The estancia felt bigger and quieter than ever. Sofía felt the absence of her loved ones in every corner of each room. It seemed as if, little by little, the family had been disintegrating. First, her father had died, then Isabel and Amanda got married, and now Sebastián and her uncles were returning to Spain.
The young woman took a loose sheet with a story she had written long ago from inside a book, crumpled it, and threw it onto the bed where Amanda used to sleep. Diego had been right; it was a terrible story with a tragic ending. At the time, she had felt offended by her cousin and had attributed the authorship of the work to an anonymous writer. However, real life was too full of misfortunes and sorrows for even stories to provide an escape from them.Since Amanda's wedding, Diego hadn't left Sofía's side, though they avoided talking about their feelings, and there was no romantic approach. The young woman was grateful for his company, especially because Antony was still away on one of his trips. If it hadn't been for Diego, she might have sunk into terrible sorrow, letting melancholy take over her soul.The only positive thing about her family's departure was that everyone in town seemed to have forgotten about Don Juan Bustamante's death. Only Magdalena de Toledo y Rojas insisted she had heard Sebastián say at the countess's party that he would kill Señor Bustamante. Although she claimed to be convinced that it was he and Pablo Ferreira who had committed the crime, no other guest confirmed her words. On the other hand, everyone saw Pablo Ferreira kissing her publicly and almost immorally. To the townspeople, Magdalena was nothing more than a scorned woman seeking revenge because the criollo hadn't wanted to ask for her hand and had married Amanda Pérez Esnaola instead.One afternoon, Sofía found her cousin reading, lying under a tree, and she lay down next to him, resting her head on Diego's chest. Neither of them said anything. Time passed, and they simply stayed there, enjoying each other's company. These were the moments Sofía would miss most when Antony Van Ewen returned from his trip to become her husband. It had been a long time since she had heard from the Englishman, and the idea that he might have given up on returning for her no longer seemed so unpleasant.Doña Catalina had asked young Simón to inform the family of any news, but the secretary had said that both Antony and the sea always acted unpredictably. It was impossible to know exactly when his ship would return. Simón, for his part, had settled in town and was courting Miss Magdalena."Diego, can I ask you something?" she asked, without lifting her head, while adjusting the collar of Diego's shirt."Of course," he replied, putting the book he was reading aside.She propped herself up on her elbow to look at him. Still toying with the fabric of her cousin's shirt, she questioned:"Do you remember that night when you told me that if you had been the boy in the story, you would have found a way to help the little girl?"Diego nodded slowly. Sofía saw a shadow of pain cover his green eyes and couldn't help but feel bad about how she had rejected him then. It seemed like an eternity had passed since that time."You said that if I didn't want to marry, you would find a way to help me. Do you remember?" she added."How could I forget that?" he nodded and gently stroked the hand Sofía had on his neck."I don't want to go with Antony, but I don't know how to break the engagement," she confessed.Diego took a few seconds to respond:"I think the best thing would be to write him a letter saying that the relationship is over because his absence was too long. You can tell him that you realized you no longer love him. God willing, he won't come back here.""Do you think a letter will be enough? How will I get it to him if we don't know where he is?" she insisted."Write it, and I'll give it to Simón. Maybe he can find him or give it to him when he returns from his trip," he added.Sofía rested her head on the young man's chest again, and this time he hugged her. She knew Diego would do everything possible to prevent the Englishman from taking her away. Despite this, she couldn't help but feel scared about Antony's reaction. Simón had said he was an unpredictable man. She wondered what he meant by that. Sofía had no answers to the questions swirling in her mind. What if Antony refused to accept the rejection or decided to send her to jail for breaking the engagement? Would he be capable of hurting Diego or her? She remembered the Englishman's enormous dogs, and a shiver ran down her spine.That very night, Sofía set to work writing the breakup letter. Her intention was not to hurt Antony. He had been a wonderful fiancé, and it wasn't his fault that she hadn't known how to love him. Her love had died almost before it began. She wrote several drafts until she managed to create something somewhat acceptable. If her mother found out what she was doing, she would undoubtedly kill her."Dear Antony, my heart will always hold a special place for you. I will never forget those moments when you made me feel loved. Our relationship was intense and fleeting, like a comet cutting through the sky with its tail. I am saddened that my love was not strong enough to overcome the barriers of time and distance, and although I remember you fondly, I encourage you not to settle for just that. While our relationship was nothing more than a beautiful illusion, I am sure you will find your true love.With affection, your sincere friend, Sofía Pérez Esnaola."A few days later, Diego delivered the letter to Van Ewen's secretary. When the Englishman returned to the viceroyalty, he would receive it, and with a bit of luck, he wouldn't come looking for Sofía.Doña Catalina, for her part, still didn't know the truth. It would be easier for everyone if she believed Antony had abandoned her daughter before the wedding and not that a letter from Sofía had ruined the possibility of a future with a suitor who might have been perfect for her.As the days, weeks, and months passed, the fear that the Englishman would return for her gradually faded. Sofía continued wearing the ring he had given her so her mother wouldn't suspect anything.Alister III had grown into a massive dog. He still had the soul of a puppy and never seemed to tire. Sometimes he drove Catalina crazy, who would kick him out of the house, but Sofía would sneak him back in as soon as her mother got distracted.Diego spent much of his time ensuring the estancia's production ran smoothly, and sometimes Isabel helped him. Although Óscar Pérez Esnaola wouldn't have approved, the young man was fortunately very different from his father. The fertile crops of La Rosa, Águila Calva, and Esperanza served to feed much of the viceroyalty.Sometimes Sofía thought about her uncles and Sebastián, who should already be arriving in Spain. She wondered what Óscar would say when he discovered there were no intruders living on his estate. Perhaps he would be pleased, or maybe he would be angry for being tricked into traveling across the world.That morning, Sofía was embroidering a handkerchief while sitting in the shade of a rosebush, while her mother cut some roses to make a centerpiece. The women saw a rider approaching. The newcomer stopped in front of Catalina and dismounted to hand her a letter. She read it silently and smiled."Good news, dear! Your fiancé will return in a few weeks!" the woman shouted joyfully, addressing Sofía.The young woman turned pale and felt her world crumble. After all this time, she hadn't expected Antony Van Ewen to return. Perhaps he hadn't received the letter. She didn't know what she would do if the Englishman showed up at La Rosa to claim her hand.Sofía wondered how her mother would react when she found out what she had done. She hoped her mother wouldn't force her to marry a man she no longer loved. Her cousin would never allow Van Ewen to take her away. She was convinced that Diego would find a way to help her and would even be willing to fight for her if necessary.