**English version of the WATTYS 2019 WINNER story**
1672, Caribbean Sea.
He lost everything for her. She risked everything for him.
But maybe love is not enough to bridge over so many deep differences between them, and the only way for them is goodb...
Far away and long ago, in Seville across the sea, a poor cadet who dreamed of becoming an army officer fell for the conceited daughter of a wealthy land lord. And she'd let him court her, knowing her father would never marry her with a nobody without better titles or more money than him. And that was exactly what had happened. One day, Don Pedro de Cajal y Salavert had come around, with two or three drops of blue blood in his veins, a modest fortune and a promising career as a Crown officer in the New World. And the conceited girl's father sat to negotiate with him. And a year later, the girl left her family home as the wife of the new Lieutenant Governor of Puerto Rico. She'd never heard of her faithful suitor again.
Until that morning on the streets of Veracruz.
Just like Dolores told him, while they had lunch in a private parlor of the best restaurant in town, they were meeting again with their lucks inverted. He was a famous general with a growing fortune. She didn't have coin or name anymore. All she had left was the unbreakable yoke, tying her for life to a despicable man who enjoyed to humiliate her. The one who had tried to have her executed on false charges, and when that failed, refused to pay her ransom and bet on the sea dog to keep their word and cut her head off.
Segovia was understanding and gallant, comforting her discreetly when she couldn't hold back her tears. And he even smiled when she explained that was why she was there. Because she had no other way to take avenge on that cowardly jackal, who had defiled her. So at least she'd have the satisfaction of thwarting his deceit and expose him for the scum he was. And in order to achieve that, she needed to get an innocent verdict for that poor boy Segovia would be in charge of watching as the new commander in Campeche.
"But I don't know how I can do it. They say they're sending a commissioner to Maracaibo, but I have no way to see it done. And then what? I'll be left here alone, until they're as kind as to close the case. In this city where soon everybody will gossip about what I told the jury today. But I've sworn to not go back home to Seville until he's found innocent. And you know me, Ladislao: I'm keeping my word. I will show the whole world what kind of man my husband is."
Segovia pretended to ponder about the situation, and beat around the bush before speaking his mind.
"Why don't you come with me to Campeche? Nobody knows you or your situation there. You can stay at the San Francisco nunnery, where Cortes' grandson was born. You won't be alone, because we can get together every day, and I'll keep you up about any news related to the trial."
"And how am I to know if they really send the commissioner? The Great Admiral assured me the man would be on his way tomorrow, but I'm afraid that if I'm not here, they won't be in any hurry to send him and this will last for months."
Segovia wiped her last tear with an overconfident smile. "Then we'll wait until he sets sail, and then we'll be off to Campeche, you and I."
An hour later, Dolores stormed into the lodge room, where Marina was napping, and shook the girl awake to tell her the news.
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