Nacre's Promise

Chapter XXVII : First contacts

— Dinner is served, Doña Elvira. I put the table in the dining room because, on the terrace, it is too windy. Do you think the newlyweds will join you?

— Thank you, Dolores, Diego will do what he pleases as long as he comes alone. Put only one place setting.

— But Doña Elvira, I can't do that, Don Rodrigo didn't like yesterday at all. I can't start over.

— Obey me in silence, Dolores, I no longer want to hear your remarks!

— Well, they interest me, interjected Rodrigo, appearing near the two women.

He had approached in silence and hadn't missed any of the conversation. His angry gaze spoke louder than his words. He decided to talk to Elvira and fired the cook. With a quick step, he walked towards her which made her step back, until she found herself stuck against the wall. Towering over her waist, Rodrigo threateningly forced her to stand still.

— Woman, your devious shenanigans dishonor us. I cannot bear your intrigues again. Be warned, if you're still trying to harm Isabel, or anyone else in this house, I'll kick you out. Any complaints or justifications that you might oppose to me will not change anything in this decision. Stay in your place of wife, do not dare to leave it and do not interfere in any way in the lives of the children. If you force me to make a choice, I already know that it will not be favorable to you.

Anger distorted his features. Elvira turned on her heels and disappeared. Returning to her room, she had her meal served there, determined never to share the same table with the one she considered a usurper.

Rodrigo, red with anger, needed time to regain his composure and he took refuge away in his office. What woman had Elvira become? The years had transformed her and he no longer recognized her.

He reflected on the outcome of their wedding. In their youth, she had managed to inspire him with a certain attachment, but today she was not the same. Her heart was hard. She seemed incapable of behaving with dignity and reveled in various plots that were not compatible with their house. How could she have changed like this?

Rodrigo, who had expected that she would not easily accept Salvador's wedding, had been astonished to see her accustomed to it with good grace. She seemed to get along very well with Soledad and often went to their house to see little Elvira.

On the other hand, and although he knows why Diego's wedding to Isabel caused such rejection in her, he had hoped that she would accept, with good grace, to see the lines reunite and thus give Isabel a little legitimacy. . Had she already forgotten that by marrying her, and adopting Diego, he had saved her from a difficult situation? Isabel was of her blood and Diego was Elvira's son, so there was no reason they couldn't be together. What could happen better to reunite this family that circumstances had thus composed?

By advising Diego to get married without telling anyone, doubt had never invaded him. One day he will have to admit to Elvira that it was his idea. For now, all his attention had to be on his wife's behavior, so that she could not ruin this wedding. He knew that his threats would not prevent him from continuing to prepare annoyance after annoyance against Isabel but he vowed to ensure that she could not conspire to harm him further.

In the evening, during dinner, everyone remained silent. Diego and Isabel noticed Elvira's absence without addressing the issue. Rodrigo was grateful to them because he didn't want to justify himself. No one was fooled but it was better to ignore the subject. In this case, the unspoken was often better than a false apology.

Since the evening when he had relieved his conscience with the help of Alessandro, no hint had been made. Neither Diego, nor Isabel, had changed their behavior or asked to deepen this or that point of their respective stories. From Rodrigo's point of view, it was quite a good thing to see that these revelations hadn't completely changed their existence.