Hello, all! Happy Monday!

At first, I was going to keep this chapter and the next together because I just couldn't find a good enough place to stop. During editing, I realized it would be best to separate them. Not only because it ended up being 16 pages by the time it was all written, but also because I'm just not ready to say goodbye.

As you can probably tell, this story is coming to an end and I just want to thank everyone who has taken the time to read and even give me some feedback. I appreciate every single one of you.

I'm not going to make this note too long today, but look out for what I have to say next week.

Again, thank you all! And enjoy!

Linny

Chapter Forty-Two

Construction on the hacienda had begun immediately. Don Alejandro was sparing no expense to hire the best workmen in the province to rebuild what had been lost. Two weeks later, it was still shocking to see that the walls of the library had been completely gutted and the room was devoid of any furniture. But, they had salvaged anything that they had been able to and had it packed away for safekeeping.

It would take some time, but their home would be whole once again.

While helping to load her luggage onto the back of the de la Vega carriage, Olivia looked on at the manor-like house with fondness in her eyes. This place had been her home for over a month. Inside its walls, she had felt welcomed and cared for.

Not only by Don Alejandro and Diego but by the rest of the servants as well. During her recovery, they had all fretted over her, making certain that she was comfortable and well-fed. She had been a bit overwhelmed by it at first.

Diego had told her that it was merely because she was a guest in their home and they would do the same for anyone who came to visit. She wasn't so convinced that that was the entire reason.

From what she had learned, they didn't receive too many female guests. She could believe that they were all missing a female presence in their daily lives and had decided to dote on her. Perhaps they had even been wishing that she would stay.

During her stay, she had gained an admiration for them all. And she wished that she could stay as well.

But, it was time to say goodbye.

The thought filled her heart with sadness.

"Señorita, you should not trouble yourself with such things," Pedro, a young boy of about fifteen told her as he tried to stop her from carrying anything else. Emily had removed her stitches two weeks prior, but her leg was still healing. The muscle was still not fully repaired and she had been warned by Doctor Avila that any overexertion could cause more damage.

But she had never been the type to just sit by while others worked around her. She was a woman who constantly needed to keep herself occupied. And after being off her feet for so long, she felt that she needed to do something. "It's fine. I can do it," she reminded the boy.

Pablo usually worked in the stables and the two of them had become good friends during her frequent visits to the horses. He knew she was capable of holding her own, but he also knew that she wasn't fully healed.

The servants hadn't been told how she had sustained her injury. They all believed that it had happened while she had been trapped in the fire. None of them who truly knew had said otherwise.

It was best that way.

"Please, señorita," he was practically begging her to let him take care of packing the carriage. Not that he thought that he was in danger or being chastised by his masters for allowing her to do it herself. It was because she was a lady and he wanted to assist her.

With a sigh, she relented and set the small travel case she had been holding down by his feet. "Very well."

The boy smiled a radiant smile of youth and quickly snatched it away from her before she could change her mind.

Chuckling, she shook her head and turned back to the hacienda. In the doorway that led into the sala, there stood Diego. He was leaning casually against the doorframe with his arms crossed over his chest. The fabric of his dark blue suit strained over the muscles of his arms. The sight suddenly made her mouth feel very dry. Why did he seem so much more handsome than usual this morning?

Yes, he was a very attractive man. But as she looked at him this one last time, there was something that seemed different about him. But she couldn't put her finger on what that was.

His hair was smoothed back away from his face in its usual coif and his face had been freshly shaven. So it wasn't that he'd done something different when he'd dressed for the day.

No, this had something more to do with the way he presented himself. Maybe it was because he no longer felt the need to keep his feelings for her buried. Now it seemed like he was projecting them directly onto her.

It made her knees fall weak.

He wore a look of amusement on his face as he looked at her. His eyes, however, still looked very solemn. "Giving the servants trouble, eh?" he teased.

She shrugged her shoulders which were shrouded in the mint green fabric of her traveling dress. "I was just trying to help. I've never really been one to stand aside and allow others to do things for me."

"So I've noticed," he laughed softly.

She noticed how the humor still didn't reach all the way to his eyes. She felt very guilty about that.

This entire scenario was bittersweet. She was excited to return home, but she hated the fact that she would be leaving Diego behind. He had become such an integral part of her life that she wasn't certain how she would be able to go about her daily life without him.

Not only had he become one of her greatest friends, but she had fallen madly in love with him. It scared her to think of it because it was a completely new feeling for her to experience.

With the weight of The Chameleon on her shoulders, she had never really allowed herself to be herself. Her entire life had been consumed with the thought of capturing him and bringing much-needed justice to her family.

Now, she didn't who she was anymore. She was a blank slate just waiting to be filled in.

The main problem with that was that she no longer had a purpose to drive her forward. She had always wondered what she would do if she was ever allowed to find out. But, she just didn't know. Could she live a life of comfort and stability with a man who loved her? Or would the reality of it settle in too harshly and leave things stagnant?

She loved Diego. She could see herself being happy with him. At least for a time. But when the novelty of love finally wore off, what would she be left with?

That was why she needed to leave. She needed to go out into the world and find out who she truly was inside.

She would never forget him for what he had done for her. He had awoken a whole new side of her that she hadn't even known existed. He had opened her up to a new life with new experiences. She would always be grateful to him for that.

"Do you have everything packed?" he asked, pulling her away from her thoughts.

She nodded as she looked at him. She understood the sadness he was feeling as he gazed at her. But, this wasn't goodbye. Not really. A part of her would always remain behind with him. "Yes." She glanced around the hacienda, trying to commit everything she saw to memory. "I am going to miss this place."

"You shall be missed around here as well."

"Really?" She didn't want to seem too hopeful as she looked at him, but she hoped that he would miss her as much as she would him.

"Of course, you'll be missed. My father is losing his draughts partner, after all. Now he'll force me to play with him." He rolled his eyes and smiled playfully at her.

"Is that all?" She tried to make her words sound like he'd hurt her feelings, but they'd carried a similar playful cadence that matched his.

"No." Diego pushed off from the doorframe and bridged the small gap between them. He gently lifted her chin with a crooked finger so he could see her face clearly. His eyes looked pained and soulful as he gazed down at her. "I will miss you as well."

She was overwhelmed by the honesty in his words and the vulnerability he allowed to show on his face. All of it was just so new to her that it terrified her, in part. She had never been at the receiving end of such passion before in her life. Her emotions were all over the place as she tried to process what was happening between them. "Not as much as I will miss you," she replied truthfully.

And she was going to miss him. With all of her heart.

"You could stay here. With me."

They hadn't said the words "I love you" out loud to one another. There just hadn't been a need. They each knew how the other felt. But now, as she thought about it, it seemed like a missed opportunity. Yet, now even those three little words didn't seem like they would be enough to address her feelings for him. They just seemed so inadequate now.

"I could make you happy."

There was so much pain in his voice and it almost made her want to relent and stay with him. Her resolve to leave was fading with each passing second.

"You have already made me so happy, Diego," she told him as she cupped his face in her palm. Her thumb ran a lazy trail over his cheek as her fingers sifted through his hair. His eyes drifted closed as he leaned into her touch. Oh, he was not making things easy for her. "Thank you for being there for me. Even when I thought I didn't need you."

"I will always be here for you, Olivia. No matter how long it takes for you to realize what I am already so sure of." He turned his face into her touch and placed a gentle kiss upon her palm. He then took her hand in his and tugged her closer. She didn't fight him and even gave a slight giggle of surprise. "Forever." He suddenly captured her lips in a kiss so passionate that she felt as though her entire soul had exited her body.

It was now as if she was looking down at herself from about as his lips moved over hers with deliberate and excruciating precision.

A shiver raced across her skin as her knees felt weak from the contact. The hold he still had on her hand helped to keep her steady, but he still didn't feel close enough. She crushed herself against him, her free arm going around his neck to urge him closer.

And still, it wasn't enough. For either of them.

One of his strong arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her from her feet. She found herself laughing at the sensation and had to wrap her other arm around his neck so she wouldn't fall. She didn't need to worry about that, though. He held on tightly to her as he let his other hand bury itself in her hair.

The sound of someone loudly clearing their throat drew them apart a moment later. They still held on tightly to one another as they turned to look at the foot of the stairs. His father stood there wearing an expression of disapproval.

"The two of you. Honestly," he rolled his eyes. "Have you no sense of propriety? You are out in the open where anyone could see you!" This had not been the first time he had found them in such a predicament and each time he did, Olivia felt like he was going to suffer a stroke from the shock of it.

They eased away from each other, but she continued to hold onto Diego. Otherwise, her legs were going to completely collapse underneath her. "Would you prefer we do such things behind closed doors?" Diego wondered.

The question shocked Don Alejandro to his very core. His eyes went so wide that Olivia thought they might pop out of his head. She couldn't fight back the laugh that threatened to escape at the sight. "Oh, he was just teasing," she reassured the man who had quickly become like a father to her.

"No, I wasn't," he said the words, but there was a smirk of amusement creeping to his lips.

She lightly smacked him on the arm in response to his wisecrack. "Stop it," she scolded him, though she found that she couldn't stop smiling either. Kissing Diego always seemed to have that effect on her.

Don Alejandro threw his arms up at both of them and just shook his head. He had every right to be upset with them. A man and woman didn't engage themselves in such a manner unless they were married. And even then, it wasn't out in the open where anyone could walk up on them. If she hadn't been about to leave, she had the feeling that his father would summon the Padre to make things official.

It was a thought that became less scary the more she mulled it over.

He stewed in his ire for only a moment longer before allowing it to fade. "What am I going to do with the two of you, eh?" he asked now that he was calmer. Neither of them had an answer. "I was coming down to check to see if you have everything you need."

Olivia nodded. "Yes, thank you. The carriage is almost packed. Once that's done, we can ride into the pueblo. You are coming to see me off, aren't you?"

Her admiration for him was more than one of friendship. He had offered himself up as a father figure to her and she had gratefully accepted. She had forgotten how it felt to be cared for in such a way. William had tried his best as acting as her protector, but it just hadn't been the same.

She was going to miss Don Alejandro just as much as she was going to miss Diego.

"Of course, I am. Have you spoken to Tomas at all? Will he be joining us?"

Sadness filled her heart as she thought about Don Tomas. She had grown close to him as well and knowing the sort of turmoil he was going through only made her want to reach out to him and offer some sort of comfort. But, he hadn't been accepting any visitors.

By now, the entire district knew of what had transpired with Doña Dorotea. Her betrayal of not only her country, but the man she had made her life with, had shocked the province to its core. They had always seemed so in love with one another, but she had given up everything she'd had for a man who had discarded her like she was a rat in the gutter.

And because of that, the family and home she had helped build had imploded with her poor husband and daughter getting trapped under the rubble.

Olivia couldn't blame Don Tomas for not wanting to speak to anyone. His entire world had been turned upside down and he was drowning in his own grief.

"He has refused to see me every time I have gone to call on him. But, he did write to me and told me that he and Marisol needed some time for themselves." He had also told her that he would miss her and though he wished he could be there to see her off, he needed to focus on what was left of his family.

"I still can't believe Doña Dorotea had gotten involved in such a thing." Diego shook his head. "They had always been so happy with one another."

"Sometimes, love just isn't enough." It was a wild thought, but Olivia could see where the woman had been coming from. Her own life had been filled with adventure and excitement. But, all the while, it had been lacking the one thing she never realized that she had been wanting. Love.

Oddly, the two of them were opposite halves of the same coin. Deep down, they both wanted what the other had and had each gone to different lengths to get it.

Unfortunately for Dorotea, she had lost her coin flip.

"In the end, she was just another victim of The Chameleon's treachery," she shrugged, though her heart broke for the man who had lost his wife and the daughter who had lost her mother. "The wounds he left behind will run deep for a long time."

"But, they will heal," Don Alejandro reminded her. "And Tomas will recover and be stronger than he ever was before."

"I hope you are right."

"Señorita?" Pablo interrupted their conversation, thankfully drawing their attention away from such a heavy topic. This day was already sad enough without them having to dwell on the actions of that madman.

"Yes?"

"Is there any more luggage?"

"No that was it. Thank you, Pablo."

"Bueno. I'll tie it down to secure it, then you'll be ready to go." He bowed toward the three of them before hurrying off to finish his work.

"Gracias," she nodded to him before turning back to Diego and his father. Don Alejandro's eyes filled with sadness as the realization that she was really leaving was beginning to sink in.

Diego, on the other hand, was staring off into the void. Curious, she reached up and lightly touched his chin to gain his attention.

Blinking, his gaze met hers once again a second later.

"Where were you?" she wondered.

He seemed confused for a moment but shook his head. "Just lost in thought, I suppose."

It was odd. Diego was never one to drift off like that. She had to wonder what she had said to make him do so. "Oh. Well, it is almost time."

"It is," he nodded. Now when she looked at him, he didn't seem so sad. What had caused such a shift in him in such a short time?"

"I am going to find Emily and see if she'd ready to go. Excuse me." She stalled for a beat as her eyes met Diego's. She wanted to make certain that she had committed them to memory. She never wanted to forget the way he looked at her.

When she was certain that the memory of them was tucked away for safekeeping, she disappeared back into the house.

The coach to Santa Barbara was not due to depart until noon. But, they rode into town as soon as the carriage was packed as there were a few people Olivia still had yet to say her goodbyes to.

Watching out the window, she took in the sight of the hillsides. The green grasses. The shady trees. The rocky canyons. She wanted to remember it all when she was gone.

Emily sat beside her on the bench seat in the back of the carriage, while Diego and his father sat across from them. Sometime during the journey, Diego had taken hold of her hand and refused to let it go. His hold was firm but gentle. It was as if he was thinking that if he let her go, then she would disappear from his life completely.

But that would never happen. Even when she was gone, she would think of him often and write to him every chance that she got.

She wasn't leaving because she wanted to hurt him. She loved Diego. She only wanted the best for him.

There were two reasons why she had to leave:

The main reason was that her government was going to have a lot of questions about The Chameleon and what had happened in California. William would only be able to give them so much information before they questioned where he had learned it all from.

She had been the one to follow him to Los Angeles. She had been the one he had been trying to kill. She had been the one to end him. They would want to know everything.

The second reason why she was leaving was because of what she had said earlier. While she did love Diego, sometimes love just isn't enough. And if she stayed, she couldn't be sure that it was because their affection for one another was true. Maybe they only cared for one another because it was convenient. They had been working so closely together that their attraction could simply be because of their situation.

And if it was the latter, then what would that mean down the line for them? Would they end up just like Don Tomas and Doña Dorotea? Or would they experience the romance of a lifetime?

The answer to that question was what was driving her at the moment. She needed to be certain. Unfortunately, that meant leaving behind one of the best things in her life.

Glancing over at him, she squeezed his hand in return and then stared back out the window.

Only time would tell if she was doing the right thing. Or if she was making the biggest mistake of her life.