Billionaire sees his ex-girlfriend, whom he abandoned 6 years ago, waiting for an Uber with three children identical to him, what he didn’t know was that those children were: Julián Castañeda, he had just left a meeting in Polanco, it was one of those eternal meetings where everyone feels important and talks as if they were saving the world, he just wanted to get out, from there he got into his armored truck, gave the usual instructions to Her chaer and took out his cell phone to check messages as they advanced down a half-stuck street, he looked out the window without much
interest, it was then that he saw her, there she was, standing on the sidewalk, just in front of a pharmacy, with a tired face and a little desperation, her hair was quickly tied up, she was wearing simple clothes and hugging a half-torn grocery bag next to her, three children, the three of them the same same eyes, same mouth, same expression, when they looked everywhere as if they were waiting for something to happen and those eyes were his, it couldn’t be, it couldn’t be, he leaned forward to see better, but just at that moment another car got between them and the image

disappeared, “stop,” Julian shouted without thinking, the driver stopped abruptly and turned worriedly, Julian opened the door without waiting for an answer, went down to street level and looked desperately, the sidewalk was full of people as always, but she was no longer there, he walked quickly among the pedestrians, looking for her, ignoring the comments of those who recognized him, his heart was beating like crazy, it was her, it was Valeria and those children, after a few minutes He saw her crossing the street holding hands with the three children, getting into a gray car that was clearly an Uber, he was paralyzed, he felt his
stomach tighten, he didn’t know whether to run, shout her name or just let her go, the car started and got lost in the afternoon traffic, Julián didn’t move, he just stood there watching how that scene had left him trembling, he went back to his truck as in automatic he didn’t say anything, the driver looked at him in the mirror, but Julián didn’t say a word, he was completely gone, the only thing he thought about was those three children with his same face, he grabbed his forehead, closed his eyes and let out a sigh that came from the
depths, he hadn’t seen Valeria in 6 years, since that early morning when he decided to leave without saying goodbye, he didn’t let him not a message, nothing was right, yes, but he had plans, he was about to close a deal that would change everything, he left thinking that she would understand, that later there would be time to fix things, but that time never came, the car continued on its way to his apartment in Santa Fe, when Julián arrived, he took off his jacket furiously and threw it on the couch, poured himself a drink, although not yet It wasn’t even 5 o’clock in the

In the afternoon he walked from one side to the other remembering everything he had lived with Valeria, his laughter, the way she stared at him when he talked about his dreams, the way he hugged him when he was late and just wanted to sleep and then he thought about those children, how was it possible that they looked so much like him, he took his cell phone and searched social networks for nothing, not a photo or a clue, Valeria had disappeared from the digital world as if it had never existed, that made him feel weird because he had tried to forget her, but deep down
he never could, it was that kind of love that one keeps in a little box that you don’t want to open again because you know it’s going to hurt, he sat in front of his computer, opened an encrypted folder where he kept personal files and looked for the old photos, there they were, Valeria in the Valeria beach in her apartment Valeria with her dog Valeria in pajamas laughing with her mouth full of popcorn looked at them one by one until she came across one where she hugged him from behind with her face close to his neck, the photo she had taken
herself with the cell phone, looked at it for a long time and then pursed her lips, she knew what she had to do, she marked her assistant Mateo, I need you to you look for someone, her name is Valeria Ortega, I don’t have an address, I just know that she lives in Mexico City and has three children, and something else, yes, those children could be mine, there was an awkward silence on the other end of the line, understood sir, Mateo hung up and stared at the city through the window, thousands of lights, thousands of people, but at that moment only one mattered, she didn’t know if she was Angry if she hated it or if she just had already

Overcome but those children he couldn’t leave it like this, he couldn’t stay with the doubt because if they were what he thought then his life was about to change completely, the next morning he woke up with only one thing on his mind, find it and this time he didn’t plan to leave, without answers, Julián didn’t sleep well, that night he tossed and turned, he looked at the ceiling, then he got up, he walked around the apartment, he He threw it on the sheets again, closed his eyes and saw that scene again, Valeria standing on the street with her three children, so similar to
him that it even hurt, it was as if his past had suddenly returned without warning and he had slapped her in the face, the next day before 8 in the morning he was already in his office, his team greeted him as always with respect With fake smiles, he barely answered, went straight into his office, closed the door and stared out the window, the whole city went on with its routine, cars, people, noise, but inside it everything was chaos, he sat in front of his desk, grabbed his cell phone and began to check the networks again, looked for his name, his face,
any trace of Valeria, nothing on Facebook, not on Instagram, not on Facebook, not on Instagram, not on Facebook, not on Facebook, not on Instagram, not on Facebook, not on Facebook, not on Instagram, not on Facebook, not on Facebook, not on Instagram, not on Facebook, not on Instagram, not on Facebook, not on Facebook, not on Instagram, not on Facebook, not on Instagram, not on Facebook, not on Instagram. Nowhere was it as if it had been swallowed by the earth, that made him more angry, how could someone disappear so easily, how was it that he, with all his resources, had no idea about anything, Mateo arrived with a coffee and some papers, Julián barely looked at him, did he ask anything, bluntly, still no, boss, we are tracking him by birth certificates and school records, but if he changed his address and surname, it will take a while? Julián nodded, he was not in the mood for talks, when Mateo came out he was alone again
, he leaned his elbows on the desk, he grabbed his head with both hands and closed his eyes, the memories began to come to him as if someone was putting a movie in his mind, he saw himself 6 years ago, younger, less tired, with that ambition that almost came out of his pores at that time, he and Valeria lived together in a small apartment in Narbarte, they didn’t have luxuries but they had everything, he worked from home putting together presentations, looking for investors, trying to get his first company off the ground, she was a preschool teacher, she
arrived exhausted, but always with a smile they laughed at nonsense, they ordered pizza at night, sometimes they didn’t have enough gas and they bathed in cold water but they were together and that was what they were doing at that time. enough but then the opportunity came, a foreign fund wanted to invest in his project, but he had to move to Monterrey for a year, it was then that everything changed, he proposed to go with him, she said that she could not leave her job, her students, everything she had, argued many times louder and louder, until one morning, without saying anything, he grabbed her backpack, her
laptop a few papers and left, left him a silly note that said, “Sorry, I can’t stay.” That’s how cowardly he was, he never heard from her again, he thought of writing to her several times, but he always left it for later, then his company exploded, the Tonis arrived, the trips, the millions, the interviews, the luxuries, but sometimes when he was alone he remembered Valeria and it hurt him, now all that came back as if time had not passed, as if life told him: “You are not done with this chapter.” Julián stood up from his chair
, walked to the wall where he had a display case with souvenirs, awards, photos with politicians, recognitions of businessmen, peThere was a small box stored to the bottom with things she hadn’t touched in years, she took it down, put it on the table, opened it inside, there was a red thread bracelet that Valeria gave her when they were starting a handwritten letter in her handwriting, a movie ticket and an old positive pregnancy test, she stared at her with cold blood, she didn’t remember having kept it, maybe she kept it left in the
apartment before she left, maybe at that time she didn’t want to understand, but now, seeing that test and remembering the children, everything fell into place, she had gotten pregnant and he left, she sat down again, looked at the ceiling, felt anger, sadness, guilt, everything mixed up, she didn’t know what hurt her more, to have left her alone at that moment, or to have missed 6 years of those children’s lives, her cell phone vibrated was a message from Mateo he said “We found something I will send you direction in 5 minutes.
“Julián stared at the screen, took a deep breath, he knew that this message was going to take him straight to the place where everything changed, what he didn’t know was if he was ready to face it, Julián arrived at the address that Mateo sent him, an hour later he didn’t want to take a driver, he was driving his truck alone with the music off and his hands sweaty on the steering wheel, the area was not dangerous, but it didn’t look like the ones he was looking like the ones he was looking for. places where he moved now there were streets with potholes, taco stands, people sitting outside the houses, children playing soccer barefoot, when he parked the truck he stayed

For a few seconds looking at the old building with peeling paint but it didn’t look abandoned, he checked the number twice, yes it was there, he looked towards the third floor, he didn’t know what apartment she lived in, but something in his chest told him that she was there, at that moment he didn’t dare to go upstairs, he thought about touching him, but he didn’t even know what to say, hello, I’m the idiot who got you pregnant 6 years ago, he laughed without Ganas ran her hand over her face and decided to wait, Mateo had told her that she left for work every day, at about
4 o’clock it was 3:30 so she stayed in the car looking at the building as if it were an enemy, at 4 o’clock the door of the building opened, Valeria went out with the three children, they were combed with small backpacks, walking as if they were soldiers, she brought A large bag on his shoulder and a cell phone in his hand they were walking towards the corner where the vans were passing, Julián got out of the car without thinking, his legs moved by themselves, he crossed the street and when he was less than 3 met, he said her name, Valeria she turned
around immediately, she was paralyzed, the children also stopped, looking at him curiously, the silence lasted a few seconds that seemed like hours she didn’t say anything, she just looked at him as if she didn’t think he was there, can we talk?” said Julián in a low but firm voice, Valeria lowered her gaze, did not greet, did not ask anything, just told the children to go ahead and wait at the little store on the corner, they obeyed without saying anything, then she looked him straight in the eyes, “what are you doing here?” Julián swallowed, he didn’t
know where to start: “I saw you a few days ago, were you waiting for an Uber with them, she didn’t answer, she just kept looking at him without fear but very coldly, “don’t tell me it was a coincidence that you found me,” she finally said with a dry tone, “because I don’t believe you at all.” “It was a coincidence that day,” he replied quickly, “but not today, I came because I need to know, do I know if they are mine, Valeria crossed her arms, took a deep breath as if she were holding back a scream, and if they are, what are you going to do, are you going to take them out of their lives to put them in yours, full of luxury
of things they don’t even understand, I don’t just want to know them, I didn’t know about them, I didn’t know anything Valeria, she looked at him with shining eyes, but she didn’t cry a tear, you didn’t know, you didn’t care about staying, because you left as if I didn’t exist, you didn’t even ask if I was okay, you left me with a note from Julian, he lowered his gaze, he had no way to defend himself from that, you’re right, he said, barely audible, and now what, do you come to play the repentant dad, the man who has everything and wants to, Fill the hole with something you abandoned I don’t come to do anything to myself I come to

Assume whatever I have to assume if they are mine I want to be there not to take them away from you not to change their lives to be nothing more Valeria looked at him with a mixture of anger and sadness then she saw the children who were already calling her from the little store she looked at the clock I have to leave work at 5 I don’t have time for this can I see you another day he asked almost begging I don’t know I don’t know If I want that, I don’t know if I want to get you into our lives again, it took us a long time to get ahead, just one more time, a coffee, a neutral place, you choose, she hesitated, thought about it for a few seconds
, then took out her cell phone, opened the notes app and wrote something, showed her the screen tomorrow at 6 in that cafeteria, if you are a minute late I’m leaving, Julián nodded, she turned around without saying anything But he went for his children, shook hands with the three of them and walked them away as if nothing had happened, he stood feeling that a huge stone had been put in his chest, but he also felt something else, there was a small opportunity, but there was Julián, he couldn’t concentrate on anything, the rest of the day he canceled a meeting with investors, ignored his fiancée’s messages and locked himself in his
He walked around the room like a caged lion with his cell phone in his hand, checking the address of the cafeteria every 5 minutes, as if he was going to disappear, he had the appointment with Valeria the next day, but his head was no longer enough to wait for something inside him, he no longer let him be calm, he had to know more, he poured himself a whiskey without ice, took a long drink and sat down in front of him. his computer entered his email, looked for Mateo’s direct contact and sent him a short message, I need to know more about Valeria, everything you find,
children’s schools, jobs, anything urgent, not even 5 minutes passed when Mateo called him, are you sure, boss, this can be delicate, do it, I want to know if they are mine, I’m not going to wait for her to tell me with words, Mateo hesitated but accepted, they cut off the call and Julian stood there looking at the screen, his fingers were shaking, he knew it wasn’t right, that he was crossing a line, but he couldn’t help it, he had that feeling in his stomach, that mixture of anxiety with fear, something inside him was screaming at him that those children were his, he didn’t need proof, he had

seen it was like seeing himself in a mirror divided into three, he tried to sleep for a while but it was useless, he went on social networks again with no results, then he googled “How do you know if a child is your child without official tests?” The answers were absurd, he closed everything and threw himself on the couch with his eyes open, looking at the ceiling, the clock was striking 2 in the morning, the next day he woke up with a light fog, Julián got up early, more out of nerves than out of
habit, he bathed, changed his shirt three times and left more than an hour in advance, arrived at the café, asked for a table in the corner away from the windows and sat with her leg moving non-stop, she checked the clock every 2 minutes, people came and went, but Valeria did not arrive when it was 10 to 6, she thought she would not go, her chest closed, but just at 6 o’clock the door opened and there she was, she came alone, with a simple blouse and her hair in a ponytail, she did not bring makeup or accessories, only her As he always remembered her, Julián stood up without saying anything, Valeria came over, sat in front of him and looked at
him directly, you have 15 minutes, he nodded, sat down again and took a breath: “Thank you for coming, I didn’t do it for you,” she said immediately, “I did it to make things clear.” Julián lowered his gaze for a second and then looked at her again: “I want to know if the children are mine, I’m not here out of remorse or guilt, I’m here because I need to know the truth and if I say yes, what are you going to do, be supporting, be part of their lives even if you don’t want me around, she looked at him with a serious face, you can’t be 6 years late and pretend that everything falls into place by itself. You don’t know what this has been like Raising them alone, working in
two places, doing miracles with money and you, you didn’t even ask, I don’t know I have no excuse, so why now, because I saw them, because I saw myself in them, because I can’t pretend that nothing happened, Valeria remained silent, you could tell she was about to say something louder, but she didn’t, instead she took out a piece of paper. his bag was a folded sheet of paper, this is the most I’m going to give you for now, he said, leaving it on the table, Julián grabbed it, it was a copy of the birth certificate of one of the children, he read the name Emiliano Ortega in the empty father’s space
, why didn’t you put me because you weren’t there, because I didn’t even know if you wanted to be part of it, and because I wasn’t going to beg anyone to go, Dad Julian squeezed the paper in his hands, then put it in his jacket and the other two, same case, don’t have dad registered, he nodded, swallowing hard, was quiet for a few seconds, can I see them talk to them, no, now they’re not ready, they don’t understand who you are and I don’t want you to approach with promises that you’re not going to keep, I’m not going to fail them, that’s what you said last time, the phrase
It fell like a blow, Julián didn’t answer, Valeria looked at him harshly, but deep down you could also see his tired eyes as if she was tired of carrying everything alone, can I help you, he asked, almost in a low voice, in whatever school, food, clothes, I’m not asking you for anything, just let me do it, I don’t want your money, Julian, it’s not for money, it’s because of them, she looked at him in silence, then checked The time has passed, your time has passed, he got up, grabbed his bag and left, did not turn around, did not say goodbye, Julián stayed there alone, with cold coffee and his head full of questions

The doubt was eating him inside and even if she didn’t confirm it to him with all the letters, he already knew it, he felt it in his bones, those children were his and he wasn’t going to stop until he proved it, Julián had been thinking about the same idea for two days, Valeria didn’t tell him all that, he was very clear, there were many things that didn’t match, about the birth certificates, without a father, his disappearance total of networks, the way she looked at him with so much resentment, there was a story that he didn’t know and he could no longer wait
for her to tell it to him of her own free will, so he decided to look for someone who knew, he remembered Jimena, a mutual friend they had when he and Valeria were together, she was one of those nice girls, good vibes, gossip, without malice, who knew everything about everyone and if anyone could have a clue about what happened to Valeria after her departure it was she sent him a direct message I need to see you is about Valeria jimena responded quickly valeria Ortega you looking for Valeria after 1000 years this is going to be good they were left to
see each other in a restaurant in the Condesa she arrived late as always with her scandalous energy and a dress that drew attention from the other sat down in front of Julián, smiled at him as if time had not passed and grabbed the menu without haste, now you are going to tell me why you left like a coward years ago and now you come with a face that you missed something, Julián had no humor for jokes, Jimena, I need to know something, what happened to Valeria after I left, she looked at him, left the menu and crossed paths with him. Arms, why do you ask that now

Because I saw her, she’s here in the city, she has three children, Jimena opened her eyes wide, what three, three and they’re mine, I know, even if she doesn’t tell me, I know, Jimena, she was silent for a few seconds, then she sighed, she knew that one day this was going to happen, did you know what, look, I don’t know all the details, but I do know that after you left, Valeria disappeared, one day she left the work, she closed her Facebook account, she stopped answering calls, messages, nobody knew anything, I thought she had left the country or something, but one day, about a year later, I found her in a little store, she
was with a double stroller and a child in her arms, I almost fainted, I asked her, what’s up, what had happened, why did she never say anything and just told me, there was nothing to say, Julián clenched his jaw I felt that her heart was beating faster, didn’t she tell you that they were mine, no, but she didn’t have to say it, that is, hello, they were like photocopies of you and the truth the way she mentioned you was strange, like with pain but also wanting to stop talking about the subject, she told me that it was fine, that she was coping, that she had
help from an aunt and that she didn’t need anyone, not even You neither me nor anyone else, Julián remained silent, his face burned, he didn’t know if it was from shame or anger, where did he live at that time, I don’t know, he didn’t want to tell me, I only knew that he worked in a daycare center in the direction of Istapalapa, but it didn’t last long there, then I knew that they fired her because a jealous father found out that she was a single mother with triplets and made a scandal? You see why I tell you that it was not easy for her and no one else helped her, no one she did not want help, she closed herself
in her world, she did not want anyone to see her badly, she was always that stubborn, strong, but stubborn, Julián leaned back on the chair, her shoulders, her head, her soul, why didn’t she tell me, why didn’t Jimena look for me, she looked at him with a clear raised eyebrow, you’re asking that after leaving her without a word: “Look, I love you, but you did a thing.

“Valeria didn’t look for you because she didn’t want to beg because she knew that if you weren’t here to stay, it wasn’t worth having you around, you chose to leave, she chose to follow the silence, it became uncomfortable, Julián didn’t know what to answer, he had never heard all that so head-on, he had always carried the guilt, yes, but hearing how things really went was different, it hurt him a lot, Jimena looked at him more calmly, are you going to do it? a DNA test, yes, soon, but I think I don’t need it anymore, because you’d better if you go into that story again, you do it seriously, because if you leave again, this time there will be no return, Julián nodded, he didn’t
promise anything, he didn’t say great phrases, he just knew that from that moment on there was no turning back, that afternoon Julián couldn’t hold back, he didn’t want any more turns, or hints or loose clues, he had spoken to Jimena, he had seen the birth certificate, he had felt that pang in his chest from the first moment he saw the children and he was tired of carrying the doubt, so he went to look for Valeria, waited outside the building where he lived, did not call her before, did not warn her, just stood there, leaning on his truck with a face of few friends, he was determined to
talk and he wasn’t going to leave without answers, he didn’t care if he got angry, if he screamed or if he sent him to the house, all he wanted was to hear the truth with all its letters, at 5:30 he saw her leave with the three children, they were dressed the same as last time, small backpacks, little combs talking to each other, she was going with a fast pace, with that I’m going late face that all moms have Who do a thousand things a day When he saw him he stopped in his tracks What are you doing here he said without moving we have to talk he answered bluntly again with the same thing
we already talked I gave you a space I told you what I had to tell you What else do you want I want the complete truth without beating around the bush The children were watching the scene without understanding much Julián bent down and spoke to them with a forced smile Will you allow me talk to his mother for a moment just for a little while, they looked at him curiously, one of them Emiliano was the first to answer “you are a friend of my mother.
“Valeria went ahead immediately, go to the juice stand, I catch up with you in 5 minutes, don’t walk away, the children obeyed, as soon as they walked away, she turned around with her arms crossed and her eyes sharp, what part did you not understand that I don’t want this, I don’t care anymore if you want to or not, I’m not here to fight, I’m here because it’s up to me to know, it’s not only your story, Valeria is mine, also mine too she sneered with a wry laugh, “Do you remember that, years late, because when you left, you didn’t say, it’s our story, you said, “I’m leaving.” Just like that you didn’t give me a choice, I know, they already told me and I don’t deny it, but

I’m here now, not to redeem myself or to ask you for forgiveness 100 times, I’m here because I’m not going to go on without knowing the truth, I want to know if they’re my children, yes they are, he blurted out suddenly the phrase knocked him down, it wasn’t shouted, it wasn’t angry, it was dry, cold, hard, like when someone throws a glass on the floor and you don’t need to see it to know that he broke, all three, yes, all three are yours, Julián He closed his eyes for a second, everything stirred inside his throat, his throat knotted, he opened his mouth, but no words came out, Valeria looked at him with red eyes, holding whatever it was inside him
, he didn’t cry, he didn’t break, but you could tell he was on the verge and before you asked, yes, I knew, from the first day I knew I was pregnant a week after you left I thought about calling you, looking for you, but I couldn’t, I didn’t want to, I was scared, I was angry, I was ashamed, everything together, so I threw them alone, why didn’t you tell me anything, why weren’t you going to believe me, because you were in another world, because I was a memory for you, not a person, and why wasn’t I going to raise my children with someone who left without looking back, Julián squeezed the
teeth, you have no idea how many times I thought about calling you again, but I was scared, I told myself that you were going to be alright, that I was going to ruin everything, and what do you do now, then, do you come to fix it with a hug and a check, I don’t come to ask you for a chance, not with you, with them, Valeria looked at him, this time she didn’t answer immediately, she thought about it, crossed her arms, took a deep breath, they don’t know who you are They don’t know you, they’ve never asked me about a dad because they haven’t needed him and now you appear out of nowhere with a face of I’m coming
to be responsible, it’s not that easy, I don’t want it to be easy, I just want you to let me approach little by little with respect, calmly, I don’t ask you to forgive me, I ask you to let me know them, and what are you going to tell them, that you are their magical dad, what It appeared after 6 years I don’t know I have no idea how this is done I just know that if I leave again I won’t be able to live with that Valeria remained silent The silence between them was so loud that you could hear the horns in the background and a lady shouting the price of tamales after a while she spoke
I’m going to think about it but if one day you enter their lives not anymore you can leave, you can’t do this halfway because if you’re going to hurt them, I’d rather you never see them, I’m not going to leave, Julián said without hesitation, Valeria nodded slowly, didn’t say more, walked to where the children were, grabbed their hands and left without looking back, but this time something was different, this time I hadn’t kicked him out, I had let him stay a step, although he was already a child. I started since Valeria told him that the children were hers Julián couldn’t think of anything else, the work didn’t matter to him, the emails without answering

they piled up the important calls, they stayed in the mailbox, everything else disappeared, there were only three names in his head: Emiliano, Leo and Mateo, his children, his children, but despite Minersin, what she had said, something inside him did not leave him alone, he wanted to be sure, he needed it, not because he doubted her, but because he had a crazy need to confirm that he was not dreaming, it was as if his head was asking him a physical test, a piece of paper, something that would tell him: “If they are yours, there is no going back.” And although he knew that this was
wrong, that it was not the way, he let himself be carried away on a Thursday at the exit of the school where the children were going, Julián waited inside his truck parked a block away, hidden behind some tinted windows, he had found out what the school was through Mateo, he did not say anything to Valeria, he did not ask permission, he just went, he had a plan in mind and he was going to fulfill it without thinking too much about the consequences, when he saw the children leave, he felt a hole in his stomach, they walked together laughing, playing with their backpacks, they looked so much like him that they even made him want to cry, a tall man
with a beard who worked as an assistant at the school guided them to a small bench while they waited for someone to pick them up, Julián got out of the car with a small bag in his hand and walked towards them with Firm step: “Hello,” he said smiling, “Do you remember me?” “I’m Julián, his mother’s friend.
Emiliano recognized him instantly: “Yes, the one who spoke to him outside the building, listen, can I ask you a question, it’s for a surprise, but I need something from you, does anyone bring a piece of gum, a brush or something you’ve used, Leo took a chewed lollipop out of his pocket, Julian bent down, took it carefully, put it in a plastic bag and smiled perfectly, thank you, champion, you’ll see what a good surprise I have for you later? the children looked at him without understanding very well but they didn’t say anything else, just as he was leaving, Valeria appeared carrying her bag in a hurry as she always saw him from afar and frowned, walked straight towards him, what are you doing here,
it just happened, I wanted to see how the children came out, nothing else, did you touch them, of course no, she crossed her arms without believing anything, I don’t want you to be prowling around without warning, understood, yes, I just wanted to see them? Valeria took the three of them by the hand and left without saying goodbye, Julián stood for a while watching them walk away, then returned to the car, opened the glove compartment and placed the bag with the lollipop inside a special box, the next day he sent that to a private laboratory, he asked for an urgent DNA test, he already had samples of
his own saliva saved, everything was ready, the result arrived three days Then positive, Emiliano was his son, he said it in large letters in an encrypted email that he could barely read without his hands shaking, he sat in front of the computer, took a deep breath and closed his eyes, he knew it, he felt it, but seeing him there in an official document with numbers and codes and percentages shook the world, that day he bought toys, three of the same, books, backpacks, new shoes, clothes, he filled the trunk with things that thought they might need to send him a

message to Valeria I need to talk to you it’s urgent she didn’t respond to the first or the second or the third she left it in sight two days later she showed up unannounced at her work Valeria was leaving me in a cafeteria where she washed dishes in the afternoons when she saw him she stopped in her tracks What are you doing here Are you following me We have to talk It’s important again What did you do now I took a test she looked at him confused, what DNA test did I use, a sample of Emiliano, I’m sorry, I needed it, Valeria pushed him angrily
, are you sick or can’t you go around picking up things from my children without permission, who do you think I’m her dad, Julián shouted, people turned around, some stopped, she lowered her voice, but her face was burning, you don’t have the right, you don’t have any damn rights, you lied to me, you deceived me, you pretended you just wanted to meet them. And you put this together from behind, I was afraid that you would close the door on me again, I needed to know, I couldn’t handle the doubt anymore, and that gives you permission to invade us like that, no, but I did it anyway and I don’t regret it, because now I know it’s real, that I’m not crazy, that I have children, that I’m not
imagining them, Valeria froze, she didn’t know whether to scream, cry or hit him, but in the end I just did it. He looked with disappointment, what now, are you going to test the other two too, are you going to buy them love with new toys and beautiful photos, I don’t want to buy anything, I really want to be there, she looked at him for a long time, then turned around, went back into the cafeteria and closed the door without looking back, Julián stayed outside with only the bags in the trunk, empty-handed, but inside him The obsession was no longer a doubt, it was certainty and she was not going
to stop, Daniela Luján had a special ability to notice when something was wrong and Julián, although he was very good at business, poker faces and to get his way with her, he could not pretend, not for long something in his attitude had changed, he was late, he was distracted in meetings, he stayed quiet during dinners, he left his cell phone face down, which he never did before and the worst thing was that he had turned cold, as if his head was in another world, one where she no longer existed, he watched it for days without
saying anything, he just analyzed it with his eyes in silence while he believed that everything was under control, until one day, while Julián was showering, Daniela unlocked his cell phone, it was not difficult, he still used the same password for years, it was direct to the messages the first thing she read was: “I need to talk to you, it’s urgent, it was for someone named Valeria.
Bajó reviewed more short but intense messages, words such as children, tests, “Sorry, I need to be.” His body froze, he felt his anger rise to his chest, he didn’t cry, he didn’t scream, he just turned off the screen, left the cell phone where he was and left as if nothing had happened, that night he didn’t say a word, he just had dinner in front of Julián with a fake smile, asking about business, feigning interest, but inside he was boiling, he knew he couldn’t face him even first, he needed more, he needed evidence and he was going to get the next day he sent his assistant Lucero to investigate, gave him a name, Valeria Ortega and asked him for a complete report
, it was not the first time he used his contacts for personal things, he had done it before and he knew exactly who to call, meanwhile he began to follow Julián, he hired a chaer with clear orders not to lose sight of him, Julián was moving andBetween the office, a public school in Itacalco, an old building in Narbarte and a cafeteria where he saw himself with a woman, the driver took photos sent by Daniela, she saw them all one by one and in each image her anger grew more when she finally had the complete information
, she read it through gritted teeth, valeria, teacher, single mother without networks, no known partner, three children, age, 6 years, date of birth 6 months after Julián and her broke up she felt humiliated, used, betrayed, she was not only hiding something from him, she was hiding the greatest thing that a person could have, a parallel family, because that was even if he had not been present all those years, although he was barely knowing them, now the facts were the same: he had children with another woman and he had not told her, that night she waited for him awake

she was sitting on the couch with the folder in her hand when he entered the apartment, are you okay, Julian asked when he saw her with that serious face, what do you think, she replied without moving, he looked at her strangely, took off his jacket but when he saw the folder in his hand he understood everything, where did you get that, I’m not stupid, Julian, he sat on the other side of the couch in silence, since when did she ask recently? I didn’t know And you were going to tell me or were you going to marry me hiding this I don’t know I didn’t think about it Everything happened so fast
Did you sleep with her while you were with me It wasn’t before long before I didn’t know anything Daniela stared at him I didn’t believe him at all but she didn’t interrupt him either And what are you going to do now I don’t know I’m processing I don’t want to abandon them I don’t want to repeat the same mistakes and I where I stay in all this, Julián didn’t know what to say, he remained silent as if every word he could think of was just another bomb, Daniela got up, walked around the room taking a deep breath, then turned around and looked at him with that face of a woman who knows she has the
power at that moment, I’m going to tell you something, Julián, I’ve been with you since you were a nobody, since before you went The star businessman since you slept in your office as long as you didn’t spend on rent I helped you to raise everything you have I put my contacts I put money I bet on you and I thank you I don’t want your gratitude I want loyalty he remained silent if you decide to continue with that woman and with those children you and me it’s over and not only am I going to leave I’m going to take everything Whatever I can investors contracts image everything I’m going
to make you lose more than a relationship you’re going to be left alone Do you have it clear Julián looked at her surprised, he had never seen her like this cold, calculating, it was not a threat, it was a statement, Daniela left that night without saying goodbye, but before leaving she left an envelope on the table, inside there was a copy of Emiliano’s birth certificate and a message. handwritten, I do know how to play dirty, Julian, you decide how this ends, Julian woke up that Monday with his head blown out, he hadn’t slept at all since Daniela left, leaving him that envelope and
that clear threat, he hadn’t had a minute of peace in his mind, there was only noise, ideas, doubts, courage, he had a cell phone full of messages from the team, missed calls from partners and the worst, a scheduled meeting with the board of directors of his company, to which Daniela also belonged, dressed reluctantly, got into his truck and went straight to the office, as soon as he went down to the private parking lot he saw Daniel’s black Audi there in its place and knew that he was coming to do what he had promised, nothing was a coincidence with her, if he told her that he was going to sink it, it was

Because he had a way to do it, when he entered the meeting room everyone was already seated, the main partners, the accountants, the legal director and of course Daniela sitting in the back with her white dress and her controlled smile, as if absolutely nothing had happened, but he knew her, he knew that that face was just the disguise of someone who had dynamite in her bag, Julián said one of the partners, Daniela said She told us that there is something urgent that we must discuss with you, he froze for a second, Daniela took the floor, yes, I asked for this meeting
because I think it is important that we talk about stability, reputation, leadership, things that lately have been a little loose, the tone was friendly but full of venom, Julián stared at her without interrupting her, she continued talking as if she were giving a lecture, we have all noticed that you have been disconnected, your performance has dropped, your participation in key projects has been minimal and well, there are concerns about your public image, one of the investors settled uncomfortably in his chair, what exactly
are you talking about, Julián asked in a firm voice, Daniela looked at him with a smile that burned from what everyone already knows or is about to know, your personal life, Julian, the one that has kept you distracted, running after an ex-girlfriend and some children that no one knew and by the way, leaving business halfway through, he got tense, he didn’t think he was going to talk about it like that in front of everyone, my personal life has nothing to do with what we do here, of course it does, she interrupted, because when your name is in the media, when your personal decisions affect the credibility of the company, of course it has everything to do with it and believe me now
They began to ask questions and not all the answers leave you in a good light, the silence became thick, Julián clenched his fists on the table, he knew that she could do it, that she had contacts in the press, that she could manipulate headlines, that she knew where to hit, what do you want, finally Daniela crossed her arms without pretending anything, I want you to put everything in its place, to stay away from Valeria Ortega de your children of that story and that you refocus on what really matters and if I don’t then I’m going to
filter everything from the abandonment of your responsibilities to the dirtiest details do you know what sells the story of the millionaire who left his girlfriend pregnant with triplets and now wants to return as a hero is going to explode on networks you’re going to lose customers trust support you wouldn’t do that you don’t know me As much as you think, there was an awkward silence, no one said anything, no one defended him, they just looked at him as if they were already waiting for his decision, Julián left that room without saying a word, locked himself in his office and closed the blinds, sat down, rested his elbows on the

desk and grabbed his head with both hands, everything he had built, everything he had taken care of for years, was at risk, and worst of all, he felt that he deserved it, for having given up, for having come back late, for not knowing how to handle this without breaking something, that day he did not go to see Valeria, he did not answer her messages, he was locked in, he did not even eat, he only thought about what he was going to eat. He felt that if he took a path he would lose something, if he chose Valeria and the children, Daniela would destroy his career
, if he chose to protect the company, he betrayed his own blood, three children who had not asked for anything, who were only there, because one day he decided to leave at the end of the day, when there was no one left in the office, Julián stood in front of the bathroom mirror, he looked at himself as if he did not For a long time he had dark circles under his eyes, his beard grown, his dull look was not recognized, he felt divided into a thousand pieces and there, only with his head in tatters, he understood that he could not continue playing two worlds, Daniela was right about something, she had to make a decision, but what she did not
know was that even if it cost her everything, she had already taken sides, she just needed the courage to say it out loud later From Daniela’s threat, Julián felt trapped, it was as if he suddenly no longer had control over his own life, in his company he had to act as if nothing happened, as if everything was in order, as if the world was not falling apart, instead, when he went with Valeria and the children, everything was different, there he was not the cio, the businessman, the guy who had to make decisions cold there was only Julián and although he felt
good he knew that he could not live like this for long, it was like walking on a thin cable waiting for it to break at any moment, the days would go by in excuses, in the morning he would arrive at the office and pretend that he was concentrated, he would meet with clients, talk about numbers, sign papers, sometimes eat with Daniela and she treated him as if everything was in pause, but with that look that said he did not forget a single word of the threat, every now and then he let loose passive, aggressive comments, such as when
he told him in a casual tone: “Don’t delay, today you are not old enough to run around, children.” He pretended to laugh, but inside he felt observed in the afternoons, instead he changed his face, he called Valeria, if she accepted, he picked up the children, not in the armored truck, he used a simpler car, one that did not attract attention, sometimes he took them to the park or to eat ice cream or to the movies, always simple things but that excited them as if it were Christmas, at first Valeria did not stay he let them go with him, but with
a thousand instructions, don’t give them candy, after 6 o’clock the middle one gets dizzy easily, so he drives slowly, the little one doesn’t like to be hugged all at once, things from mom that he knows all about, Julián wrote them down mentally as if they were holy orders and he fulfilled them to the letter, over time Valeria began to stay for a little while, first she just got closer when the children returned, then he sat on the same bench while they played, then he agreed to go for a coffee and one afternoon, without planning it, the five of them ended up in a small
neighborhood pizzeria laughing at something silly that Leo said, it was the first time that Valeria smiled without that burden on top of it, as before Julián began to know his children, for real Emiliano, he was the leader, the one who talked more, the one who asked everything Leo was quieter but very observant and Mateo, the youngest, was the most tender, the one who always sought contact, the one who leaned on his shoulder without asking permission, one afternoon in the middle of an improvised picnic in a park, Julián was helping them inflate some balloons, Emiliano stared at him and let go, you

“You are my dad,” Julián was paralyzed, he had the balloon half inflated in his mouth, Valeria, who was a few steps away, turned around with big eyes, “Why do you say that,” she asked nervously, “Because he looks like us,” Emiliano replied with the logic of a child who sees everything more clearly than adults and takes care of us and buys us things and knows what to call us without confusing us, parents do that, Julián left the balloon crouched down to his height and answered him with all the calmness he could muster, yes, Emiliano, I’m your dad, the boy looked at him without saying anything else, then turned around, ran
with his brothers and shouted: “I know who he is.” Valeria came over immediately, Julian thought she was going to scold him, that she was going to tell him that he had crossed the line, but she just said to him in a low voice, are you sure you can handle this, he looked at her straight ahead, I’m not sure about anything, but I’m not going to run away again, that night Julian went back to his apartment, Daniela wasn’t there, he had gone out with some partners for dinner, he he sat on the couch, turned on the television without paying attention and thought about everything he had experienced that day, about the laughter of the children, about Valeria’s
look, about the way the youngest had taken his hand when he crossed the street as if it were the most natural thing in the world and he felt afraid because no matter how happy he felt there, he knew that he had an active bomb in his Another half of her life, Daniela was waiting for a mistake, just one, and when that happened she was going to press the button, she was going to destroy everything, but even if she knew it, she couldn’t walk away, not now, not after hearing the word dad said with such innocence for the first time, not after seeing that family that she never thought she had and that now she didn’t
want to lose for anything in the world, that Friday seemed like any other Valeria was on her second shift in the cafeteria, the children left school at 4 and Julián, as was customary, in recent weeks had offered to pick them up, she accepted, no longer with doubts, no longer with fear, she began to trust even if it was a little, she saw how she took care of them, how she listened to them, how she knew them, Julián left the office a little earlier, he was happy, he had some in his backpack action figures that he had bought for each one, he planned to take them to eat hamburgers and then watch a
movie in his apartment, he was excited, as if he were living a part of his life that he did not know, a part that he liked more than any award, meeting or signing of a contract, when he was arriving at school his cell phone rang, an unknown number he answered without thinking: “Well, is it Mr. Julián Castañeda?” “Yes, he speaks, we call him from the Angeles del Pedregal Hospital, one of the children in his care was brought in the emergency room, he is in the emergency room, Julián lost his soul at his feet, he did not know if he screamed or just thought he did, his heart shot as if he had run a marathon, he
hung up without saying more, he put first and started with everything on the way, he called Valeria twice, nothing third nothing wrote to him on WhatsApp, Leo had an accident, I’m going to the hospital, I’ll let you know, as soon as he knows something, when he arrived, he didn’t park, he left the truck badly stopped at the entrance, he threw the keys at the ballet and ran in, he asked for the child’s full name, they sent him straight to the emergency room, a doctor came out a few minutes later, it’s you, the father, Julián hesitated for a second, only one, then he said: “Yes, I’m the dad.” The child had a hard fall, hit his head and lost
consciousness, we did a CT scanThere is no fracture but we are going to leave him under observation, he has a slight contusion, he is stable but we have to watch him, I can see him for a few minutes, they took him to a stretcher where Leo slept with an IV in his arm and a bandage on his forehead, he looked small, fragile, nothing to do with the child who ran and jumped all day, Julián sat next to him and grabbed his hand, I am here son I’m not going to leave, everything will be fine, she didn’t cry but her eyes were shaking, 20 minutes passed and Valeria came running with her pale face, disheveled, still wearing her apron

He entered the room like a whirlwind, pushed the door without asking permission and went straight to Leo, what happened, what happened to him, he fell at recess, Julián said in a soft voice, they called me because I was on the emergency sheet, you didn’t answer, Valeria grabbed the boy’s face, spoke softly, kissed his hand, his forehead, then turned to see Julián, his eyes were red, but He wasn’t crying, thank you for coming, there’s nothing I was close to, I was going for them, did they tell you how it was, yes he tripped on the stairs, fell on his back, was unconscious for a few minutes, but he’s fine
, they’re just going to watch him, she nodded, she stared at her son, stroking his hair, can I stay with him, can I stay with him, yes, I’ve already talked to the nurse, they’re going to give him a room in a while, they can both stay and you Julian looked at her calmly, I’m going to stay too, if you leave me, Valeria didn’t say anything, but she didn’t run him away, she didn’t ask him to leave, she just nodded as if something inside her didn’t want to fight anymore hours later in the room already assigned, Leo woke up, the first thing he did was look at the two of them, where am I in the hospital, my love
, Valeria said with a smile nervously, Leo looked at Julian, and you’re here too, of course, I wasn’t going to leave without seeing you, the boy smiled, did you bring me juice, yes, and some dinosaurs, then stay, Valeria looked at him and Julian, without saying a word, understood that he no longer had to ask permission, that night they took turns to take care of the child while one slept on the couch, the other sat next to the bed, they didn’t talk much, but there were looks, gestures, silences that said more than 1 word the next morning Valeria brought her a coffee, thank you for not letting go
, thank you for letting me be, I don’t do it out of gratitude, I do it because I already understood that you are not going to leave, no, she looked at him with a lump in her throat, so we are going to do it right, Daniela does not forgive, she has never forgiven and less when she feels that she is ridiculed for her, let everyone know that her fiancé has three children with another woman was the worst thing that could happen to her, not only out of pride, but also because of power, in her world respect is earned with control, with fear, with the perfect image and Valeria, with her good face, with her
simple clothes and those children who didn’t ask to be born, like this, she was taking all that away from her, without even looking for it, Daniela didn’t scream, she didn’t make a fuss, she just took a deep breath, she she arranged her hair in front of the mirror and said in front of Lucero, her assistant: “We’re going to make that woman disappear.
“Lucero looked at her carefully, like when you know you shouldn’t ask, but you can’t stay silent either, what do you mean by what I said, I want no one to hire her again, I want the city to see her as a danger, not as a victim, but she hasn’t done anything, I don’t need her to have done anything, I just need it to seem like yes, the next day Daniela moved as only she knew how to do, she had a network of contacts who covered digital media, light news portals, gossip accounts on social networks and even a couple of reporters from nota roja who owed her favors and started the play, first a small note on a
local page title: Scandal in preschool, teacher hides her past and works with children without an updated license, accompanied by a blurred photo of Valeria entering her work with a backpack on her shoulder, then the comments on Networks anonymous people who said they had problems with her Mothers who supposedly remembered her from years ago false stories MixAnd it worked: in less than three days, the director of the preschool where she worked called Valeria to her office: “We need to suspend you
while we investigate the situation,” she told her in an uncomfortable voice, “it’s not personal, but there is pressure from parents, the image of the school is at stake.” Valeria didn’t understand anything, “What did I do, it’s not about what you did, it’s about what people think you did, she left there with her heart in her throat, she walked aimlessly, her hands were sweating on the way, her cell phone rang, it was Julian, all right?” she asked him in a calm tone, I’ve just been suspended from preschool, what, why don’t I know, they say there’s a problem with my history that there was an old complaint that people are talking badly about me on
networks, what complaint I don’t know Julián I don’t know what they are talking about, I never did anything wrong, he knew at that moment who was behind it, I don’t need proof, he just felt it, because if someone could invent a scandal that fast it was, Daniela hung up and called Mateo, I need you to investigate if someone from Daniela’s team has moved in the media or has leaked things quickly, meanwhile Valeria arrived at the Depa as soon as she crossed the door she saw a camera pointing at her from the wax in front of her, he was a guy with a long lens, one of those who look for the scandalous photo to

selling it closed the door tightly and peeked through the curtain, the guy was still there, waiting that night he didn’t sleep, the children did, but she didn’t check her cell phone every now and then, she read the messages that came to her, some of them supportive, many full of hate, people she didn’t know, saying horrible things, calls from strange numbers, a woman even insulted her out loud when she went to buy bread, Julián went to see her at the The next morning she received it with a face of no more marked dark circles A muffled voice I don’t want the children
to go through this Let’s solve it How did they already take me out of the nursery They told me they were going to check my background What background What background Have children alone is now a crime You’re not alone and we’re going to clear your name What if there’s no way anymore What if I can’t go out on the street anymore without them seeing me as a shame, no, they are not going to grow up seeing that their mother was humiliated by a lie, she looked at him exhausted, but there was fire in her eyes, it was Daniela, right, Julián didn’t answer, he didn’t need to that afternoon while the children were playing with Legos in the living room,
Valeria sat on the couch looking into space and for the first time out loud said something that she had kept for years I’m not going to let them destroy me again, no, now Julián didn’t realize the blow until he had it on him, everything happened in a matter of days, as if someone had pulled a rope and suddenly everything fell apart, first it was a call from a foreign investor, the usual thing, that they were worried about the public image, that they had read rumors that if the company was having personal
instability In the management, Julián tried to calm the waters, to say that everything was under control, but it was too late, doubts were sown, then came the emails, the main partner in one of his largest projects, canceled a deal they had been preparing for months, he used nice words to cover it, internal restructuring, changes of approach, new opportunities, but Julián knew well what it meant: they were leaving him alone and behind that the most certain thing was she, Daniela had not dropped a bombshell, she had dropped several, all at the same time
she let public opinion judge him by his personal life, she leaked details of her absences, of how she had prioritized personal interests in the midst of important negotiations, even someone, surely Lucero, her loyal assistant, leaked a copy of the birth certificate of one of the children, the document went viral in a financial forum with the title The millionaire who He forgot his children, the damage was done, Mateo, his assistant entered his office one afternoon with a funeral face, two more partners got out, he told him, leaving the papers on the

desk and the bank no longer renewed the line of credit do you think your reputation affects the value of the brand julián did not respond he just looked at everything with dry eyes he could no longer get angry and he was not even surprised, it was as if he was seeing it from the outside as if all this happened to someone else that same afternoon he received a message from Daniela only three words I warned you and then he understood that he was not there was a way to continue in that world, not like that, not with her lying in wait, not with that hell on top of that, he understood that everything he had built could
disappear, but that what he was forming with Valeria and the children, that was worth it, that did make sense that night while the children slept and Valeria washed the dishes in his apartment, he sat next to her, not in the usual suit or with his cell phone stuck to her hand she sat down with another face, more tired, more human, I lost everything,” Valeria said bluntly, she put the rag on the tarja and looked at it without saying anything, Daniela fulfilled her threat, they took me down from projects, they canceled contracts, I was out of the council, they deleted me, and now what are you going to do, I don’t know,
but I want to do it with you, she didn’t say anything, she just stared at her, I don’t want to live anymore Dividing myself between two lives I don’t want to hide anymore I don’t want to shut up anymore Valeria sighed and sat next to her I can’t promise you that everything will be okay not even me but I can promise you that I won’t leave even if we are at zero even if I have to start from the bottom you from below the Mr. Expensive suit Julián laughed for the first time in days I don’t have suits anymore I kept them all And What are you going to do, I’m going to sell my share in
the company, that’s enough for a while later, we’ll see, I’m tired of living to look good with others, Valeria looked at him, still with fear, but also with something new in her eyes, respect, would you really do that, I’m already doing it, Valeria lowered her gaze and right there in that little kitchen without promises, cheesiness or novel hugs, she took The next day Julián went to his old office just to sign the papers of his departure, he didn’t make a drama, he didn’t give a speech
, he didn’t ask for applause, he just went in, he signed, he picked up a couple of personal things, a photo of his dad, an old mug with his name on it and a notebook and he walked out, Daniela didn’t show up, she didn’t show his face, but he knew that I was watching everything from Minuno, her office, which surely felt like a winner and maybe she was in that world, in that game she did win, but Julián didn’t want to play there anymore, she got in her car, put on music for the first time in weeks and for the first time in a long time she didn’t feel her heart in tatters, she felt fear, yes, but also relief
because now she was free to live the life that she did He wanted to, and because at that moment, as he crossed the Periférico with the sun going down, he knew that his true story was just beginning, the apartment was small, with light walls and used furniture, but it had something that Julián had not felt in years: peace, not the boring peace or the one that is faked so that others do not ask, it was something else, it was the noise of three children running down the hallway with crooked socks, the smell of breakfast burning while everyone complains and the
beautiful chaos of a royal family since he left his company and sold his shares Julián changed completely, the first thing he did was buy an old car, one of those that still had a stereo with buttons and windows that are raised by hand, the second was stop watching financial news, nor did he open his work email, everything that was from his previous life, he turned it off like someone who closes a door without looking back, now he got up every day at 6 in the morning, not because of a meeting or an international flight, he got up because the children had to be ready to go to school, because one got up at home.
It took him a century to get dressed, another one hid his shoes and the youngest always lost his lunchbox, everything was a relaxation but he loved him, Valeria at first looked at him with a raised eyebrow as if wondering if all that was serious or if at any moment he was going to give up, but the days went by and Julián was still there, putting the coffee, sweeping the room, carrying backpacks, helping with homework, sometimes badly sometimes clumsy but always eager and that was what he told her the most one day while they were picking up the clothes from the clothesline, Valeria looked at him from

Out of the corner of your eye, don’t you miss another life, what about expensive dinners and tight ties, yes, that one, not a little bit really, really, I had never slept so peacefully, even if I woke up one at 3 in the morning because he dreamed of monsters and the other kicked me in the back unintentionally, Valeria laughed softly, it was a laugh that I hadn’t gotten in a long time, one of those that come out without planning, that have no filter. Julián stared at her for a second longer than necessary, she noticed it but didn’t move away, she just lowered her gaze with a shy smile, and now what are you going to do
, she asked her while folding a T-shirt, I’m not sure, I have some money saved, but I don’t want to go back to the same thing, I was thinking of starting something small, a business of my own, maybe a cafeteria, something quiet, you in a cafeteria, yes, I even know how to do Press coffee, Mateo showed me Valeria, she looked at him surprised, Mateo, the assistant in suit and glasses, he himself now owns a sandwich food trrack, told me that he is doing well, and you would leave the millions, that’s why I left them that day, for the first time the five of them ate together at the dining room table, without haste, without
interruptions, Julián sat in the middle of the three children, cutting their chicken, pouring water and cleaning the sauce from the tablecloth without complaining, he looked tired but happy, as if he were finally in his place later, while they were playing with colored blocks, Mateo, the youngest, climbed on his lap and said bluntly: “Dad, can you come tomorrow to the open class?” Julián looked at him as if he had just received the biggest award in the world, open class, yes, it’s a day where parents can go see us dance and say poems, there will be cookies,
of course I’m going to be there, Valeria listened from me, the kitchen didn’t say anything, but her chest tightened, not with sadness, but with emotion, it was the first time one of the children called him dad, with total naturalness, without hesitation, without thinking if it was right or wrong, that night Julián washed the dishes, swept the room and then stayed watching TV with Valeria, nothing special, just a game show with long commercials, but they felt comfortable, unhurried, without awkward silences, “do you know what is the most difficult thing?” said Julián, already half asleep
“Why not shout to the world that this is the life I always wanted, she looked at him without answering, turned off the TV, stood there by his side in silence, but it was no longer that silence full of distance, it was one that said, “I’m here too.” Things finally felt stable, the rhythm at home was no longer chaos, it was a routine, one of those that tires yes, but they also give you peace, the children no longer asked anything strange, they were no longer confused, Valeria and Julián had learned to move together, to trust, to leave space for each other, they had even gone to the open kindergarten class and Julián
ended up crying while Mateo recited a poorly memorized poem that ended up in laughter, everything was going well until Daniela returned, the first sign was a letter, it arrived in a white envelope without a return address, Valeria found it in the mailbox one afternoon, while returning with the children from the stationery store, she opened it without thinking much about it, it was an official sheet, a court document was signed, sealed, summons, the case of fraud for altered documents filed 4 years ago had been reopened and she, Valeria Ortega, had to present herself as The defendant felt that the street
was erased, her hands fell asleep, she called Julián from the cell phone with the children screaming around her, he he arrived in less than 20 minutes and when he read the paper he understood everything, they didn’t need proof, they didn’t need to investigate, that move had a name, Daniela, had this already happened to you, Julián asked in a tense voice: “yes,” Valeria replied, looking at the floor years ago, when I worked in a small paperwork office, the boss asked me to sign some papers, I trusted, I didn’t ask, I was pregnant, I needed the job, then it disappeared and I
They pointed out that I was responsible, I defended myself, I cried, I explained everything and in the end there was no evidence, the case was closed, but that was marked there and now they took it out again, yes, she did, Julián squeezed the steering wheel tightly, he knew that Daniela was capable of dirty things, but this was another league, she was not only angry, she was determined to destroy and this time she was not against him, she was against Valeria, a few days later the rumors in the children’s school, some mothers began to murmur things, one even said to her face: “They say you were in trouble
with the law, how ugly that this affects children, didn’t Valeria not respond, swallowed her courage and left with her head held high, but inside she was in pieces, Julián began to move, although he no longer had the power he had before, he still had acquaintances, he called A lawyer who had been his client, I read, explained everything, the lawyer reviewed the case and told him the truth, this smells of revenge, but the judge agreed to reopen it because someone presented new evidence, that is, someone with power pushed him, if we do not stop this it will escalate, and if we get to the bottom, if we try

That this evidence is false, you can do it, but it will take time and in the meantime she is guilty, even if she is not, Valeria listened to everything in silence, each word weighed on her as if stones were hanging on her chest, at night, when the children were already asleep, they sat in the kitchen face to face, the light was dim, they did not speak loudly, as if they did not want to wake up either the children or the children. the hope that still remained, I don’t want them to go through this, Valeria said in a low voice, neither do I, but I’m not going to leave you alone and if
I lose, then we lose together, I don’t want you to lose again, you already gave everything for me and you didn’t give everything for them, for me too, without knowing it, you’re not alone in this, Valeria no more, she looked at him with fear, real fear, no to the case, no to the Judgment to the judgment of the people, to the judgment of life, to those who do not forgive a woman who made the mistake of trusting, Julián stood up and went to the children’s room and watched them sleep, then returned to her and took her hand, if she wants to play dirty, we are going to play too, but with the truth this time I am not going to hide, I am going to
show my face, she squeezed her hand, and for the first time since she received that letter she did not feel that she was sinking on her own, the courthouse smelled of nerves, of cheap coffee, of old folders, of people coming and going with tired faces, there were no cameras or flashes, but for Valeria that place was harder than any newscast, it was the place where they were going to point her out again, where again she had to explain herself, defend herself and this time with the eyes of the past of the present and of all Mexico, on top of that, Julián was with her early in the morning, he squeezed her hand on the wooden bench
where they were waiting for the pass to enter by her side, the lawyer they had hired was reviewing papers, talking on the phone, reading the file over and over again, as if something was going to change by magic, Valeria didn’t say anything, she just looked at the floor, not out of fear of the room, but because of what that meant because now not only were her name, her reputation, her freedom at stake, the stability of her children that tranquility that they had just begun to build, “list” Julián told her in a low voice, she
nodded, she was not, but she had to say that they did enter, the room was simple, a judge in the center, a secretary on one side, two chairs in front, the rest were benches like of church everything felt cold, strong when they mentioned her full name Valeria stood up, walked to the front, the judge asked her to say her occupation, she did it with a firm voice, although inside she felt that her legs were bending, did she ever falsify documents of legal procedures, asked the direct prosecutor bluntly, did not sign papers without
reading them, I trusted my boss, he told me that it was routine and if that paper had false information? you don’t consider yourself responsible, you didn’t know it was false, the prosecutor smiled as if he already had his answer, ignoring something doesn’t make you innocent, Miss Ortega, Julián gritted his teeth, he wanted to stand up, scream, but he couldn’t, it wasn’t his place, for now the defense attorney presented evidence, he said that the case had already been closed once for lack of evidence, that reopening it with almost identical documents made no sense, but the judge allowed that followed, there was a new
statement from someone who affirmed that Valeria had consciously participated, an anonymous witness according to what they said, the tension rose, Valeria looked at Julián, he responded with a look that said: “Trust outside, in the street, the thing is already a gossip account had spread, she published the news that morning, ex-teacher accused of fraud, Miron’s mother, the children of former businessman Julián Castañeda, the old photos circulated again, her face, that of the children, Julián’s, all mixed up in publications full of judgments, hatred and
very little real data, Mateo, now a friend and almost brother of Julián, was the one who brought the surprise, that day he reached the middle of the trial with a folder under his arm and face of I have something, he handed it to the lawyer, who read it with his eyes wide open, asked the judge for the floor, your honor, I have an affidavit of Ernesto Palacios, former boss of the accused, who signed this document confessing that he forced Valeria Ortega to sign altered documents to disclaim responsibility, he also recognizes that he fled the country with the money collected and
which I quote verbatim, she had no knowledge of anything I did, the prosecutor tried to object, the judge stopped him, where is this Mr. Palacios in Canada, but he sent the official document notarized, he also sent a video call ready to give live testimony, the judge thought about it for a few seconds, he accepted, on the screen appeared a guy in his 50s with a beard and a tired face, ernesto Palacios with a firm voice but Without showing guilt, she said, I put everything together, I was going to run out of business, I falsified papers to cover up mistakes, Valeria had no idea, I just

signed what I told her, the judge asked for a recess in the corridor, Valeria burst into tears, not as a victim but as someone who takes a stone from years on her, Julián hugged her without saying anything, finally, after all, someone was telling the truth for her, even if it was late, even if no one remembered the damage they did to her, an hour later they went back in, the judge asked for silence and spoke without saying. detours due to lack of new valid evidence and with the confession received the case is definitively closed, Valeria Ortega is free of
all accusations, there was no applause or hugs, only a long and dense silence, but for them that silence was the most beautiful thing they had heard in a long time, the days after the trial they felt strange, not bad, not good, strange as when it rains a lot and suddenly the sun comes out but everything is still wet, people no longer talked so much about the scandal, the networks had been distracted by other gossip and Valeria’s name began to disappear little by little from the searches, what seemed impossible happened, the storm calmed down, she smiled again, although
it was still difficult for her in the street, she walked with a firm gaze, but every time someone saw her too much, her stomach trembled, not because she had Afraid of being accused again, but because of everything she had to carry alone for so long, years of enduring looks, fingers, rejections and all because of a mistake that was not hers, Julián, for his part, took it upon himself to put everything back in order at home, the routine with the children, the chores, the walks to the park, although he also felt that something was about to happen, he didn’t know what, but he was sorry like that feeling you get
when everything is too quiet and yes it was one Tuesday afternoon when they returned from dropping the children off at school they found an envelope under the door of the apartment it had no return address it only said for Julián it was urgent valeria looked at it with distrust we opened it yes said Julián although he already had a strange feeling in his chest he opened it inside there was a handwritten letter and a photo: The letter read: “You thought the past was no longer going to catch up with you, but sometimes it comes back in ways you don’t expect,
this child is also yours, the photo showed a boy of about 6 years old sitting on a park bench, same hair, same face, same mole on his eyebrow that Julian had seen in his own children, it was like looking at another version of the mirror, Julian was speechless, he didn’t understand I couldn’t speak, what is this, Valeria asked, with the letter in her hands, this is a joke, I don’t know, he replied with a broken voice, you recognize someone, I’ve never seen him, I swear, she looked at him, trying to read his face, Julián could only look at the photo, his legs
were shaking, he sat down, and what does this mean, what can it be true, he said, barely breathing at that time, before I left, I went out. With someone for a short time it was a disaster, it wasn’t even something serious, once maybe twice, I left shortly after, I never heard from her again, Valeria pursed her lips and if it’s true, then I have four children, not three, silence enveloped them, Valeria walked around the room like a lioness locked up, Julián was still sitting motionless, with the letter open on his legs, who could send this like this without saying anything more, why don’t I know now,
but Daniela didn’t do this, this is something else: that night Julián didn’t sleep, he searched among old papers, among photos, old emails, any clue, he was left with a name, that of a woman I was datingBefore leaving for Monterrey, her name was Sara, she was discreet, serious, she never had contact with her again, but now she couldn’t get that face out of her head or the boy’s, the next day she went to talk to Mateo, she showed him the letter, Mateo didn’t ask anything, he just said: “We’re going to find her and if it’s true, then you have another story to
write, Valeria supported him, she didn’t scold him, she didn’t judge him alone. He asked him that if he was going to get into this, he would do it well, that he would not leave loose ends, that he would not repeat the mistakes of the past, Julián looked at the boy’s photo again, he had big eyes, with a look that said much more than any letter could explain and there, with that photo in hand, he understood that the past never closes, only that there is always something more and this time he was there. ready to face anything, only three days passed since the letter arrived, but it seemed like weeks to Julián, he didn’t eat well, no

He slept, he didn’t concentrate, he had the child’s photo in his pocket all the time, as if carrying it would help him understand something, or at least keep calm, he didn’t know if he was about to open a new stage or lose the little he had just built, Mateo, as always, was the one who helped him, gave him the name, the address and even a contact number, the woman lived in Querétaro, sara Delgado had worked in a logistics company where Julián had given advice years ago, nothing more, nothing less, Valeria told him
to go without drama, without complaints, just one thing, do it right, and he did it, he left in his old car with an upset stomach and a head full of things, all the way he thought about the children, Valeria, about the possibility of having a child plus one that he didn’t know one Who never asked to be born like this, arrived on a Friday afternoon, took a long time to dare to knock, it was a simple building, one of those where the echo bounces and everyone knows who goes upstairs, when she knocked on the door, a woman opened it without surprise, as if she knew that one day it was going to happen: “I knew you would come,” she said dryly
, directly, “Is the envelope yours?” “Yes.” “Why now?” Sara let it pass without answering, the apartment was a clean boy with toys scattered on the line, floor at the back, a half-open door showed a child watching cartoons, it was him in the photo, his name is Ivan, he is 6 years old, he was born 4 months after you left, I never told you because you also left without saying anything, I didn’t know you were pregnant, I wasn’t when you left, I found out Then and I didn’t look for you because it didn’t make sense, you were already in another world, and why now Sara looked him in the face
, because he asks because he looks so much like you that I couldn’t play dumb anymore, because even if you’re not there, your face is there every day and because I want you to know that you have a son, Julián was speechless, his hands trembled, his heart was all “Can I talk?” with him?” Sara hesitated, then nodded, called him in a soft tone, Ivan left the room with a doll in his hand, looked at Julian as if he recognized him without knowing where “hello” said the boy, “hello champion,” Julian replied swallowing saliva: “My name is Julian, you are the one who sent me the
legos, no, but if you want I can do it, Ivan smiled, then he remained silent, looking at him with those same eyes that he already knew, it was also well Just like the others, but also different, he had something more reserved, more calm, Julián bent down to be at his height, do you like cartoons, yes, and dinosaurs too, Ivan didn’t ask who it was, no, at that moment he just approached and gave him the doll he had in his hand, his name is Tomás, you can play if you want, Julián grabbed him carefully, his fingers trembled after a while, Sara He took him to take a nap

Julian stayed on the couch in silence Sara came back and sat in front of him I don’t want your money I don’t want problems I just want you to meet him if you want if I don’t manage I want to meet him are you sure yes I just need time not for him to tell the others he came home that night not knowing how to start the conversation Valeria received him without asking questions she waited for him to talk True, he said, he’s finally my son and the mother isn’t going to ask me for anything, she doesn’t want to fight, she just wants me to meet him, his name is Ivan, Valeria nodded, she took a long time to
answer, you’re going to be in his life, yes, then we’re going to be too, are you sure, aren’t you, but I don’t want to be the one who closes the door anymore, no longer, the children didn’t know about it immediately, it was little by little, first of all. They showed the photo, then they told them the story as if it were part of a movie, as something that happens, that sometimes adults do things wrong, but that they can also try to do them right, a month later Ivan met his brothers, they stared at him as if they were seeing themselves for the first time and they didn’t say anything strange, there was no drama, there was no jealousy
just a simple phrase from Emiliano, do you want to play, Ivan smiled, yes, and that’s how the past, with all the complicated and painful that it was, was mixed with the present, without magical arrangements, without happy endings of the movie, but with truth and with the desire to do it well, the rest they were writing day by day together