—My mother filled my head —he murmured.
—Your mother tore my clothes —I replied—. You broke my trust.
He ran his hands over his face.
—I thought you would always fix everything.
That was the most honest confession he had given me in years.
He didn’t love me as a partner. He used me as a safety net. And when his mother trampled me in my own kitchen, he chose not to lose his comfort.
—Can you give me a recommendation? —he asked with shame—. No one wants to hire me with this hanging over me.
I looked at him for a long time.
I remembered my torn dresses, the nights working while he showed off my achievements as if they were his own, Teresa’s voice saying that everything I owned belonged to her son.
—No, Alejandro.
His eyes filled with tears.
—Is that all?
—Yes. That’s all.
The divorce was finalized before the end of summer.
