Opulent ~Rafael Solano

Chapter 5

Eva's pov

This week is going to be hell it marks one year of my father's passing. My mother passed away while giving birth to me, so my father raised us alone.

I visited his grave yesterday. He always wanted to be buried by the ocean next to my mother.

I ran into Jane, who also met her father, whom she didn't know she had. After convincing her to build a relationship with her father. I remembered I had a date.

We met at a small cafe for coffee. "So tell me about you," he asks.

"Do you have all week." I answer. I told him about my brother and niece and my childhood. He told me about his brother and his childhood.

"We should do this again," I agreed as we walked into the Marbella. We stop at the elevator and make eye contact. He leans in and presses his lips to mine. I kiss back. We pull away, and I smile to myself. Then I noticed Rafael walking towards me with an unreadable look on his face.

"How long have you been there?" I ask him.

"Long enough to watch you make out with that guy." He says, looking almost angry.

"That was Mark. We went out on our first date today." A tiny smile formed on my face, and Rafael noticed.

"I told Jane about the divorce." He said, changing the topic.

"Whst did she say. Do you still want the baby? " I ask him.

"Of course, I still want the baby." He says.
"Did you think I didn't."

"No, but I remember the day Petra told you." I said.

"That was because I didn't want it with Petra." He raised his voice slightly.

"Raf, I'm just saying you didn't choose this, but now things have changed. Jane wanted this baby to be raised in a two parent home." I tried explaining.

"I know what Jane wants and why are we having this conversation. This is my baby and my family. " He says and walks away. Tears form in my eyes.

Flashback

8 year old Eva is sitting on the balcony of the hotel looking out at Miami. Eyes still red from crying.She felt someone sit next to her.

9 year old Rafael ended up finding her on the balcony. "Why are you crying? It's your birthday, " He asked.

"It's also the anniversary of my mother's death. I wish I knew more about her. She was pretty. My father works all day. Sometimes, I feel like we're not family."  Eva said, looking back at Miami Beach.

"You can be my family." Rafael offers 

"Really?" I look up at him as he nods.

"Always. "

Present day

I see Jane at the bar with an older looking man holding a photo. I walk over.

"Jane, how are you?" I ask, smiling.

"I'm fine, oh, and this is Rogelio, my father. Dad, this is my friend and boss, Eva, " she says as my eyes widen. I realized that name was in the book for one of our rooms

"Well, nice to meet you Rogelio if you need anything during your stay at the Marbella, you can always ask." I say as he looks confused.

"But I am not staying in the Marbella." he says with an accent.

"Have you recently checked into our room 807." I ask

"Yes, he responds slowly. "

"Have you checked out?" I ask, and his eyes widen as he excuses himself to check out. After a while, Jane had to talk to Rafael.

Later in the day, I walked down the hallway and heard someone screaming. I ran over to find Rafael and Rose crouched over something. It was a bellboy with a corkscrew around his neck. Suddenly, he gasped, and there was blood spilling out of his mouth. I had to look away

"Who did this?" Rafael asks

"Sin Rostro." the bellboy named Tom whispers. Looking at Rose.

We are sitting in Rafael's office talking to the police. I knew about Sin Rostro. But no one else did.

"Why am I just now hearing about this." Raf asks Michael and my brother

"We couldn't compromise the investigation. Zazo was waiting to be contacted by Sin Rostro just before he died."

"Wait, there have been two murders now. In my hotel." He says, looking pissed.

I checked the date and pulled my brother aside. I told him I had to go and he understood. As I left, I could feel someone staring at me.

I went to the Miami cemetery and laid flowers on my parents' tombstone, cleaned it, and talked to them like they were here.