—This house was bought with Andrés’ money! That money belongs to the family!
A male voice answered from inside.fir
—You’re wrong about that.
Everyone froze.
The door opened.
Esteban came out wearing a dark suit and carrying a folder under his arm.
Doña Rosa stepped back.
—What are you doing here?
—Protecting my sister-in-law and my niece.
Maribel looked at Lucia.
—Did you call a lawyer against your own family?
Esteban lifted the folder slightly.
—She didn’t need to hire me. I’m related to Emilia.
Tomás left the television on the floor.
—This is ridiculous. We just want to stay a few days.
—Then they should have asked.
Esteban made a copy of the deeds.
—The property belongs exclusively to Lucía Reyes. None of you have the right to settle here without her consent.
Doña Rosa pointed at Emilia.
—I am his grandmother!
—That doesn’t make your granddaughter’s house yours.
Doña Rosa’s face hardened.
—Lucía is not well. She just lost her husband. She just had a baby girl. She can’t make decisions.
Lucia felt a chill.
Esteban noticed it too.
—It’s curious that you mention that.
He opened another folder.
The night before, Lucia had told him more things.
Messages.
Audios.
Threats.
Doña Rosa’s insistence on managing the insurance money.
And something that Lucia had considered insignificant until then.
Two weeks after Andrés’ death, his mother had brought him some documents.
“They are to help you with the paperwork.”
Lucía never signed them.
Esteban had checked them.
One was intended to grant broad powers to manage certain financial matters on behalf of Lucia.
“Who prepared this?” Esteban asked.
Doña Rosa turned pale.
Maribel looked at her mother.
—Which document?
-Nothing.
-Nothing?
Lucía took a step forward.
—You wanted to control Andrés’ money.
—I wanted to help you!
—Help me?
For the first time, her voice trembled.
