She only asked for the artwork, but when their eyes met, the millionaire did what no one else dared. “May I keep your artwork, sir?” Sofia’s trembling voice cut through the air of the elegant restaurant like a knife. Conversations stopped. Forks hung suspended in mid-air.

All eyes were fixed on the young woman with blonde hair, pulled back in a messy bun, holding a baby wrapped in a worn blanket. Matías Guerrero looked up from his documents. His dark eyes met her green ones, filled with tears and despair. “My baby hasn’t eaten all day,” Sofía continued, her voice breaking.

“I just need the artwork.” The silence was deafening. A woman at the next table whispered something about the kind of people who should be here. The waiter approached with a firm step. “Madam, I’m afraid you’ll have to leave,” the waiter said, taking her arm. “Wait.” Matías’s voice rang out authoritatively. “Let her go.”

The waiter obeyed immediately. Everyone at that restaurant knew Matías Guerrero, not only because he was a frequent customer, but because he owned the most successful restaurant chain in Buenos Aires. Sofía looked at Matías with a mixture of hope and fear.

Santiago, her three-month-old baby, began to cry more loudly. “Will you sit down?” Matías asked, pointing to the chair in front of him. “No, sir, I just wanted to,” she repeated, this time with a smile that softened her features. “Please,” Sofía hesitated. The other diners watched them as if they were the main attraction of the evening. Finally, she sat on the edge of the chair as if she were ready to run away at any moment.

“What’s her name?” Matías asked. “Sofía. Sofía Ramírez. And he’s Santiago.” “When was the last time Sofía ate something hot?” She lowered her gaze, embarrassed. “Not yesterday, the day before. But it doesn’t matter, I can handle it. It’s my baby.” “Waiter,” Matías raised his hand. “Bring the full menu. We’ll start with vegetable soup, then the pork loin with mashed potatoes, and for dessert, flan.”

Sir, I can’t pay. I’m not asking you to pay, Matías cut her off. I have a question, where did you get that necklace? Sofía instinctively reached for the small star-shaped necklace hanging from her neck. It was the only thing of value she owned, the only thing left of her childhood.

It belonged to my mom, well, my adoptive mom. She died when I was 15. Matías’s heart raced. That necklace was identical to the one he had given his younger sister the day before his parents separated them. It had been during the 2001 crisis when his parents could no longer keep them together.

Do you remember anything from when you were little before the adoption? Very little. Sofia frowned. Why are you asking me that? Before Matias could answer, the soup arrived. Sofia looked at it as if it were a treasure. “Eat,” he said gently. We’ll talk later. Sofia ate with a mixture of hunger and dignity that broke Matias’s heart.

Between bites, she gave Santiago small sips of warm water, and he had finally calmed down. “Where do you live?” Matías asked when she finished her soup. “Well, I don’t have a fixed place. I lost my job when I was pregnant. Santiago’s father left when he found out. I’ve been moving around. Do you know how to cook? Yes. I worked in a kitchen before I became a secretary. Why?” Matías smiled.

There was something about this young woman that both reassured and unsettled him, something familiar he couldn’t quite place. “I have a proposition for you. I’ll work at one of my restaurants and have a small apartment for you and Santiago. Nothing fancy, but safe.” Sofia dropped her spoon. “Why would you do that for me? You don’t even know me. Let’s just say I have a good impression of you.”

What he didn’t tell her was that that necklace had transported him back 15 years to the most painful day of his life. The day he lost his little sister Carolina, just 8 years old, when the adoption system separated them forever. “I don’t accept charity,” Sofia said, lifting her chin proudly. “It’s not charity, it’s work. You will work for your salary and your housing. Accept.”

Sofia looked at Santiago, who had begun to fall asleep in her arms. She thought of the cold nights in the plazas, the days without food, the constant uncertainty. “I accept,” she murmured, “But I want you to know that I am an honest woman.” “I don’t doubt it,” Matías replied. “I’ll be waiting for you tomorrow at the Raíces restaurant in Villac. Ask for me.”

When Sofia got up to leave, Matias couldn’t help but look at the necklace again. Could it be that after all these years, Sofia had called out to him as she was heading for the door? What was her last name before the adoption? She stopped, confused. “I don’t remember. I was very little.” “Why is it important?” “Just curious,” Matias lied. “See you tomorrow.”

As Sofía disappeared into the rainy night, Matías sat motionless in his seat. That night, for the first time in years, he couldn’t concentrate on his business. He could only think of one thing. Had he finally found his long-lost sister? Or perhaps, perhaps he had found something else entirely. Sofía arrived at the Raíces restaurant with Santiago in her arms, a mixture of nerves and determination in her voice.

The place was more inviting than the golden deer, with exposed brick walls and plants hanging from the ceiling. It smelled of spices and freshly baked bread. Sofia Ramirez, an elegant woman in her thirties, approached with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I’m Elena Castillo, Matias’s assistant. He asked me to see you.”

“Nice to meet you,” Sofia replied, immediately noticing the tension in Elena’s voice. “Matías had to leave due to an emergency. I’ll take you to your apartment and explain your responsibilities.” Elena led her through the streets of Villacrick to a three-story brick building. The apartment was small but clean: one bedroom, a basic kitchen, and a bathroom.

For Sofia, who had spent weeks sleeping in plazas, it was a palace. “Your job will be to supervise the inventory and help with administration,” Elena explained as she placed a folder on the table. “The salary isn’t much, but it includes this place and food from the restaurant.” “Thank you,” Sofia murmured, still in disbelief at her good fortune. “One more thing,” Elena paused at the door.

Matías is very generous, but don’t get the wrong idea. He and I have a history. I just wanted you to know. After Elena left, Sofía sat on the small sofa with Santiago. What had she gotten herself into? The first few days at Raíces were like a dream.

Sofia discovered she had a natural talent for organizing the kitchen and managing the accounts. The employees respected her, and Santiago had become the mascot of the place. Matías would show up every afternoon, always with some excuse to stay longer than necessary. He watched Sofia work, the way she tasted the dishes and suggested improvements. How she comforted Santiago when he cried.

“She has a good palate,” he told her one afternoon after she had suggested changing the chimichurri recipe. “My adoptive mother cooked a lot. I learned by watching her.” “Do you remember anything else from your childhood?” Before the adoption, Sofía shrugged. “Fragments. I remember a house with a large garden and an older boy who looked after me. But it’s all very blurry.”

Matías’s heart raced. He had cared for Carolina in the garden of his childhood home. What was that boy like? Cari, affectionate. He taught me how to make necklaces with beads. He gave me this one, he touched the star I always wore around my neck, but after the adoption I tried not to think about the past. It hurt too much.

Matías felt the air leave his lungs. He had made that necklace for Carolina with his own hands when he was 12 years old. “Sofía, it’s me, Matías.” Elena appeared in the kitchen. “I was looking for you. You have a meeting in 10 minutes.” The interruption broke the moment. Matías left with Elena, but not before looking at Sofía’s necklace one last time. That night in his office, Matías couldn’t concentrate.

She picked up her phone and dialed a private investigator. “I need you to investigate someone,” she said when they answered. Sofia Ramirez, 23. I want to know everything about her past, especially her adoption. Meanwhile, back in her small apartment, Sofia couldn’t sleep.

There was something about the way Matías looked at her, something that made her feel both protected and confused. It was impossible that a man like him could be interested in someone like her. As the days passed, Matías and Sofía’s relationship grew closer. He started arriving early at the restaurant just to have breakfast with her and Santiago. He brought her baby clothes and a cookbook.

“You don’t need to do all this,” Sofia told him one morning while he was playing with Santiago. “I want to,” Matías replied, picking up the baby. “You two have become important to me.” Why? Sofia looked him straight in the eyes. “Why do you help us so much?” Matías hesitated. Aunts, how could he explain that he thought she was his long-lost sister? How could he tell her that at the same time, with each passing day, he was beginning to feel something that wasn’t at all sisterly? “Because you remind me of someone very important I lost a long time ago. A girlfriend, right? My sister.” Sofia remained silent.

Processing the information. How did he lose her? We were separated when we were children during the 2001 crisis. I never saw her again. Elena, who had been listening from the doorway, felt a pang of jealousy. Matías had never spoken to her like that about his sister. She had never seen that tenderness in his eyes when he spoke to her.

That afternoon, after Matías left, Elena approached Sofía. “He thinks you’re his long-lost sister,” she said bluntly. “What?” Sofía paled. “That’s why he’s helping you, that’s why he’s so interested in you. He thinks you’re Carolina, his younger sister.” Sofía sat down slowly with Santiago in her arms. “That’s it, that’s impossible. It is.” Elena smiled maliciously. “Think about it.”

Your age, your necklace, your adoptive past. He’d already hired an investigator to confirm it. Sofia felt like the world was shaking. If Matías believed she was his sister, then everything she’d felt, the entire connection she’d imagined between them, was an illusion. “Don’t tell me you didn’t notice,” Elena continued, “the way he looks at you, like you’re a ghost from the past.”

That night Sofia couldn’t sleep. Every gesture from Matias, every affectionate word, every tender moment, now had a completely different meaning. He didn’t see her as a woman; he saw her as the sister he had lost. And the worst part was that she had begun to fall in love with him.

Two weeks later, Matías received the call he had been waiting for. The private investigator had the results. “Mr. Guerrero, I regret to inform you that Sofía Ramírez is not your sister.” The voice sounded clear over the phone. “Carolina Guerrero was adopted by a family in Córdoba and died in a traffic accident five years ago. I have all the documents.”

Matías felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders, and at the same time, as if he had lost something important. Sofía wasn’t Carolina. That meant all those confusing feelings he’d been experiencing were over. “Are you sure?” he asked, completely. “The necklace Miss Ramírez is wearing is a coincidence.”

His adoptive mother told him she had bought him at a flea market when she was a child. After hanging up, Matías sat motionless in his office. For weeks he had fought against feelings he believed were forbidden. He had tried to convince himself that what he felt for Sofía was brotherly affection, but his heart knew the truth. He was in love with her.

That afternoon he arrived at Raíces earlier than ever. Sofía was in the kitchen, tasting the sauce for the next day’s gnocchi. Santiago was asleep in his carrier near the stove where it was warm. “Sofía, I need to talk to you.” She tensed. For days she had been distant, almost cold with him. Elena had told her that she already had the results of the investigation.

“If it’s about the investigation, I already know I’m not your sister,” she said without looking at him. Elena told me. “Elena, did she tell you what?” Matías’s voice hardened. “That you investigated me because you thought I was Carolina, that’s why you helped me.” Matías closed his eyes. Elena had been interfering again. “Sofía, look at me.” Her voice was soft but firm. She turned around slowly.

Her green eyes were filled with pain and confusion. It’s true that at first I thought you could be my sister—your necklace, your age, your story. Everything matched up, but that changed weeks ago. It changed how Matías took a step closer. It changed when I realized that what I feel for you has nothing to do with my long-lost sister.

Sofia’s heart began to beat faster. I don’t understand. I fell in love with you, Sofia, with the brave woman who begged for scraps to feed her child. With the mother who works tirelessly to get ahead, with the person who makes my world make sense. Sofia stepped back, shaking her head. You can’t be serious. We’re from completely different worlds.

Worlds don’t matter. Matías followed her. What matters is this, he gestured to the space between them. What we feel when we’re together. You don’t know what I feel. Then tell me. Tell me you don’t feel anything when we look at each other. Tell me that when I play with Santiago, you don’t wish we were a real family. Sofía’s eyes filled with tears.

It’s not that simple, Matías. I have a past, responsibilities, and I have a present, a present I want to share with you and Santiago. The rain had begun to fall outside, just like that first night. Matías took Sofía’s hands in his. Come with me. Where to? To the place where we met.

Sofia hesitated, but something in the intensity of his gaze convinced her. They left Santiago sleeping in the restaurant’s office under the care of their trusted cook and walked to the golden deer. The rain fell softly as they stood before the restaurant’s window. Matias cupped Sofia’s face in his hands. “This is where my life changed,” he said.

When a brave woman taught me that there are things more important than money. When I discovered I could love in a way I never imagined. Matías, I love you, Sofía, not as a brother, not out of pity, not out of charity. I love you as a man, I love you for who you are. And before she could answer, he kissed her in the rain.

It was a tentative kiss at first, but when Sofia responded, it became passionate and desperate. When they parted, they were both crying. “I love you too,” Sofia whispered. “But I’m afraid.” “Of what?” “That one day you’ll realize you made a mistake, that you’ll find someone from your own social class. You’re my social class now. You and Santiago.”

The following months were the happiest of Sofia’s life. Matias courted her like a true lady, bringing her flowers, inviting her to dinner, and playing with Santiago as if he were his own son. Santiago had begun to say “Papa” whenever he saw Matias, which melted the hearts of both adults.

One July night, after they’d been together for two months, Matías arrived at the apartment looking nervous. “Is everything alright?” Sofía asked, noticing his agitation. “More than alright,” he smiled. “Sofía, these past two months have been the best of my life. I wake up every day excited to see you, to be with Santiago, to build something real with you.” Sofía smiled, but noticed he was trembling slightly. “Matías.”

He knelt before her, taking out a small velvet box. “Marry me, Sofia. I know it’s quick, I know we barely know each other, but I also know I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.” Sofia brought her hands to her mouth, her eyes filling with tears. “Are you sure?” “I’ve never been more sure of anything.”

I want to be the husband you deserve and the father Santiago needs. I want us to be a real family. Yes, Sofia whispered. Yes, I’ll marry you. When he slipped the ring on her finger, Santiago began to clap from his crib, as if he knew something important was happening.

That night, as they planned a simple wedding for the following month, neither of them knew that Elena was watching them from the window, her heart filled with jealousy and a dangerous determination to tear them apart. Sofia’s past was about to catch up with them in the worst possible way. Sofia and Matias’s happiness lasted exactly three weeks.

One Tuesday morning, while Sofia was preparing Santiago’s breakfast in her apartment, someone banged aggressively on the door. “Who is it?” she asked through the door. “Open up, Sofia. It’s Ricardo, my son’s father.” Sofia’s world crumbled. Ricardo Morales had returned. With trembling hands, she opened the door. Ricardo stood in the doorway, thinner than before, with deep dark circles under his eyes and a smile that conveyed nothing good. “Hello, love.”

Aren’t you going to say hello? What do you want, Ricardo? Sofia kept the door half-closed. I want to meet my son, and I want us to talk about money. You have no right to Santiago. You abandoned me when I was pregnant. Ricardo pushed open the door and entered without permission. Santiago began to cry from his crib. “Ah! But look how beautiful my baby is,” said Ricardo, approaching the crib.

“And what a lovely apartment you have now. I heard you got yourself a millionaire boyfriend. Get out of here.” Sofia stepped between Ricardo and the baby. “I’m not going anywhere, you see. I’ve been thinking. That boyfriend of yours has a lot of money, right? And I’m Santiago’s biological father. Legally, I have rights.”

What do you want? Let’s say 100,000 pesos a month for child support, and if your boyfriend doesn’t want to pay, I’ll take the child with me. Sofia felt her legs tremble. You have no way to support him. You don’t even have a job. I have my methods. Ricardo smiled sinisterly. And I have friends who help me, friends who don’t like it when fathers can’t see their children. The threat was clear.

Sofia knew the kind of friends Ricardo had. “I’m giving you one week to get the money, or I’m taking Santiago and you’ll disappear from your millionaire’s life forever.” After Ricardo left, Sofia lay trembling on the floor, clutching Santiago. She couldn’t involve Matías in this. She couldn’t put his life in danger.

That afternoon, when Matías arrived at the restaurant, he immediately noticed something was wrong. “What’s wrong, my love? You look very pale.” “Nothing, just a little tired.” But Matías knew her too well. During dinner, Sofía barely touched her food and kept Santiago glued to her side the whole time. “Sofía, talk to me. What’s going on?” It was only her eyes that filled with tears.

Sometimes I think all this is too good to be true. What do you mean? Us, this life. I come from a very different world, Matías, a dangerous world. Matías took her hands. That world is behind us now. You’re with me now. And if it’s not so simple, what if my past comes looking for us? Then we’ll face it together.

But Sofía knew she couldn’t risk Matías’s life. Ricardo wasn’t joking with his threats. The following days were hell. Ricardo would show up at the restaurant, at the apartment, following Sofía everywhere. Each time, his demands became more aggressive. “Your boyfriend must have a lot of money stashed away,” he told her one afternoon.

“Because now I want 200,000, and if I don’t get it, I’m not only taking the boy, I’m also making sure your millionaire has an accident.” That night, Sofía made the hardest decision of her life. She couldn’t put Matías in danger. She couldn’t risk the man she loved getting hurt. Heartbroken, she packed her few belongings and Santiago’s. She wrote Matías a letter.

My dear Matías, by the time you read this, Santiago and I will have already left. I can’t explain why, but you have to believe me that it’s for the best for everyone. Don’t look for me. My past is too dangerous, and I can’t drag you into my world. You’re the best man I’ve ever known, and you deserve someone without so many problems. Forget me. I love you, Sofía.

Elena, who had been watching everything from the shadows, smiled when she saw Sofía leave the building with Santiago in her arms at 3 a.m. Her plan had worked perfectly. It had been easy to contact Ricardo through acquaintances in the slums. She had given him all the information he needed about Matías and had paid him to pressure Sofía.

Finally, she would have Matías all to herself. The next morning, Matías arrived at Sofía’s apartment with coffee and croissants, as he did every morning. He found the door open and the place empty. The letter was on the kitchen table. When he finished reading it, Matías sat on the floor and cried like he hadn’t cried since he was a child. His perfect world had crumbled in a single night.

Sofia! He shouted her name in the empty apartment, but only the echo answered him. Outside, Buenos Aires continued with its normal rhythm, oblivious to the broken heart of a man who had lost the woman he loved and the child he had come to consider his son. Elena appeared an hour later, feigning surprise.

“Matías, what happened? Aren’t you answering your phone?” And she left, he murmured without looking up. Sofía left. Elena approached and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, hiding her triumphant smile. “I’m so sorry, but maybe, maybe it’s for the best.” Matías looked at her with an expression Elena had never seen before. It was pure pain, mixed with something dangerous.

How can you say that? Because you two were from very different worlds, Matías. Perhaps she realized that, but Matías knew there was more to it. Sofía wouldn’t have left without a powerful reason, and he was going to find out what it was. Three months had passed since Sofía’s disappearance, and Matías had made it his mission to find her.

He temporarily closed two of his restaurants and hired the best private investigators in Argentina. “Nothing, Mr. Warrior,” the lead detective informed him one afternoon. It’s as if they’ve vanished off the face of the earth. No work records, no bank transactions, nothing. Matías slammed his fist on the desk in frustration. They have to be somewhere.

A woman with a baby can’t just vanish, unless she’s using false documents. That possibility had been nagging at Matías. And what kind of past did Sofía have that forced her to flee like that? Meanwhile, in the vineyards of Mendoza, Sofía worked under the scorching sun under the name María González.

She had obtained false documents through contacts she preferred not to remember. And now she was picking grapes from dawn till dusk. Santiago, now 6 months old, was getting thinner. The money barely covered the basics, and he needed medicine that Sofía couldn’t afford. “María, the baby doesn’t look well,” Rosa, the older woman who worked alongside her, told her. “You should take him to the doctor.”

“I don’t have money for doctors,” Sofia murmured, wiping the sweat from her brow. That night, in her small room in a boarding house, Sofia wept, clutching Santiago. The baby had a fever, and she didn’t know what to do. “Forgive me, my love,” she whispered. “Forgive me for taking away the life you could have had.”

In Buenos Aires, Elena watched Matías waste away day by day. He was no longer the confident and successful man she had known. He had dark circles under his eyes and had lost weight. He spent his nights reviewing files and maps, searching for any clue. “Matías, you have to stop,” Elena told him one night. “You’re killing yourself.” “I won’t stop until I find her,” he replied without looking up from the documents.

“What if she doesn’t want to be found? What if she really decided it was better this way?” Matías looked at her, his eyes bloodshot. “Sofía loves me, Elena. I know she loves me. Something forced her to leave, and I’m going to find out what it was.” Elena felt a pang of guilt that she tried to ignore. Her plan had worked, but seeing Matías like this made her uncomfortable.

Maybe you should consider the possibility that you shouldn’t. Matías stood up abruptly. I’m not going to consider it. She’s out there somewhere needing me, and I’m going to find her. Guilt finally overwhelmed Elena. A week later, she appeared in Matías’s office with tears in her eyes. “I have to tell you something,” she said, her voice trembling.

“What’s wrong?” “It’s about Sofía, about why she left.” Matías dropped the papers he was holding. “Do you know why she left?” Elena slumped into a chair, sobbing. “I—I hired Ricardo Morales to threaten her.” The silence that followed was deafening. Matías looked at her as if she were a stranger.

“What did you say? I was jealous, Matías. I’ve loved you for years and couldn’t stand seeing you with her. I contacted the baby’s father and told him where to find her. I paid him to pressure her. You paid him to threaten Sofía.” Matías’s voice was dangerously low. “Yes. He asked her for money and threatened to take the baby.”

He also threatened her with you. He told her he would hurt you if she didn’t disappear. Matías approached Elena slowly. “Where is Ricardo now?” “I don’t know. After Sofía left, he disappeared too. I think he went to live in the villas.” Matías took out his phone and dialed his investigator’s number. “I want you to find Ricardo Morales, and when you find him, bring him to me.” “Matías, I’m so sorry.”

“Soyosó Elena. I didn’t think you’d leave my office.” His voice was as cold as ice. “And never come back. Please let me help you fix this. Leave.” Two days later, the investigator brought Ricardo to Matías’s office. The man was clearly nervous. “Are you Sofía’s boyfriend?” Matías studied him.

Ricardo was shorter than I’d imagined, with the typical look of someone who’d lived on the streets for too long. “Where is she?” “I don’t know, I swear. After she left, I never saw her again.” “Why did you threaten her?” Ricardo shrugged. “The blonde paid me. She told me that if I pressured her enough, she’d leave and you’d be available again.”

Matías closed his eyes, trying to control his anger. “What exactly did you say to her?” “That if she didn’t give me money, I’d take the baby, and that if I didn’t disappear from her life, I’d hurt you.” “And now what do you want?” Ricardo was surprised by the question. “What? Tell me, what do you want from life? Do you want to keep being a petty criminal, or do you want something better? I don’t understand.” Matías moved closer to him. “I’m going to make you an offer.”

I’ll give you a job at one of my restaurants. I’ll help you get rehabilitated. And in return, you’ll forever relinquish any legally documented rights to Santiago. Why would you do that for me? Because hating is exhausting, and because I need Sofia to know you’re no longer a threat. Ricardo looked at him incredulously. You’d really give me a job?

Seriously, but if you ever approach Sofía or Santiago with bad intentions, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life. Understood? Understood? A week later, with the papers signed and Ricardo working as a dishwasher in one of his restaurants, Matías intensified his search.

Now he knew that Sofía had run away out of fear, not for lack of love. The trail finally led him to Mendoza, where a vineyard worker remembered seeing a young woman with a baby. Yes, she works here. She calls herself María, but we all know that’s not her real name. She’s a good worker, but the baby is sick. Matías’s heart raced. Where can I find her? In the northern vineyards.

But, sir, if you’re the baby’s father, hurry. The child needs a doctor. Matías didn’t wait another second. He drove straight to the vineyards, his heart pounding so hard he could hear it in his ears. At dusk, among the rows of vines laden with ripe grapes, he saw her.

Sofia was bent over, cutting bunches of grapes with Santiago tied to her back. She was thinner, her hair tied back with a scarf, but she was still the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Sofia called to her softly. She turned slowly and froze when she saw him. The bunch of grapes fell from her hands. “Matías,” she whispered, as if he were a ghost.

“I found you,” he said, slowly approaching. “I finally found you. You shouldn’t be here.” Sofia stepped back, clutching Santiago to her chest. “It’s dangerous for you.” “The only danger is gone.” Matias continued to approach. “Ricardo signed the waiver of parental rights. Elena confessed everything. There’s nothing left to fear.”

Sofia stared at him in disbelief. “Elena confessed. She told me how Ricardo threatened you, how he hired him to separate us. Everything, Sofia. Now I know why you left.” Tears began to stream down Sofia’s cheeks. “I thought if I stayed, I would hurt you. I couldn’t let SH…” Matias finally reached her and cupped her face in his hands.

It’s over now, you don’t have to run away anymore. Santiago, who had been very quiet, lifted his head and, seeing Matías, stretched out his arms toward him with a weak smile. “Dad,” he murmured hoarsely. Matías took the baby in his arms and immediately noticed that he had a fever. “He’s sick,” Sofía said, crying. “He needs medicine that I can’t afford.”

I’ve been working day and night, but it’s not enough. We’re taking him to the hospital right now. Matías carried Santiago while holding Sofía’s hand. Everything’s going to be alright. Matías, there’s something else I need to tell you. Sofía stopped. Another reason I left. What is it? Sofía took a deep breath, gathering her courage. I’m pregnant with your child.

Matías stood motionless, processing the words. Two months pregnant. I found out just before Ricardo showed up. I was afraid you’d think I was trapping you, that I only wanted your money, especially with the difference between us. Matías carefully placed Santiago in Sofía’s arms and knelt among the golden Ubardecer vines, their light illuminating his face.

You thought I’d be upset to know I’m going to be a dad? I didn’t know what to think. Everything happened so fast between us. And then, Ricardo, Sofía, do you know what my lifelong dream has been? She shook her head, wanting a family, a real family, built on love, and you’re giving me exactly that.

Matías took out the same ring he had offered her months before, the one he had worn throughout these months of searching. “Marry me, Sofía, not because you’re pregnant, not because of Santiago, but because I love you, because these three months without you have been hell. Because I can’t imagine my life without you both. Are you sure, Sofía?”

I come with many problems, Matías, and I come with many solutions. We’re a perfect team. Santiago began to clap weakly from his mother’s arms, just as he had the first time. “Yes,” Sofía whispered. “Yes, I’ll marry you.” When Matías slipped the ring onto her finger for the second time, the sun was setting over the vineyards, creating a golden and magical landscape.

But first, Matías said, getting up, “let’s take our son to the doctor.” “Our son.” The words resonated in Sofía’s heart like a beautiful melody. The nearest hospital was an hour away. During the drive, Matías told her everything. How Elena had confessed, how he had found Ricardo, the job offer, and the rehabilitation. “You gave him a job?” Sofía asked, surprised.

Someone taught me that sometimes people do bad things because they haven’t had better options. Matías took his hand. Ricardo needed a chance, not more punishment. At the hospital, the doctors diagnosed Santiago with a respiratory infection that was easily cured with antibiotics. After two days of observation, they were able to take him home, but Sofía no longer had a home in Mendoza. We’ll stay here, Matías decided, in the vineyards.

Why here? Because it was here that we reunited. Because this place is special to us now. Matías bought a small property in Los Viñedos, a stone house with a view of the mountains. It was simple, but perfect for a family.

During the following weeks, while they waited for the wedding date, they transformed not only the house but also their lives. Matías sold most of his restaurants in Buenos Aires and opened a new one in Mendoza, Raíces, where Sofía worked as executive chef and partner. Ricardo, true to his word, had remained in Buenos Aires working honestly and attending rehabilitation meetings. One day he called Matías. “Mr. Guerrero,” he said, “I wanted to thank you.”

For the first time in years, I feel like a decent person. Keep it up, Ricardo. Everyone deserves a second chance. Elena had changed too. After losing her job, she had started therapy and found work at a nonprofit organization. She wrote a letter to Sofia.

I don’t expect you to forgive me, but I wanted you to know that I deeply regret what I did. Matías is happy with you in a way he never was with me. And finally, I understand that true love is wanting the other person’s happiness, even if it’s not with you. I wish you all the happiness in the world. One afternoon, while Sofía was cooking in her new restaurant and Santiago was playing in his high chair, Matías came up behind her and placed his hands on her belly, which was already starting to show. “How’s our baby today?” “Active,” Sofía laughed.

I think he’s going to be a soccer player or a chef like his mom. Sofia turned around in his arms. “Do you ever regret changing your whole life for us?” “Never.” Matias kissed her gently. “You didn’t change my life, Sofia, you saved it.” Santiago, who was now walking with clumsy steps, approached them and hugged Matias’s legs.

“Dad, Mom,” she said clearly, using her new favorite word. “That’s right, my love.” Sofia lifted him up. “We’re a family.” The next day was the wedding day. They had decided to get married exactly one year after their reunion in the same vineyards where Matías had found her. The ceremony would be small and intimate, just as they had dreamed.

Only the vineyard workers, a few friends from Mendoza, and a special guest who had come from Buenos Aires were there. Elena was there, not as Matías’s ex, but as someone who had finally found peace within herself and wanted to witness the happiness she had almost destroyed.

While Sofia got ready in the stone house, admiring herself in the mirror in her simple yet elegant dress, Santiago clutched her skirt. “Beautiful Mommy,” he said. And Sofia knew it had all been worth it. Outside, among the vines laden with ripe grapes, Matías waited for the woman who had transformed his world, ready to begin the most beautiful chapter of their lives.

Eighteen months had passed since that rainy night when Sofia ordered food from a stranger. Now, on a beautiful spring morning in the vineyards of Mendoza, everything had changed. The ceremony was held at sunset, as the sun painted the mountains gold. Sofia walked along the path among the vines in her simple lace dress, carrying Valentina, her four-month-old daughter, in her arms, while two-year-old Santiago walked beside her with a determined stride, carrying a small pillow with the rings. Matías waited at the end of the

Santiago walked down the path, dressed in a light gray suit, tears welling in his eyes. Beside him stood the justice of the peace, and among the guests were Rosa and the other vineyard workers, some of Mendoza’s friends, and Elena, who had been chosen as the wedding godmother. “Dearly beloved,” the justice began, but Santiago interrupted him.

“Dad!” she shouted, running toward Matías with the rings. Laughter filled the vineyards. Matías scooped Santiago up in his arms and sat him on his shoulders. “Ready, my love?” he asked Sofía when she reached him. “More than ready,” she replied, beaming. The vows were simple, yet profound.

Matías promised to be the husband and father his family deserved, while Sofía promised to trust in his love and never run from happiness again. When they kissed as husband and wife, Santiago applauded from his father’s shoulder. Valentina smiled in her mother’s arms, and even Elena cried with emotion.

The reception was held in the courtyard of the Stone House, with long tables decorated with wildflowers and candles. The menu, prepared by Sofía and the team from the Raíces restaurant, featured homemade empanadas, grilled meat, and homemade flan with dulce de leche for dessert. During dinner, Ricardo appeared unexpectedly.

Sofia tensed when she saw him, but Matias stood up with a smile. “Ricardo, I’m glad you came.” Ricardo, who looked completely different—clean, well-dressed, and at a healthy weight—approached shyly. “I didn’t want to bother you, but I wanted to bring you this.” He held out a small box. “I carved it myself in the restaurant’s carpentry workshop.”

Inside was a small wooden star with Santiago’s initials engraved on it, so he would know where he came from, but also where he was going, Ricardo said, looking at Santiago. “I wanted to apologize to both of you and thank you for giving me the opportunity to be a better person.”

Sofia stood up and hugged Ricardo. “Thank you for changing, and thank you for letting us be a family. It’s the least I could do.” Ricardo smiled. “Now I have my own path to follow.” After dinner, while the guests danced in the courtyard, Matias led Sofia and the children to the table he had specially set up in a corner of the garden.

It was identical to the table at the Golden Deer where they had met. “Do you recognize this place?” Matías asked. “Of course,” Sofía smiled. This was where a desperate woman begged a stranger for leftovers and where a lonely man found his family. They had prepared the same meal as that first night: vegetable soup, pork loin with mashed potatoes, and flank steak.

But this time there were no leftovers to ask for, no hunger to satisfy, no fear to face. Santiago sat in a special high chair, eating his mashed potatoes with his hands and getting food all over his face. Valentina slept peacefully in her stroller while the gentle breeze rustled the vine leaves. “Do you know what the most incredible thing about all this is?” said Sofía, taking Matías’s hand.

“What? That day I thought I was asking for scraps, but I was really asking for a new life, and I thought I was giving you food, but I was really giving you my heart.” Elena approached them with a glass of wine in her hand. “Excuse me for interrupting, but I wanted to make a toast.” The three raised their glasses. “To second chances,” Elena said, “to forgiveness, to love that conquers pride, and to families that are formed in the most unexpected ways.”

“Cheers!” Matías and Sofía said in unison. As they toasted, Santiago raised his small glass of milk. “Cheers!” he shouted, and everyone laughed. The evening continued with soft music, laughter, and conversation. The vineyard workers shared stories about their own families. Elena spoke of her plans to travel and volunteer with charities.

And Ricardo shared his dreams of one day opening his own small carpentry workshop. When the last guests left, Matías and Sofía were alone in the patio with their sleeping children. The full moon illuminated the vineyards, creating dancing shadows among the leaves. “Mrs. Guerrero,” said Matías, embracing his wife.

“How does that sound?” “It sounds perfect,” Sofia replied, resting her head on his shoulder. “Do you know what I’m thinking about?” “What?” “That first night, when I thought I’d hit rock bottom. Actually, that was the moment my real life began. And now, how do you feel? That I have so much I’ll never be able to feel hunger again.” Matias turned her to look into her eyes.

Do you know the difference between leftovers and a banquet? What is it? Leftovers feed you for one night. A banquet feeds the soul for a lifetime. They kissed under the stars while their children slept nearby, and the gentle breeze carried the scent of ripe grapes and promises kept. Raíces restaurant had become the most popular in Mendoza, not only for its exquisite food, but for the love story it represented.

Tourists came specifically to dine at the place where the millionaire and the homeless woman fell in love. But for Matías and Sofía, the real treasure wasn’t the restaurant’s success or the money they’d earned. It was Santiago running among the vines, Valentina taking her first steps, and family dinners filled with laughter and plans for the future.

It was in knowing that they had transformed the deeds of a desperate night into a lifetime’s feast, and in the certainty that true love, when it finally arrives, not only fills an empty stomach but nourishes the soul for eternity. Thus ended the story of Sofia and Matias, not with an ending, but with a beginning without end, reminding us that sometimes the greatest blessings come disguised in the most desperate moments, and that we never know when a simple question can change destiny forever. May I keep their deeds, Lord?