But while Raquel dreamed of her marriage, María hatched a plan. The siege began. Raúl found her in the living room. She was wearing a short dress, very short. She approached him and looked him up and down. “You’re very handsome.”
“Stay back,” Raúl told her.
“Thank you, but I’m your future stepfather.”
She laughed. “That’s funny you say that.” You’re my age, it could be something more. He didn’t answer, but the days passed and Maria dared to go further. She entered his room without knocking.
She leaned too close. She whispered ambiguous words to him. Raul rejected her every time. He stood firm. “I don’t love you, Maria. I’m with your mother, that’s all.” But she didn’t care. “You’ll change your mind, you’ll see.”
One day, while they were all having dinner together, she started again. This time she stroked him with her foot under the table in front of Raquel. Raul felt very uncomfortable. He didn’t know what to do. He got up from the table.