. What did the doctor say?”

Aunt Teresa, an old family friend, shook her head. “No one has told me anything yet. They took her in, and we have just been waiting.”

He ran a shaky hand through his hair, pacing anxiously.

“Please stay calm, Sebastian,” Aunt Teresa said gently. “Your mother is strong. She’s been through so much, she will pull through.”

He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. “Okay... okay.” Clenching his fists, he sat down in the waiting room, his knee bouncing with restless energy.

Then, the emergency room doors swung open, and the doctor stepped out. Sebastian was on his feet in an instant. “How is my mother?” he asked, his voice strained.

The doctor’s solemn expression sent a wave of dread crashing over him. “How is she?” he demanded again.

The doctor hesitated, avoiding his gaze.

Sebastian’s heart pounded. He stepped back, fear gripping him. “Doctor?”

The doctor exhaled heavily. “I’m sorry, Mr. Sebastian, but we lost her.” His voice was quiet, almost reluctant, as if saying it out loud would make it worse.

Sebastian felt the air leave his lungs. “What...?” His knees buckled, and he collapsed to the floor.

The cries of Aunt Teresa and Ama echoed around him, but they felt distant, muffled by the deafening roar of his grief.

“We did everything we could,” the doctor continued, his voice thick with regret. “She left this for you.”

Sebastian barely registered the piece of paper the doctor handed him before walking away. His trembling hands closed around it as he staggered back against the wall. Memories of his mother flooded his mind; the warmth of her laughter, the softness of her embrace, the sacrifices she made. And now, she was gone.

Why does my life have to be such a waste?

“No... My mother can’t be dead. She can’t!” he screamed, his voice breaking as he clenched the note in his shaking hand.

Tears blurred his vision as he slowly unfolded the letter, his heart pounding against his ribs. The words, written in his mother’s familiar handwriting, hit him like a thunderbolt.

Sebastian, my son,

I know I didn’t give you the best life while I was alive, and for that, I am sorry. I kept this secret for years, but I promised myself I would not take it to the grave. I can’t bear to see you suffer anymore. The truth about your identity, the truth about your father and the life that is rightfully yours is in my safe. Your real life isn’t here in Campeche City. Everything you need to know is inside. Please, forgive me, my son.

I love you.

Sebastian’s hands shook as he reread the words, his mother’s final confession unraveling the very foundation of his existence. A storm of emotions raged within him; grief, anger, confusion. What truth had she hidden from him all these years? And why now, when she was no longer here to explain?

With a heavy heart and tear-streaked face, he clenched the note in his fist.

Everything he thought he knew was a lie.