“Our family?” I asked.
“Their blood is ours.”
I felt something cold
move through me.
There it was again.
Possession.
Not love.
Ownership.
“You called them a disgrace last week,” I said.
Dolores lifted her chin.
“I was misinformed.”
“No. You were eager.”
She flushed.
“I want to come inside.”
“No.”
“I am your mother-in-law.”
“For now.”
Her eyes widened.
Then she whispered, “You will regret humiliating Diego.”
I smiled into the camera.
“Thank you. My lawyer will enjoy that recording.”
Dolores stepped back as if the door itself had slapped her.
She left.
I sent the footage to Valeria.
By afternoon, Valeria filed the first response.
A formal notice rejecting Diego’s proposed agreement.
A demand that he preserve all financial records.
A notice regarding marital abandonment.
A documentation request related to his vasectomy, follow-up instructions, and failure to complete medical clearance.
A warning regarding harassment by third parties.
