You stared at the paper until the words blurred.
Even after everything, even after seeing how cruel they were, you had not imagined they would move that fast.
Your mother covered her mouth.
Camila stood so quickly the chair scraped backward.
“Those animals.”
Alejandro’s expression did not change.
“They filed too early,” he said.
Your father looked at him.
“What does that mean?”
“It means they filed while Isa was still in the abandoned house behind their property. If we prove they knew she was there, the complaint becomes evidence against them.”
Your pulse pounded.
“How do we prove that?”
Alejandro looked at you.
“Did anyone see you go there?”
You swallowed.
“The neighbors. A woman with a blue gate saw me yesterday. And Graciela’s nephew came by once and laughed. He said, ‘Still alive in there?’”
Camila’s face went white with rage.
Alejandro nodded.
“Names?”
You gave what you could.
Then your brother asked one more question.
“Where is your phone?”
“Graciela has it.”
“Did she turn it off?”
“I don’t know.”
He typed something quickly, then looked at Laura.
“If the phone is still on their Wi-Fi or near their house, we can show they had control of her communication.”
Laura nodded.
“We’ll request it.”
Your father picked up his keys.
“I’m going.”
Alejandro stopped him.
“No. You’re too angry.”
Your father’s face hardened.
“She is my daughter.”
“And that’s exactly why you stay here,” Alejandro said. “If you go, they’ll provoke you. If you touch Tomás, he becomes the victim. We are not giving them that gift.”
Your father looked like he might argue.
Then he looked at you.
At Mateo.
And he sat down.
That was the first time that night you understood what your brother was doing.
He was not going to attack them.
He was going to let the truth do it.
At eleven-fifteen, Alejandro left with Laura, two officers, and the lawyer. Camila wanted to go, but he refused. Your sister cursed him under her breath, then sat beside you again and fed Mateo tiny drops of milk under the doctor’s instructions.
You waited.
Every minute felt like an hour.
Your mother cleaned your wounds with shaking hands. Your father stood near the door like a guard. You kept seeing Graciela’s face in your mind, her mouth twisted in disgust, her voice saying you were useless.
Then, at midnight, Camila’s phone rang.
It was Alejandro.
She put him on speaker.
“We’re outside their house.”
Your breath stopped.
In the background, you heard dogs barking and someone shouting.
Then Graciela’s voice cut through the phone.
“You have no right to come here at this hour!”
Alejandro’s voice was calm.
“We’re here with police to retrieve my sister’s identification, medical records, personal belongings, and the child’s documents.”
“Your sister abandoned her marital home,” Graciela snapped. “She is unstable. She belongs in a clinic.”
Laura spoke next.
“Mrs. Graciela, we have medical documentation showing physical injuries, dehydration, and evidence consistent with neglect and abuse.”
There was a pause.
Then Tomás’ voice.
“She did it to herself.”
Your entire body went cold.
Camila whispered, “I’m going to kill him.”
Your father said, “No.”
But his voice shook.
Alejandro said, “Then you won’t mind letting us collect her things.”
Graciela laughed.
