“At the cost of killing children?” Mateo said, his voice surprisingly firm. “I live on the street… and I’ve never done anything like that.”
That… destroyed her.
Completely.
Minutes later…
The police arrived.
This time… Ernesto didn’t hesitate.
There was no negotiation.
There was no immediate forgiveness.
“There are things that can’t be fixed,” she said firmly. “And what you did… doesn’t deserve to be kept quiet.”
Lucia was arrested.
Graceless.
Powerless.
Without masks.
Weeks passed.
Valeria stopped taking everything Lucia gave her.
And little by little…
He began to return.
Color returned to her face.
His strength… to his body.
And her smile… although different… returned.
One afternoon, sitting in front of the mirror, she ran her hand through her short hair.
“I’m not the same…” she said.
Mateo smiled from the doorway.
—You are stronger.
Ernesto was watching them.
And for the first time in a long time…
He breathed a sigh of relief.
“Matthew…” he said. “Would you like to stay with us?”
The boy looked at him, surprised.
-Really?
—You’re family.
Valeria nodded.
