“Sir, this boy lived with me at the orphanage.” Valentina’s voice broke the silence of that Thursday afternoon. She held the cleaning cloth with trembling hands, her eyes wide and fixed on the framed photograph above the office fireplace. Mateo dropped his coffee cup. He spun around so fast he almost knocked over his chair. “What’s the new employee talking about?” That quiet girl who had barely spoken to him since she’d started working there three weeks ago was as white as a sheet.

This boy here, he lived at the Santa Clara orphanage with me. We slept in the same dormitory. His name was Daniel. A chill ran down Mateo’s spine. Daniel, a name he hadn’t heard in almost 30 years. The name of his twin brother, who had disappeared when they were both four. That’s not possible, my brother. He died a long time ago. Valentina shook her head as tears began to fall. I don’t know about any deaths, boss, but I know that boy lived until he was 16 at the orphanage.

He was my best friend. He protected me when the older kids bullied me. Mateo crossed the office in three steps. He took the photo from his hands. The boy in the portrait was smiling. The same dark eyes he saw in the mirror every morning. The same face shape, the same crooked smile on the left side. Are you sure? Absolutely sure. Yes, sir. I’ll never forget that face. Daniel always talked about a twin brother, a big house, a dad who cooked.

Mateo felt a lump in his throat. His father had been a chef. That was why Mateo had followed the same profession. He talked about his brother all the time. Valentina continued, wiping her face with the back of her hand. She said that one day you would be reunited, that her brother would never stop looking for him. Soft footsteps on the stairs interrupted the conversation. Sofía appeared in the office doorway, clutching the teddy bear she hadn’t let go of since the accident.

The seven-year-old girl’s face was pale, her eyes wide with fear. “Daddy, is something wrong?” “Nothing, honey. Go back to your room.” “Yes.” But Sofia glanced at Valentina, and something in the maid’s eyes seemed to calm the little girl. Valentina offered a gentle little smile, despite the tears streaming down her face. “Hi, Sofi. Everything’s fine, sweetheart. It’s just a boring grown-up conversation.” Sofia stood still for a few more seconds, looking from the maid to her father.

Then he nodded slowly and went upstairs. But before disappearing down the hall, he turned around once more, as if to make sure Valentina was still there. When the girl left, Mateo sat down on the sofa. His legs could no longer bear the weight of that revelation. “Tell me everything, everything you know about him.” Valentina pulled out a chair and sat across from him. She took a deep breath, trying to control her excitement. Daniel had a crescent-shaped birthmark behind his left ear and was left-handed, but he knew how to use both hands to write and draw.

Mateo closed his eyes. Daniel had that exact mark, and his father, who was a chef, had taught them both to use both hands to hold a knife and to practice their coordination. My God, he always had a little notebook in his hand, you know? He was always drawing: houses with gardens, a piano, two children holding hands, and always a man wearing a chef’s hat. Mateo’s voice came out low, almost a whisper. My father wore a chef’s hat at home.

Valentina nodded. Daniel knew. He remembered so many things. He remembered you calling him champion. He remembered his mother playing the piano. He never forgot. Why didn’t anyone believe him? Why didn’t anyone look for his family? Because the documents said he was an orphan, that his adoptive parents had died in an accident. Everyone thought his stories were just a child’s imagination. Mateo covered his face with his hands, trying to process it all. If Valentina was right—and everything indicated that she was—then his brother had been alive all these years, alive and waiting to be found.

And no one had looked for him properly. Valentina poured them both water. They stayed there in the office as evening fell and the golden sunlight streamed through the windows. Before we continue talking about Daniel, Valentina said, stirring her glass, “I need you to understand one thing, sir. I grew up in that orphanage from the age of five. My parents died in a bus accident; I had no one else.” Mateo gestured for her to continue.

Daniel arrived there when I was about 12. He appeared out of nowhere; a social worker brought him. He was 9 at the time. They said his adoptive parents had just died in a car accident. You mean he lived with another family from age 4 to 9? That’s right. But he swore he had another family before, his real family, and that one day he was going to go back to them. What was he like in the orphanage? He was quiet, he spent all day drawing, but he was strong, you know?

When the older kids bullied me, he defended me. They’d scold him, sometimes hit him, but he wouldn’t let anyone hurt me. Valentina smiled, lost in her memories. We became best friends. I took care of him when he was sick, and he protected me from the others. We promised we’d never be apart, that when we left the orphanage we’d live together, we’d be a family. What happened? He ran away when he was 16. He had a terrible fight with one of the caretakers who hit him.

Daniel said he couldn’t wait any longer, that he was going to look for his brother alone. I tried to stop him. I begged him not to go, but he had already made up his mind. And you never saw him again. Never again. I looked for him for years. I went to shelters, police stations, hospitals, but it was as if he had vanished until I gave up. I thought something bad had happened to him. Her voice broke at the end. Mateo saw the tears welling up again.

I’m so sorry, Valentina. She quickly wiped her face. When I saw his picture here, it was like time stood still. All the memories came flooding back. You did the right thing by telling me. Valentina looked at him. So, you believe me? You don’t think I’m making this up? I believe you. Everything you said matches the memories I have of him, things no one else could possibly know. They were both silent for a moment. A heavy silence, laden with years of pain and loss. Can I ask you something?

Valentina said. Of course. How is Sofia now? You said she’s been better in the last few weeks. Mateo got up and went to the window. He looked out at the garden. My wife died a year ago. It was a car accident. A drunk driver crashed head-on. She died instantly. I’m so sorry. Sofia didn’t see the accident, but she realized her mom wasn’t coming back. She waited for me at the window all night. When I told her what had happened, she was in shock.

She stopped speaking for weeks. Valentina listened in silence. Then the panic attacks began, the fear of leaving the house. She locked herself in her room, didn’t eat well, and wouldn’t speak to anyone. The doctors said it was severe social phobia caused by the trauma. And how is she now? Mateo turned to Valentina. Better, thanks to you I didn’t do much. Of course I did. You accomplished what no therapist managed in a year. The memory came back to her clearly.

It was Valentina’s second week on the job. He was in the office when he heard a strange noise coming from upstairs. He rushed up, fearing Sofia was having another attack, but when he reached the hallway, he saw something he would never forget. Sofia’s bedroom door was ajar, and through the crack, he saw his daughter sitting on the bed holding a yellow note. She was smiling, beaming. It had been so long since he’d seen his daughter smile, he’d almost forgotten what she looked like.

Sofia reread the note and giggled. Then she got up, went to the door, and opened it fully. Valentina was on the other side holding a plate with a sandwich and juice. “I thought you might like a snack,” she said. Sofia took the plate without saying anything, but before closing the door, she looked at Valentina and whispered, “Thank you.” It was just one word, but it was the first word Sofia had spoken in weeks. From that day on, Valentina started slipping notes under the door every day.

Notes with funny drawings, short stories, bad jokes. And little by little, the girl began to open the door. First just a crack, then a little more, until one day she left the room. Mateo had never asked Valentina how she had done it. He was afraid of breaking the spell. But now, looking at the cleaning woman in front of him, he understood. Valentina knew what loneliness was, she knew what loss was, and Sofía had recognized it in her.

“Thank you,” he said suddenly. Valentina blinked, confused. Why? For giving me back my daughter, for giving me hope of finding my brother, for being here. She blushed and looked down. I only did the right thing. You didn’t do much more than that. The next day, Mateo called Valentina to the office again. There was an open wooden box on the table. This is all that’s left of Daniel. Inside the box were old photos, a pair of small shoes, a faded cap, and a sketchbook.

Valentina picked up the notebook carefully, as if it might break. She opened it to the first page and her eyes widened. My God, he drew just like he did when he was a child. The drawings were simple, but full of detail. A house with a garden, two children holding hands, a piano in the living room, a man wearing a chef’s hat. “These drawings are from before he disappeared,” Mateo explained. “My mother kept everything when he disappeared. She could never get rid of anything.”

Valentina turned the pages slowly, touching each drawing as if she could feel the boy’s presence there. “I need to tell you about the day he disappeared,” Mateo said, sitting down in the chair. “If we’re going to look for him, you need to know everything.” Valentina closed the notebook and listened. “It was a Sunday morning. Daniel and I were four years old. My father decided to take us for a walk to the dam. My mother stayed home because she had a headache.” He paused.

Her voice grew deeper. We were playing by the water’s edge. There were other adults nearby, other families. My father looked away for just a few seconds to talk to a friend. When he looked back, Daniel was gone. And what happened next? Everyone started looking for divers. Police, firefighters, they searched for days. They found Daniel’s cap floating in the water, but they never found his body. Valentina put her hand to her mouth. There were witnesses who swore they saw him fall into the water.

They said they tried to save him, but they couldn’t. After three months of searching, they declared him dead from drowning. But he didn’t die. No, someone took him. Someone faked the drowning and took my brother. Mateo got up and started pacing the office. My family was never the same after that. My mother fell into a deep depression. She stopped teaching music, stopped playing the piano, and spent all her time looking at his picture, waiting for him to come back.

And your dad? My dad threw himself into his work, opened the restaurant, and practically lived there. I think it was his way of not thinking about what had happened. And you? I grew up with guilt. I thought I should have held his hand, that if I had stayed close to him, none of this would have happened. But you were just a child. How could you have known? The head knows, but the heart doesn’t. Valentina understood. She carried her own guilt from the orphanage.

My mom died when I was 15. Her heart just stopped. The doctors said it was from complications of depression, but I know she died of grief after losing Daniel. I’m so sorry, Mateo. My dad lived about 10 more years. He taught me everything about cooking. When he died, I inherited the restaurant. I made it one of the best in the city to honor him. That’s right. It was my way of keeping them both alive, my father and my brother.

The two fell silent. Outside, birds sang in the garden trees. “I’m going to hire an investigator,” Mateo said. “I’m going to search through every file, every document. If Daniel is alive somewhere, I’m going to find him, and I’m going to help in any way I can.” He looked at her. “Why are you doing this? You don’t even know me well. Because Daniel was also my brother, not by blood, but by heart. And I promised him I would never give up on him.”

Two days passed. It was Saturday morning, and Mateo was in the kitchen making coffee when the doorbell rang. He went to answer it. When he opened the door, the shock nearly knocked him off his feet. And Mena, his ex-fiancée, was standing there smiling, holding a bag from the bakery and a bouquet of flowers. “Hi, Mateo. It’s been a while. I brought you some fresh bread and flowers for the garden. What are you doing here? I came because I missed you. Can we talk?” She didn’t wait for an answer. She walked past him and went into the house as if she still lived there.

Wow, everything’s the same. Even the smell of coffee is the same. Mateo closed the door, still processing the unexpected visit. “Shimena, we broke up two years ago. You can’t just show up like this without warning.” “I know, I know, but I missed you, Sofía, this house. Can I stay for a few minutes?” Before Mateo could answer, Valentina appeared in the kitchen doorway, drying her hands on her apron. “Sir, the coffee’s ready. Would you like it?” He stopped when he saw the woman in the living room. Jimena looked at the maid.

She noticed her simple uniform, her hair pulled back in a ponytail, her still-damp hands. “Hi, you’re new here, right?” “Yes, I started three weeks ago.” “Oh, that’s good. The house needed someone to take good care of things.” Her tone was sweet, but it held a sharp edge. Valentina sensed it, but didn’t reply. She just nodded and went back to the kitchen. Jimena waited until she was gone and turned to Mateo. “She seems very proper. Valentina is excellent at what she does.”

I can imagine. She walked into the living room and sat on the sofa, making sure she was comfortable as if she were in her own home. “So, tell me, how have you been? How’s Sofia?” Mateo sighed. He knew Jimena wouldn’t be leaving anytime soon. He went over to the armchair and sat down. “We’re doing well, better than a few months ago.” “Really, that’s wonderful. I was so worried when I heard about Camila’s accident. I wanted to come sooner, but I thought you needed your space, and I did.”

Jimena made a face like a scolded puppy. “I know we didn’t end things well. I know I pushed too hard about marriage, but I’ve always had a special affection for you, Mateo, for you and Sofía. What are you getting at? Nowhere. I just wanted to see you, know if you’re okay, be a friend. You know what? We’re not friends, Jimena. We could be.” At that moment, light footsteps on the stairs caught their attention. Sofía appeared at the top, slowly descending, holding onto the banister with one hand and her teddy bear with the other.

When she saw Shimena, she stopped halfway down the stairs. “Hey, Sofia.” Jimena jumped up. “Just look how much you’ve grown, beautiful. Come give your aunt a hug.” Sofia stood still, glancing back and forth between the woman and her father. She didn’t go down another step. “Good morning,” she said softly. Jimena forced a smile. “How sweet. You’re still shy, aren’t you? But are you alright? Are you eating well?” Sofia didn’t answer. She looked toward the kitchen door, searching for someone.

Valentina appeared holding a plate. “Sofia, my love, I made the pancakes you love so much. Come and eat them while they’re still warm.” Sofia’s face lit up. She ran down the rest of the stairs and went straight to the kitchen, passing Jimena without even looking at her. Jimena stood there with a frozen smile on her face, watching the little girl disappear with the maid. “She’s very attached to the maid, isn’t she?” she said, sitting back down. Valentina was a great help to Sofia.

She was the only person who managed to get him out of his room. “Oh, how sweet of you!” But the way she said it made it clear she didn’t find it sweet at all. She stayed a few more minutes trying to make conversation with Mateo, asking him about the restaurant, the business, if he was seeing anyone. But Mateo answered everything with monosyllables, visibly uncomfortable. “Well, I think it’s best if I go,” Jimena finally said, grabbing her purse. She just wanted to stop by and say hello, see how they were.

She walked toward the door. Before leaving, she took Mateo’s arm. “We could have dinner one of these days, just you and me, to really catch up. I don’t know if it’s a good idea, please, just dinner like old friends.” Mateo hesitated. “I’ll think about it.” “Perfect. I’ll call you then. Goodbye, Mateo.” She gave him a long kiss on the cheek and left. When the door closed, Mateo stood there. Something wasn’t right. Chimena never did anything without an ulterior motive.

In the kitchen, Sofia was eating pancakes while Valentina washed the dishes. “I didn’t like that woman,” Sofia said suddenly. “Why not, my love? Because she’s fake.” She smiled at me, but her smile didn’t reach her eyes. Valentina stopped washing the dishes and looked at the girl. “You’re very smart, you know? My dad always says that, and he’s absolutely right.” They both smiled at each other. Outside, Jimena sat in the car, but she hadn’t started the engine yet.

She took out her phone and opened Mateo’s Instagram. She scrolled through the feed until she found what she was looking for. A recent photo from four days ago. Sofía was sitting at the kitchen table, smiling as she stirred something in a bowl. And in the background, slightly out of focus, Valentina could be seen. She read the caption. “My daughter is finally smiling again thanks to the one who brought light into our home.” Jimena gritted her teeth. So that was it. The housekeeper had managed to insinuate herself into their lives.

She had won the girl over, and from the way Mateo had spoken about her, perhaps she had won him over as well. She opened her browser and typed in the full name she had seen on the uniform name tag. Valentina Rojas Morales began searching social media, old news articles, anything she could use, because if there was one thing Shimena knew how to do well, it was uncover secrets. And everyone had a skeleton in their closet. She just needed to find Valentina’s.

Two and a half weeks had passed since Mateo hired the private investigator. During that time, he and Valentina had spent several nights in the office reviewing old documents, yellowed photos, and records the investigator had obtained. Sofía began joining them for dinner occasionally. She still had difficult days, days when she wouldn’t leave her room, but they were becoming less frequent. Valentina’s presence seemed to calm the girl in a way no medication had ever managed.

One Thursday afternoon the phone rang. Mateo was alone in the office. Valentina had gone to the market with the shopping list. “Mr. Garza, this is the investigator. Pablo, I found something. And I recommend you sit down to hear this.” Mateo pulled up a chair. “Tell me. Your brother’s death certificate has several inconsistencies. It was issued based solely on witness testimony, without a body. And I discovered that one of the main witnesses died months later under strange circumstances.” “What do you mean, strange?”

A hit-and-run that was never solved. The case was filed as an accident, but there are details that don’t add up, and there’s more. Mateo gripped the phone tighter. I found records of a nurse who worked at the general hospital at the time of the supposed drowning. Three days after her brother’s case, she quit, took her family, and disappeared. She moved to another city, changed her name, and was never seen in the region again. What does that mean?

It means someone could have been paid to turn a blind eye or to actively help. I’m still investigating, but everything indicates the drowning was staged, Mr. Garsa. Mateo closed his eyes, trying to control what he was feeling. And the orphanage records. I gained access to them yesterday. There’s a child registered as Daniel Silva, who entered the Santa Clara orphanage. Exactly two days after his brother disappeared. Age at admission: four years old. Reason for admission: Adoptive parents died in a car accident.

“It was him,” Mateo whispered. “Everything indicates that it was, sir. I’ll continue investigating. But there’s a real possibility that your brother was kidnapped and sold to a family that couldn’t legally adopt him. When that family died in the accident, the boy ended up in the orphanage with a false identity. How long will it take to gather all the evidence?” “A few more weeks, maybe a month. They’re very old documents. I’ll have to proceed cautiously so as not to arouse suspicion.” “Alright, do whatever is necessary.”

Money’s not a problem. Understood, Mr. Garsa? I’ll call you back as soon as I have any more news. The call ended. Mateo sat there, phone still in hand, processing everything. Twenty years. Twenty years of lies. Twenty years believing his brother had drowned when he was actually alive. Forgotten in an orphanage a few kilometers away. The office door opened. Valentina came in carrying two shopping bags. “I found the chocolate Sofia likes.”

It was on sale, and she stopped when she saw the expression on Mateo’s face. Did something happen? Mateo looked at her, and for the first time since Valentina had arrived, he couldn’t hold back. He called the investigator. You were right. About everything. Valentina dropped the bags on the floor. She found Daniel. Not yet, but she found evidence that he had been kidnapped, that the drowning had been staged, that he had been sold to a family, and that he had ended up in the orphanage when that family died.

My God. Mateo stood up and went to the window. His hands were trembling. He was alive all this time, Valentina, alive and waiting. And I didn’t know. I didn’t look hard enough. I accepted what they told me and moved on. You were a child, I had no way of knowing. But then I grew up. I became an adult. I could have investigated, I could have questioned, but I did nothing. His voice came out louder than he intended. Valentina took a step back. Startled, Mateo noticed and took a deep breath.

I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to shout. I understand. You’re processing a lot. He sat back down and ran his hands over his face. And if it’s too late, and if we can’t find him now, we will. How can you be so sure? Valentina moved closer, but kept a respectful distance. Because I know Daniel, and if he talked so much about his brother, it’s because he never gave up. He’s out there, and we’re going to find him. They both fell silent. Valentina saw the pain in Mateo’s eyes and wanted to do something, say something that would help, but she didn’t know what.

“I’m going to make some tea,” she finally said. “You need to breathe a little.” “Thank you, Valentina.” She took the bags and went to the kitchen. When the door closed, Mateo let his head fall into his hands. Almost 30 years of lies, almost 30 years of unnecessary guilt. And now, at last, there was hope of finding his brother. But along with the hope came fear. Fear that it was too late. Fear that Daniel would no longer want anything to do with him.

Fear of discovering that his brother had suffered too much. Valentina returned 15 minutes later with a cup of chamomile tea. She placed it on the table without saying a word. “Sir, can I tell you something?” “Of course. You didn’t fail Daniel. You were deceived. The whole family was deceived. It’s not your fault.” Mateo took the cup, but didn’t drink. He should have been suspicious. He should have investigated. How could you be a child, then a teenager dealing with your mother’s death, then an adult trying to save your father’s restaurant?

When would she have time to question something everyone said was true? He looked at her. Valentina stood there, her eyes filled with certainty. “You’re very wise for your age. You know, I learned from a young age that blaming yourself for the past doesn’t change anything. We can only change what we do from now on. And what do I do from now on? Keep searching, don’t give up. And when you find Daniel, hug him and ask for his forgiveness, not for having failed, but for having taken so long.”

Mateo finally drank the tea. It was sweet, just the way he liked it. “Thank you for everything.” Valentina offered a small smile. “We’re going to find him, Mr. Mateo. I promise you we’re going to find him.” And a week later, during a business dinner at the mansion, Mateo would discover that promises aren’t always kept as we expect and that trust, however strong it may seem, can be broken with a single well-told lie. Eight weeks had passed since the first conversation with the investigator.

The search for Daniel continued slowly but steadily. The investigator called every week with small leads: names of retired social workers, old adoption records—pieces of a nearly 30-year-old puzzle. Meanwhile, life at the mansion had changed in ways Mateo never imagined. Sofia now went down to the kitchen every morning. She still had her bad days when she woke up frightened and didn’t want to leave her room, but they were becoming increasingly rare. One Saturday morning, Mateo went downstairs and found the kitchen covered in flour.

Sofia and Valentina were laughing, their faces white from all the flour in the air. “What’s all this mess?” Valentina asked, startled, and tried to brush the flour off her clothes. “Excuse me, sir, we were making bread and I accidentally spilled some flour,” Sofia finished, laughing. “But it was an accident.” Mateo looked around. There was flour everywhere, but his daughter was happy, truly happy. “You can go on. Just don’t blow up the kitchen!” Sofia ran and hugged her dad.

Thanks, Dad. Val is teaching me how to make bread like the ones at the orphanage. She ran back to the table where there was a bowl of dough. Mateo went over to Valentina. Thank you for all of this. You don’t have to thank me. She’s special. Even so, you’ve managed to do what no therapist has been able to. Valentina gave a small smile and went back to the dough. Mateo stayed there a while longer, just watching. There was something about the way Valentina took care of Sofía that touched him.

It wasn’t just affection, it was respect. He treated the girl as someone strong, capable of overcoming anything. And Sofia thrived on that. “Dad, come knead the dough with us. I don’t know how to make bread. Val will teach us. It’s easy.” Mateo approached the table. Valentina showed him the movements, how to press without using too much force. “Like this, look, let the dough guide you.” He tried, but the dough stuck to his hands. “I don’t think I’m cut out for this.”

Sofia laughed. “You’re a chef and you don’t know how to make bread.” Valentina sprinkled more flour and helped him get the dough off his hands. “Let’s try again, slowly.” The three of them stood there for almost an hour laughing at Mateo’s clumsiness, cleaning up the mess Sofia made, waiting for the bread to rise. When the bread finally came out of the oven, golden and fragrant, Sofia clapped. “We did it!” “That’s right. We did it,” Valentina said, smiling at the little girl. Mateo cut a still-warm slice and tasted it.

It was delicious. You should open a bakery. Valentina laughed. Orphanage bread isn’t sold in fancy bakeries, sir. It would sell if it were yours. She blushed and went to wash the bowls. Later, when Sofia went upstairs to draw, Mateo helped clean the kitchen. The investigator called yesterday, he said while drying a plate. Valentina stopped washing the dishes. And what did he say? He’s tracking down someone who may have known Daniel, a social worker who was working in the orphanage area at that time.

He’s retired now, he lives in the countryside. That’s good news. Yes, but it’s still going to take time. Valentina went back to washing up. We’re going to find him, I’m sure of it. How can you have so much faith? Because I know Daniel. He would never give up, and neither will we. Mateo stared at her. There was something about Valentina that drew him in more and more. Her strength, her kindness, the way she transformed everything around her just by being there. He shook his head; he couldn’t think about those things.

She was his employee, he was her employer. There was a distance that couldn’t be crossed, but the heart didn’t care about such rules. Jimena Montenegro hadn’t wasted any time. Three weeks ago, she had hired a private investigator to find out everything about Valentina. It wasn’t cheap, but it was worth every penny. The man brought her a complete file: previous addresses, past jobs, even the names of her fellow orphans. That’s when Jimena struck gold. Valentina had worked in the home of a wealthy family two years earlier.

She left after six months, without a letter of recommendation, without warning. Jimena called her former employer, a woman named Beatriz Solís, with a sour voice, full of resentment. “Valentina, that viper stole from me.” Jimena sat down, smiling. “Tell me everything. She stole my mother’s gold necklace, a family heirloom with sentimental value. By the time I found out, she had run away. I filed a police report, but they never found her. And I didn’t have time to file the lawsuit; she disappeared before I could, she even moved to another city.”

But I have all the documents. If you want, I can send them to you. Send me everything. Beatriz emailed them to her. The police report, photos of the missing necklace, and even the messages she had sent to Valentina accusing her of the theft. Jimena printed everything, but she knew it wasn’t enough. She needed something more official, something that looked like a real legal process. She called a lawyer she knew, an unscrupulous man who would do anything for money. “I need you to create a document, a fake labor lawsuit.”

The lawyer hesitated. “That’s a crime, Jimena. I know it, and I’ll pay you very well for it.” “How much?” “170,000.” Silence on the other end of the line. “Send me the details.” Three days later, Jimena had a perfect document: a labor lawsuit from Valentina Rojas Morales against the Solís family, with a counter-accusation of theft. It was so well done that at first glance it would pass for authentic. Now she just needed the right moment to use it. Meanwhile, she began showing up at the mansion more frequently, always with some excuse.

She brought cake, she brought flowers, she brought a gift for Sofia. Mateo let her in, oblivious to the poison she carried. On one of those visits, Shimena managed to be alone in the kitchen with Valentina. “You’re doing a great job, Bal.” “Can I call you Bal?” “Sure.” “How long have you been working for Mateo?” “A month and a half.” “Wow, so little time and already so close to the family. You’re lucky.” Valentina didn’t like the tone, but she didn’t answer. “And before, where did you work?”

At another family’s house. Why did you leave, Valentina? She tensed up. It didn’t work out. Oh, I see. Sometimes you just don’t fit in, right? Jimena gave her a sweet smile. But you’ve fit in perfectly here. Sofia adores you, and Mateo seems to like you quite a lot too. He’s a good boss. Just your boss. Valentina looked at her. What do you mean, ma’am? Nothing, nothing. I just found it interesting how close you two are. He trusts you a lot. I do my job well. Of course.

Jimena grabbed her bag. “Well, I’m leaving now. I just came to drop off the cake.” As she left, Valentina felt a tightness in her chest. There was something about that woman that was pure danger. Two days later, Jimena returned. This time she brought a friend. “Mateo. This is Patricia. She works in human resources. I was telling her how careful you are with the house, with Sofía. I wanted to give you some safety tips.” Patricia was a woman in her forties, serious, with a professional appearance.

Mr. Garza, in the HR department, we always recommend conducting background checks on all domestic workers, especially those who have contact with children. Mateo frowned. Valentina has references. I checked them. References are important, but sometimes they don’t tell the whole story. There are things that only come to light in a more thorough investigation. What kind of things? Labor lawsuits, for example, debts, criminal records. Valentina has none of that. Patricia and Jimena exchanged a glance.

“Are you sure?” Jimena asked. Mateo felt uneasy. “I am.” But the seed of doubt had been planted. That night he stayed up late. He picked up his phone and was about to look up Valentina’s name, but he felt ridiculous. She had saved Sofía. She had brought hope of finding Daniel. Why would he doubt her now? He put his phone down and tried to sleep, but sleep wouldn’t come. Three weeks later, Mateo hosted a casual dinner party at the mansion.

They were close friends, not business partners. Four couples, light conversation, nothing formal. She hired Catherine’s catering service. Valentina only had to help serve drinks and keep everything tidy. The afternoon passed peacefully. Sofia helped set the table, excited because she could greet the guests before going up to her room. Everything was going well until the doorbell rang at 7 p.m. It was Shimena again. “Mateo, hi. I came to help with dinner.”

I didn’t invite you, Shimena. I know, but when you mentioned the dinner last week, I thought I’d lend a hand. You know me. I love gatherings. She walked in before he could protest. The guests began to arrive. Everyone was greeting each other, chatting, laughing. The atmosphere was pleasant. Valentina was serving the drinks, always polite and discreet. Jimena watched her every move like a hawk. It was during appetizers that Jimena made her move. Valentina was passing by with a tray of canapés when Jimena tripped over her.

It wasn’t a hard fall, but it was enough to make the tray wobble. Careful, Bal. Valentina managed to catch the tray, but one of the canapés fell to the floor. Oh my God, how clumsy! Jimena put her hand to her mouth. See, she almost dropped everything! The guests looked at her. Valentina blushed and bent down to pick up the canapé. Excuse me. I’ll clean it up right away. Mateo realized something was wrong, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

It’s okay. Valentina, just clean up and bring another tray. She hurried off to the kitchen. Shimena waited until dessert to drop the bombshell. The conversation was lively when she pulled out her phone. “Hey, speaking of which, do you guys check the backgrounds of your domestic workers?” One of the women, named Renata, replied, “Of course, always. It’s dangerous to let just anyone in without knowing who they are.” “Well, yes, I always have too.” Jimena looked at her phone. “That’s why I was so worried when I found out something about Valentina.”

The atmosphere changed instantly. Everyone fell silent. Mateo felt a knot in his stomach. “Jimena, don’t do this.” But she was showing the guests her phone screen. “Look, a labor lawsuit. She sued the previous family for back wages, but they countersued her, alleging jewelry theft.” One of the men, a businessman in his sixties named Roberto, took her phone to get a better look. “This is serious, property theft. The case was dismissed,” Mateo said, his voice louder than usual.

There was no proof, but Jimena had already spread her poison. Renata made a face of disgust. I would never hire someone with a criminal record, even if the case is closed. You know what they say, right? Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. The others nodded. Valentina had come out of the kitchen with the dessert tray. She stopped in the doorway when she heard the conversation. She saw all the guests looking at Jimena’s phone, whispering, and making disapproving gestures.

She understood instantly what had happened. She took a deep breath and went into the dining room. She placed the desserts on the table with steady hands, even though she was trembling inside. Roberto looked at her disdainfully. “Miss, could you bring me my purse? I left it in my jacket in the entrance hall.” Valentina was about to get it when he added, “Actually, forget it. I’ll go myself; it’s safer.” The women giggled. Valentina felt her cheeks burn, but she kept her head held high.

She went back to the kitchen and leaned against the wall, trying to catch her breath. Outside, Mateo was furious. “Shimena, you had no right to do this. I have the right to protect the people I love. And you and Sofia are important to me. You humiliated Valentina in front of everyone.” “I told the truth. If the truth is humiliating, then I’m not the problem.” The guests felt uncomfortable. The atmosphere of the dinner had completely soured. They left shortly afterward, all with hasty excuses.

When the last one left, Mateo turned to Jimena. “Go and don’t come back, Mateo. I told you to leave.” Jimena grabbed her purse, her eyes flashing with anger and satisfaction. As she passed through the kitchen, she whispered to Valentina, “This isn’t your place. The sooner you accept it, the better.” And she left. Mateo entered the kitchen. Valentina was washing the dishes forcefully, her head down. “Valentina, I’m so sorry. She had no right.”

You don’t need to apologize, sir. I know my place. It’s not about positions, it’s about respect. And she disrespected you. She showed you a document. Is it true or not? Mateo remained silent. It’s true there’s a case, but it was dismissed. There was no proof of anything. But it exists. Yes, it exists. My previous employer accused me of stealing a necklace because her husband kept staring at me. She made up the theft to fire me. I filed a police report.

I tried to defend myself, but I didn’t have the money for a lawyer. The case was dropped, and I moved to another city to start over. Why didn’t you ever tell me? Because I was ashamed. Because I knew that even if it was a lie, people would look at me differently. And I was right. She looked at him, her eyes red. You’re looking at me differently now. Mateo opened his mouth to deny it, but he couldn’t because she was right. Valentina went back to the dishes. Mateo stood there for a moment longer, unsure what to say.

Then she went up to her room and closed the door. Valentina finished cleaning everything. She went up to her room and locked herself in. She sat on the bed and let the tears fall. Because for the first time since arriving there, she realized that no matter how hard she worked, how much effort she put in, to them she would always just be the cleaning lady, the poor girl from the orphanage, someone they could discard at any moment. The next day, the atmosphere in the mansion was tense.

Mateo could barely look at Valentina at breakfast. Sofia realized something was wrong. “Dad, Bal is sad.” “She’s okay, isn’t she? She cried in the early morning. I heard her.” Mateo looked at his daughter. “How do you know?” “I woke up because I was thirsty and I heard a noise in her room. She was crying softly.” She felt a tightness in her chest, but she didn’t know how to fix it. In the afternoon, when Mateo was in the office reviewing documents for the investigation into Daniel, the doorbell rang.

It was Jimena, and she wasn’t alone. She was with a woman in her fifties, well-groomed and with a professional smile. “Mateo, this is Elena. She has twenty years of experience as a housekeeper. She used to work for the Méndez family, the ones who own the bank. I thought you might want to meet her.” Mateo frowned. “I’m not looking for a housekeeper. Not yet. But after what happened yesterday, I thought you might want to reconsider your options.” He was about to ask them to leave when Sofía appeared at the top of the stairs.

“Who is she?” the little girl asked, pointing at Elena. Jimena came up two steps. “Hi, Sofi. This is Elena, a wonderful housekeeper. Your dad is thinking of hiring her.” “No, I’m not,” Mateo said firmly, but Jimena ignored him. “Elena cooks, cleans, organizes events. She’s much better than Valal,” Sofía finished, coming down the stairs. “Nobody is better than Bal. Honey, Valentina is nice, but she’s not trustworthy. Your dad needs someone who…” “Of course she’s trustworthy!” Sofía shouted.

“You’re the liar, Sofia,” Mateo scolded her. “Don’t talk like that, but it’s true. She’s always badmouthing Bal.” Jimena forced a smile. “Honey, I only want what’s best for you and your dad. And Valentina, she’s not good for you.” “Yes, she is, no, she isn’t. She’s only here for the money. She’s not your real friend.” “Yes, she is.” Sofia started to cry. “She is my friend.” At that moment, Valentina appeared in the kitchen doorway.

She had heard everything. Sofia ran to her and hugged her tightly around the waist. “Bal, don’t let them kick you out.” Valentina hugged the girl, but looked at Mateo. “If you want me to leave, I’ll leave without any problem.” Jimena took advantage of the situation. “See? She knows herself that she has no future here.” “I didn’t say that, but you thought it. You know you’re not good enough for this family.” Valentina carefully let go of Sofia. “The problem isn’t that I’m not good enough.”

The problem is you won’t accept that you lost. Jimena turned red. I haven’t lost anything. Mateo is mine. He always has been. He was never yours. You ended things with him yourself because he wasn’t ready. But now that your wife is dead, he’s free, and I’m not going to let some random maid steal what’s mine. Mateo finally snapped. Chimena, that’s enough. Get out of my house right now, won’t you? He pointed at Valentina. She showed up here with some ridiculous story about a dead brother.

He planned everything to get close to you. First he won Sofia over, and now he’s trying to win you over. “I didn’t plan anything,” Valentina replied, her voice trembling. “I just came here to work.” “That’s a lie. Jimena was out of control. You saw an opportunity, a rich, widowed man with a daughter who needs attention. You thought you were going to get away with it.” Mateo stepped forward. “Jimena, I’m going to count to three. If you don’t leave, I’m calling the police.”

You’re going to regret this. She’s a gold digger. She stole from her previous employer, and she’ll steal from you too. One. Mateo, listen. Two. Jimena grabbed her purse, her eyes blazing with rage. You’ll see. When she cheats you, when she steals everything you own, you’ll remember I warned you. She stormed out, slamming the door. Elena, the supposed housekeeper, ran after her. The silence was heavy. Sofía was still hugging Valentina, sobbing softly.

Mateo looked at them both. He saw the pain on Valentina’s face, the confusion on his daughter’s. “Sofia, go up to your room.” “But Daddy, go, please.” The little girl slowly let go of Valentina and went upstairs, looking back on every step. When she was out of sight, Mateo turned to Valentina. “I need to know the truth, the whole truth. I already told you the truth about Daniel, about the lawsuit, about everything, but you didn’t tell me before.”

You hid it because I was ashamed, because I knew you’d look at me the way you’re looking at me now, and the way I’m looking at you, as if I were a liar, a gold digger, as if everything I’ve done here was worthless. Mateo ran a hand over his face, exhausted. I don’t know what to believe anymore. Valentina’s heart broke. Then maybe it’s best if I leave. He remained silent. He didn’t say yes, but he didn’t say no either.

And that silence hurt more than any scream. “I’m going to pack my things,” she said softly. She climbed the stairs slowly, each step heavier than the last. Mateo stayed alone in the living room, sat on the sofa, and covered his face with his hands. Sofía heard everything from her bedroom doorway. She saw Valentina walk down the hall, her eyes red. Val called after her in a low voice. Valentina stopped, but didn’t turn around.

Everything’s going to be alright, Sofi. You’re a strong girl. You’re going to be okay. Are you leaving? Silence. You’re not leaving, are you? You promised you’d stay. Valentina finally turned around and knelt in front of the girl. Sometimes we can’t keep our promises, my love. Not because we don’t want to, but because the world won’t let us. I don’t want you to leave. I know, but your dad needs to trust me, and he doesn’t anymore. So make him trust me.

Show him you’re good, Valentina. She hugged the girl tightly. That’s not how things work, Sofi. We can’t force anyone to believe us. People choose, and your dad chose not to believe me. She let go of her and went into her room. Sofia stayed in the hallway, crying silently, because of all the things her mother’s death had taken from her, this was the worst: the hope that someone would finally stay. Valentina didn’t leave that day.

Mateo asked her to stay until the weekend while he decided what to do. She agreed because she needed the money, but everything had changed. Doña Elvira, the cook who had always been so kind, now treated her coldly. Jimena had called her and told her everything about Valentina’s ordeal. On Monday morning, when Valentina went to help in the kitchen as she always did, she found the door locked. Doña Elvira knocked gently.

I need to get Mr. Mateo’s breakfast ready. The door opened, just a crack. Doña Elvira handed her a tray, already prepared. “I’ve done it. You don’t need to come in, but I always help him, ma’am.” “It’s not necessary anymore.” The door closed. Valentina stood there with the tray in her hands. She swallowed her tears and took the coffee to the office. Later, she went to hang the laundry on the clothesline. She found her spare uniform ripped in half.

Someone had cut it with scissors. She took it to the laundry room where Don Jorge, the janitor, kept his sewing supplies. “Don Jorge, my uniform is ripped. You have a needle and thread.” He barely looked at her. “No, but you always do.” “I don’t. Look somewhere else.” He turned his back on her and left. Valentina sewed the uniform alone in her room with some thread she found in an old drawer. The next day, her lunch was gone from the refrigerator. She had left her food there that morning.

By lunchtime, she had disappeared. She searched the entire kitchen. Nothing. “Doña Elvira,” she asked when the cook came in. “Did you see my food?” “I didn’t see anything.” “And look,” said the cook, “if I were you, I wouldn’t leave food in the refrigerator. It’s not your place.” Valentina didn’t answer. That day she ate cookies with tea. The following days were worse, small, constant acts of cruelty. Someone knocked over her bucket on the floor she had just mopped. They hid her cleaning supplies. They rang her doorbell in the middle of the night and ran out.

Valentina endured everything in silence, did her work, kept her distance from everyone, and survived. Sofia was the only one who still treated her normally, but the girl had changed too. She started spending more time in her room again, and the nightmares returned. One day, Valentina was cleaning the hallway when she heard voices coming from the kitchen. Doña Elvira was talking loudly on the phone. “Yes, my dear, I wasn’t going to let someone like that near the food.”

Who can guarantee he won’t steal? Or worse, that he won’t put something in the food? Those people have no scruples. Valentina felt a lump in her throat, went back to her room, and sat on the bed. She looked around. That tiny room had become a home. It wasn’t much, but it was hers. She had security. She had Sofia. She had hope of finding Daniel. Now she was going to lose everything. She took out her cell phone and opened the old photo of her brother from the orphanage.

Daniel smiled, his shirt patched and his hair disheveled. “Forgive me, Dani, I tried. I tried to help your brother find you, but I couldn’t. I’m not strong enough.” He lay on his side and hugged his pillow. He didn’t cry. He had no more tears left, only exhaustion. Exhaustion from fighting, exhaustion from trying to prove he was good enough, exhaustion from a world that always put him in the same place: at the bottom, alone, disposable. Three days had passed since the confrontation with Jimena.

Mateo had spent that time locked in his office, torn between the investigation into Daniel and the confusion in his own head. The investigator had called with news. He had managed to locate the retired social worker who had worked in the area of ​​the orphanage 20 years ago. The man agreed to talk. It was a good lead, perhaps the best so far, but Mateo could barely concentrate because every time he thought of Daniel, he thought of Valentina, of the accusations, of the doubt that Shimena had sown and that was growing like a disease.

On Thursday morning, he made a decision. He called Valentina to the office. She came in her immaculate uniform, her hair pulled back, her posture erect. But she had deep dark circles under her eyes. She had lost weight. “You can sit down.” She sat on the edge of the chair, her hands in her lap. Mateo took a deep breath. “I’ve spent the last few days thinking about everything that’s happened, about Jimena’s accusations in that case.” Valentina waited in silence. “I believe you. About the theft, I mean.”

I really think it was a trap set by that employer. She let out the breath she’d been holding, but felt her heart sink. But I need to think about Sofia. She was very upset by all this, and I realized something that worries me. What is it? She’s very attached to you; she calls you “my darling.” She doesn’t want anyone else taking care of her. She doesn’t want anyone else near her. That’s not a bad thing. She’s opening up again.

But what if you leave someday? What if you need to leave to find another job, another city? Sofia will suffer again. It will be like losing her mother all over again. Valentina understood what he was getting at. You want me to leave soon so you don’t suffer so much later. I don’t want you to stay, but I need you to keep your distance. What kind of distance? He went to the window, unable to look at her as he spoke. You take care of the cleaning.

That’s all. No spending time with Sofia, no baking bread together. No notes, no conversations. Just work. Just work. It’s better this way for everyone. Valentina was silent. When she spoke, her voice was low but firm. “Can I ask you a question?” “Go ahead. Are you really worried about Sofia’s attachment, or are you afraid of your own?” Mateo turned to her. “What do you mean? Sofia has improved. She’s laughing again, eating again, living again.”

But now that Jimena has planted doubts in your mind, you’re afraid. Afraid to trust me, afraid to get close. So you’re using Sofia as an excuse. I’m not using anyone as an excuse. No. Then why didn’t you defend me when Jimena humiliated me in front of everyone? Why did you let her say all those things without doing anything? I kicked her out after the damage was done, when I needed you, and you stayed silent. You both just stood there staring.

The weight of unspoken words filled the space between them. “Just do what I asked,” Mateo said, his voice lower. “Please,” she stood up, “I will.” But it’s not because of Sofia, it’s because I need the job. But you need to know something, what? Deep down, you don’t believe me. You want to believe me, you’re trying to convince yourself, but the doubt is there, and as long as it’s there, it doesn’t matter what I do. I’ll always be the poor cleaning lady who might be a liar.

That’s not true. Yes, it is, and they both know it. She left the office. Mateo was left alone with her words echoing in the empty office. In the afternoon, Sofía went downstairs looking for Valentina. She found her cleaning the second-floor bathroom. “Val, shall we make cookies?” Valentina stopped scrubbing the toilet. She turned around, her heart sinking at the sight of the hopeful little girl. “I can’t today, Sofi. I have a lot of work.” “Then what about tomorrow?” “I can’t tomorrow either. I’m going to be very busy from now on.”

Sofia frowned. “But we always do things together.” “I know, but your dad thinks it’s better if I just work and don’t do anything else.” “Why?” “It was because of that ugly woman.” Valentina almost smiled. Almost. “Your dad just wants to protect you. He’s afraid you’ll be sad if I leave someday.” “But you’re not going anywhere, you promised.” Valentina knelt in front of the little girl, gently holding her shoulders. “Sometimes we can’t keep our promises, my love.”

Not because we don’t want to, but because the world complicates things. Did you do something wrong? No, I didn’t do anything wrong. Then why is my dad being mean to you? He’s not being mean, he’s just scared. And when we’re scared, sometimes we do things that aren’t right. Sofia looked at her with teary eyes. You’re going to leave just like my mom. Valentina hugged the little girl tightly. Your mom didn’t want to leave, Sofi. She wanted to stay with you forever.

Sometimes life takes people away from us, but not because they wanted to leave and you want to stay. Valentina couldn’t answer because she didn’t know anymore. She didn’t know if she had the strength to stay in a place where she wasn’t welcome, where she was barely tolerated. Sofia noticed the silence and pulled away from the hug. Her eyes filled with tears. “You’re going to leave. Everyone leaves.” She ran out. Valentina heard her quick footsteps on the stairs and the bedroom door slamming shut.

She remained there, kneeling on the bathroom floor, the cleaning brush still in her hand. Another broken promise, another hurt child. That night, Mateo tried to talk to Sofía, but she locked herself in her room. “Daughter, open the door. Go away. We need to talk about Valentina.” “I don’t want to talk to you. You’re mean.” Mateo pressed his forehead against the door. “I’m trying to protect you. You’re lying. You’re just scared. Just like when you were scared Mom would die.” The words hit him like a punch.

Sofia, isn’t that right? Yes, it’s true. You were scared and you stopped being near me. Now you’re afraid of Val and you’re pushing her away. Mateo didn’t know what to say because she was right. He went downstairs slowly. The house was silent. A heavy silence. He passed through the kitchen. Valentina was washing the dinner dishes that no one had eaten. She didn’t want to eat again, did she? Valentina asked without looking at him. It won’t be good. The children are strong.

Mateo stood in the doorway. “And will you be okay?” Valentina turned off the tap and slowly dried her hands. “I always am, we who come from the orphanage always are, because if we’re not okay, there’s no one to take care of us.” She turned away. “Good night, sir.” She walked past him and went up to her room. Mateo was left alone in the kitchen. The sink was empty, the house was empty, his heart was empty. He had gotten what he wanted; he had created distance, he had protected himself and his daughter from the danger of becoming too attached.

But why did she feel she had lost something important, something she might never get back? Jimena had planned every detail. Being thrown out of the mansion had been humiliating, but it hadn’t broken her. On the contrary, it had made her even more determined. Two days after the confrontation with Mateo, she put her plan into action. One Tuesday morning, she waited for Doña Elvira to go shopping and followed her to the market. Doña Elvira, what a coincidence.

The cook turned away, looking uncomfortable. “Doña Jimena, how are you? May I speak with you for a moment? It’s important.” The two went to the market’s café. Jimena ordered two espressos. “How are things at home?” “Complicated. The girl is still there. Mr. Mateo set some rules. She can’t be near Sofía anymore, but she’s still working there.” “And how is Sofía?” “She’s locked herself in her room again. She’s not eating well. She’s the same as before Valentina arrived.”

Jimena shook her head, feigning concern. How sad. And the worst part is, nobody really knows what she’s like, right? Doña Elvira lowered her voice. That’s right. That trial left me suspicious. Jimena leaned forward. Look, I didn’t want to say this, but you need to know. I did some more research on her, and the family who accused her of theft were right. I found evidence, but the case was dismissed because she fled before the trial.

She moved to a different city, changed everything. My God. Jimena took an envelope from her purse. Inside were copies of alleged statements, photos of the missing necklace. Look, this is the necklace she stole. It was a pure gold family heirloom. The lady of the house was devastated. Doña Elvira looked at the photos, horrified. And Mr. Mateo knows about this, doesn’t he? He refused to listen. He’s blind. Jimena put the envelope away. That’s why I’m worried. If he stole once, he can do it again.

Like what? For example, his late wife’s jewelry, the pieces he keeps in his room. Doña Elvira paused, lost in thought, but she cleans that room every week. If he were going to steal, he would have done it already. Jimena offered a sad smile. Or he’s waiting for the right moment. You know how they are. A cunning thief doesn’t steal on the first day; he waits to gain trust, then takes the most valuable piece and disappears. He had planted the seed. Now it was just a matter of waiting for it to grow.

Two days later, Shimena called the house. Doña Elvira answered, “Doña Elvira, how are you?” Listen, I was thinking, “Have you checked Mateo’s late wife’s jewelry yet, just to make sure everything is there?” No? Why? I had a bad feeling, and if Valentina has already taken something, it would be terrible to find out too late. Doña Elvira hesitated, “I don’t know if I should touch Mr. Mateo’s things. You’re not going to touch anything, you’re just going to look to be sure.”

If everything’s there, perfect. If anything’s missing, let him know. It’s your duty, Elvira. You’ve worked there for years. You have to protect the house.” The cook hung up, her heart racing. She waited until Mateo left for the restaurant. She went up to his room. She opened the drawer where he kept his late wife’s jewelry box. Everything was neatly organized: the earrings, the rings, the bracelets. She counted the pieces. She checked again. Everything was there, except for the necklace. The gold necklace with the heart pendant that his wife always wore.

The last gift Mateo had given her had disappeared. Doña Elvira felt her blood run cold. She quickly closed the drawer and called Jimena. The necklace was gone. Jimena feigned surprise perfectly. She knew it. She knew it was going to happen. “Did you tell Mateo?” “Not yet. He’s at the restaurant. Tell him now. And look. I know it’s difficult, but it would be good to check his room before he hides it somewhere else or sells it.” “I can’t do that.”

It would be an invasion of her privacy. So, ask Mateo to do it. But quickly, Elvira, before it’s too late. What Doña Elvira didn’t know was that Jimena had entered the mansion three days earlier. In the early morning, she had a copy of the key she had taken months before, when she was still welcome in the house. She had stolen the necklace from Mateo’s room, gone up to Valentina’s room, and planted the necklace inside the old makeup case on the nightstand.

It was too obvious a place, but that was the plan—to make it seem like Valentina was so arrogant she didn’t even bother to hide it properly. When Mateo arrived home that night, Doña Elvira was waiting for him at the door. “Mr. Mateo, I need to talk to you. It’s urgent.” He was tired. He’d spent all day resolving problems at the restaurant. “What’s wrong?” “It’s about your late wife’s necklace.” “Which necklace?” “The gold one. The one with the heart.”

You kept it in the drawer. And it disappeared. Mateo froze. “What do you mean it disappeared? I checked the drawer today. Everything’s there, except the necklace. It must have fallen out. It must be somewhere else.” “No, sir. I know that drawer. I clean it out every week. The necklace was there last week, now it’s gone.” Mateo ran upstairs, opened the drawer, rummaged through everything, threw the little boxes on the floor, picked up the earrings, the rings, looking for the necklace. It wasn’t there. It was the last physical memento of his wife, the piece of jewelry she loved most, the gift he had chosen with such care, and it had vanished.

Doña Elvira appeared in the doorway. “Sir, I don’t want to accuse anyone, but the only person who enters this room, besides you, is Valentina.” Mateo closed his eyes. He didn’t want to believe it, but the doubt was there, and it was stronger than his desire to trust. “Where is her room?” “On the third floor.” But, sir, he walked past Doña Elvira and went upstairs. His heart was pounding. Rage and fear mingled inside him.

He knocked on her bedroom door. Valentina opened it. She had just showered, her hair still wet, and was wearing simple pajamas. “Sir, is everything alright? I need to come into your room now. Now.” She stepped back, confused. Mateo entered. He looked around. The tiny room, the bed made, few clothes, everything very simple. “What are you looking for, sir?” “A gold necklace. With a heart pendant.” Valentina felt breathless. “I don’t have a necklace.” He began to search. He opened his backpack.

Just old clothes, a worn book, Daniel’s old photo. Mateo, please, I didn’t take anything, I swear. He opened the nightstand drawer; nothing but socks and some underwear. He looked under the bed. Nothing. He was about to give up when he saw the old case on the nightstand, small, faded pink plastic, the kind of thing someone keeps for years and doesn’t throw away. He picked up the case. Sir, that’s mine. You don’t have it. He opened it.

And there, between an old lipstick and a faded blush, was the necklace. Mateo held the jewel, his heart pounding, hoping it was a mistake, that there was some explanation. He looked at Valentina. She was pale, her hands trembling, her eyes wide with shock. “I didn’t put that there. Someone else did. I swear someone did.” “So how did it get here?” “I don’t know, but I didn’t take it. Why would I? What for?” Mateo clutched the necklace in his hand.

I believed in you. I gave you a job when no one else would. I let you be near my daughter. And you steal from me? I didn’t steal. The necklace was in your room because someone put it there. Think about it, Mr. Mateo. Why would I keep it in such an obvious place? If I were a thief, I would have hidden it better. He stopped. That made sense. It was too obvious, too stupid, but anger was stronger than reason. Take your things and leave now.

“What? Get out of my house now before I call the police.” Valentina burst into tears. “Please, give me a chance. Let me prove it. Let me find out who did this.” “No, I’ve already given you too many chances.” Now tears streamed down her face. “You don’t trust me. You never trusted me. Seriously, pack your things.” She stormed out of the room, slammed the door, went downstairs, locked herself in the office, and clutched the necklace so tightly she hurt her hand.

She wanted to feel relief at having it back. She wanted to feel anger at having been robbed, but she only felt emptiness, because deep down a small voice told her she had made a mistake, but it was too late to listen. Valentina packed her backpack, her hands trembling so much she could barely fold her clothes. She put in everything she had, which was almost nothing: the three items of clothing, the worn book, the old photo of Daniel. She sat on the bed and looked around.

That little room had become a home. For the first time in her adult life, she had a place that was truly hers, where she could sleep without fear, where she woke up with hope. Now she was going to lose everything. Doña Elvira appeared in the doorway. “It’s best if you leave soon. Mr. Mateo is very nervous.” “I didn’t do anything, Doña Elvira. You have to believe me.” The cook looked away. “I believed you. I defended you to the other employees when they were talking badly about me.”

And look what happened, please. Someone set me up. Someone put the necklace in my room. If someone put it there, you’ll have to prove it. But now you’d better go. Valentina grabbed her backpack and went downstairs. She was almost at the door when Sofia appeared at the top of the stairs. “Bal, what are you doing?” Valentina stopped. She couldn’t look at the girl. “I have to go, Sofi.” “Where to?” “Far away.” “Why? What happened?” “Because sometimes things don’t work out, and you have to leave.”

Sofia started running down the stairs. “You didn’t promise you’d stay.” Valentina knelt down and held the girl’s shoulders. “I know I promised, but sometimes you can’t keep your promise because you did something wrong.” “No, I didn’t do anything wrong.” “Then why do you have to leave?” Valentina didn’t know how to explain that the world was unfair, that sometimes even if you didn’t do anything wrong, you could still lose everything. “Your dad thinks I did something I didn’t do, and he doesn’t believe me, but I believe you.”

I believe in you. I know it, my love, I know it. She hugged the little girl tightly. She tried to etch that moment into her memory. The smell of the baby shampoo, the way Sofia clutched the teddy bear with one arm and herself with the other. You are the most special little girl I’ve ever known. Never forget that. You promised you would stay. You promised. Valentina pulled away. She stood up. She couldn’t stay any longer. She didn’t have the strength. She opened the door.

Val. Come back, please, come back. She went down the front steps. She heard Sofia crying, shouting. Val, don’t go. I’ll be good. I’ll do everything right, but don’t go. Valentina kept walking. Each step hurt more than the last. Tears blurred her vision. She turned the corner. She heard Sofia’s voice growing fainter. Val. And then the silence stopped at a plaza three blocks away. She sat down on a bench.

It was almost 9 p.m. It was cold. It was starting to rain. She took out her cell phone. She had 400 pesos in the account. It was all she had. She had nowhere to go. She didn’t know anyone in the city. The cell phone rang. Unknown number. “Hello, Valentina, this is Sister Magdalena.” The nun’s voice finally broke down her defenses. Valentina burst into sobs. “Sister, what happened, child?” And she told her everything between sobs, about the mansion, about the accusations, about the necklace, about losing everything.

Where are you now? In a plaza. I don’t know the name. Send me your location. I’m going to send someone to pick you up. You can’t stay on the street. Half an hour later, Father Juan appeared. He took her to a church-run shelter—simple, clean, and safe. You can stay here while you sort things out. Valentina thanked him. She took a hot bath and put on clean, donated clothes. She lay down on a narrow bed, but she couldn’t sleep. She stared at the ceiling, thinking about everything she had lost: her job, her home, Sofia, and worst of all, the chance to help Mateo find Daniel.

They were so close. The investigator had good leads; now he’d never know. He turned on his side, hugged the pillow, and let his tears soak into the fabric. At the mansion, Sofia wouldn’t stop crying. Mateo tried to talk to her, but the girl locked herself in and yelled at him to leave. He went down to the office, opened the drawer, and took out the necklace. It was beautiful, delicate. His wife wore it every day. She said it was the symbol of her love.

She was back now, but it brought him no relief, only a vast emptiness, because deep down, very deep down, he knew. He knew he had made a terrible mistake, but it was too late to turn back. Three days passed. Sofia didn’t leave her room, didn’t eat, barely drank any water. Mateo tried everything. He brought her her plate, apologized, explained why he had fired Valentina. Nothing worked. On the morning of the fourth day, he heard a strange noise.

He ran upstairs. He forced the door open. Sofia was huddled in a corner of the room, clutching her teddy bear, rocking back and forth, her gaze unfocused, seeing nothing. Sofia didn’t respond, didn’t blink, just kept rocking. Mateo picked her up; she was freezing, trembling. He took her to the hospital. The doctors examined her, asked her questions, and drew blood. A dissociative crisis, the doctor explained. Her body shut down her emotions as a form of protection. It’s common in children who have suffered repeated traumas.

She’ll be okay, yes, but she’ll need intensive monitoring, therapy, possibly medication, and you’ll have to identify what caused the crisis. Mateo knew what had caused it. He had caused it. Sofia was admitted for observation. Mateo spent the night in the room with her, held her little hand, silently apologizing. The next day, when she woke up, she looked at her father with empty eyes. “Where’s Bal?” “She’s gone.” “Because you kicked her out.” “Yes.” Sofia turned her face away.

You’re mean. His words hurt, but she deserved it. Daughter, go away. I don’t want you here. I only wanted to protect you. You didn’t protect me; you ran away the only person who helped me. Sofia closed her eyes. A tear rolled down her cheek. Everyone leaves. Mom left. Bal left. One day you’ll leave too, and I’ll be all alone. Mateo felt a tightness in his chest. I’ll never leave you. You already did. You left me when you stopped playing with me after Mom died.

You left me when you told Val to stay away from me. You always leave me. He had no answer because she was right. He left the room, sat in the hallway, called the investigator to ask about Daniel just to distract himself. “Mr. Garsa, I managed to speak with the social worker. He remembers the case. He has important information. Can you wait a few days? I have a problem here.” “Sure. But, sir, the leads are good. I think we’re close to finding your brother.”

Mateo hung up. He should have been happy, excited, but he only felt empty. Because what good was finding his brother if, in the process, he had lost everything he cared about? Sofia was discharged. The next day she returned home silent. The doctors had prescribed medication and therapy sessions three times a week. Mateo hired a nurse, a serious, competent woman who cared for Sofia professionally, but without affection. The girl didn’t react to anything.

She ate because she was told to, she bathed because she was forced to, she existed because she had no other choice. At night, Mateo tried to talk to her, but Sofía pretended to be asleep. A week later, Sofía had her first therapy session. When she returned, Mateo asked her how it went. “The doctor is kind.” “And what did you talk about?” “About you.” “About me.” “She said that sometimes adults do bad things because they are afraid, and that when we are afraid, we hurt the people we love without meaning to.”

Mateo swallowed hard. “And you think that’s it? That I’m scared?” Sofía looked at him. “Yes, you are. You were scared when Mom died. You were afraid to be near me because I remind you of her. Then you were scared, Valentina. Now you’re alone, and so am I.” She turned and went up to her room. Mateo stayed there. His 7-year-old daughter’s words cut deeper than any accusation, because she was right. He was so afraid of getting hurt that he had pushed everyone away.

And in the end, fear had only brought more suffering. Sofia wasn’t getting better. The therapy sessions helped a little, but she remained distant, apathetic. One Thursday afternoon, two weeks after Valentina left, Sofia was in her room. The nurse had gone to the bathroom. She looked at the old cell phone her mother had given her. She hadn’t used it in months. She turned it on. It still worked. She had an idea. If her father wasn’t going to look for Valentina, she would find out the truth for herself.

She waited until the nurse left at the end of the day. She went down to the office. Her father was in the kitchen making coffee. She entered slowly and went to the desk. There were papers scattered about, things from Uncle Daniel’s investigation, but that wasn’t what she was looking for. She opened the first drawer. Notebooks. She opened the second. Company documents. The third held a jewelry box. She opened it. There was the necklace. The necklace that had started it all. She looked at the jewel.

It was pretty, delicate. Why would Valentina steal this? She never wore jewelry, never talked about money, it didn’t make sense. She closed the drawer, went up to her dad’s room, and opened the nightstand. Inside was her old cell phone, the one she used before buying the new one. She took it, carried it to her room, and turned it on. It still worked, but the battery was low. She opened the call history. She scrolled back to the day the necklace had disappeared. She saw the name Jimena.

Three calls. That day he wrote down the times on a piece of paper. He had another idea. He remembered his mother’s drawer, where she kept old things. He went to his parents’ old room and opened the drawer. Inside were photos, letters, and a small box of old jewelry. He rummaged through the box. At the bottom, he found something strange: a very small folded piece of paper. He unfolded it. It was a yellow Post-it note with writing he didn’t recognize. Final stage. Take the necklace from his room, plant it in her room, do it in the early hours of Thursday morning.

Sofia stared at the paper, read it again, and once more someone had written a plan. A plan to frame Valentina. She carefully put the paper away, adding it to the notes from Jimena’s calls. Now she had proof. It wasn’t conclusive, but she had it. She went to the office. Her father was there reviewing documents. He knocked on the door. “Daughter, come in.” She went in, closed the door, and placed the papers on the table. “What’s this?” “Proof.”

Mateo took the sticky note, read it, and went pale. “Where did you find this?” “In Mom’s drawer. Someone hid it there.” “This doesn’t prove it was Jimena.” Sofía put down the other piece of paper, the one with the phone calls. “She called three times the day the necklace disappeared. She spoke to Doña Elvira, told her to look for the necklace, put everything together.” Mateo looked at the papers, the handwriting on the sticky note, the calls. It could be a coincidence, it could be a forgery, but deep down he knew it wasn’t.

You fired Bal because you thought she’d stolen something, but she didn’t. That lying woman did it all. Honey, not me. Sofia shook her head. You were wrong. You didn’t believe Bal. Now you have to fix it. How? Go after her, apologize. Make her come back. And if she doesn’t want to come back— Sofia looked at her father, her eyes hard. Then you lose us, you lose her, and you’ll be all alone, because I’m not going to live with you if you don’t go after her.

It was an ultimatum from a 7-year-old girl, but it was worth more than any adult threat because it came from the heart. Mateo looked at his daughter and saw determination in her, strength—the same strength her mother had. “You’re right, I was wrong. Then I’ll fix it.” He nodded. “I’ll fix it, I promise.” Sofia left the office. Mateo was left alone with the papers. He took out his cell phone and called Jimena. She answered cheerfully, “Mateo, what a surprise! We need to talk about what?” “About the necklace you planted in Valentina’s room.”

Silence on the other end of the line. I don’t know what you’re talking about. I have proof, Jimena. Your calls, the note, everything. Another silence. Then. You can’t prove anything. Yes, I can, and I will. I’ll show it to the police. I’m going to sue you for trespassing, for planting false evidence, for everything. Her voice turned cold. You’re not going to do that. Yes, I will. Unless you confess now. She laughed. A bitter laugh. Fine, I confess. I planned everything. I fabricated the false lawsuit, planted the necklace, ruined her life.

And you know why? Because you’re mine, you always have been. And I wasn’t going to let some homeless servant steal you away from me. I was never yours, and you just blew any chance you had. He hung up, blocked the number, and sat down in the chair. His heart was pounding. He had the confession, he had the proof, he knew the truth. Now there was only one thing left: to find Valentina and beg for her forgiveness. Mateo hung up the phone, his hands trembling. Jimena’s confession was still echoing in his head.

She had planned it all. She had destroyed Valentina’s life out of pure selfishness, and he had believed her. He sat down in his office chair, picked up his phone again, and opened the recording app. It was all there. Every word Jimena had said—I planned it all. I fabricated the whole thing. I planted the necklace. Conclusive, irrefutable proof. Sofía appeared at the door. You did it. I did it, she confessed everything. Now what? Now I’m going to find Valentina.

The girl gave a small smile. The first in weeks. “Can I come with you?” “Of course.” Mateo grabbed his coat, paused before leaving, and called Doña Elvira. The cook answered nervously, “Mr. Mateo, Doña Elvira, Valentina didn’t steal anything. It was all set up by Jimena.” She confessed. Silence on the other end of the line. Then, a broken voice. “My God, I helped them do this to the girl. I went to the drawer to get the necklace because Jimena told me to.”

I didn’t know. You were manipulated just like I was, but I should have been suspicious. I should have defended you. We all should have. Mateo took a deep breath. I’m going to look for her now. We’ll talk when I get back. He hung up. He took Sofía’s hand. The two of them left the mansion. “There’s just one problem,” Sofía said on the way. “What?” “We don’t know where she is.” Mateo stopped. The girl was right. Valentina had left without leaving an address, without saying where she was going. He took out his cell phone and looked up the number Valentina had given him when she started working there.

She dialed, it rang, it rang, it went to voicemail, she tried again. She thought, where would she go? She had no family, no friends in the city. Then she remembered the orphanage. She had grown up in the Santa Clara orphanage. Maybe someone there knew where she was. She got in the car with Sofia. She drove to the address she had in the files from the investigation into Daniel. The building was abandoned. Rusty bars, broken windows. Weeds grew in the cracks of the concrete.

Damn it. And now, Dad, Mateo thought. He called the investigator. Pablo, do you have the contact information for someone who worked at the Santa Clara orphanage? Yes, I do. Sister Magdalena. She was the coordinator there; now she works at a church-run shelter. Give me her contact information. Minutes later, Mateo called the nun. Hello, Sister Magdalena, my name is Mateo Garza. I need to find Valentina Rojas Morales. It’s urgent. The nun’s voice hardened. You’re the man who fired her, accusing her of theft.

I was, but I was wrong. I have proof it was a setup. I need to apologize to you. Silence. Then how do I know you won’t hurt her again? Because my daughter is here with me, and she wouldn’t allow it. Sofia, say hello. Sofia picked up the phone. Hello, this is Sofia. Bal is my friend. My father made a mistake, but now he wants to make amends. Please help us. The nun sighed. Valentina is at the San José shelter, 342 Fresnos Street. But if you hurt her again, you’ll have me and God to answer for.

I won’t hurt her, I promise. Half an hour later, Mateo stopped in front of an old but well-maintained house. There was a sign: San José Shelter. He got out of the car with Sofía. He rang the doorbell. A woman in her fifties answered. “Can I help you? I need to speak with Valentina. It’s urgent.” The woman looked at him suspiciously. “You’re her boss.” “I was, but I need to speak with her. Please.” The woman hesitated, but Sofía stepped forward.

Please, ma’am, I’m your friend. I just want to see you. The woman’s gaze softened at the sight of the girl. Wait here. She went inside and returned five minutes later. Valentina doesn’t want to come down. She says she has nothing to say to you. Mateo’s chest tightened. Can you tell her I have proof? Proof that you set her up. That I know the truth? I’ll tell her. The woman went back upstairs. She was up for a while. When she returned, Valentina was following behind her.

She descended the stairs slowly. She was thinner, her face tired, her eyes dull. When she saw Sofia, she stopped halfway down. “Sofi, Bal.” Sofia let go of her father’s hand and ran. She ran up the steps. She hugged Valentina tightly. “You’re back.” Valentina hugged the little girl, closed her eyes, and let that hug soothe her pain a little. When she let go, she looked at Mateo. His expression was hard. “What does he want?” “To apologize.” She went up a few steps.

He stopped close enough to speak, but far enough away to respect her space. “I was wrong. I was very wrong. I believed Jimena’s lies. I thought you had stolen, but I was wrong.” He took his cell phone out of his pocket and pressed play on the recording. Jimena’s voice came through the device clearly, confessing everything. Valentina listened in silence. When he finished, she looked at him. “That doesn’t change anything.” “Of course it changes things. It proves you’re innocent.” “I was always innocent. But you didn’t believe me when I needed you to.”

She believes me now because she has a recording, because she has proof. I know, and I’m so sorry. “Sorry” isn’t enough. She started to climb again. “Valentina, wait.” She stopped, but didn’t turn around. “I have no excuse. I was a coward. I was afraid to trust, afraid I’d get hurt again. And in the end, I hurt you, I hurt Sofia, and I hurt myself.” Valentina stood still with her back to him. “I’ve spent my whole life being judged—at the orphanage, at work, everywhere.”

They always thought I was less than, that I didn’t deserve trust, and I accepted it because I had no other choice. He turned away slowly, but at his house it was different. For the first time, I believed I had found a place where I could be myself, where I didn’t need to prove anything. And then you did exactly like the others, you judged me, condemned me, discarded me, and the tears began to fall. So, no, Mr. Mateo, a simple “I’m sorry” isn’t enough because you shattered the only thing I had left: the hope that someone would finally believe me.

Mateo stepped up a step. “You’re right. I broke your trust, but I want to fix it. Not because I have the recording, but because without you, we’re not a family anymore. I’m not myself.” Valentina shook her head. “I can’t go back. I can’t work somewhere they don’t trust me.” “Then don’t come back as an employee. Come back as part of the family. Come back because Sofía needs you, because I need you.” Sofía took Valentina’s hand. “Please, Bal.”

I was so sad without you, I even got sick. The doctor said I had a crisis. I’m not eating well. I can’t be happy. Only you make me happy. Valentina knelt in front of the little girl. You don’t need me, Sofi. You’re strong. You’re going to be okay. I won’t be. Not without you. Valentina looked into the little girl’s eyes. She saw pain there, real pain. She looked at Mateo. He was there, vulnerable, with red eyes. I’m scared, he admitted. Scared to go back and have it all happen again.

You won’t doubt me at the first sign of trouble. I promise you. How can I believe you? Because I’m going to spend the rest of my life proving it, proving that I trust you, that I believe in you, that you’re not just important to Sofia, you’re important to me. Valentina wiped away her tears, and Jimena, I’m going to sue her for everything. Trespassing, defamation, planting evidence. She’s going to pay for what she did. And the employees, Doña Elvira, Don Jorge, they treated me very badly.

I’m going to talk to each of them, explain everything, and if anyone doesn’t accept it, they won’t work there anymore. Valentina remained silent. Her heart told her to come back, but her head screamed at her to protect herself. Sofia cupped her face in her little hands. “Please, I promise I’ll behave very well. I’ll eat everything. I’ll go to bed early. I’ll do everything you tell me. But come back.” Valentina laughed through her tears.

You’re already behaving yourself, Sofi. You don’t have to promise anything. So you’re coming back. She looked at Mateo. If I come back, it won’t be as a cleaning lady. I know. And I’m not coming back just for Sofía. I’m coming back because I want to too, because that house became my home and you all became my family. Mateo climbed the last step and stood in front of her. Then come back, please, come home. Valentina took a deep breath. Okay, I’ll come back. Sofía shouted with joy.

He hugged Valentina and her dad at the same time. The three of them stood there, embraced in the middle of the stairs. The woman who had opened the door for them watched from afar, smiling. Valentina dried her face and looked at Mateo. “But one thing,” she said, “if you ever doubt me again, if you let anyone plant seeds of doubt in your mind, I’ll leave and never come back. It won’t happen again, I swear.” She nodded. “Then let’s go home.” On the way home, Sofía chattered away in the back seat.

She recounted everything that had happened during the two weeks Valentina was gone. “I got sick, Val. I had to go to the hospital, but I’m better now. The doctor helped me, and I found out where Jimena hid the evidence. You figured it out all by yourself—well, almost all by yourself. My dad helped me a little.” Mateo smiled in the rearview mirror. “Just a little. It’s all her credit.” When they arrived at the mansion, Doña Elvira was at the door. When she saw Valentina get out of the car, she ran toward her.

My child, I’m so, so sorry. She hugged Valentina tightly. She was crying. Forgive me. I was a fool. I believed that viper. I made you suffer. Valentina hugged her back. It’s all right, Doña Elvira. It wasn’t your fault. Yes, it was. I should have believed you. I should have defended you. The two of them stayed there, hugging and crying. Don Jorge appeared from the garden, approaching slowly with his cap in his hands. Miss Valentina, I also apologize. I was very rude to you.

He shouldn’t have done that. Valentina offered a tired smile. “You’re forgiven, Don Jorge, really. Really.” The gardener quickly dried his eyes and went back to work. Sofia pulled Valentina by the hand. “Come, come see my room. I arranged everything just the way you like it.” The two of them ran upstairs. Mateo stayed there watching them leave, his heart feeling lighter than it had in months. Doña Elvira approached. “Sir, you did the right thing by going to find her.”

I only did what I should have done from the beginning. Believing in her is better late than never. He nodded. He entered the mansion and went to his office. He took out his cell phone and called his lawyer. “Attorney Marcelo, I need to sue someone for trespassing, defamation, planting false evidence, and moral damages.” “Who?” “Jimena Montenegro. And I have a recording of her confessing everything.” An hour later, the lawyer was already there. He listened to the recording and read the papers that Sofia had found.

This is a sure case, Mateo. With this evidence, he’ll pay dearly. I want the maximum penalty the law allows. I want him to understand that he can’t destroy people’s lives without consequences. I’m going to start the process tomorrow. When the lawyer left, Mateo went upstairs and stopped at the door of Sofia’s room. Valentina was sitting on the bed. Sofia was showing him all the drawings she had made in the last few weeks. Sad drawings, lonely people, dark colors.

I drew this the day you left. I’m alone. I’m cold. Valentina carefully took the drawing. You draw very well, Sofi. The doctor said that drawing helps when you’re sad. And did it help you a little? But not as much as you coming back. They both smiled. Mateo knocked on the door. Can I come in? Sofía nodded. He came in and sat on the sofa near the bed. Bal, I wanted to tell you something. Tell me. It’s about Daniel and the investigation. We were close to finding him before all this happened.

The investigator has good leads. Valentina became serious. “And you want to keep looking for him?” “I do, but only if you want to. You were the one who told me about him. You kept him alive in your memory when no one else remembered him. So this search is ours. Both of ours.” She felt her eyes burning. “I want to, I really want to find him.” “Then we’re going to find him together.” Sofia raised her hand. “And I’m going to help too.” The three of them laughed. That night Valentina had dinner with them for the first time, not as an employee.

She sat down at the table, chatted, and laughed. Doña Elvira prepared Sofia’s favorite dish, pasta with tomato sauce and cheese. The little girl ate everything, even asking for seconds. Mateo looked at his daughter and then at Valentina. “Thank you for coming back, for giving me another chance.” Valentina gave a small smile. “Thank you for coming to find me, for believing in me. I will always believe you from now on, always.” After dinner, Sofia asked Valentina to put her to bed.

The two of them went upstairs. Valentina helped the little girl brush her teeth, put on her pajamas, and tucked her into bed. Val. Yes. You’re not going to leave again, are you? Even if my dad does something stupid. I’m not going, I promise. This time it’s a real promise. Sofia hugged her teddy bear and closed her eyes, smiling. Valentina turned off the light, left the room, and met Mateo in the hallway. She fell asleep. Yes, she fell asleep. She’s finally at peace.

The two of them stood there in the hallway. Valentina, you don’t have to say anything else. You already apologized. You already showed you were sorry. Now we just have to move on. Mateo took a step toward her, but I need to talk because it’s not just about apologizing, it’s about something else. What? When you left, I realized something. I realized that I didn’t just want you back for Sofía’s sake, it was for my own sake too, because without you I couldn’t breathe properly, I couldn’t think clearly, it was like I had an emptiness in my chest.

Valentina stood motionless, her heart racing. “I know it’s soon. I know I don’t have the right to say this after all, but I need you to know. I fell in love with you, with your strength, your kindness, the way you transformed this house. You transformed Sofia, you transformed me.” She didn’t know what to say. “You don’t have to answer now. You never have to answer if you don’t want to. I just needed you to know.” He was about to turn and leave when she grabbed his arm.

Mateo. He stopped. I missed you too. Not just the house, not just Sofia, but you. The way you look at me, the way you make me feel important. You are important. I know it. I know it now. She took a step toward him, moved closer. But I’m scared. Scared of getting hurt again. Scared of getting attached and losing you. I’m scared too. But maybe we can be scared together and take it slow, without rushing. She smiled. Slowly, without rushing, he smiled back.

They stood there, gazing at each other in the silent hallway around them. Valentina approached first. Slowly, she placed a light kiss on his cheek. “Goodnight, Mateo.” “Goodnight, Val.” She went to her room, but this time it wasn’t the maid’s quarters; it was the guest room on the second floor, the one Mateo had prepared for her. She lay down on the comfortable bed, covered herself with the soft comforter, and for the first time in two weeks, slept peacefully.

The following days were spent rebuilding. Valentina rejoined the household routine, not as an employee, but as part of the family. She helped in the kitchen when she wanted, played with Sofía, and talked with Mateo about the investigation into Daniel, but wounds remained, and she still felt afraid. One morning, Sofía asked to bake cookies. Valentina agreed. The two were in the kitchen when the doorbell rang. Doña Elvira went to answer it. She returned with a delivery man. He was carrying a large box.

It’s for Mr. Mateo, but he’s not here. You can sign. Valentina was about to sign when she hesitated. It’s better to wait until he gets back. But it’s just a signature, miss, I know, but I’d rather not mess with his things. Sofia noticed when the delivery man left and took Valentina’s hand. You’re still afraid my dad won’t believe you, aren’t you? A little. But he promised. I know, but promises are only believed when they’re kept. That night, Mateo arrived and saw the box.

Why didn’t they sign? Doña Elvira explained. He looked at Valentina. You don’t have to be afraid to sign things, I know, but I prefer to take it slow until I can trust again. He nodded, understanding, “Okay, in your own time.” Later, Mateo asked Valentina to accompany him to a meeting with the investigator. It was about Daniel. They met at a café. The investigator brought documents, old photos, a map with markings. Mr. Garza, I managed to locate the social worker who handled your brother’s case.

He remembers everything. He said a couple illegally adopted the boy. The couple lived in Puebla. They died in an accident when the boy was 9 years old. That’s when he ended up in the orphanage. Valentina confirmed, “That matches what I know. Daniel arrived when he was 9. He said his parents had died.” And there’s more, the investigator continued. I managed to track down Daniel’s friends after he ran away from the orphanage. One of them said he went to work as a kitchen assistant in a restaurant in Guadalajara.

That was about 10 years ago. Mateo leaned forward. “Is she still there?” “No. She was there for about three years. Then she left, but I got the name of the restaurant. I’m going to call around to see if anyone knows where she went.” Valentina took Mateo’s hand under the table. He shook it back. “We’re close,” he whispered. “Very close.” But the search was still going to take time. The investigator needed to follow up on every lead, talk to every person, piece things together little by little.

Meanwhile, life went on. Valentina started therapy once a week. The therapist helped her process her trauma, to understand that what had happened wasn’t her fault. Mateo also returned to therapy. He was working on his fear of trusting, his fear of losing, and the grief for his wife that he hadn’t yet fully processed. And Sofía continued with her sessions. The therapist said the girl was improving, but that it would take time. Trauma doesn’t heal overnight.

One Saturday afternoon, Mateo called Valentina to his office. “There’s something I need to do, and I wanted you to be with me.” “What?” He took the jewelry box, removed the necklace—the necklace that had caused everything. “This necklace is cursed. It’s only brought pain to you, to Sofia, to me.” “What are you going to do with it?” “I’ll put it in a safe, somewhere no one will see it, because it no longer represents love; it represents pain, and I don’t want any more pain in this house.”

He took her hand, but before putting it away, he wanted to ask her something. What? Forgive me. Truly, not just with words, but with all your heart. Valentina looked at him, saw sincerity in him, saw regret, saw love. I forgive you, but it’s going to take time to trust you completely again. I know, and I’ll wait as long as it takes. He put the necklace in the safe and locked it. There, now we start over. No ghosts from the past.

Valentina smiled. No ghosts. The two left the office and found Sofia in the living room drawing. “What are you drawing, honey?” Mateo approached. The drawing showed three people holding hands: a man, a woman, and a little girl, with a bright yellow sun above them. “It’s us, our family.” Valentina felt her eyes sting. “It’s beautiful, Sofi. Can I put it on the refrigerator?” “Of course, of course you can.” The little girl ran to the kitchen, stuck the drawing on the refrigerator with a magnet, and stared at it contentedly.

Now, now we were a real family. And they were, not by blood, but by choice, by love, by permanence—the kind of family built with patience, with forgiveness, with new beginnings. Two months passed, and a routine had been established. Valentina was now a true part of the family. She ate dinner with them every day. She went for walks with Sofía, talked with Mateo until late about everything and nothing. The legal proceedings against Jimena were underway. Her lawyer tried to reach a settlement.

Mateo refused. He wanted a trial. He wanted her to pay publicly for what she had done. And the investigation into Daniel continued slowly, but it continued. One Tuesday morning, the investigator called, “Mr. Garza, I think we’ve found him.” What? A man named Daniel Garza works as a street food chef in Querétaro. He caters events, parties, that kind of thing. He has a social media profile. I sent him the link. Mateo opened his phone, went to the profile, and froze.

The photos showed a 33-year-old man with a short beard, dark hair, and eyes identical to his own. There was even an old photo of him as a child, with the same features as the portrait Mateo kept. “It’s him,” Mateo whispered. “My God, it’s him.” He called Valentina, showed her the photos, and she put her hand to her mouth. “Dani, it’s Dani, I recognize him.” “Are you sure?” “Yes. The way he smiles, the shape of his face, it’s him.” Mateo called the investigator back.

You can get his address. Where does he live? Where does he work? I already have it. He’s self-employed, but he has a regular spot in a plaza on Saturdays. He cooks there. Which plaza? The Zócalo. From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Today is Tuesday. Mateo looked at the calendar. Saturday. Four days. Mateo called Sofía. He told her. We found Uncle Daniel. Really. Really. Can I go with you when you go to talk to him? Can you? Of course you can. The following days passed slowly.

Mateo barely slept. He tried to imagine what he was going to say, how he was going to introduce himself. “Hi, I’m your twin brother, the one you haven’t seen in 29 years.” It seemed crazy. Valentina noticed his nervousness. “Are you scared?” “Very.” “What if he doesn’t remember me? What if he doesn’t want to know about me?” “He will. Daniel always talked about you, always wanted to find you, but so many years have passed. He might have changed, he might have given up, or he might have been waiting for this moment his whole life, just like you.”

Mateo smiled. Thank you for being here, for everything. She took his hand. I always will be. Saturday arrived. The three of them woke up early. They ate breakfast in silence. The tension was palpable. They got in the car. It took them almost two hours to get to Querétaro. When they arrived at the Zócalo it was 11:30. The place was packed. There were craft stalls, live music, families strolling, and on a corner near a large tree there was a food stand. The sign read Daniel Garza, gourmet street food.

Mateo stopped. His heart was pounding so hard it hurt. “It’s there.” Valentina took his hand. “Breathe. Everything’s going to be alright.” The three of them walked slowly toward the stall. There was a short line, people waiting to buy. And behind the counter, preparing the dishes with precise movements, was him. Daniel was identical to Mateo, the same dark eyes, the same face shape, the same focused expression when he cooked. He wore a simple apron. His hands moved quickly, seasoning, carefully assembling the dishes.

Valentina saw him first. She squeezed Mateo’s hand. It’s him. It really is him. Mateo couldn’t move. He stood there, 10 meters away, staring at the brother he had presumed dead so many years ago. Sofía pulled him by the hand. Go on, Dad. Go talk to him. But Mateo was paralyzed. Almost 30 years of guilt, longing, pain, all surfacing at once. It was Valentina who made the decision; she let go of his hand and walked toward the stall.

There was no line anymore. Daniel was wiping down the counter, getting ready for the next batch of customers. Daniel looked up. He smiled kindly. “Hello, what can I order?” Valentina felt a lump in her throat. That smile was the same one the boy from the orphanage had. “Daniel, it’s me, Valentina, from the Santa Clara orphanage.” He stopped, looked at her closely, his expression changed. “Val, my Val.” She nodded, crying. “It’s me.” Daniel came out from behind the counter. He looked at her as if he were seeing a ghost. “My God, I thought I’d never see you again.”

He hugged her tightly. They both stood there crying, holding each other tightly. When they let go, Daniel wiped his tears. “How did you find me?” “It wasn’t me who found you, it was your brother.” “My brother,” Valentina pointed. Mateo was standing there a few feet away with Sofía by his side. Daniel looked, turning pale. The two men stood motionless, staring at each other, seeing their own reflection, what could have been if life hadn’t torn them apart. It was Daniel who made the first move.

He walked slowly toward Mateo and stopped in front of him. “You’re Mateo.” Mateo could barely speak, but nodded. “I’m your brother, your twin brother. We were separated when we were little. I thought you were dead, but you’ve been alive all this time.” Daniel looked at him, then at Valentina, and back at Mateo. “I always knew I had a brother. I never forgot. I thought they’d abandoned me, that they didn’t want to look for me.” “No, I never looked for you. The whole family did. But they said you’d drowned.”

They said there was nothing they could do. Tears began to stream down Daniel’s face. “I didn’t die. I was here waiting. I know it, and I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry I didn’t find you sooner.” Daniel stepped forward and hugged his brother. The two stood there, embraced in the middle of the plaza, weeping, nearly 30 years of separation, pain, and longing. Everything was released in that embrace. The people around them stopped to stare.

Some were taking pictures, others were crying with them. When they finally let go, Daniel looked at Sofia. “And who is this little princess?” Mateo picked up his daughter. “This is Sofia, my daughter, your niece.” Sofia waved shyly. “Hi, Uncle Daniel.” Daniel smiled. That same crooked smile Mateo had. “Hi, Sofia, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Valentina approached, wiping away her tears. “Dani, there’s so much to tell you.” “I know.” Daniel looked at his brother. “We have a lifetime to catch up on.”

Mateo nodded. A lifetime. Daniel closed his stall early that day. The four of them went to a nearby coffee shop. They sat at a secluded table and talked for hours. Daniel told them everything. How he was kidnapped at the dam? How he woke up in a strange house, how the couple who kidnapped him told him he was now their son. How he grew up thinking that was normal until his parents died in the accident, how he ended up in the orphanage, how he met Valentina, how he ran away at 16 to look for his family.

I went back to that dam, you know? I went all the way there. I thought maybe someone would remember me, but there was no one. That’s when I gave up. Mateo took his brother’s hand. I never gave up, I never stopped looking, I just didn’t know where to look. And it was Val who found me. She was the one who remembered me. She was the one who told you. Daniel looked at Valentina with gratitude. You saved us, Val. You saved both of us.

She shook her head. I only did the right thing. Mateo told her about his wife, about her death, his obsession and social phobia, about how Valentina had helped him. Daniel looked at his niece affectionately. You’re very brave, you know? Sofia smiled. Val says that too. Because it’s true, they stayed until the café closed. When they left it was already getting dark. “Come spend a few days with us,” Mateo asked her. “We still have so much to talk about.” Daniel hesitated. I don’t want to be a bother.

You’re no trouble at all. You’re family. Daniel looked at his brother. He saw sincerity in his eyes. He saw the same longing he felt, the desire to make up for lost time. “Okay, I’m coming.” They returned to Mexico City together. Daniel was in the car with them, talking the whole way. When they arrived at the mansion, Daniel stopped at the gate. “This is where you live.” “Yes.” “Wow, it’s huge.” Mateo laughed. “Come on in.” Doña Elvira almost fainted when she saw the two brothers together.

My God, they’re identical. Daniel laughed. That’s what they say. The following days were about reconnecting. Daniel visited Mateo’s restaurant. They cooked together, exchanged recipes, laughed at their similarities, and discovered they had the same gestures, the same way of holding a knife, the same way of tasting the food before serving it. “You inherited it from your dad,” Mateo explained. He was also a chef. He taught you when you were little. I remember—sometimes I get flashes—a big kitchen, a man with a white hat, but I thought it was a dream.

It wasn’t him; it was a memory. Daniel learned the family’s story: the mother who died of grief, the father who worked himself to death, the relentless search that never stopped. They missed each other every day until the very last day of their lives. Daniel wept. He wept for the parents he never truly knew, for the stolen years, for his lost childhood. But he also smiled because he had found his brother, because he had a family again.

Sofia quickly grew fond of her uncle. Daniel had endless patience with her. He played with her, drew with her, and taught her cooking tricks. One night, Sofia asked, “Uncle Daniel, are you going to live with us?” Daniel looked at Mateo. “I don’t know, princess, I have my job in Querétaro, but you can work here.” Mateo leaned closer. “She’s right. You can work with me at the restaurant or open your own business here, whatever you want, just stay.” Daniel remained silent. “I spent almost 30 years alone, believing I had no one.”

And now you’re offering me a family. We’re not offering you one. You’re already family. You always have been. Daniel wiped his eyes. Then I accept. I’ll stay. Sofia jumped for joy. She hugged her uncle tightly. Valentina watched from afar, smiling. The family was complete, finally complete. That night the four of them had dinner together. Doña Elvira prepared a feast, enough food to feed 10 people. This is a celebration. The family is reunited. They ate, laughed, and told stories. Daniel spoke of the orphanage, of the mischief he got into with Valentina, of how she saved him from the bullies.

Mateo spoke of his childhood, of playing in the garden, of how the two of them were inseparable. Sofia listened, fascinated, discovering a past she had never imagined. When they finished, Daniel raised his glass, a toast to the family, to Bal who found us, to Mateo, who never gave up, to Sofia, who teaches us to be strong, and to our parents, who must be happy wherever they are. Everyone toasted, crying and smiling at the same time. After dinner, Mateo and Daniel went out into the garden and stayed there.

Looking at the stars. “It still seems unreal,” Daniel said. “After so many years thinking I was alone, I discovered you were looking for me the whole time. I promised I’d find you the day you disappeared. I promised. It took time, but I kept my promise.” Daniel looked at his brother. “Thank you for not giving up.” “I was never going to give up. You’re my brother, my other half.” They both fell silent. A comfortable silence, the silence of those who understand each other without needing to speak. Inside, Valentina was putting Sofia to bed.

Val. Yes. We’re the coolest family in the world, right? Valentina smiled. Of course we are, because we’re not blood relatives, but we chose each other. It’s true. And sometimes the family you choose is better than the family you’re born into. Sofia closed her eyes, smiling. I choose you all. And we choose you too, Sofi, always. Three months had passed since Daniel arrived. He had moved permanently to Mexico City. He opened a catering business with Mateo.

The two worked together creating menus and catering events. The connection between them was natural, as if the 29 years of separation had never existed. Sofia was better, much better. She went back to school, made friends. She still had bad days, but they were rare. And Valentina, Valentina had found her place in the world, but there was still something unresolved between her and Mateo. They were close, very close. They talked for hours, laughed together, took care of Sofia together, but they had never spoken about their feelings, about what was between them.

Until one night, after putting Sofia to bed, Mateo called Valentina into the garden. “I wanted to show you something.” “What?” He led her to the back, where there was a new flowerbed with flowers of every color. “I planted these for you. Each flower represents something. The yellow roses are for friendship, the daisies for innocence, and the violets”—he paused—”the violets are for bravery, because you’ve been the bravest person I’ve ever known.” Valentina felt her eyes burn.

I’m not brave. Of course you are. You’ve been through so much suffering and you remained kind. You continued to believe in people. That’s true bravery. She looked at the flowers, then at him. Why did you do this? Because I needed to tell you something and I didn’t know how. So I planted a garden. Mateo, don’t you have to? Yes, it’s necessary. He took her hands. It’s been three months since you came back, three months we’ve been rebuilding everything. And with each passing day, I’m more certain of one thing.

What about? That I love you. Not as a friend, not as family, but as a woman, as the person I want by my side forever. Valentina felt her heart race. I know it’s soon. I know we’re still recovering, but I can’t pretend I don’t feel this anymore. I can’t hold it back anymore. She took another step closer. You transformed my life. You brought my brother back. You saved my daughter. You saved me.

And now I can’t imagine a single day without you. She was already crying. I love you too. I’m afraid to say it, afraid of getting hurt, but I love you. Mateo smiled. That smile she loved. So, let’s be together and face our fears together. And if it goes wrong, and if it goes right. She laughed through her tears. He moved closer slowly. He gave her time to back away if she’d wanted to, but she didn’t. He stayed there waiting. And when he kissed her, it was as if everything finally made sense.

As if all the pain of the past had been worth it just to reach that moment. When they separated, they stood there with their foreheads pressed together, breathing in unison. “I love you,” he whispered. “I love you too.” From the second floor, Sofia looked out the window, smiling, and ran to Uncle Daniel’s room. “Uncle, Uncle, my dad kissed Val!” Daniel laughed. “He took a while, didn’t he? He took a long time.” They both looked out the window. They saw the couple in the garden, embracing, laughing.

“I think we’re a complete family now,” Daniel said. Sofia nodded. Now, six months later, life had settled into a pleasant rhythm. Mateo and Daniel ran the business together. Sofia was happy and healthy. Valentina had started studying education at university. She had always wanted to work with children. The trial against Jimena was over. She was sentenced to pay a large fine and perform community service. She lost her job, her reputation, everything. Mateo felt no satisfaction with that, only relief that it was all over.

One Saturday night, Mateo organized a special dinner at the restaurant. Just the family: Sofía, Daniel, and Valentina. Daniel had helped prepare everything. A special menu. Good wine, live music. When they arrived, Sofía’s eyes widened. “Wow, everything is so beautiful.” “It’s a special occasion,” Mateo explained. “What occasion?” “You’ll see.” They ate slowly, savoring each dish, talking, laughing. When dessert arrived, Mateo signaled to the musician. The music changed, becoming softer, more romantic.

Daniel stood up. “Come on, Sofia, let’s go for a walk outside, but I want to eat my dessert. You can have it later. Come on, let’s go.” He took the little girl outside, leaving Mateo and Valentina alone. She looked at him suspiciously. “What are you up to?” “Nothing.” He smiled. “I just wanted a moment alone with you.” The dessert arrived. A perfect petit gato with melting ice cream on top. Valentina took the spoon, cut the cake, and froze. Inside was a ring, a simple but beautiful white gold ring with a small diamond.

Mateo stood up and knelt beside her. “Valentina Rojas Morales, you came into my life as a housekeeper, but you became so much more than that. You became Sofia’s mother, Daniel’s sister. You became the owner of my heart.” She was crying, unable to speak. “I know we’ve been through some tough times. I know I made a lot of mistakes, but you gave me a second chance, and I want to spend the rest of my life proving that I deserved this opportunity.”

He took the ring and wiped the chocolate off her finger. “Marry me. Not as employer and employee, not as friends, but as husband and wife, as a real family.” Valentina looked at him. She saw love in him, true love of the kind she thought she’d never find. “Yes, I do.” He slipped the ring onto her finger, stood up, and kissed her passionately. Outside, Daniel and Sofia were hiding behind the window. “She said yes!” Sofia cried. Daniel scooped her up in his arms. “Now we’re a family forever.”

They entered the restaurant. Sofia ran to Valentina. “You’re going to be my mom.” Valentina hugged the little girl. “I already have been for a long time, but now it’s official.” Daniel hugged his brother. “Congratulations, brother. You deserve it. Thank you for everything, for agreeing to be a part of this. You gave me a family, that’s priceless.” The four of them stood there, hugging, laughing, and crying. Doña Elvira, who had come to the restaurant just to watch, wept in a corner. “Finally, they were taking their sweet time.”

That night was a celebration. They called Sister Magdalena and told her the news. The nun wept with joy. “Valentina, my daughter, you deserve all the happiness in the world.” “Thank you, Sister, for everything, for raising me, for teaching me to be strong. You were always strong. You just needed someone to see it.” When they hung up, Valentina looked at the ring on her finger. It still seemed unreal. Mateo came up behind her and put his arm around her waist. “Are you sorry?” “Never.” She turned in his arms.

I’m just afraid of waking up and finding out it’s a dream. It’s not a dream. It’s real, and it will be forever. Forever. He kissed her forehead. I love you. I love you too. Sofia came running up. When’s the wedding? I can be the flower girl. I can pick out the dress. They both laughed. Calm down, Sofia, one thing at a time, but I want to help with everything. Of course you’re going to help. Valentina picked her up. You’re going to be the most beautiful flower girl in the world, and Uncle Daniel will be the best man.

Daniel struck a pose. Of course. Who else could it be? Everyone laughed. There in that restaurant with good food and their loved ones, life finally had meaning. It hadn’t been easy; there had been pain, there had been losses, there had been injustice, but it had been worth it because in the end, love had triumphed, and they had found what they had always sought: a true family forever. The wedding was three months later, simple, beautiful, in the garden of the mansion.

Valentina wore a simple yet elegant white dress, her hair loose, with minimal makeup, looking natural as always. Sofia was radiant in her pink flower girl dress. She carried a small basket of petals, which she scattered along her mother’s path, because now she was her real mother. She was going to officially adopt her after the wedding. Daniel was the best man, proudly standing beside his brother. The ceremony was emotional. Mateo cried when he saw Valentina enter. She also cried when she said her vows.

I promise to love you through thick and thin. When you believe in me and when you doubt, I will always be here. He took her hands. I promise to protect you, respect you, believe in you, even when you don’t believe in yourself, because you are the most incredible woman I have ever known. They kissed under a shower of petals. Sofia shouted with joy. The guests applauded. Doña Elvira wept. Don Jorge discreetly wiped his eyes. Sister Magdalena, who had come from afar, blessed the couple.

The party was very lively. Delicious food prepared by Mateo and Daniel. Live music. Dancing. Valentina danced the waltz with Mateo, then with Daniel, then with Sofía in her arms. When the party ended and the guests left, the family stayed in the garden. Sofía was asleep in Valentina’s lap. Daniel and Mateo were talking quietly. Who would have thought it? No, said Daniel. Two orphans and a widow forming a family. The best family, added Mateo. Valentina looked up at the sky; the stars were shining.

“Do you think her parents are watching us?” she asked. “I’m sure of it. And they’re happy, because we’re finally together.” Daniel stood up. “I’m going to take Sofia to her room. You two deserve some time alone.” He carefully picked up the little girl and carried her upstairs. Mateo and Valentina were left alone, silently embracing. “Are you happy?” he asked. “Much more than I ever thought I could be.” “Me too.” They stayed there until late, looking at the stars, making plans for the future.

They wanted more children, they wanted to travel, they wanted to grow up together, grow old together, but above all, they wanted to remain what they already were: a family built on love, forgiveness, and new beginnings. In her room, Sofia woke up for a moment, looked out the window, saw her parents in the garden embracing, smiled, hugged her teddy bear, and went back to sleep. And up there in heaven, if we believe in such things, Mateo and Daniel’s parents were smiling too, because their boys had been reunited, because the family was complete, because love had conquered time, distance, and all the pain.