Chapter 90

**Belle**

I followed her impatiently, imagining the worst-case scenario. I desperately needed to know the truth. Could I really believe in this woman who clearly despised every part of my being? Knowing wouldn’t bring my mother back, and the only person who had cared for me for so long was here now, without his memory and feeling abandoned by the world.

"Are you listening to me, girl?" I looked up and saw her taking off her glasses to look us directly in the eye.

"I don’t think I need to know the truth; nothing will change for me." I saw her irritation as she responded sharply.

"What now? Will you pretend it doesn’t matter to you which family you belong to? Rich or poor... I’m not that stupid."

"You think that’s all that matters in life—having money or not..."

"Everyone wants money; it moves the world and people... otherwise, why haven’t you turned down the offer I made you? I’m sure you’ve thought about it... because it’s good, because it opens all the doors that were once closed." I clenched my fists and retorted.

"Not everything in life can be bought." She smirked bitterly and leaned closer to my face.

"I’ll buy whatever interests me; I don’t need everything... By the way, you’re my father’s daughter." My breath caught as I looked at her with pain.

"No... that can’t be true."

"I was thinking about lying to you; it would’ve been easier and more convenient... but I realized you’re such a nobody that I’m certain the weight of the Zambrano family will crush you. But I have good news for you—it suits you better to be the lost daughter of a ruined family."

"Ruined? What are you talking about?"

"The Santorini family—the same senile old man you have there—is supposedly my family. It turns out your mother, the prostitute, had an affair with the eldest son of the Santorini family, and I was the result of that affair. A senseless irony of life... I deserve to be a Zambrano, and I will be until my dying day."

"But he’s your grandfather! Don’t you care about his future at all? Haven’t you seen him? He has no one else, and he doesn’t even remember me."

"If you’re so worried, stay with that nobody. To me, that family means nothing; I’ll be generous and give them to you... they don’t fit with me, but you... you should’ve been a Santorini." My horrified expression said it all—how could someone be so inhuman?

"So, do we have a deal?" She extended her hand with a smug smile that disgusted me. I pushed her hand aside and, looking at her with a cold expression, retorted with disdain.

"I don’t need to make any deal with trash like you. A loved one isn’t bargained for your benefit. If you want to erase him from your life as if you never saw him, don’t mention his name or show up in front of him again. And I don’t need to promise you anything. That man is my family; I don’t need a last name. Keep your garbage family." I turned to leave that place, only to hear her laugh.

"I’m the trash... And you? Do you think I don’t know how you’re fooling around with my man, the man I was going to marry? You got in the way. You’re just like your mother—a prostitute." I clenched my fists, stopping in my tracks. I turned toward her and, without hesitation, walked up to her and slapped her.

"Talk about me all you want, but don’t you dare insult my mother... She died on the streets for me, so don’t go down that road because I might forget what little civility I have and speak to you in the language of the streets." She smirked mockingly and said,

"Go on... finally showing your true colors, you filthy street rat. You should’ve stayed in your dumpster. You’ll regret laying a hand on me."

"That’s not your decision," I said as I turned to leave, but she stopped me.

"Let me tell you something else... Do you really think Cesar didn’t know about any of this? And if he didn’t, I assure you he’d decide the same thing as me—or worse—for your fate. Do you know why?" I turned to look at her, and with a sly smile, she said,

"Because he, like me, knows what it means to be with him. No matter what you change, there’s a barrier between him and you that you’ll never break—the barrier of status. Mark my words, little girl. Do yourself a favor and try not to resemble me. It’s disgusting seeing you walk around with my face. Who knows what you might ask of people out there using my influence." She put on her glasses and walked confidently toward the exit. A pang churned in my gut, and I doubted for a moment. Everyone had dragged me into this from the beginning. And if Cesar was part of it too...

Cesar

"Have you been able to find anything about Belle’s family?"

"I still don’t have enough data, Mr. Cesar."

"Alright, let me know when you have something concrete."

"As you command, sir. Have a good trip. I wish you were flying in your private jet; nighttime flights aren’t safe."

"Don’t start with your insecurities, Joffre. It’s just a flight like any other. I’ll call you when I land." I hung up, looked at my phone, and sent a message to Belle with a smile on my lips.

"Wait for me... I want to talk to you when I get back."

Suddenly, severe turbulence shook the plane, causing the lights to flicker. People began murmuring in fear as the lights dimmed. A flight attendant hurried out, struggling to stay on her feet against the plane’s violent shakes.

"What’s going on in the cockpit?"

"Please remain calm; we’re experiencing slight turbulence due to a sudden storm..." Just as she finished speaking, the plane jolted violently, prompting the passengers to scream as oxygen masks fell. An alarm blared, casting a red glow across the cabin. I quickly fastened my seatbelt as the plane began a rapid descent.

I was going to die... This is how my life would end—in an accident, like family.
I closed my eyes until everything went silent