Weeks later, on her way back from the market, a voice stopped her. It was Clarisse, her elder sister. “So this is how you live,” Clarisse mocked. “Do you even know who that man really is?”
Lira stood straighter. “He is my husband, and I am content.”
Clarisse laughed sharply. “Content? You fool. He is no beggar.”
The words clung to Lira’s mind. That night, she asked Elias again, her voice firmer. “Tell me the truth. Who are you?”
He knelt before her, took her hands gently, and whispered, “I wanted you to love me without knowing. But I cannot lie anymore. I am the son of the gobernador.”
Lira’s heart raced. The stories, the grace in his tone—all made sense now. Through tears she asked, “Why did you let me believe otherwise?”
“Because I was weary of women who loved the title, not the man. I disguised myself and came here seeking someone true. When I learned of you, cast aside by your own father, I knew your heart was real.”