Chapter 3

The Mendoza Corporation building towered over the city's main business district. I stood in the magnificent lobby with mixed emotions. Nervous, afraid, embarrassed, but also desperate because I had no other choice.

I didn't come to see Diego.

I came to see his uncle.

Julian Mendoza.

I had only seen him twice. The first time was at my wedding to Diego five years ago. He came alone, without a wife, and only offered brief congratulations before leaving. The second time was at Diego's birthday party two years ago. He sat in the corner of the room holding a glass of whiskey and barely spoke.

What I knew was that he was Diego's father's younger brother. He was probably around fifty years old, but his face looked younger, and he was known as a successful businessman who often lent money to other people. There were rumors that he was some kind of shadow investor for many small businesses in this city.

I had contacted his secretary yesterday. I said I was his niece-in-law, and I needed to speak with Mr. Julian Mendoza about an urgent personal matter. Maybe because of the family connection, they allowed me to come.

I waited.

Everyone who walked by glanced at me briefly. I did not know whether they were looking because I seemed suspicious or because I looked ugly. I pulled the hem of my shirt lower, trying to cover my bulging stomach.

"Mrs. Lorena?" she asked.

I nodded.

"Mr. Julian Mendoza is willing to see you now. Please follow me."

We took a private elevator that only stopped on certain floors. The woman pressed the button for the thirty-eighth floor. The elevator rose smoothly. I could see my reflection in the polished elevator wall. I fixed my hair that was beginning to look flat and greasy.

The elevator stopped. The doors opened into a spacious reception area. The walls were dark wood, the floor was black marble, and large paintings hung on the walls that probably cost more than my parents' house.

The woman led me down a long hallway, past several doors, and finally stopped in front of a pair of solid wooden doors.

"You may go in," she said as she opened them for me.

I took a deep breath and stepped inside.

The room was huge, unbelievably huge. One side of the room was entirely made of glass overlooking the spectacular city view. The desk was made of dark mahogany, massive, and behind that desk...

Julian Mendoza.

He was sitting in a black leather executive chair, holding a pen while looking at something on his laptop. When I entered, he did not look at me immediately.

I used that moment to observe him. His hair was black, slightly longer on top, neatly combed back. His jawline was sharp, almost sculpted, and his eyes were a deep blue.

Then he looked at me.

His gaze traveled from my face downward, then back up again. Not like Diego's disgust-filled stare, but an evaluating look, as if he were assessing something.

"Please sit down, Lorena."

I sat in the chair across from him. It was soft, but I did not feel comfortable. I placed my bag on my lap and tried to cover my stomach.

"I heard you wanted to speak with me," he said.

I nodded. "I came to ask for your help, Mr. Mendoza."

"Julian," he interrupted. "Call me Julian. We're family."

"Julian, I need money, and I want to borrow it from you," I said.

He put down his pen. Now both his hands were clasped together on top of the desk. Those blue eyes stared at me intensely.

"How much?"

"One million dollars."

Julian did not react. His face remained expressionless.

"So you finally came to me," he said quietly.

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

He did not answer. Instead, he stood up from his chair. I had to tilt my head upward to look at his face. He was probably over six-foot-one, with a strong, proportionate body. His suit was black, his shirt white, without a tie. He walked around the desk and stopped in front of me.

We were only about a meter apart. I could smell his expensive cologne.

"When is your divorce?" he asked suddenly.

I was startled. "What?"

"When will you and Diego officially divorce?"

"How do you know?" I asked.

"I know many things, Lorena. I know Diego is having an affair with Isabella because the news has already become hot gossip in this building," he said.

I lowered my head. So it was true. My husband was cheating on me with his coworker.

"So when?" he asked again.

"Soon," I answered.

Julian nodded, then took one step closer. Now we were only half a meter apart. I could see every detail of his face. The line of his jaw, his long eyelashes, and of course, those blue eyes.

"You want to borrow one million dollars from me?" he asked again.

I nodded. "I'll repay it in monthly installments with interest. No matter how high the interest is."

"One million dollars is not a small amount. I could build an entire building with that money or buy three small companies."

"I know, and I will repay it. I'll find a high-paying job," I said.

"What kind of work can you do to earn one million dollars?"

I fell silent.

He was right.

I had nothing. No skills. No useful degree. I was only a regular high school graduate who chose to marry young.

"I'll do anything."

Julian stepped even closer. Now he was standing right in front of me. I had to tilt my head very high to see his face. The scent of his cologne grew stronger.

"What collateral can you offer to make me willing to lend that much money to you?" he asked.

I bit my lip. Collateral?

I did not have a house. I did not have a car. I did not have expensive jewelry. Everything Diego had given me during our marriage, I was sure he would take back after the divorce.

"My body? No. My body is ugly, fat, it can't even be used as collateral," I said.

I waited for him to agree. I waited for him to laugh and throw me out of this room. I waited for him to say the same thing Diego did, that pigs were more attractive than me.

But instead, Julian reached out his hand. His thumb and index finger lifted my chin gently.

"Who said that?"

Those blue eyes stared at me.

"Who said your body is ugly and fat?" he repeated. His thumb moved slightly, touching the corner of my lip where I had been biting it. "Stop biting your lip. You'll hurt yourself."

I could not move.

Julian Mendoza, my husband's uncle and the most powerful man I had ever met, had just touched my face and said I was not ugly?

"You're not ugly. You just don't know how to take care of yourself, and you've spent too long listening to a bastard who understands nothing about a woman's beauty," he said.

"But my stomach is fat, my thighs are big, and..."

"I didn't say you were skinny, but being fat doesn't mean being ugly. There are many men who like curvy women, and I'm one of them," he said.

My eyes widened.

What did he just say?

Julian released my chin. He stepped back and slipped both hands into his pockets. His face became expressionless again, as if he had not just said something that made my heart stop beating.

"I'll lend you the money, but on one condition," he said.

"What condition?" I asked.

Julian smiled, a different smile than before. A smile that was mischievous and dangerous.

"We'll discuss it later after your divorce is finalized."

He turned around and walked back behind his desk, picked up his pen, and continued working as though nothing had happened.

"I'll have my secretary transfer the money today," he said without looking at me.

"Don't you need collateral?" I asked.

Julian looked up. Those blue eyes stared at me again. This time, there was a spark in them. Something that sent chills down my spine.

"I already got the collateral, Lorena."

He smiled again.

"You just gave it to me yourself. Your body."