“You’re right. The insurance is for the legal beneficiary. I can’t touch it.”
Camila smiled, triumphant.
“But there are other things I can touch.”
I took out my cell phone. I dialed my property manager.
“Hello? Engineer. Yes. I need you to start the eviction process for apartment 4B in Colonia Roma. Immediate. Change the locks first thing tomorrow morning. Yes, throw all the stuff out on the street.”
“What are you doing?!” Camila screamed. “We live there!”
“You lived there,” I corrected. “The apartment is mine. It’s in my name. I paid the rent. It’s over.”
Then, I looked at my parents.
“And you two… the country house where you stay on weekends. That’s mine too. You have until Friday to get your stuff out. I’m putting it up for sale.”
“Daniela!” my father bellowed. “We are your parents! You can’t leave us on the street because of your husband’s mistake!”
“It wasn’t a mistake by my husband. It was a conspiracy by my family. You chose. You chose to protect the adulteress and the liar because he gave you grandchildren and I only gave you money. Well, keep the grandson and the insurance money. Let’s see how long those 5 million last divided among four parasites. Because from me, you will never see another cent.”
“You’re going to end up alone!” my mother threatened, crying. “No one will love a bitter woman!”
“I prefer to be alone than surrounded by traitors.”
I walked to the door. I opened it.
“Get out of my house. All of you. Now.”
“We have nowhere to go!” Camila cried, clutching the boy.
“Go to the cemetery. Ask Roberto for help. After all, he’s the one who planned this disaster.”
I kicked them out.
Watching my parents leave carrying Camila’s bags, indignant, while she dragged the boy who looked so much like the man I loved, was the most painful moment of my life.
But I double-locked the door.
I changed the alarm codes.
I poured myself a glass of wine.
And for the first time in six years, the house didn’t feel empty. It felt clean.
The trash had taken itself out.
FINAL QUESTION
Do you think the innocent child deserved my continued support despite being the fruit of betrayal, or is he the exclusive responsibility of his mother and the money his father left him?
