Chapter 10 - THE WOMAN WHO CHOSE SILENCE
Julian found his mother at the mansion.
Police were still processing parts of the property.
Eulalia sat alone at the dining table.
The party decorations remained.
Half-empty bottles.
Wilted flowers.
Dirty plates.
A celebration turned crime scene.
Julian entered.
His mother didn’t look up.
“I wondered when you’d come.”
“Where’s the tape?”
She froze.
Then slowly lifted her eyes.
“So Ernesto told you.”
“Yes.”
Eulalia sighed.
“He never knew when to leave things buried.”
Julian sat across from her.
“You mean Dad?”
She flinched.
“Don’t.”
“Did you ask César Vélez to kill him?”
“No.”
Julian slammed his hand on the table.
“Don’t lie again.”
Eulalia’s eyes filled.
“I wanted Rafael to stop.”
“Stop what?”
“Gambling.”
“Borrowing.”
“Coming home drunk.”
“Breaking things.”
Julian stared.
She continued.
“I said terrible things.”
“I told César I wished Rafael would disappear.”
“I said if he scared him badly enough, maybe he would finally stop.”
“And then Dad died.”
“Yes.”
“You collected half a million dollars.”
Her face twisted.
“I gave most of it to César.”
“Why?”
“Because he told me Rafael’s debt was bigger than I knew.”
“Was it?”
“I don’t know.”
“You never checked?”
“I was terrified.”
Julian shook his head.
“And then twenty years later, you did it again.”
“I was protecting us.”
“You starved my wife.”
Eulalia looked away.
“I never told Patricia to withhold food.”
“You locked Mariana out.”
“She threatened to go to police.”
“Good.”
“She didn’t understand.”
Julian leaned forward.
“No, Mom.”
“She understood perfectly.”
“You were stealing from me.”
Eulalia wiped tears from her face.
“Mateo would’ve destroyed this family.”
Julian laughed without humor.
“You already did.”
Silence.
Then Julian asked again.
“Where’s the tape?”
Eulalia stared at him.
“If I give it to you, I go to prison.”
“Maybe.”
“I’m your mother.”
“And he was my father.”
Her mouth trembled.
“What about Patricia?”
“She made choices.”
“What about me?”
Julian looked at her.
“For five years, Mariana begged you to let her talk to me.”
“For two years, my son slept beside garbage.”
“You watched him go hungry.”
“So don’t ask me what happens to you.”
Eulalia started crying.
Real tears.
Julian felt nothing.
Finally, she stood.
Walked upstairs.
Returned carrying a small jewelry box.
Inside sat a cassette tape.
Julian reached for it.
Eulalia pulled back.
“One condition.”
“No.”
“Julian—”
“No deals.”
Her face hardened.
“You sound like your father.”
“Good.”
He took the tape.
Before he left, Eulalia said, “You think the tape will save you.”
Julian turned.
“What does that mean?”
She stared at him.
“Mateo doesn’t care about the recording anymore.”
“Then what does he want?”
Eulalia looked toward the window.
“The money.”
“What money?”
Her voice dropped.
“The money your father hid before he died.”
Julian frowned.
“What are you talking about?”
May you like
Eulalia whispered.
“Rafael stole three million dollars from César Vélez.”
