CHAPTER 138: DARE TO LOVE ME Another woman 

Paula 

Several weeks had passed since the failed wedding, and I still couldn’t believe Alaia had hidden that the wedding was to cover for Cedric. That boy had always been quite the character. I remembered the many times he had come to our house looking for Alaia to help him with some girl who had become obsessed with him or when he had drunk until he was lost and stayed with us to avoid going home and being punished by Freja. He had escaped punishment, but not my scolding. Any mother would have kept her daughter away from a friend like him, but not me. As much as he got into trouble, he was always there for Alaia, to help her and brighten her sad days. He was a wonderful friend and had won my heart; he was like a son, a terrible one, but I could understand Alaia and the fact that she had agreed to 

marry him, even though it was absurd. This was beyond helping Cedric; it was about saving lives. There was my daughter, with her good heart, ready to help. 

I walked to the window of my room and saw her arriving with Nick and the kids. The smiles on 

Alaia and my grandchildren said it all. I was happy for her, although I still had my reservations about Nick. I hoped he would do well this time. I sighed and saw Patrick going to greet them before leaving in his car. He had been going out continuously, and I wasn’t sure, but I thought 

it was with a woman. I snorted, remembering every invitation he had made to me for months, 

the conversations where he had tried to get closer to me, the roses I had received every day 

and stopped receiving when I told him to stop. I knew, I knew, I didn’t even understand myself. 

Although he hadn’t stopped being attentive and chivalrous, he kept his distance, distances I now wanted to shorten. Now that he had pulled away, I had let my feelings finally flow. I 

thought they had atrophied from holding them back, but I realized they were more alive than 

ever and had always been there. I understood that Patrick was a practical man and wasn’t 

going to chase me forever, just as I couldn’t contain my emotions forever. 

“Well done, Paula,” I muttered to myself. 

“Buela!” my grandchildren burst into my room, always coming to greet me and letting me spoil 

them for a while before something else caught their attention. 

“What did you do today?” I asked as I hugged them both on the bed. 

“Had lunch with daddy and mommy,” Alana smiled, and Noah nodded. The joy of my 

grandchildren filled my soul. They were already happy children, but having their father had multiplied that joy by millions, something that warmed my heart. 

“A new season of our series has come out,” Elise entered my room when night had fallen, 

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CHAPTER 138: DARE TO LOVE M… 

while I was in the closet. 

“Which one?” I asked, searching among my pajamas. 

“The one with the couples who can’t see each other and talk in separate rooms. Our favorite part is when they fall in love without having seen each other.” 

“Oh, that’s right. How did I forget? We’ll watch it in the home theater.” 

“We’ve got everything ready. What are you looking for?” she came to my side. 

“A pajama,” I explained, just as I found it and started changing. 

“But why are you looking for it so into… Oh, I get it,” she looked at me with the pajama on. 

“We’re waiting for you; we’re excited,” Tino entered the room and froze upon seeing me. 

It was a satin pajama that enhanced my bust and clung to my body, which I had always taken 

care of. 

“Come on, Mama Pau, but you look gorgeous,” he approached and spun me around, “look at those breasts and what can we say about the derrière,” he commented, looking at me, “at this 

rate, the worms will eat you, not the Christians.” We burst into laughter. 

“Tino, darling, your compliments are music to my ears,” I kissed his cheek. 

“Now tell me what this change is about. You only wear those boring pajamas that cover you completely,” he put his hands on his hips. 

I looked at Elise, unsure whether to tell him my plans. 

“Come on, I’ll find out sooner or later,” he said indignantly. 

“Patrick,” I said, closing my eyes as I heard Tino’s gasp. 

“What a sensation through my body! I knew you two had something going on with the handsome father of my princess. Oh, my!” he fanned himself, “What’s the plan?” he 

recomposed himself and asked with interest. 

“To seduce him,” I said, clasping my hands, nervous. 

A new, very feminine scream escaped Tino’s lips. 

“Come on, I’ll make you look beautiful before he arrives,” he started moving, subtly making me 

up and helping me fix my hair. We decided to go to the home theater while waiting for Patrick, 

who could return at any moment. I managed to distract myself with the episodes, and after watching two, we headed to the bedrooms. I felt my stomach churning with impatience. 

“What are you doing here?” I asked, turning around and finding Tino and Elise in my room. 

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“We’re here for support, and I won’t sleep without knowing how this ends.” 

“But, son!” I scolded him. 

“Mama Pau, do you know what it means to be at the center of the gossip? You can’t miss it for anything in the world.” 

I shook my head, remembering why I hadn’t told him anything. 

“Patrick has arrived,” Elise warned, hiding so she wouldn’t be seen from the window. 

My heart started to race, and my hands began to sweat. 

“I’m as excited as if I were the one about to have my flower pampered tonight,” Tino touched 

his chest, and I looked at him in disbelief. 

“Tino, darling, what are you saying?” I hit his shoulder, completely embarrassed. 

“He’s coming up the stairs,” Elise whispered, and Tino took her with him to hide behind the 

bed. 

“What are you doing?” I whisper–shouted. 

“We’ll be here waiting for details,” Tino peeked his head from the other side of the bed. 

“What a great time to have told you,” I grumbled, hearing Patrick’s footsteps getting closer. 

“You know you can’t bring him here, do things in his room,” Tino kept whispering, and I couldn’t 

believe his words. 

A bundle of nerves, I left the room and saw him almost reaching his. I adjusted my breasts 

while he was distracted and walked towards him. He looked up when he sensed me. 

“Oh, Patrick,” I stopped abruptly, making him think I had almost bumped into him. Before, I 

would have been annoyed doing this, but I was freeing myself from everything that had held 

me back, from all the obstacles I had put up to keep him away from me. He glanced at my 

deep neckline and then the rest of my body. I felt a fire coursing through me. Yes, I desired 

him, more than before. 

“Paula,” my name sounded hoarse on his lips. 

“How was your night?” I inhaled, making my chest look bigger, and I knew it had worked when his eyes traveled to them. 

“Good,” he looked into my eyes, and I swallowed hard. I took a step towards him and placed a 

hand on his chest. He looked at it, and when he sought my face, it was already very close to 

his. Without a word, I kissed him again. My body trembled; I had desired this since the last time. His hands pressed against my back, mine in his hair, and the play of our mouths 

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intensified until I felt him pull away from me. 

“Paula,” he whispered, shaking his head, and I suddenly felt nervous. 

“This isn’t…” he caressed my face, and I caught the scent of a woman’s perfume on his hand. I took a step back, realizing the reason for his rejection. 

“I understand… there’s someone else,” it hurt to know for sure, but I had caused this myself, “I don’t want to interfere,” I swallowed the knot of emotions in my throat. 

“Paula, no.” 

“It’s okay,” I attempted a smile, “I’ll go to bed,” I turned around, feeling a tightness in my chest 

and closing my eyes. 

“Paula!” he raised his voice a bit, but I was already in my room. 

“What happened?” Tino jumped up. 

“There’s another woman,” I said, holding my abdomen high, containing my distress. 

“Paula,” Elise approached to take my hands. 

“But what are you saying?” Tino walked towards me. 

I sat on the bed, and they settled next to me. 

“I’m sorry, Paula. It’s a shame that you finally decided, and this happens,” Elise comforted me. 

“Not to add fuel to the fire, Mama Pau, but Elise already told me that the handsome father of 

my princess has been after you for months. But come on, you’ve rejected every one of those 

attempts to get closer. But if you and Alaia are alike, thank heaven she hasn’t taken after you 

entirely because she would have forgiven the hunk on graduation day for the affectionate 

gestures. My goodness!” he stood up, and I watched him. 

“That man couldn’t have stopped loving you overnight. There must still be a chance for you 

two,” he sat next to me, and they hugged me for a long time. 

“I must go. You need to rest. Don’t worry; I’m sure not everything is lost. That woman can’t be 

important,” Tino kissed my cheeks affectionately, “you will be the couple you always should 

have been. We’ll get him back. But if you have another child, you still can, right? Let it be a 

boy. We won’t be putting up with another proud one around here,” his words made me smile, 

despite my heart not being in a good place. In silence, I asked him to keep the secret, and he 

nodded, though I doubted he would.