The day had drained Maximo completely. He spent hours out in the field, even taking lunch there with the others. By the time he returned, the sound of music blasted through the house, loud enough to reach him from the first floor.
"What is she thinking?" he muttered, irritation rising. He had never cared for that kind of noise. Social gatherings were something he only endured when necessary. "Carolina..."
He headed upstairs, but the closer he got, the worse it became. The sound pressed against him, sharp and overwhelming. The damage from the fire hadn't stopped at his skin. The side that had suffered most reacted badly to loud noise.
By the time he reached the room, his vision blurred slightly. He pushed the door open, but the force threw him off balance.
The moment she saw him collapse, a scream tore out of her. Shock widened her eyes, and she rushed to turn the music off.
"Maximo!" she exclaimed. Without thinking, she pushed herself off the bed. The instant her injured foot touched the ground, pain shot through her, and she cried out again as she fell beside him.
Seeing her in pain wiped away his anger in an instant. Though still disoriented, he dragged himself closer.
"Are you... okay?" he asked, even as the question sounded pointless.
If she had been fine, she wouldn't be in tears like that.
"What about you?" she asked, her hand rising to rest against his face.
He didn't pull away. Instead, his fingers closed over hers, holding it there as he met her gaze. Her eyes were still wet, but there was something in them he didn't expect. He pushed the thought aside almost immediately.
Why would she care about him?
Still unsteady, he forced himself up and gathered her from the floor. He carried her back to the bed, set her down, and then dropped beside her, letting his body sink into the mattress.
"Don't play... loud music," he said, his voice strained. She stared at him, confused by the request.
"Does it hurt you?" she asked, watching his expression closely. The tension in his face hadn't gone unnoticed. He had collapsed, after all.
His hand lifted and pressed against the side of his mask, right over his ear.
"I can't deal with loud noise."
The words left him before he could stop them. A flicker of regret followed. Now she knew.
"How's your foot?" he asked, shifting the focus away from himself. Her gaze dropped to it, and she winced.
"It hurts now."
"You're unbelievable. Why did you even step down?"
She stared at him, disbelief clear on her face, before twisting her lips into a mocking expression.
"I thought you were supposed to be intelligent. Now I'm starting to question that."
"What... What exactly are you trying to say?" He straightened, irritation rising fast.
"You're jumping to ridiculous conclusions. I don't know what goes on in that head of yours, but sometimes it really doesn't seem to work. Maybe I should start calling you incompetent."
She meant it lightly, but he didn't take it that way. In a sudden move, his hand came up and caught her chin, holding it tighter than necessary.
"I'm not incompetent."
Her eyes narrowed, and she pushed against his hand, though it didn't make a difference.
"Let go of me," she snapped. "You're so rough."
His gaze drifted over her, and the marks he had left behind caught his attention.
"Like you don't enjoy it," he replied, pulling her closer with a faint, knowing smile.
Her eyes dropped to his mouth, and that only made his expression shift further. Then something clicked in his mind. He had been carrying that thought all day without realizing it.
"Carolina," he called out, suddenly stepping back. "You still haven't seen a doctor."
Confusion crossed her face at once.
"What are you talking about?"
His fingers dragged through his hair in frustration.
"You got injured and didn't see a doctor. I brought you here, and still nothing? Not even once?"
A few more curses slipped under his breath before he turned and walked out. Only then did it hit her. She hadn't even thought about it. Her mind had been elsewhere, caught up in everything about him. She had even blasted the music earlier just to push those thoughts away.
Moving quickly, Maximo went downstairs. His phone had no charge, so he headed straight to the office. He never kept one in his room on purpose. It forced him to get up and stay disciplined.
"Is everything alright, sir?" Dolores asked when she saw him.
"I need to call the doctor."
"Oh... sir, I'm sorry. I completely forgot," she said, guilt evident in her voice. She had assumed he would handle it, and the thought slipped past her.
"It's fine. It was my responsibility."
He picked up the phone and made the call. The doctor who had treated him before answered.
"Dr. Claudio, it's me. I need you to come over. My wife injured her foot."
"You're married now? Well, congratulations." the doctor asked, surprise clear in his tone. "I'll be there soon. I'm just finishing with a patient, then I'll head to the farm."
"Thank you."
The doctor arrived in less than an hour. His skin carried an olive tone, his eyes slightly narrow, and his hair was kept short. He stood tall, though still noticeably shorter than Maximo.
"Come in, doctor. She's upstairs."
He led him to the room. The moment the man stepped inside and saw Carolina, his expression shifted, losing its color.
"Hello." She greeted him with a gentle smile.
She had changed into sweatpants and a loose blouse. Maximo noticed it right away and felt satisfied. At least she wasn't wearing anything that drew attention to her figure.
"That's better." He pondered. "No one else needs to see."
Still, it didn't seem to matter. The doctor moved closer, and something in his demeanor changed. Maximo only picked up on it when the man touched Carolina's ankle and let out a quiet breath. His movements stayed careful, professional on the surface, yet there was something off about him.
"Everything alright, doctor?" Maximo asked, his tone tightening. "He better not try anything."
"Yes, of course," the man replied, clearing his throat. "I don't think anything is broken, but it would be best to confirm at the hospital. An X-ray should make things clear."
"I see."
Maximo's eyes shifted to Carolina, a slight frown forming. That meant another trip into town.
"If you'd like, I can take her myself. I know you're not fond of going out."
Maximo's gaze locked onto him, steady and unyielding.
A tight smile appeared on his lips, but Carolina caught the tension beneath it.
"I'll handle it. She's my wife. Whether I like leaving or not doesn't matter. I'll be the one taking her wherever she needs to go."
The doctor swallowed and shifted his eyes toward Carolina. That small movement only made Maximo's irritation grow.
"Bastard!" He thought. Their marriage might not have been built on love, but that didn't change anything. She was still his. And the way the doctor looked at her made his intentions clear. Maximo knew that look well. He had worn it himself before.
"Of course, Mr. Castillo," Claudio replied, forcing a polite smile. "Would you like to go now?"
"We'll go tomorrow morning," Maximo answered. "She's already worn out. I'll take her then."
"Alright," the doctor said. Without wasting another second, Maximo stepped toward the door and called out, "Dolores."
"Please escort Dr. Claudio out. I'll stay here with my wife."
Dolores didn't miss the tone behind his words. A quiet smile tugged at her lips as she turned to the doctor.
"This way, please."
The moment the doctor stepped out, Maximo shut the door with a sharp slam. The force of it echoed through the room. Carolina stayed quiet, still trying to make sense of what had just happened. At first, the two of them had seemed almost cordial, and then, without warning, his mood shifted.
He turned toward her.
"That bastard..." he muttered. In a few strides, he closed the distance, gripping her hair and pulling her face up. "Did you like what you saw?"
