A Date with Teodoro Miller
Shortly after, Ava and Mateo arrived at the corporate office. The receptionist greeted them warmly, and they went up to the office. Camila greeted them with a forced smile, and Ava would make sure to let that girl know that Mateo belonged to her.
“I’ll be back in a few minutes. You can call my secretary if you need coffee or a snack,” Mateo hoped the meeting would end soon.
“Thank you, love,” Ava picked up a magazine to keep herself entertained while he returned.
Mateo hurried to the boardroom where the other executives were already waiting for him. He received a call from an officer working with Tadeo; they were conducting an investigation into the other company for money laundering. Mateo distanced himself from it since the owner was Daría, and they would have to investigate her as she was still in the United States.
Tadeo had not yet been able to present evidence against Teodoro. He had learned that Teodoro was protected by a high-ranking member of the corporation. So, he first needed to find out who that was and unmask them before proceeding against Teodoro.
In Mateo’s office, Ava requested coffee from Camila, who rudely took it and spilled the contents on her. She pretended to be sorry for the deliberate accident, and Ava thought she was quite lucky to deal with such people.
Mateo entered the room at that moment and helped Ava dry the liquid that had fallen on her leg, which had turned red due to the high temperature of the coffee.
“What happened?” he asked, clearly annoyed.
“I’m sorry, sir, it was an accident,” Camila apologized insincerely.
“You need to be more careful, Camila. You’ve caused harm to Ava’s leg.” After saying that, he asked the secretary to leave the office.
Mateo took ointment from the first aid kit, applied it to the affected area, and then placed a bandage.
“I’m sorry, beautiful. I’ll have a serious talk with Camila. I don’t know why, but I have a feeling it wasn’t an accident.”
“That girl has an interest in you; that’s more than obvious,” Ava thought the same, that Camila had done it on purpose.
“I promise something like this won’t happen again. It could have caused more significant damage.”
“I need to talk to you.” Ava’s face turned serious as she said it.
“Is something wrong?” Mateo asked, concerned, noticing the seriousness in Ava’s expression.
“I talked to Teodoro; I will have dinner with him tonight,” Ava said. Mateo couldn’t believe what Ava was saying.
“No way, that man is a lunatic, you’ll be in danger.”
“I need to unmask him. I have a plan to bring him down, and I’m willing to take that risk.”
“Seems like there’s no way to change your mind. You can count on me for it.”
“I’ll talk to Tadeo; I’ll need his support as well. My nanny has told me that when we lived with Teodoro, she overheard him talking on the phone unintentionally. From what she’s said, it’s likely that his businesses are much dirtier than we think.”
“If you want, we can talk to Tadeo right now.”
“Perfect, let’s go.” She asked Camila to cancel her meetings.
When they arrived at Tadeo’s office, he greeted them with a serious face. His feelings for Ava had cooled; he used to see her with affection, but now he saw her only as a friend. He worried about her and believed that Mateo would hurt her again at any moment.
“Ciao, Tadeo.”
“Ciao, bella,” he replied, completely ignoring Mateo.
“I need your help,” Ava said.
“Tell me, you know you can count on me for anything.”
“I’m going to get closer to Teodoro to try to unmask him. I need to record our conversations. I hope to gain his trust soon. I know he’s involved in something more significant than money laundering and fund diversion. He’s been sending vehicle parts from Genoa, which is suspicious in itself because it falls outside the Miller Corporation’s scope. I’ve been investigating, and lately, he’s been very focused on these shipments, but the Miller Corporation is still his front.”
“I feel it’s too risky for you. You should leave this to us.”
“I know the risk I’m taking, but it will be easier for me to get close. He doesn’t suspect who I really am and has shown interest in seeing me.”
“Okay, but you’ll have undercover men watching over you every time you meet him, and as you requested, his conversations will be recorded.”
“Thank you, Tadeo. I knew I could count on your help,” she hugged him and kissed him on the cheek.
Mateo watched the scene in silence, trying to keep his composure. Tadeo and he didn’t exchange a word at any point. Ava thought they looked like two stubborn kids.
Ava and Mateo left, but not before informing Tadeo that she would meet Teodoro that night. Tadeo gave her small earring-shaped devices that would allow her to listen to and record the conversation.
They headed to Ava’s apartment, wanting to spend some time with their son before Mateo would accompany her to the restaurant where she would meet Teodoro. He would stay nearby in case of any emergency, making sure Miller wouldn’t see him to avoid suspicion.
They had a pleasant afternoon with their son, and Mateo still couldn’t believe he was the father of this little one. He was so perfect.
“I still can’t believe it, really.”
“What?” the girl asked, not knowing what Mateo was referring to.
“That Matt is my son. It’s a divine gift, but I don’t know if I deserve it.”
“Shhh, don’t think that. Enjoy having him with you. Trust me; this little one will give you unique moments.” Mateo hugged the little one, and then they both laughed. Ava watched them, not knowing if she could ever forgive herself for having kept them apart for a while.
Ava arrived at the restaurant at the agreed-upon time, putting effort into her appearance. She looked very sexy in that form-fitting, strapless, pearl-colored dress that showcased her curves.NôvelDrama.Org content rights.
Mateo didn’t like at all that she chose such a provocative dress to go out with another man, but he agreed it was necessary to catch Teodoro’s attention.
The man was waiting for her at the entrance of the restaurant. She had arrived a bit earlier, so he didn’t notice that she had come accompanied by Mateo. When he saw her, his eyes widened. What a beautiful woman, and the best part was that he would have her all to himself soon.
He had a lot of confidence in himself and his ability to conquer women. If he liked a woman, she ended up in his bed. He didn’t mind spending a fortune on his conquests, although he would quickly grow bored of them. With Ava, it was different. He had grown tired of his current lover and already found her replacement. This girl would be his, willingly or unwillingly; he would take care of that.
Ava extended her hand to greet him, and Teodoro pulled her toward him, greeting her with a kiss on the cheek. In the distance, Mateo observed what was happening, clenching his fists. What would Miller think if he found out that Teodoro was trying to seduce his niece? Then he remembered that he had tried to force her to marry him, so there wouldn’t be much of a difference.
“Buona notte, bella.”
“Buona notte, señor Miller.”
“Teodoro, bella, just call me by my name, per favore.”
Ava wished she could rip the cheek where that man had kissed her. She had to force a smile when what she wanted was to vomit on him.
They entered the restaurant, and she had made a reservation in advance. She despised the way her father’s only relative was looking at her.
He pulled out her chair for her to sit down, offering her his best smiles. Ava wondered if there was anyone who would be interested in that despicable man. Teodoro still had some attractiveness, being tall, well-built, with gray eyes and a piercing gaze. What was wrong with him was that he thought he was the center of the universe.
As Teodoro grew up and realized that his uncle had achieved more than him, he felt deep hatred in his heart. He only thought about an opportunity to destroy him and take his fortune, even though he had cared for him like a son, taking care of him after his parents’ death.
“Do you mind if I call you by your name?”
“Not at all, Mr. Teodoro.”
“If you call me ‘señor,’ you make me feel very old, beautiful.” And wasn’t he, compared to her?
“Not at all, that’s not my intention; you’re still young.”
“Grazie, bella.”
“Your girlfriend is a very beautiful and young woman,” she asked, with the clear intention of making him uncomfortable.
Teodoro let out a deep sigh. “Yes, she is, although I would prefer it if she were kinder and more loving to me,” he lied, pretending to be upset.
“Oh, I’m sorry, I thought you got along well,” Ava said, pretending to understand.
“I’ve tried to indulge her every whim, but it’s never enough. She always wants more and more; her ambition knows no bounds,” Teodoro put on a distressed face.
“I’m sorry,” Ava realized that her uncle was a THOMPACO (Typical man who speaks ill of his partner to conquer another).
“That’s why I’ve thought about distancing myself from her. I believe I deserve to have someone by my side who truly loves me.”
“I think we all deserve that.”
“And tell me, is your relationship with Licciardi serious?” he asked, interested.
“Uhmmm, I don’t know, but while I find out, I’m having fun,” she replied, feigning a flirtatious smile.