Translation of Love - By Alice Montalvo-Tribue Page 0,89

few days was an attempt to break us up. I think if you really look back at everything that happened, you’ll see that we were set up.”

Can I really believe what he’s saying? That someone would be that malicious just to break us up? It hits me at that very moment what he’s referring to. “Your mom?”

He runs a hand through his hair and nods. “She’s been plotting since she met you. Since she found out I was retiring and she blamed you.”

“Brian told me that she contacted him, trying to get information on me. He said that she paid him for the video.”

“Yes. She ran a background check on you and found Brian through an old rental agreement from when he lived with you. She paid him for the video and once she had it she waited till we were together in Miami to show it to us. She wanted to humiliate you, hoping that you would be embarrassed enough to leave and that I would be mad enough to break up with you.”

That does make sense. It coincides with what Brian told me, but it doesn’t account for the rest of it. “All of that may be true, Victor, but what about Christina?”

“Well you can imagine that when we didn’t break up after I saw the video, my mom was less than thrilled. She called in for reinforcements. She used the record company’s jet to fly Christina down to Miami. She knew that you and I would be out most of the morning looking at houses. She knew she needed to separate us so she called me, asking me to have you meet her for lunch, extend an olive branch.”

“Yeah, a lunch where she called me a whore and offered me two million dollars to get out of your life.”

His whole body goes stiff, his eyes wide. “She did what?”

“She always assumed I was a gold digger. I guess she thought I’d be more than happy to leave you for the right price. I told her no, in case you were wondering.”

I can see the pain in his eyes. “I know you would never do that. I’ve never doubted you,” he says, grabbing my hand. He takes a breath and begins again. “While we were looking at houses that morning, my mom had someone come into our room and plant a small camera over the bed. Because she’s my manager, she was able to get an extra key to our room, which she later passed on to Christina. After you left to go meet her, I took a nap like I told you. Christina was watching the feed, she knew you were gone and she knew that I was asleep. Mom called her when you were on your way back to the hotel. Once that happened, Christina let herself into the room, and hid out in the bathroom until you came back. You know the rest.”

It sounds unreal but after meeting his mother, I believe that he’s telling the truth. “How could they do that? How could they be so cruel?”

“I don’t know, Babe. I still can’t believe it myself. Anyway, once my mom got word that you left, she called Brian. She let him know that you were headed back home and that we were over. I think she was trying to put the idea in his head that you were single again and maybe he’d try to get you back. I don’t know, but whatever her reasoning, it landed you here.”

“I don’t know what to say.” My eyes are stinging with unshed tears.

Victor gets up and sits on the edge of the bed. He cups my bruised face in his hands. “Say that you believe me. Say that you know I would never do anything to hurt you, that I would never betray you like that. Say that you believe me when I tell you that I love you, Babe. Say that you forgive me.”

I take a breath, tears now streaming down my face. “What is there to forgive? You didn’t do anything wrong? I believe you, it all makes sense. I had a bad feeling when your mom asked me to lunch but I went anyway because I wanted to make things better for you. I was hoping that she was genuinely trying, but as soon as I got there I realized that wasn’t the case. I should have trusted my instincts.”

He wipes the tears away. “I guess none of it matters now. What’s done