Chapter 2 - THE MORNING THE MONEY STOPPED

At 7:12 the next morning, Carmen’s credit card was declined at a luxury department store.

At 7:19, Valeria’s card stopped working at a beauty clinic.

At 7:31, Daniel’s supplementary card was rejected at a gas station.

By 7:45, my phone looked like it was under attack.

CARMEN CALLING.

DANIEL CALLING.

VALERIA CALLING.

CARMEN CALLING.

I ignored every one.

Camila sat beside me in the pediatrician’s office wearing a yellow hoodie and holding a stuffed rabbit.

Dr. Espinoza listened to her breathing, checked her temperature, examined her hands, and frowned at her weight chart.

“She’s lost almost two kilos since her last visit.”

My stomach tightened.

“In how long?”

“About three months.”

Three months.

The exact period Carmen had been taking care of her full-time.

“Could that happen normally?”

“Not at this rate.”

Camila swung her feet.

Dr. Espinoza crouched beside her.

“Camila, sweetheart, what do you usually eat when Mommy is working?”

Camila looked at me first.

“It’s okay,” I said.

She whispered,

“Bread.”

“What else?”

“Soup.”

“What kind?”

“The water kind.”

My throat closed.

The doctor looked at me.

I knew that look.

Not judgment.

Concern.

“Does Grandma cook meat?”

Camila nodded.

“For them.”

“And for you?”

Camila shook her head.

Then she said something that made my skin go cold.

“Grandma says Daddy says Mommy’s money is not mine.”

I stopped breathing.

“What?”

Camila hugged the rabbit tighter.

“She says I cost too much.”

The doctor quietly wrote something down.

My phone buzzed again.

This time I answered.

Daniel exploded immediately.

“What the hell did you do?”

“Good morning.”

“My card is frozen.”

“Yes.”

“My mother’s card is frozen.”

“Yes.”

“Valeria says you canceled hers too.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

I almost laughed.

“Do you seriously need me to explain?”

“You’re punishing the whole family over one misunderstanding.”

“One misunderstanding?”

“Camila was outside for a few minutes.”

“Her doctor says she has lost almost two kilos.”

Silence.

Then he said,

“Kids lose weight.”

“She’s three.”

“Mariana, stop being dramatic.”

I looked through the glass wall at my daughter.

“You should choose your next words carefully.”

He exhaled.

“Fine. Come home. We’ll talk.”

“I’m not coming home.”

Another pause.

“Where are you?”

“Somewhere my daughter gets fed.”

His voice changed.

Lower.

Sharper.

“You cannot keep my child away from me.”

I felt something almost like amusement.

“You remembered she was your child fast.”

“Mariana.”

“Laura Herrera will contact you today.”

“Who?”

“My divorce attorney.”

Silence.

Then Daniel laughed.

It wasn’t nervous laughter.

It was arrogant.

“You’re not divorcing me.”

“I already filed.”

“You can’t.”

“I did.”

“You’ll regret this.”

“Maybe.”

I watched Camila color a picture of a house.

“But not as much as you will.”

I hung up.

Laura arrived twenty minutes later with a folder.

She placed it in front of me.

“I pulled the financial records you authorized.”

“And?”

Her face was grim.

“The seafood dinner is the smallest problem.”

She slid a bank statement across the table.

There were transfers I didn’t recognize.

Thousands.

Then tens of thousands.

Then one transfer that made my blood run cold.

450,000 pesos.

Recipient:

CARMEN ÁLVAREZ.

I looked at Laura.

“I never approved this.”

“I know.”

“Who did?”

Laura tapped a signature.

Daniel’s.

And beneath it was something worse.

A copy of my electronic authorization.

Forged.

Laura leaned back.

“Mariana, your husband hasn’t just been spending your money.”

She looked directly at me.

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