ALEJANDRO'S RESIDENCE
Alejandro's mood immediately fell once the call ended. He was worried about his daughter. Esmeralda wasn’t the type to break down easily, and hearing her sob over the phone had shattered his heart.
As he wrestled with his thoughts, his wife, Camila, emerged from the kitchen carrying a bowl of duros. Noticing the grave expression on his face, her brow furrowed. Just minutes ago, he had been excited about the call with their daughter, and now he looked despondent.
“¿Cuál es con el largo cara, mi amor? (What's with the long face, my love?)” she asked, setting the bowl down on the table near him.
“Our daughter is coming home,” Alejandro replied simply, his voice heavy.
“That is good, then," she said nodding before she continued, "It’s been almost a year since she went to Las Vegas, and I was beginning to think our daughter doesn’t have a heart. At least she should come home, bring us some goodies from Las Vegas, and maybe stay for a day or two before going back.”
Alejandro was taken aback by Camila's words. He stared at her in disbelief, speechless.
“Why are you staring at me like I said something wrong?" She asked. "If she stays here for days, what is going to happen to her job? How will she keep sending in money? You know we need it.”
“¡Es decir suficiente, Camila! (That is enough, Camila),” he commanded, his voice firm. He couldn’t bear to listen to the nonsensical things spilling from her mouth any longer. “She is coming back home to stay because she got fired. You need to mentally and physically prepare to welcome her back, and you shouldn’t dare give her a hard time when she returns because she has already been through a lot.”
Camila was taken aback by how her husband rebuffed her, but she quickly regained her composure and shrieked, “Esmeralda was fired. How unlucky can she be?”
Estelle, hearing her mother's voice, rushed out. “¿Qué es mal, mamá? (What is wrong, Mom?)” Her eyes landed on the bowl of duros, and she bent down to grab a handful.
“Your unlucky sister got fired from her job, so she’s coming home to be a burden on us,” Camila said coldly.
“Mamà, does that mean no more money from her?” Estelle asked with her mouth full. She, like Camila, was selfish and cold-hearted toward Esmeralda.
Before Camila could respond, Alejandro sprang to his feet and stormed inside. He couldn't take it anymore. How cruel could his wife and daughter be towards Esmeralda? For years, he had battled the unfair treatment she received at home. When Esmeralda told him about her plans to go to Las Vegas, he had immediately supported her. He believed that distance would help her escape their unjust treatment and that maybe time apart would change things for the better. It seemed he had been wrong.
That night, Alejandro tossed and turned, unable to find peace. The anguish in his heart over Esmeralda’s situation mingled with his frustrations about his family’s treatment of her.
YOU ARE READING
MEANT TO BE SOLELY MINE
Lãng mạnLorenzo Salvador is a twenty-seven-year-old Mexican billionaire, known for his ruthless and merciless ways in both business and the underground drug trade. He believes life is a game to be played to win, and he plays it masterfully. During a busines...
