Alejandro arrived first, pale, sweating inside his gray suit jacket. Teresa came behind him, still wearing makeup, still proud, still believing she could force her way through with shouting.
—This is a disgrace! —she said in front of the door—. You’re going to destroy my son over a dress!
I stepped into the foyer with my arms crossed.
—It wasn’t because of a dress.
Alejandro swallowed.
—Mariana, let’s talk. My mother made a mistake, but you’re exaggerating.
I looked at him with cold sadness.
—Did I also exaggerate when you used the company card for hotels? When you shared my financial statements with her? When you tried to put your cousin in purchasing even though he didn’t meet the requirements?
Teresa opened her mouth, but for the first time, she found no words.
Alejandro lowered his gaze.
That was when I understood that fear had finally reached him.
Not because he was losing me.
Because he had been discovered.
Desperate, Teresa pointed at the door.
—This house belongs to my son too!
Then Valeria, who had arrived behind me, held out a copy of the deeds.
—No, ma’am. This house was never your son’s. It was only the address where he lived.
Teresa’s face changed.
All her arrogance cracked for a second.
