Rage bubbled just below the surface. He tried to rationalize it, to excuse what he did, like he needed someone there to hold his hand. He was the one who asked for the test. If he didn’t want to do it alone then he shouldn’t have pushed for it at all. He should have either taken her word for it or dismissed her. At this point, Diana didn’t care which. All she cared about was knowing it was a secret. It was safe, but it wasn’t anymore. Even if his sister had liked her, how much of that would remain once it was confirmed she kept Fernando’s daughter away from him for a decade.
Jaw tight, Diana’s gaze swept over him and she huffed. “Nothing is going to change. You’re right. I’m going to get an NDA drafted for your sister to sign.” This was bullshit. The fact that she had to jump through these hoops….it was too much. “The thing I don’t understand, Fernando, is why did you have to tell her it was an affair? She knew we were together. Why didn’t you just tell her i found out after we ended things and wasn’t sure if it was yours or someone else’s? You did this intentionally when you could have avoided something this damaging getting out.”
That irritation wasn’t going to fade, even when he suggested they change the subject. There was nothing she could do now to make sure she’d enjoy this dinner and try to be civil with Fernando for Isabelle’s sake, not when her mind was on the press release she needed drafted just in case his sister got pissy and talked to the wrong person. Lifting a hand, she rubbed at her temple. “I don’t know how you think we can make this civil if you can’t stop for one minute to think about what this could do?”
The idea to involve lawyers and a NDA was enough to turn Fernando into full defense mode. His eyebrows rose, equal parts annoyed and surprised. “You’re not coming near my sister.” He said with simplicity, unbothered. He was willing to die for his family, and Diana knew that. “You will trust me. That should be good enough for you.” What puzzled Fernando was that, to him, this was a family matter. This was about Isabelle; this was about her knowing who her real family was; but to Diana, it was all just another law process she had to fight through. Did she see every conversation with him as a court hearing? Having to argue your way to win the jury’s opinion? Who are you performing to, Diana? he wanted to ask.
But there she was again, questioning him on his morals, the very foundation of whom he was. She knew about all of that already, didn’t she? How could Diana be so blind, and after so many years still question him on those topics. It baffled him. “I don’t know how you do it, Diana.” He sighed, in true confusion. “I genuinely don’t.” He shook his head, disappointed.
He stared at her for a moment, trying to see any humanity in her, but failed. She was putting on her hardest front to him, impassable, tough and unwavering. This was too much for Fernando. He couldn’t be as cold. “I don’t lie to people. Especially to those I love. I know this is a foreign concept to you, but the way I see love, it’s that it’s based on honesty.”
It was way more than a jab at her — it was a full attack and she could see it. For the rest of his life he would carry this between him and her, a distance brought by the lies. And he maybe would even forgive her for it, but he wouldn’t forget. “Well, you should have thought about it when you decided to hide from me. Or when you decided to tell me. Or anywhere else in between. Now it’s too late. You already made your choices, Diana, you put yourself in this position, and now you have to live with it.”
He closed his eyes, rested his hands — in closed fists — on the table, feeling too angered for this. It should have been a simple conversation, but it wasn’t. It was just more and more stressing. Still, he managed to say through gritted teeth: “Can we please move past this and order some food?” Maybe she can be more… bearable if she has her mouth full.
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