Chapter 6
Then I called Sofía.
"How are you?" she asked.
I looked around the empty room.
"I don't know."
"Do you regret it?"
I thought about Daniel.
About our wedding.
About all the nights I'd fallen asleep crying while he ignored my pain.
"No," I answered. "But I don't think I know how to be alone yet."
Sofía was quiet for a moment before replying.
"Then you'll learn. Nobody is born knowing how to start over."
After we hung up, I opened one of the boxes.
Inside was a photograph of my parents and me, taken on my graduation day.
I placed it on the windowsill.
Then I found a mug, made some tea, and sat watching the city lights.
For the first time in a very long time, silence didn't feel like punishment.
It was simply silence.
And it belonged to me.
## The Email That Changed Everything
A week after settling in, I received a call from Laura.
"Elena, we have some news."
I immediately sat down.
"What happened?"
"Daniel's attorney contacted us. He's challenging the sale and requesting information about the proceeds."
"I expected that."
"Yes. But there's something else."
I heard papers rustling.
"The bank has confirmed that the authorization we discovered was part of a financial application submitted several months ago. We've formally requested an investigation into its authenticity."
A chill ran down my spine.
"My signature?"
"Exactly."
"And what has Daniel said?"
"So far, he's denying any wrongdoing."
I looked down at my hands.
I was surprised to discover they were shaking.
For five years, I had lived with the constant feeling that I wasn't enough.
Not understanding enough.
Not patient enough.
Not grateful enough.
But now I was facing the possibility that the man who had called me irresponsible for years had used my financial identity without permission.
"Laura," I asked, "could he get into trouble over this?"
"That depends on what the investigation determines. If it's confirmed that someone submitted a false authorization, there could be serious consequences."
She paused.
"But I need you to be prepared. He will probably try to convince you to withdraw your claims."
"I'm not going to."
"I'm glad to hear that. I also want you to save every message you receive."
That same afternoon, Daniel texted me from a new number.
"Elena, enough with these games. We need to talk like adults."
I didn't respond.
Another message arrived.