Ricardo had given him refuge, a true friendship. And now, standing before this scene, Alejandro knew it was time to repay that debt. Sofía tugged at his sleeve, her voice trembling with fear and desperation. “Uncle, they’re going to kick me out again. I have nowhere else to go. Please, help me.” Alejandro looked at her. In that moment, the fear in Sofía’s young eyes was the same terror he once carried in his own. He took a deep breath, then turned to face Carmen and Roberto.
“She’s coming with me,” he said firmly, leaving no room for argument. Carmen tilted her head, her eyes flashing with malice. She was about to protest, but Roberto put his hand on her elbow and lowered his voice with a mocking laugh. “Let him take her. That brat will come crawling back sooner or later.” Carmen held back her anger. Forcing a crooked smile, she muttered under her breath. “Fine, if you want to play the hero, go ahead. Let’s see how long you can carry her.”
It’s nothing more than a jinx. Alejandro didn’t respond; he simply bent down, picked Sofia up in his arms, and walked straight out the door. A sleek Cadillac Escalade was already waiting, opening and closing smoothly behind them. Inside the car, Sofia sat glued to the seat, her small hand clutching an old teddy bear. Her large eyes shone with concern before she whispered, her voice barely above a whisper. “Sir, you’re going to abandon me too, like my stepmother did.” Alejandro tightened his grip on the steering wheel, his knuckles turning pale.
Outside, the rows of trees blurred and receded. Inside his chest, old memories stirred. Nights when he sat shivering by a window, waiting for a hand to lift him up. A hand that never came. He swallowed, his gaze fixed on the road. Not a single word passed his lips. Only the steady hum of the engine filled the silence, and the tension in his hands trembled so strongly that Sofia could feel it. The car sped off into the darkness, carrying with it an unanswered question.
In Sofia’s heart, the fear had not yet dissipated. In Alejandro’s eyes, past and present collided, signaling a journey whose end was yet to be written. The car entered the underground garage. Alejandro parked in his reserved spot, turned off the engine, and leaned over to open the door for Sofia. He placed his warm hand on the girl’s shoulder, signaling her to follow him. They walked through the lobby where the doorman, Mr. Perez, nodded slightly.
He was a man in his fifties, quiet and polite. His eyes fell on Sofia’s soaked clothes, and he seemed about to ask something, but stopped when he met Alejandro’s stern gaze. The elevator doors opened; they stood side by side. Sofia clutched her wet teddy bear. Her eyes were fixed on the tips of her shoes. When the doors opened again, a carpeted hallway led them to the corner apartment.
Alejandro swiped his card, the light flickered, and the door unlocked. Inside, the penthouse was spacious, with an open kitchen and an open-plan living room. Everything was clean and tidy. However, the silence was so complete that the sound of breathing seemed loud. Alejandro handed Sofia a soft towel and pointed to the chair. “Sit here for a moment. I’ll get you something dry.” Sofia nodded slightly. He brought her a small sweater and some sweatpants.
Then she pointed to the bathroom. When she emerged, her hair had been lightly dried. Her oversized sweater swallowed her, making her look even smaller. Alejandro heated a pot of chicken soup, poured it into a bowl, and placed a spoon beside it. The gentle warmth spread through the air. Sofia looked at him and then pushed the bowl back. “I’ll just eat a little; I don’t want to get scolded.” Alejandro was silent for a few seconds, then pulled a chair across from her, his voice slow and steady.
Here, you don’t have to ask permission just for existing. Sofia blinked at him as if she expected a condition to follow. You eat when you’re hungry, you sleep when you’re tired. No one will scold you for that. She took the spoon, took a small bite, and blew on it gently. She ate slowly, sneaking glances at him between each spoonful. Alejandro didn’t rush her, just sat there with his hands folded, as if waiting for her breathing to calm down. When the bowl was half empty, Sofia put down the spoon.
You don’t hate me, do you? Alejandro replied after a pause. No one has the right to hate a girl simply for existing. Sofia lowered her head. Her voice weakened. They said I was bad luck. You are Ricardo’s daughter, and you are yourself. No one can define you by their cruelty. He stood up, took a thin blanket, and placed it over her legs. Then he silently cleared the table. The clinking of plates was barely audible.
Sofia whispered. I won’t make a mess in the house. Alejandro turned with a faint smile. A house is made to be lived in. It’s not a showroom. You’re allowed to make a little mess here. Night settled in. Alejandro led Sofia to the small guest bedroom. The bed was already made. He placed a moon-shaped nightlight on the nightstand and handed her a glass of water. “Do you want to call someone?” Sofia shook her head, clutched her teddy bear, and crawled under the blanket.
His eyes stung, but he forced the tears back. After a while, a small soo escaped him, no louder than the wind. Mom, Dad, why did they leave me with them? Alejandro sat outside the door with his back against the wall, his hands clasped together. He didn’t knock, he didn’t intrude, he just listened. The sooty sounds inside grew quieter, breaking off in irregular bursts until they faded away completely. His eyes were red. Old memory fragments stirred painfully.
A little boy who once counted a drunk man’s footsteps in the hallway, swallowing his own cries so he wouldn’t be discovered. Ricardo had gotten that boy out of that place. He had given him something firm to hold on to. Alejandro looked at the half-open door and told himself he wouldn’t let history repeat itself. He went back to the kitchen, made a cup of tea, sat down at the table, and opened his laptop. He wrote a brief email to Attorney Mendoza.
Then she made a list of what she needed to do the next morning. Confirm the legal status of the temporary guardianship, contact Sofia’s school, make an appointment with a child psychologist, and make the inevitable call to Carmen. Everything had to happen in the correct order, without rushing, but without delay. She turned off the kitchen light, leaving only the hallway lamp. She sat back down in front of the bedroom door and closed her eyes for a few minutes.
There was no sound but the steady breathing of a child who had just endured too long a day. In the stillness, a faint sound came from under the blanket. Sofia stirred. Her teddy bear slipped from her hand and tapped softly against the bed frame. From deep within its worn cotton filling, a fragile click, like metal scraping against metal, was heard and then faded. Sofia was asleep.
Alexander didn’t hear it. The apartment sank into silence again, as if it held a secret not yet ready to be revealed. In the morning, Alexander quietly opened the living room door and gathered up the bowls and spoons that had been left on the table. He heard the faint creak of a bed and then Sophia’s bare feet. The girl was hugging her teddy bear, folding the blanket neatly out of habit from her old home. Sophia put the bear down and happened to notice a small loose seam on its ear.
He tugged at it. A thin piece of fabric peeled away, revealing something hard stuck inside. Sofia inserted her finger and pulled out a silver USB flash drive, no bigger than her fingertip. She looked up, her eyes wide. Uncle Alejandro, the teddy bear is broken, and it has this. Alejandro stopped what he was doing and walked over. He took the USB flash drive, looked at Sofia, and asked, “Do you want to see what’s inside together?” Sofia nodded slightly, still clutching the teddy bear to her chest.
Alejandro opened the laptop on the kitchen table, plugged in the USB drive, and the screen displayed a single audio file dated a year ago. He clicked play. From the speakers, Ricardo’s voice came through, shaky but clear. Roberto, what is this bottle of medicine? I don’t need it. When I take it, my heart races. Carmen, where did you get this? Roberto’s voice responded coldly and flatly. The doctor prescribed it.
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