“I’m not the coward you think I am,” Leonel whispered, his voice cracking. “If I were a weak man, I never would have defied your grandmother to marry your mother in the first place. I’ve never been a pushover. Everything I did and every insult I swallowed was because your mother begged me to.”

Adah stared at him, her confusion deepening. “Why would she ask for that?”

“Although I never knew exactly where your mother came from, I knew she was hiding a massive secret,” Leonel explained, his gaze drifting as if seeing a ghost. “She was terrified that any spark of conflict would draw the eyes of the people she was hiding from. She pleaded with me to live a life of total obscurity—she said it was the only way she could stay by my side. I loved her enough to become a doormat if it meant keeping her safe. That’s why I let your grandmother win every argument.”

Leonel’s face grew solemn. “Before she disappeared, she knew your grandmother would eventually try to exile you. She made me swear to let it happen. She told me that, in the end, being far away from this family would be the only thing that kept you alive.”

Listening to Leonel’s words, Adah finally grasped the full weight of her mother’s intentions.

Sally had insisted that Leonel go along with Gia’s decision to send the young Adah away to a deserted town. This mirrored the advice Rita had given Elliana: pretend to be dull and unattractive, all to avoid drawing unwanted attention. Staying hidden kept them safe from harm.

Driven by his devotion to Sally, Leonel had obeyed her wishes, even though he understood the risks tied to her secretive past. He had tucked away his own ambitions and accepted a life where he played the part of a spineless man.

Looking back, Adah realized it was her father, not she, who had endured the greatest injustice. A wave of emotion washed over her.

“Adah, your mother and Elliana’s mother were the closest of friends,” Leonel continued, his voice gentle. “There was something the two of them kept hidden from everyone else. I’m also certain your mother survived the fire; she must have faced trouble and been forced to leave. All these years, I’ve been holding on, waiting for her to come back. As time passed and there was still no sign of her, I began to lose hope. But now that Elliana’s mother has returned, surely your mom can’t be far behind. Why haven’t I heard anything yet?”

Leonel paused before asking, “Adah, you mentioned you’ve been staying at Rosewood Villa, Elliana’s new place, which means you’ve been close to them. Have you asked Elliana’s mother where your mom might be?”

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The light in Leonel’s eyes faded as he spoke. “Could it be that she’s already returned, but she no longer loves me and wants nothing to do with me?”

“That’s not true,” Adah hastily said, and she took the time to share everything she had learned about her mother.

After listening, Leonel’s spirits fell. “So there’s still no clue as to what happened to her?”

Adah nodded.

Crushed by the news, Leonel found himself at a loss for words. The news of Elliana’s mother returning had filled him with hope; he truly believed Sally would soon return to his side, and their family would finally be whole. It was heartbreaking to realize his years of waiting had led only to more uncertainty.

“Don’t give up, Dad,” Adah said gently. “Both Elliana and Rita are committed to helping me search for my mom. I bet my mom is still alive, and one day, she’ll come back so we can all be together again.”

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