<b>Chapter </b><b>118 </b>
Thete afternoon sun cast a warm golden glow over the city as Alejandro guided the <b>car </b>through a quiet <b>part </b>of town,
Nivera, who was looking outside the window, couldn’t help but notice that it wasn’t a high–ss neighbourhood.
He didn’t tell her where they were going when he asked her to get into the car so they could get something to eat.
At first<b>, </b>she had thought they were going back home until he took a turn that didn’t lead to home.
When she asked, he said he was in the mood to eat out, as he was also starving, and so there they were.
She expected the usual–one of those high–ss restaurants just like the ones he had taken her to, as that was <b>the </b>norm.
Plus, there was no way someone as rich as Alejandro would settle for less.
So when they turned off the smooth tarred roads and pulled up in front of a narrow side–street diner with a sun–bleached <b>awning </b>and chipped bricks, her brows shot up in confusion.
“This doesn’t look like one of your usual spots,” she muttered, then tilted her head toward him. “You’re not taking me to some secret, dangerous club hidden in a back alley, are you?”
Alejandro chuckled without taking his eyes off the road. “Tempting, but no.”
“So this… is it?<i>” </i>she asked, turning to face him.
Alejandro chuckled, throwing an arm casually over the steering wheel as he turned to her. “You sound so offended<b>.</b>”
“I’m just surprised,<i>” </i>she replied honestly, looking back at the little building with its small, flickering ‘Open‘ sign.
I just thought we’d be doing the usual–the white tablecloth<b>, </b>snobby waiter, food that looks like modern art kind of thing<b>,</b><b>” </b>she said teasingly.
“That’s the problem,” Alejandro said, ncing at her with a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “You think you know me<b>.</b><b>” </b>
Squinting her eyes, she spoke. “You don’t seem like the kind of guy who eats anywhere without a valet.”
“Touché.” He smirked. “But this ce is special.”
“How so?”
“You’ll see.” With that, he opened the door and stepped out.
Nivera opened the door and stepped out as well. It was alreadyte in the afternoon, and though the sun shone above them, the air was crisp, the wind a little yful.
The neighbourhood felt warm in a nostalgic way–like something out of an old movie.
Worn–down bicycles leaned against fences, and pots of herbs sat on window ledges. A stray cat sauntered across the <b>pavement</b>, ncing at them before disappearing into an alley.
As they pushed open the ss door, a small bell chimed above them.
Inside, the diner was surprisingly cozy. Wooden floors, checkered curtains, faded photographs <b>on </b><b>the </b><b>wall</b>–all <b>details </b><b>that </b><b>spoke </b><b>of </b>
time <b>and </b>love rather than money. There were only five or six tables, all made of sturdy dark wood with mismatched chaire
The scent of roasted garlic, warm bread, and grilled meat hung in the air like a wee.
“Ay Dios mio!” came a high–pitched voice from behind the counter.
An elderly woman dropped her dish rag and bustled out from behind the register, her apron dusted with flour and her <b>cheeks </b>red from the kitchen heat.
Her eyes lit up as she approached them.
“Alejandro! Nivera watched, wide–eyed, as Alejandro was enveloped in a warm, smothering hug
Alejandroughed, bending slightly to return the hug. “You’re going to break my ribs, Abu.”
The woman’s hands cupped his face after, her eyes glimmering with tears. “Mira cómo has crecido. Tan guapo.”
Look how you’ve grown. So handsome.
“You could use some breaking. “You disappear for years and now show up out of nowhere.”
“I’m here now, aren’t I?”
She pulled back and gave him a once–over before turning to Nivera with a curious gleam in her eye.
“And who is this beautiful doll?”
Alejandro stepped aside, cing a hand gently on Nivera’s lower back. “This is Nivera. My girlfriend.”
And as soon as the words came out from Alejandro’s mouth, the woman’s mouth dropped wide open, as she was shocked to hear
what he said.
“I saw it on the news, but I didn’t think somebody had really captured your heart, Alejandro.” The woman smiled widely, and Nivera could tell it came from a ce of happiness.
“Nivera,” the woman echoed knowingly, then extended her arms. “Come here, preciosa.”
Nivera felt her cheeks warm, unsure if it was from the attention or the word important.
The woman pulled her into a soft embrace. “Dios mío, qué be. You’re stunning, dear. And so polite–looking.
A little stunned, Nivera allowed herself to be wrapped in the warmest hug she had received in ages.
. “You’re even prettier up close. Lucky boy,” the woman said, wagging a finger at Alejandro.
“I hope he treats you right!” The woman said to Nivera.
“I’ll try my best,” he replied dryly before Nivera could answer.
“Shut up, I’m talking to her. Does he treat you right? If he doesn’t let me know so I can set him straight,” she said<b>, </b>her <b>voice </b>threatening.
Nivera smiled as she nodded, her eyes ncing to Alejandro, who was looking at her intently as he <b>was </b><b>waiting </b><b>for </b><b>what </b><b>she </b><b>would </b>
say.
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<b>14:43 </b>Fr <b>1 </b><b>Aug </b>
Chapter <b>118 </b>
“He treats me better than anyone has,” she stated, and it was the absolute truth.
“That’s good to hear.”
“Lita,” a deep, amused voice called from behind the counter. An older man with silver hair and kind eyes stepped <b>out</b><b>, </b><b>drying </b>his hands on a cloth. “Let the poor girl breathe. Come here, boy.”
Alejandro moved from Lita and moved to hug the man, a quieter exchange between them.
When they parted, the man gave Nivera a respectful nod and a smile. “He has never brought anyone here. You must <b>be </b><b>really </b>special. Wee to my small restaurant.”
“A pleasure,” Nivera smiled
“Looks like you brought home a gem with you, boy,” he said to Alejandro, nodding toward Nivera with a teasing grin<b>. </b><b>“</b><b>She </b>looks beautiful.”
“I am,” Nivera said proudly, surprising herself, and Alejandro smirked.
The man chuckled again. “Name’s Benito. This fierce woman here is my wife, Lita.”
After a round ofughter, Lita grabbed two menus and gestured to a corner booth near the window.
“Your table is still yours,<i>” </i>she said to Alejandro. “I’ll bring your favourites. You sit. Catch up.”
As they made their way to the table, Nivera leaned closer and whispered, “Okay, now I’m even more curious. How do you them?”
Alejandro slid into the booth, his expression softening. He waited for her to settle in across from him before answering.
“I was fourteen the first time I came here,” he began, folding his hands on the table.
Nivera raised a brow. “Fourteen? Alone?”
“Yeah. School wasn’t for me. Too many rules. Too many arseholes.”
Nivera blinked. It wasn’t the tone she expected. Alejandro rarely talked about his past–at least, not the real parts.
know
“I got into a fight with some guys. One of them had insulted my mom. I lost it and beat him up in the courtyard. It wasn’t the first time, either. The school had warned me, so I knew this one was going to get me expelled.”
He looked down for a second, the memory flickering in his eyes like old film.
“I didn’t wait for the consequences. I grabbed my coat and walked out. No money. No n. Just… rage.”
“You always like beating people up, don’t you?”
“Still do,” he said with a grin.
“I ended up walking for hours, angry and stupid, until I got to this part of town. It waste. I was hungry and cold. <b>And </b><b>then </b><b>it </b>started raining.”
“Oops, almost forgot, they chased me halfway through the city. I thought I could lose them, but <b>they </b><b>cornered </b><b>me </b><b>in </b><b>an </b>alley behind here. I tried to fight back. Didn’t <b>go </b>well. Took a hit to the face,nded hard.”
<b>3/4 </b>
Nivera was quiet<b>, </b>watching him.
His eyes lifted <b>to </b>hers again.
What happened?”
“Lita found me,” he said softly. “She was throwing out the trash. She didn’t even hesitate–just screamed at them like <b>a </b><b>rabid </b>dog. They ran. I think they were more scared of her than they were of me.”
“She sounds terrifying. In a loving grandma kind of way,” Nivera said, and Alejandro nodded.
Lita took one look at me–soaking wet, covered in blood from a split lip–and she didn’t ask any questions.
“She dragged me inside. Cleaned me up. Fed me. Sat me down and told me that I had <i>too </i>much anger in me, and <b>that </b><b>it’d </b><b>either </b>protect me or destroy me.” He paused.
“She didn’t know me. Didn’t ask who I was. Just… helped.” She just made me soup. Sat me by that heater.” He pointed <b>to </b>the <b>old </b>standing radiator by the corner.
“Then Benito called the school and pretended to be my uncle so they wouldn’t report me missing.”
Nivera sat quietly, watching him. The way he spoke about Lita and her husband–there was a reverence in his tone she hadn’t heard before. Not even when he talked about his own family.
“That’s… really kind of them.”
“They didn’t owe me anything. But they took care of me anyway. And they kept doing it–every time I messed up. This ce became a refuge.” He smiled a little.
“So yeah, I don’t care how many Michelin stars I’ve eaten under–this is still the best food I’ve ever had.”