Chapter 12
Chapter 12: The Iron Gate
It was a Sunday morning when the illusion of safety was tested.
Valeria was in the kitchen, pureeing roasted carrots for Mateo, when the intercom on the wall buzzed. It was Miguel, the head of the private security detail she had hired for the Santiago property.
"Señora Valeria," Miguel’s voice crackled through the speaker. "There is a man at the front gate. He is demanding to be let in. He says he is the father."
Valeria’s hands stopped moving. The knife rested against the cutting board.
She walked over to the security monitor mounted next to the intercom. The high-definition camera showed Sebastián standing outside the heavy wrought-iron gates. He looked disheveled, frantic, and furious. He was arguing with the guards, waving a piece of paper.
He had found her.
A year ago, her heart would have hammered in her chest. She would have panicked, locked the doors, and hidden in a closet.
Now, she just stared at the screen. He looked so small.
"Miguel," Valeria said, her voice completely devoid of emotion.
"Yes, Señora?"
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"Tell him he is trespassing on private property. If he does not leave in three minutes, call the municipal police and press charges for harassment. Do not, under any circumstances, open that gate."
She turned away from the monitor and went back to the kitchen. The carrots wouldn't puree themselves.
