Page 145 of My Heart's Doctor
Lino was trying to break free from William and was also throwing some punches, but William was blinded with rage and wouldn’t stop hitting him.
“Alright, I’ll go separate them, but only because you’re asking me to. Will you be okay by yourself?”
“Go help William!” I shouted, desperate.
Xavier approached them and struggled with William to pull him away from Lino. He had to make a great effort to separate them because William was beside himself. When he managed it, he said something to him and immediately William looked atme. Then Xavier kicked Lino, who remained lying on the ground clutching his testicles. Xavier took out his phone and very naturally began talking to someone. William quickly approached me and hugged me. I wrapped my arms around his waist and hugged him as tightly as I could.
“My love, are you okay? Did he hurt you?” he asked desperately, pulling his face slightly away from mine to look into my eyes.
“He didn’t do anything to me, really. What about you?” I asked, feeling his face and body with my trembling hands.
“I’m just furious. That bastard messed with my family and I assure you this won’t end here. The police are on their way.”
“And how will we prove what he was planning?”
“While I was listening to your conversation with him, I recorded it. I’m a lawyer, I assure you this piece of trash won’t get away with it,” he stated with determination.
At that moment, a police car parked next to us and two officers got out. William put his arm around my waist and pulled me close to his body as he watched the approaching officers.
“Which one of you is Cavaller?” one of the officers asked.
“I’m attorney William Cavaller and I’m the one who called you. This is my wife, Dr. Devon Dulcet, and she’s the victim of the scum lying on the ground being watched by my friend Xavier Montepaz. The scum’s name is Lino Coller and he’s the subject of the complaint,” he said, pointing to where Lino was with Xavier standing beside him.
From that point on, William and the police officers took charge of the situation while I answered all their questions and observed the scene, unable to believe that Lino had gone this far. He had become a criminal because what he had done confirmed it. He had threatened to kidnap an innocent child. Why had hechanged so much? Or had he always been like this and I was the one who had changed? I had the impression that I had worn a blindfold, consciously or unconsciously, and now perhaps it had fallen off or William had removed it for me.
Chapter 25
“You haven’t seen her devour the world, as I have, with just one smile.”
—David Sant
William
Devon had worked so many hours and was still at the clinic, always with a smile on her lips and her usual warmth. I respected and admired her even more for that, but I worried about her spending so many hours there because she always came home exhausted. But I understood clearly that she loved her profession and practiced it with genuine love. She loved children and children loved her; when she was with them, magic happened. Devon was already a well-known and successful pediatrician, and although she hadn’t told me herself, I knew that she was the most requested pediatrician at the clinic. All mothers and fathers asked for her, and she had earned it with her love, charm, dedication, and responsibility.
That day I had called her several times to see how she was doing and to ask if she needed anything, but our conversations were always brief and she told me everything was fine. When we talked during her break, I put Aurora on the phone and listening to them talk was a delight. It still moved me to hear the love they had for each other, and there wasn’t a day that went by that I didn’t feel grateful that Devon was part of our lives. She had completely changed my life and my daughter’s. We were a happy family, the kind of family I had never dared to dream of because, until I met her, that seemed impossible for me. But life had thiswoman, Devon Dulcet, in store for me, and I couldn’t be more grateful for that.
At eight in the evening, I finished giving Aurora her dinner and then we went to her bedroom to read a book. She asked a lot about mommyDivonand I had to explain several times that she was working and that when she arrived, she would stop by her bedroom to give her a goodnight kiss and tuck her in. After reading several pages and talking for a while about what she wanted to do the next day, Aurora fell asleep holding my hand. I stayed with her for a while and then returned to the living room to watch some television while waiting for Devon. I had offered to pick her up, but she didn’t want me to because she wasn’t sure what time she would finish, and besides, she had taken her car. I would have gone anyway even if I had to wait for her until dawn. With each passing minute, I grew more worried. I didn’t like her being out alone at that hour.
I was sitting in an armchair in the living room looking out at the garden when my phone rang. I had it beside me in case Devon called, and I picked it up immediately, but the number was unknown. It seemed strange at that time of night, but I answered the call.
“Who is this?”
“Is this William Cavaller?” said a woman’s voice that didn’t sound familiar.
“Yes. Who’s speaking?”
“I’m Agatha Fedalen, Devon Dulcet’s mother.”
For a moment I remained silent, processing the information. Devon hadn’t told me her mother’s name, but I assumed no one would call pretending to be that woman. On the other hand, I had no desire to speak with that witch, because to me, that woman was a terrible person and I wasn’t interested in having any kind of relationship with her.
“Who gave you my phone number?” I asked, without greeting her.
For a few seconds she remained silent, which made me think my tone had thrown her off balance.
“Mr. Cavaller, that doesn’t matter. What matters is that you should know my daughter will not marry you. She’s going back to her husband, as it should be. In fact, they’re together right now and Lino is proposing to her for the second time. I ask that you don’t interfere in that relationship because Devon doesn’t love you. She’s a woman without personality and she probably saw in you someone who could give her the possibility of being a mother since you have a daughter who’s motherless. I imagine you know she’s incapable of having children. You’d better find a woman who isn’t useless and...”
I listened to that woman saying all those terrible things about her daughter and became convinced she really was Devon’s mother. That woman was the devil incarnate, and Satan would have to excuse me for the comparison. At first I didn’t react because I was so surprised that I could only listen and try to process what she was saying, but when I understood what she was attempting to do, my fury emerged. I didn’t distrust Devon, not at all.
