Every time Rafael thought about it, his heart ached for Ava, while his hatred for Fernanda grew even more bitter.

He longed for Fernanda to feel the same suffering Ava had endured, to tear away her carefully crafted mask and expose her for the cruel, deceitful woman she truly was.

However, the public remained blind. They admired Fernanda for her calm, her capability, her decisiveness, and her bravery. Her venom had somehow become her power.

Unaware of the deep-seated resentment Rafael held toward her, Fernanda only noticed his growing dark stare, his face shadowed by an emotion she couldn’t quite place.

She had no desire to delve into his thoughts—he was nothing more than a fleeting figure in her world.

With quiet composure, Fernanda dried her hands, discarded the paper towel, and moved toward the door, only to have Rafael step in her way.

“Fernanda, I’m offering you a chance,” Rafael stated, his voice cold and unwavering. “Make amends with Ava and stay out of her life from now on, and we’ll consider it water under the bridge.”

Fernanda arched an eyebrow, a half-smirk playing on her lips as she studied Rafael. “You’re offering me a chance? On what grounds exactly?”

Rafael stood tall, his chest puffed out with pride. “Because of my connection with Ava,” he stated firmly, as though his very presence was a concession. “I have the power to make decisions for her. Agree to my terms, and I won’t make things difficult for you. But if you cross me, you’ll find it hard to manage without Bobby.”

“Oh…” Fernanda dragged out the word, laughing for real this time. She dismissed Rafael’s last comment and asked with genuine curiosity, “What made you think you had the right to make decisions for Ava? You’re just a pathetic simp of hers.”

Rafael’s face went rigid, his expression shifting rapidly, as though his emotions were painted in broad strokes—one moment flushed with anger, the next drained of color.

With a slight tilt of her head, Fernanda locked eyes with him, her tone frosty as she sliced through the silence. “I can’t even guess what’s going on in your mind,” she shot back, her words sharp and deliberate. “But whatever it is, it doesn’t give you the right to command me. If you miss Ava so badly, why don’t you just fly out and find her? You can’t even leave the country for her, but you dare to claim you have feelings for her?”

“You…” Rafael frowned.

“Enough,” Fernanda interrupted, raising her finger toward him with cold precision. “If you ever bring this up again, we’ll settle it with our fists.”

Without a second glance, Fernanda turned on her heel and walked away, her departure swift and sure.

Rafael stood there, seething, his body rigid as he watched her confident stride fade into the distance. His fists tightened, the words she left him with echoing painfully in his chest. They struck him like a sledgehammer, shattering his pride and leaving him raw.

No one had ever spoken to him like that!

It was common knowledge that he harbored feelings for Ava, even though she didn’t return them. But he had never imagined himself being seen as a simp.

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