Chapter 12: The Father Who Disappeared
I had spent twelve years pretending one person didn’t exist.
My father.
Rafael Hernández.
The man who left when I was nineteen.
The man who promised he would call.
The man who never did.
I never told Mateo much about him.
Not because I was hiding something.
Because some wounds become easier to carry when nobody touches them.
Now his name appeared on a phone screen in the middle of a family battle.
Impossible.
“Why would he send evidence?”” Mateo asked.
I shook my head.
“I don’t know.””
Beatriz looked nervous again.
That bothered me.
She knew something.
“You know him.””
Her eyes moved toward me.
“I met him.””
The room froze.
“When?””
“Years ago.””
“How?””
Beatriz looked at the table.
“Before you married Mateo.””
My anger rose.
“You knew my father?””
“Yes.””
“And you never told me?””
“I thought it was irrelevant.””
I stared at her.
“My father abandoning me is irrelevant?””
Nobody spoke.
Beatriz looked ashamed.
“I made a mistake.””
“No.””
My voice was quiet.
“You made choices.””
That was the difference.
Daniel stepped between us.
“We need to focus.””
“No,” I said.
Everyone looked at me.
“For years, everyone has been making decisions around me.””
I looked at Mateo.
“Your family.””
Then at Beatriz.
“My mother.””
Then back at the phone.
“My father.””
I took a breath.
“I think I deserve to know why.””
Mateo reached for my hand.
This time, I let him.
Daniel nodded.
“I agree.””
He turned toward Beatriz.
“Why did you meet Rafael Hernández?””
She hesitated.
Then:
“Because he contacted me.””
I felt my chest tighten.
“Why?””
“He wanted money.””
The room went silent.
My father.
After twelve years.
He came back for money?
Mateo squeezed my hand.
“What does he have to do with the house?””
Beatriz looked at the documents.
“He knew about the property.””
“How?””
“Because I told him.””
My face went cold.
“You told my father about my house?””
“I thought he could convince you.””
“Convince me of what?””
“To leave Mateo.””
I stared.
The cruelty of it almost felt unreal.
She had found the one person in my life who had hurt me most.
And she used him as a weapon.
“Why?””
Beatriz’s voice broke.
“Because I believed if you lost the marriage, you would finally understand.””
“Understand what?””
“That Mateo belonged to his family.””
Mateo stepped back.
“No.””
His voice was full of disbelief.
“You really thought this was normal?””
Beatriz cried quietly.
“I thought I was protecting tradition.””
“No.””
He shook his head.
“You were destroying trust.””
Then Daniel received another message.
He read it.
His expression changed.
“What?””
Mateo looked at him.
Daniel looked at me.
“Your father is outside.””
My body went completely still.
After twelve years.
He was here.
I didn’t know what I expected.
Anger.
Sadness.
Maybe nothing.
But when the front door opened and Rafael Hernández walked in, I felt something I hated.
Hope.
He looked older.
Tired.
Human.
And that was somehow worse.
Because monsters were easier to hate.
“Valeria.””
My name sounded strange in his mouth.
I didn’t answer.
He looked around the room.
At Mateo.
At Beatriz.
At the documents.
Then he sighed.
“I’m sorry.””
The words I had waited twelve years to hear.
And somehow they meant nothing.
“Why are you here?””
He looked at Daniel.
“Because I made a mistake.””
I crossed my arms.
“You made a lot of those.””
He nodded.
“I know.””
Then he placed a folder on the table.
“I came because I need to correct the biggest one.””
Mateo looked at the folder.
“What is it?””
My father looked at me.
“It’s proof.””
“Proof of what?””
He opened it.
And the first page showed a signature.
May you like
Mine.
A signature I did not remember making.
