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When Rodrigo walked into the conference room, he looked like a shadow of the man I had married.

The immaculate designer suits were gone. He wore a rumpled linen shirt, his dark hair was uncombed, and dark purple circles bruised the skin under his eyes. He looked thin, terrified, and utterly defeated.

When he saw me sitting at the head of the conference table, his eyes filled with tears again.

"Daniela," he rasped, stepping toward me. "Thank God you didn't have security kick me out."

"Sit down, Rodrigo," I said neutrally, gesturing to the chair across from me. Elena stood near the corner, her arms crossed, watching him like a hawk.

Rodrigo sat down heavily, his hands trembling as he rested them on the polished mahogany wood. "Daniela... please, you have to talk to me. Everything is falling apart. The board... they kicked me out of my office yesterday. My credit cards were declined this morning at the hotel. My mother is locked in her house, refusing to speak to anyone except her criminal defense lawyers."

"Actions have consequences, Rodrigo," I said calmly.

"I didn't know about Gabriel Vance!" Rodrigo cried out, his voice cracking. "I swear on Lucía’s life, I had no idea my mother lied to me my whole life! I thought I was an Aranda! I thought... I thought I was doing what was right for the family!"

"And what about Lucía?" I asked, leaning forward, my eyes locking onto his. "Did you think doubting your own baby girl was right for the family? Did you think reading texts calling me a dishonest woman and replying 'I've thought about it' was right for the family?"

Rodrigo hung his head, a broken sob escaping his throat. "I was a coward, Daniela. I was weak. My mother controlled my whole life. She made me feel like I was nothing without her approval. When she started pointing out Lucía’s blue eyes... I let my own insecurities consume me. I was terrified she was right."

"And that makes you unfit to be a father," I said, my voice dropping to a sharp, lethal register. "A father protects his child from the world. He doesn't join the wolves when they try to bite her."

"I signed the custody petition because my mother's lawyers told me it was the only way to protect our family assets!" Rodrigo stammered, pulling a crumpled piece of paper from his jacket. "Look... I brought a revocation statement. I'm withdrawing from the custody suit. I'm dropping everything. I won't fight you for Lucía."

Elena stepped forward, taking the document from his hand and reviewing it quickly. She gave me a subtle, affirmative nod.

"Why are you doing this now, Rodrigo?" I asked, genuine curiosity in my tone. "Is it because you suddenly realized you love us, or because you have nowhere else to run?"

Rodrigo looked at me, a profound, pathetic sorrow in his eyes. "Because I realized... you were the only real thing in my life, Daniela. Everything else— the family name, the money, the high society, my mother’s love—it was all a lie. You and Lucía were the only truth I ever had, and I threw it away for people who didn't even care about me."

I stared at him for a long moment. I felt no hate left for him. Only a quiet, heavy pity.

"It's too late, Rodrigo," I said softly. "You can't un-ring a bell. You made your choice on the night of our daughter's birthday. Now you have to live with it."

I stood up, pulling my coat over my shoulders.