Selena positioned herself at a corner of the backyard, her gaze fixed directly on him. Ricardo, crossing his arms over his chest, couldn't help but smirk at his daughter's eye roll in response.

It was hard for her to fathom that he was standing right there, considering everything he had done to the woman she loved. He had never approved of Eugenia and had never made an effort to get to know her. 

He had always assumed the worst about Eugenia, unjustly blaming her for the demise of their marriage. But Selena knew his perception was completely wrong.

"About what?" She asked, her curiosity piqued. 

"Your relationship with your ex-wife," He stated, his tone firm.

"Don't you like her?" Selena questioned, her voice tinged with skepticism. 

"I'm just trying to help you out, sweetie," Ricardo replied, his intentions seemingly genuine.

"You're not really helping me at this moment, Dad. Nothing will change my mind about how I feel for her, but you can try to sway my opinion," Selena asserted, her determination evident.

"Please listen to what I have to say." He said.

"Then start talking," Selena challenged, her eyes locked onto his.

"I know you love her, but why did you decide to get back together with her? There must be a reason why you got divorced in the first place," He suggested, his concern evident.

"I have grown and matured over the past few years since our marriage ended. I know exactly what I am doing this time around," Selena responded, running a hand through her hair and exhaling deeply.

"I want you to be careful that's all." He replied burying his hands into his pockets.

"I'll be careful," She assured him, her voice filled with determination. 

"Find out more about the threat she received," He pondered aloud, his curiosity piqued. 

"Wait, what?" She questioned, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. 

"Oh, it's nothing," He dismissed her concern with a wave of his hand, concealing his worry.

Their eyes met, a silent battle of wills unfolding between father and daughter. Selena stepped closer, her gaze unwavering. Ricardo exhaled, holding his ground without wavering.

"I won't let you ruin my relationship with her this time around. I will make sure that neither you nor anyone else tries to sabotage what we have. I promise you, I won't lose her because of someone else's opinions, just like what happened before," Selena declared, her determination shining through.

"I'm only looking out for you," He protested, his voice tinged with concern. 

"I appreciate your concern, but this is my life. I can handle it," Selena responded, her voice filled with conviction.

"I'll stay out of your way." He promised crossing his finger behind his back.

With a nod of her head, she gracefully spun on her heels and made her way towards the house. A radiant smile adorning her face.

As she sat on the couch, Selena gently pulled Gracie onto her lap, wrapping her arms around her. The soft touch of her sister's cheek against her own made Selena's heart melt.

She planted a tender kiss on Gracie's cheek, a silent reassurance of their unbreakable connection. Lost in the moment, Selena couldn't help but be captivated by the sight of Gracie's eyes locked on the phone screen.

It was as if the world around them faded away, leaving only the two of them in their own little bubble. Selena marveled at the way Gracie's thoughts seemed to wander, her imagination taking flight.

But amidst the joy and love, Selena couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness. Why did people have to be so against her relationship with her ex-wife?

It seemed unfair that they couldn't simply let her be happy with the person she loved. Deep in thought, Selena pondered her father's words about rekindling her relationship with Eugenia.

With everything going on in her career, it was a decision that required careful consideration and wanted to find happiness, but also didn't want to repeat the mistakes of the past. Her heart swelled with love as she watched her little sister, Gracie, point excitedly to a picture of her dad, Ricardo, on her phone and zoomed in on the picture of her and her dad at the basketball game, she couldn't help but bite her lip.

"I miss him so much, Lena," Grace said, gently tapping the screen of her phone and a smile graced her lips.

"I miss him too, sweetie. You know, you could go see him outside in the backyard," She suggested.

Selena chuckled as Grace walked towards the backyard while stealing a glance at her family in the living room. Her eyes met her mother's, and she couldn't help but grin.

Her mother walked over to the couch and sat down, wrapping her arm around Selena's shoulder. Selena leaned into the comforting embrace.

"Hey, Mom, how's your special day?" She asked, genuinely curious.

"I'm good. How about you?" Her mother replied, gently rubbing her arm.

"I'm doing well," Selena replied with a small smile.

"I saw you and Dad talking. How are you feeling about that?" She inquired, concern lacing her voice.

"Feeling better. I hate that Dad doesn't approve of my relationship with her, he's not even trying to get to know her," She sighed, shaking her head in disappointment.

"He'll come around soon, I promise, sweetheart," Mandy assured, standing up from the couch and heading outside with Brian.

Selena glanced down at her hand, where a ring still adorned her finger. She knew she probably shouldn't have kept it all these years, but she chose to ignore everyone's thoughts on the matter.

Just then, her cell phone rang, jolting her out of her thoughts. She quickly pulled it out of her pocket.

Without even looking at the caller ID, she stood up from the couch and pressed the answer button. She brought the phone to her ear, ready to respond.

"Hello?" She asked, her voice filled with anticipation.

"I need you here.." Eugenia's voice came through quietly, causing her heart to break.

"I'll be right there," She said, her words filled with unwavering support.

She ended the call abruptly, snatched her car keys, and hurried outside to her vehicle. She drove swiftly through the streets, parking in her girlfriend's driveway and turning off the engine.

Exiting the car, Selena made her way to the porch and effortlessly pushed open the unlocked front door. She searched through the rooms until she reached a bedroom, where she discovered Eugenia sitting in a corner, sobbing into her hands.

The sight before her left Selena feeling utterly heartbroken. She swallowed hard, her gaze fixated on Eugenia's tear-stained face, and approached her slowly and desperate to alleviate her pain, looked deeply into her eyes.

"Eugenia," She whispered, kneeling down and causing her to lift her head.

"I messed up badly," She confessed, her voice barely audible.

"What happened?" Selena asked, pulling her into a comforting embrace.

"I accidentally revealed to my family that we're back together," Eugenia murmured softly.

"That's why you panicked and called me here," Selena said, chuckled.

"I was worried about how they would react to us being together again," Eugenia sniffled.

"I just had a argument with my dad about us," Selena revealed, wrapping her arm around Eugenia's waist and helping her to stand.

"How did the conversation go?" She inquired.

"He doesn't understand why I'm seeing you again," Selena admitted.

"I don't fully comprehend it myself," Eugenia confessed, settling down on the couch.

Selena sat beside her, gently cupping her face as she stared into her girlfriend's eyes. She smiled.

"I love you because you make me smile. You make my heart skip a beat whenever you look at me. I get butterflies in my stomach whenever I'm with you. There are countless reasons why I can't imagine my life without you, Eugenia," She declared, softly kissing her.

"I love you too, but now it does make more sense to know why we got back together."  She whispered.

"People don't understand the love we have for each other." She whispered quietly.

"I understand it, and that's all that matters," She said, placing her head on her shoulder.

"I love you so much, baby," She whispered into her ear.

"I love you too," She replied.

"My dad doesn't really trust you," She admitted.

"Why would he? I wasn't exactly the best wife in the world," Eugenia said.

"He needs to know you better. I know he will love you just like I do, or possibly even more than I do," She suggested.

"I don't know if I want to talk to him. He's not my biggest fan right now," Eugenia said.

"Did you get a threat from someone?" She asked.

"No, I don't know what you're talking about," Eugenia lied.

"You would tell me if something happened, right?" She asked.

"Of course, I would," Eugenia said.

"Good, now back to my dad not liking you. I think you should talk to him again," Selena said.

"I'm not sure about this," Eugenia said.

"Please try doing this for me," Selena said with a small smile.

"I have to think about it, babe," Eugenia said, biting her lip.

Selena stood up from the couch. She wrapped her arm around Selena's waist, kissing her neck.

Selena blushed and leaned into her embrace. Eugenia tightened her hold, moving her fingers lower.

Selena pushed her girlfriend's hands away and turned around with a confused look on her face.  Eugenia wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her to her side.

"Babe," Eugenia said.

"Yeah?" Selena responded.

"Let me spend time with you," Eugenia whispered in her ear.

"I'm not in the mood right now," Selena explained, moving to head to the balcony.

Eugenia smiled and pulled her close again. She spun around, placing her hand on her hips and glared at her.

"Didn't you hear me say no just now?" Selena said, narrowing her eyes.

"Lena," Eugenia pleaded with puppy dog eyes.

Selena sighed, briefly glancing at the floor. She walked outside to the balcony, gazing up at the twinkling stars in the sky.

She held onto the rail, her hair flying in all kinds of directions as she ran a hand through it. The evening sky was a sight she loved, but she couldn't help but miss being able to enjoy the view.

Despite any challenges, she wouldn't change anything about her life because it was truly amazing, filled with incredible people. Feeling a mix of emotions, bit her lip and let out a shaky breath she didn't realize she was holding.

The sound of a camera flashing caught her attention, but didn't pay much mind to it. Rubbing her neck, Eugenia saved the picture and put her phone away to speak.

"Babe, I'm so sorry," She whispered, nervously playing with her fingers.

"It's fine," She replied, turning around to walk towards her.

"I'm just afraid of losing you again," Eugenia confessed, looking into her eyes.

"You won't lose me again. I promise we'll overcome any obstacles and find happiness together," She reassured.

"Don't start with me," She argued, trying to hold her tongue.

"Why are you being so stubborn?" She asked, her frustration seeping into her words. 

"I'm scared of being cheated on again, okay!" Eugenia shouted, her anger breaking through. 

"You have to trust me. I won't betray you this time," Selena pleaded, standing in front of her, her eyes filled with sincerity.

"But what if you can't keep your promises? What if I can't trust you like I did in the past?" Eugenia questioned, her voice filled with doubt.

"Then we will have a problem," She admitted, her eyebrow raised, waiting for a response.

Eugenia sighed and looked away, feeling conflicted. She looked over at her.

"I didn't mean it like that, babe. It's just that..." She trailed off, struggling to find the right words.

"Finish what you're going to say," She urged, wanting to understand.

"I'm scared of getting heartbroken like last time," Eugenia finally admitted, crossing her arms over her chest.

"That won't ever happen again," She declared, wrapping her arms around Eugenia's waist.

"I hope that's true," She whispered, placing her hands around her neck.

"I won't hurt you again," Selena promised.

"I believe you," She said, looking into her eyes as she rested her head against her chest.

Selena smiled and kissed her forehead, a gesture of love and reassurance. She looked at her.

She gazed deeply into her girlfriend's eyes, captivated by the love and happiness that radiated from her brown orbs. Despite the betrayal that had occurred in their marriage, Eugenia couldn't help but feel drawn to her, unable to fully comprehend why.

Her girlfriend promised that everything was fine and that their love would endure, and Eugenia had believed her without a single doubt or care in the world. Little did she know, it was too good to be true.

Thoughts of their tumultuous on-and-off relationship since they first met consumed Eugenia's mind. They had gone back and forth for years, hoping that this time would be different, that their love would finally stand the test of time.

A smile curved upon Eugenia's lips as she gently placed a hand on her girlfriend's cheek and kissed her passionately. The kiss was reciprocated, and they pulled each other closer, their connection intensifying.

Eugenia's hands wandered, caressing her girlfriend's backside, causing her to wrap her legs around Eugenia's waist. With a smile still lingering on their lips, they made their way to the bedroom, their desire growing with each step.

Within the confines of the bedroom, their passion ignited, filling the air with heated moans that echoed off the walls. They explored each other's bodies as if it were their last time, savoring every touch and sensation as finally, laid down, holding each other tightly, finding solace in their embrace.

Taking a deep breath, Eugenia tried to steady her racing heartbeat. She pressed a tender kiss to her girlfriend's shoulder, a soft smile gracing her features.

Selena held her tightly, her eyes filled with adoration. The smile on her face couldn't be contained as she looked at Eugenia.

"What?" Eugenia asked, curious about the cause of Selena's smile.

"I love you," Selena said sweetly, her voice filled with sincerity.

"I love you too, babe," Eugenia replied, pecking her lips affectionately.

"Please don't leave me again," Selena whispered, her eyes locked with Eugenia's.

Eugenia didn't respond with words, instead, pulled Selena into a passionate kiss, pouring all her love and commitment into it. As they broke away from the kiss, Eugenia cupped Selena's face, her eyes searching for reassurance.

"Do you believe me now that I'll never leave you again?" She questioned, her voice filled with vulnerability.

"Yes, I believe you," Selena said nodding her head.

A surge of relief washed over Eugenia as she heard Selena's response. With a renewed sense of hope, she couldn't contain her excitement any longer. 

"Will you move in with me, Sel?" Eugenia asked, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.

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