Chapter 55

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Eva's Pov

Three years later

"Clara come on honey we're gonna be late for daddy's." I say to the two year old. She peaks her head out of the doorway and nods before she goes to put on her shoes. A little bit after Rafael went to jail I had my baby girl Clara Zelia Williams. Clara was my mom's name and Zelia means sunshine, we both agreed we liked the name. Louis and I decided to mutually break up and focus on co-parenting. Rafael is now very zen and has a girlfriend. Jane has been getting closer to my brother. They helped each other through Michael's death. I made a deal for brunch every Sunday with Jane and Petra. Mateo and the girls are adorable.

I dropped Clara at her dad's and we caught up a bit. We were still friends we just had a kid together.

The Marbella was relaunching as a kid's hotel.

"Why is no one smiling?" Petra asks the staff gathered in front of her then she pulls a creepy smile on her face.

"This is supposed to be the second happiest place on earth. Families are coming here for luxurious fun. I don't care if a customer is stabbing you with a fork. You keep smiling." Petra says and they all smile

"Perfect. Now get back to work." She says and they all scramble

"Calm down Petra" I say walking up from behind her

"I can't calm down this is a new beginning I need it to be grand." She says as I hug the twins. They had beautiful blonde hair.

"Girls, you're gonna demo the new pirate treasure hunt"she says and Rafael showed up with Mateo who just fist bumped me.

"The little man is going to behave. We have a new system. Don't worry." Rafael says and all I can focus on is that god-awful beard on his face he grew in prison

"Please let him come mommy." Ellie says to her mother. God they are just adorable.

"Ahoy Mateys! To the beach we go." The 'pirate' said as he came upto us. He was organising the treasure hunts for the kids.

Mateo suddenly pulls Anna's hair and Petra glares at Rafael

"It's all right I know Mateo's just playing." Anna says

"Take Pammy the Parrot with you." Petra commands the employee who leads the children on the 'treasure hunt' Rafael going with them

Suddenly a man approached us. The owner of the hotel next door. Chuck Chesser. For some reason that man just creeps me out. I found an excuse to leave and I go work on my new clothing line specifically designed for kids and baby's from the age of 0-6. I had help from the twins and Mateo and my baby girl on a few of the designs.

Later in the day I get called when the final inspection is taking place.

"You have a problem." The man tells us and points behind us

"The structure's five feet over the property line, which means you can't get your certificate of occupancy for your kids clubhouse." The man says

"The grand opening is in five days, so that's not an option." Petra says

"Either tear it down or get an easement from your neighbor." The man says. I will leave that to Petra considering she's sleeping with him

"Just breathe. Freaking out is not gonna help." Rafael says and Petra glares at him

"I don't need zen Rafael right now, okay? Who the hell goes to prison and comes out even softer?" Petra asks him and I agree. Zen Rafael is kind off annoying in a cute way with his stupid beard.

"I'm not trying to be zen. Just reasonable." He says as Petra walks away.

Me and Rafael have decided to let Petra take the lead it's because other that the hotel is succeeding. We haven't even opened yet and we are booked solid for the next six months.

I started hanging out more with Abbey, Rafael's girlfriend. She is a great person we always talk about how terrible Rafael's beard is and other business ideas for her greeting cards business and my clothing line. I'm planning to open a few stores across Miami and then expand.

A few days later I picked up Clara from her dad's we had an agreement that he gets the Friday and the weekends and I get the weekdays since Louis has to go in for work on weekdays. He drops of Clara every morning Sunday before brunch and occasionally stays a for it some days when we can rope him in.

It's currently nighttime and also Clara's bed time I tuck her into bed while reading her a bedtime story. I occasionally read her stories in Spanish so she can grasp it. I also try speaking Spanish to her so she picks up and she is. She can say 'Si.' 'Que?' 'Hola' 'Bueno' and a few more. I kiss her forehead and leave the room letting her get her sleep.

Rafael found out about the original plans which were tampered with so we would have to build the clubhouse over the property line and then tera it down. In return Petra had to tell him she's sleeping with chuck. I already knew so I wasn't surprised. I had guessed it because she found excuses to go over there and he had excuses to come here and I could see through it.

Petra somehow fixed the problem and we did not have to tear down the clubhouse.

Jane invited me to a reading of her book. Clara is with Louis for the night. Jane freaked out right before she had to go on and my brother went to check on her. I don't know what he said but she came out a brand new person and she was no longer freaking out. She was going to read the book she had written about Michael. It was beautiful. I loved it. Afterward Rafael stayed to talk to Jane about getting Mateo an aid.

The Marbella had finally opened again and I'm talking to Rafael, Abbey and Petra when I notice a little brunette girl and her father out of the corner of my eyes and I head towards them.

"Are you having fun baby?" I asked my daughter

"Yes mommy." She says with the most adorable smile I have ever seen. I run my fingers through her hair and she tells me about the treasure hunt she did with her dad adding in some of the parts she missed. The smile never wiping off my face, blissfully unaware of the eyes staring at us, with his fist slightly clenched.

By the end of the day Clara was absolutely tired and she went straight to bed. Since it was late Louis stayed the night in the guest room.

The next day at Sunday brunch Jane announced that a publisher wants to buy her book about Michael.

The same day we would find the remains of Scott Archuletta on the borderline dividing the Marbella and the Fairwick. Making the breakfast from the Sunday brunch rise up in my throat.

Opulent ~Rafael Solano Where stories live. Discover now