Chapter 68: We know at last
When Estrella Berrocal opened the kraft paper bag, a wave of fear surged in her eyes, and inside…
It was a paternity report.
It was a paternity report, and the two parties identified were her and Paula Rouco.
Adán Rouco leans nonchalantly against the wall, one hand in his pocket, and nonchalantly explains, “Paulita’s name is Paula Rouco.”
He knew that Paulita had told him her first name when he had dragged her into the children’s room on his first visit to the Rouco family.
He clenched the paternity report, squeezing it so hard that his knuckles were raw and white.
Although he had had his suspicions and doubts in the past, none of them were as shocking as this moment.
Paulita … was really the child she had given birth to by surrogate three years ago.
His mind went back to a scene where he had spent time with Paulita, and the little girl’s cute little face was becoming clearer, how he had just realized that Paulita’s big eyes were half a dozen times similar to his own.
Tears, falling on the report in a dense mass, she sniffled, her voice a little muffled, “You, did you know?”
Adam Rouc had agreed to return Berrocar’s villa to her and make a deal with her, you knew that then, didn’t you?
The man looked at her and said solemnly, “The reason I agreed to keep Berrocal’s villa is because I know you are Paulita’s biological mother.”
She reached up and wiped tears from her eyes, “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”.
“At first I wasn’t sure of the real purpose of you approaching Paulita and me. I could not bring into the Rouco family a woman who wanted to use Paulita, even if she was Paulita’s own mother.”
Adán Rouco’s behavior was understood by Estrella Berrocal, only she could not digest the fact for a moment, swallowed, looked at the results of the paternity test and asked, “Does little Paulita know?”
“He doesn’t know it yet, but I’ll find the right opportunity to tell him you’re his mother.”
Estrella Berrocal suddenly shook her head and pleaded, “It’s better not to tell him.”
The man’s dark eyes sank and he looked at her with a frown, what did this woman mean?
“I … had an agreement between us, if Paulita knew I was her real mother I would have wanted us to be together, I know you don’t like me and you can’t be with me, I haven’t done my job as a mother in the last three years, she is still very young and I don’t want to not change her life now, this way, it’s the best thing for her.”
Adam Rouco took a step closer with his long legs, his sharp eyes scrutinizing her intently, “You mean you don’t intend to be Paulita’s mother in the future either?”
Estrella Berrocal was stunned and hastened to explain, “I’m not … sure I’ll take care of her and take care of her in the future, but …”
“If you don’t fulfill this duty as Paulita’s mother, then Paulita doesn’t need it.”
“…”
Estrella Berrocal was dumbfounded, why was it so difficult to talk to this man, Adán Rouco?
“I am not going to take custody of Paulita away from you, even if I did I could not take her away from you, I know I am a bad mother and that I am not capable of giving Paulita a better life than the one she has now, but I hope that even if you later marry another woman, I will be allowed to come and visit Paulita.”
Marrying another woman? Were his words so obvious that she didn’t understand?
The man’s eyes clouded over and he was about to burst when the voice of a small child suddenly came from the other side of the door.
“Star you’re awake, Star I’m coming in.”
When Paulita pushed the door open, she found Adán Rouco standing there, blinking at Estrella Berrocal and seeing her reddened eyes, she asked him with a slight frown, “Dad, did you bully Estrella? Did you bully Estrella and why are you crying, Estrella?”
Estrella Berrocal couldn’t help but step forward, bent down and hugged Paulita tightly, breaking down in tears again as she sobbed, “Paulita …. I’m sorry … I’m so sorry …”
–It’s Mom’s fault that the kindergarteners called you a wild child.
Paulita put a small arm around Estrella Berrocal’s neck and with a small hand reached up to her face to gently wipe away her tears, “Estrella, what’s wrong with you, why are you asking me for forgiveness?”.
Estrella Berrocal stared into the little girl’s innocent gaze, tears rolling down her face, she took a deep breath and squeezed out a small smile, “I… I didn’t get to your birthday earlier, did I? I was going to buy you a birthday cake and sing you a birthday song, but I’m sorry I was late.”
The little girl wiped away her tears as she affectionately said, “It’s okay, Daddy promised me he’d take me to my birthday tonight with Estrella!”Nôvel(D)rama.Org's content.
Estrella Berrocal looked unconsciously at the man standing to the side, who only ordered in a light voice: “Pick up, we’re taking Paulita to her birthday tonight”.
Was it just the three of them?
Estrella Berrocal’s heart fluttered with discomfort, for it was the first time she had been alone with Paulita and her father since she learned of his life, and she felt a little uncomfortable.
Adán Rouco seemed to see her hesitation and raised an eyebrow, his handsome face slightly cold: “What, no?”.
“No, no, of course I am, of course I’m willing to spend Paulita’s birthday.”
So, she wasn’t willing to spend Paulita’s birthday with him?
Adam Rouco’s face was cold as he reached out and took Paulita’s hand. “Come on Paulita, let’s go downstairs.”
The man’s voice was unmistakably angry, as if he was angry with her.
But Estrella Berrocal was too excited at the time, too worried about Paulita to pay much attention to Adán Rouco’s emotions.
“Well, Star, hurry up, I’ll wait for you downstairs with daddy!”.
Estrella Berrocal nodded, “Okay.”
…
Estrella Berrocal changed her clothes and after washing up, she went downstairs.
When she saw Adán Rouco and Estrella Berrocal leaving with Paulita, she froze and asked: “Adán, where are you and Estrella going with Paulita?
Paulita was the first to say happily, “Auntie, daddy and Estrella are taking me on a trip for my birthday!”.
“So … you won’t be back for dinner tonight?”.
Adán Rouco lifted Paulita and, with an indifferent “yes”, said to Estrella Berrocal, who was next to him: “Let’s go”.
Olivia Montes looked at the backs of the “family” and found it extremely hard.
It seemed that after Adán had brought Estrella Berrocal back, their relationship had grown even more…
…
Inside the black Spyker, Estrella Berrocal kept looking at Paulita, her eyes unblinking.
Paulita seemed to notice Estrella Berrocal’s “excessive enthusiasm” and twisted her butt to look at her: “Estrella, why are you always looking at me today? Am I too beautiful?
Estrella Berrocal reached out and rubbed the little girl’s head: “Well, Paulita is so cute and pretty today that I can’t stop looking at her”.
Paulita let out a giggle and snuggled into the arms of Estrella Berrocal, who looked down and kissed her on the forehead.
She, when she thought of surrogacy three years ago, had been filled with dread, but now, when she thought of surrogacy, she thought of Paulita’s sweet little face, and the lack of her heart, she was filled to the brim, and there was no time when she felt so lucky, and having Paulita three years ago was the least regrettable thing she had ever done in her life.
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