Chapter 3 - ROSA’S STORY
Veronica laughed.
It sounded forced.
“This is absurd.”
Rosa didn’t even look at her.
Alexander did.
“Let her speak.”
“Alexander—”
“Not another word.”
Rosa stepped into Elena’s old room.
She looked tired.
Older than Alexander remembered.
“What happened?”
Rosa took a breath.
“It started small.”
Veronica rolled her eyes.
“Of course it did.”
Rosa continued.
“When you were home, Sofia ate with you. When you traveled, Mrs. Vale made her eat in the kitchen.”
Alexander’s expression hardened.
“She said Sofia needed to understand the difference between family and staff.”
Sofia’s face burned with shame.
Alexander glanced at her.
“You have nothing to be embarrassed about.”
Veronica muttered, “This is unbelievable.”
Rosa opened her suitcase.
Inside were several folded uniforms.
Alexander recognized them.
Staff uniforms.
One was much smaller.
Child-sized.
His stomach turned.
“I found that in Sofia’s closet,” Rosa said. “Mrs. Vale ordered it.”
Alexander looked at Veronica.
“You ordered a uniform for my daughter?”
“It was a joke.”
“No,” Rosa said. “It wasn’t.”
Veronica stepped toward her.
“You were fired. Leave.”
Rosa didn’t move.
“You fired me because I took pictures.”
Silence.
Alexander looked at her sharply.
“What pictures?”
Rosa reached into her coat and took out an old phone.
She unlocked it.
The first photo showed Sofia standing at the kitchen sink on a school night, washing a pile of dinner plates.
The second showed her carrying Veronica’s laundry.
The third—
Alexander stopped.
Sofia was kneeling.
Polishing shoes.
The date on the photo was six months earlier.
“This has been happening for six months?”
Sofia whispered, “Longer.”
Alexander closed his eyes.
Rosa swiped again.
A photo of a trash can.
Inside were Sofia’s drawings.
Birthday cards.
A photograph of Elena holding newborn Sofia.
Alexander’s throat tightened.
“She threw those away?” he asked.
Rosa nodded.
“I took them back out.”
Veronica snapped.
“You were spying on me!”
“I was protecting a child.”
“You were stealing from me!”
“Enough!” Alexander shouted.
Everyone froze.
He rarely raised his voice.
Sofia had never heard it like that.
Alexander turned to Rosa.
“Why didn’t you call me?”
“I tried.”
He frowned.
Rosa opened her phone.
“There.”
Three outgoing calls to Alexander’s office.
Two to his private number.
Every one unanswered.
“I never got these.”
“I know.”
Rosa looked toward Veronica.
“She blocked my number from your phone.”
Alexander stared at his wife.
Veronica shook her head.
“That’s not true.”
Rosa swiped again.
A screenshot.
Alexander’s phone settings.
Rosa’s number on the blocked list.
Alexander’s eyes became cold.
“When did you take that?”
“The last night I worked here.”
Veronica stepped backward.
Alexander noticed.
“What else?”
Rosa hesitated.
Sofia looked nervous.
“What else, Rosa?”
“There’s more than the chores.”
Sofia whispered, “Please.”
Rosa looked at her.
“Sofia, he needs to know.”
“No.”
Alexander went to his daughter.
“What is it?”
Sofia’s eyes filled.
“She said…”
Her voice disappeared.
Alexander waited.
“She said what?”
Sofia’s mouth trembled.
“She said you knew.”
Alexander’s face changed.
“Knew what?”
“She said you knew I wasn’t really your daughter.”
The room went silent.
Veronica’s head snapped toward Sofia.
Rosa muttered, “Oh, God.”
Alexander stared at Veronica.
Sofia continued through tears.
“She said Mom lied to you. She said that’s why you’re never home.”
Alexander took a step toward his wife.
“Where did you get that story?”
Veronica said nothing.
“Where?”
May you like
Finally, Veronica whispered:
“From the DNA test.”
