"Daddy who is that?", Benjy asked

I turned to Valeria. I didn't miss the raised brow when Benjy mentioned the word Daddy, "It's just a friend bud", I watched as Valeria stared at Diana disdainfully, "Why don't you go with your Momma and go get ready for bed?. I'll be right up"

"Ok Daddy", he answered. I placed him in Diana's arms and watched them walk up the stairs. When they were out of earshot, hopefully, I turned back to Valeria.

"What are you doing here Valeria?"

"I can't come visit my best friend anymore?"

"You tell me when you're coming over", I said

"Since when was such protocol required?", she asked heatedly, "You know what, forget it. You're daddy now huh?"

I looked around to make sure no one was around to listen to this confrontation, "Can we take this to my office please?", one can never be too sure. I led the way to my study with Valeria hot on my heels. As soon as we were both in and I turned to lock the door, all hell broke lose.

"What the hell Alejandro?!", she screamed

I sighed heavily, this was the exact situation I was trying to avoid, "Valeria could you please calm down?. My son is probably asleep"

"Your son?!", she laughed maniacally, "Your son?!"

"Yes. My son"

"What happened Alejandro?"

"What do you mean Val?"

"What happened to making her suffer?, what happened to hurting her the way she hurt you huh?. What the hell happened?!!!", she jabbed at my chest while yelling. "Now you're going to galas, going on family picnics. Her kid calls you Daddy now too. What happened?"

"Nothing happened Valeria"

"Bullshit!", she screamed, "Have you forgotten what she did to you?, huh?. Have you forgotten when she told you you couldn't be with her cause you weren't on her social level?, did you forget the nights you couldn't sleep because you were crying over her?. Did you forget that part Alejandro?!", she questioned

"Valeria please. You have no idea what Diana has been through. The horrors she's seen. So please, just stop"

"Don't. Just don't Ale. I thought things were different now. I thought you had your head on straight but you let that cheap whore run all over you again"

"Valeria let me remind you that this is my home, best friend or not, if you refuse to take it down a notch I'm gonna have to ask you to leave"

"Wow. What is it about that gold-digging bitch that-"

"Don't!", I yelled, "You have no right to come into my home and insult my wife!"

"Your wife?", she said with tears in her eyes. She looked at me. Really looked at me. "Oh my god. You're still in love with her"

I turned away. Was I?. Was there the possibility that somehow I had fallen in love with Diana all over again?. Or maybe I never stopped. "I never said that", I uttered with such conviction that I was shocked. I believed I was trying to convince her. Or myself.

"You didn't have to. I can see it in your eyes", she was full on crying now, "What is it about her?"

"Valeria please drop this"

"What does she have that I don't?", she implored

"Valeria ple-"

"What the hell did she do that always made you notice her?", I turned to her, "I was always right in front of you, but all you could see was her"

"What are you on about?", I asked. She was starting to confuse me.

"No matter how hard I tried. No matter what I did, it was always Diana Diana Diana"

"Valeria you're not making any sense. What-"

"I am in love with you", she screamed at the top of her voice

"What?", I asked quietly

"Since we were kids. You were the only one I saw. The other girls at school laughed at me, said I was wasting my time but I didn't care. I had my love for you and that was enough for me. But then Diana came along, and she was all you saw. All you thought about. When she left, I though...I thought you would finally see me. Finally see that I could be there for you. But you shut me out, shut everyone out. I tried to convince myself that maybe you were still getting over it but a tiny part of me knew. Knew that it was always gonna be her. She wasn't even around and I was still competing with her. Then you got married to her. Now that, that was the icing on the cake. I love you Alejandro. Since I knew what love was. But I guess I was just fooling myself cause no matter what I do, I can never take her place. After all these years she's still the one"

"Valeria I, I don't know what to say"

"There's nothing you can say Alejandro. I should've have known it was a lost cause. Should've known that you would never look at me the way you looked at her", she laughed humorlessly, "So this is what heartbreak feels like huh?"

"Valeria I'm sorry. I didn't know"

"Would anything have changed if you did know?", she asked. I remained silent. "Thought so", she turned to leave. "If you love her Alejandro, fight for her. I know you were hurt, but fate's giving you another chance at the happily ever after you always wanted with the girl of dreams. Take it", she left

I couldn't find a way to digest everything I just heard. I always thought Valeria's dislike for Diana was baseless but knowing that her hidden feelings for me were the foundation of such deep hatred stunned me. I only hoped we could move past this. She was the closest thing I had to a sister and I refused to let our relationship be strained. It was going to be awkward being in the same room with her, I was sure of that but I would try.

I walked to my room. As soon as I opened the door Diana launched herself into my arms.

"I'm so sorry"

I pulled away to look into her eyes, "What are you apologizing for dolcezza?"

"I know she got so mad because she saw you and I together. If I would have known-"

"Shhh forget about it sweetheart. Don't worry your pretty little head", I pecked her forehead. "Now let's go take a hot shower and-", I was interrupted be the ringing of my phone. "Hello?", I answered. My heart constricted in fear when I heard what the person on the other line had to say. Diana looked at me with concern. "Search the entire compound. I'm getting on a plane now. You better find him"

"What's wrong?", she asked

"It's Arsenio. He's missing"