After twenty-six years of silence, Elena finally tells her the truth: Laura’s father didn’t die before she was born. Her father is Ricardo Salgado.
At 24, Elena had worked as a maid in the Salgado mansion in an upscale neighborhood. Ricardo had just married Lucía Herrera, the well-connected daughter of a powerful family. Everyone knew their marriage was loveless. Lucía had her affairs; Ricardo lived for work—until he noticed Elena.
Glances became conversations, then late-night talks. He gave her books, treated her with respect; over time, they fell in love—or so Elena believed. When she became pregnant, he seemed happy. He spoke of divorcing Lucía and starting over. The day he took the sunflower photo, he promised they would be a family.
When Lucía discovered the affair and the pregnancy, she didn’t care about the cheating, only the humiliation of her husband preferring the maid—and getting her pregnant. She threatened to destroy Ricardo’s career if Elena didn’t disappear, then gave Ricardo the same ultimatum.
In the end, Ricardo chose his career. He came to Elena, torn but decided, handed her money to start over, and said he couldn’t risk everything.