Chapter 2: The Woman in the Mirror
Roberto didn't sleep.
He sat in his office until sunrise, staring at the photograph until his eyes burned.
The person in the mirror remained impossible.
A shadow.
A shape.
A memory he had buried years ago.
He enlarged the image again.
And again.
Every time, the same conclusion appeared.
Impossible.
The man in the reflection looked exactly like Daniel Moretti.
Roberto's former business partner.
His closest friend.
The man who had died in a car accident seven years earlier.
The man whose death had almost destroyed him.
At six in the morning, Roberto walked into Sofía's room.
She was awake.
She always woke early.
"Good morning, princesa.""
She smiled slightly.
"You're wearing your worried face.""
Roberto sat beside her.
"My worried face?""
"Yes.""
She touched his hand.
"The one you wear when you think nobody notices.""
His chest tightened.
Children noticed everything.
Even when adults convinced themselves they didn't.
"Sofía, can I ask you something?""
"About yesterday?""
He froze.
"You remember?""
She nodded.
"I remember everything.""
Roberto looked away.
He hated himself for realizing how little he knew about her daily life.
"What happened yesterday?""
Sofía ran her fingers over the rabbit's damaged ear.
"Vanessa was angry.""
"Why?""
"Because I asked a question.""
"What question?""
A long pause.
Then she whispered:
"I asked why she doesn't like when María stays with me.""
Roberto felt cold.
"What did she say?""
Sofía's fingers tightened around the toy.
"She said some people should remember they are only helpers.""
Roberto closed his eyes.
That sentence.
The same cruelty María had described.
He stood.
"Did Vanessa ever hurt you before?""
"No.""
Another pause.
Then:
"Not with her hands.""
The words hit harder than any confession.
Roberto turned back.
"What does that mean?""
Sofía didn't answer.
A knock came from the door.
María entered carefully.
"Mr. Roberto?""
"Come in.""
The older woman looked nervous.
"I need to tell you something.""
Roberto nodded.
"Tell me everything.""
María looked at Sofía.
Then lowered her voice.
"Vanessa changed after you started traveling more.""
"When?""
"About a year after the accident.""
Roberto frowned.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
María's eyes filled.
"I tried.""
The answer shocked him.
"What?""
"I called you.""
"I never received anything.""
"Because she answered.""
Silence.
Roberto stared.
"She answered my phone?""
María nodded.
"She said you were busy. She said you didn't need to hear every little problem.""
A memory flashed through Roberto's mind.
The missed calls.
The messages he assumed were business problems.
The nights Vanessa told him, "Sofía is fine. Stop worrying.""
His own wife had been filtering his life.
"What else?""
María hesitated.
"She made Sofía apologize for crying.""
Roberto felt anger rise.
"Why?""
"Because Vanessa said crying made the house uncomfortable.""
He walked to the window.
The city outside continued moving.
People went to work.
Cars drove by.
The world remained normal.
But his home had not been normal for a long time.
Later that afternoon, Roberto confronted Vanessa.
She was in the kitchen preparing coffee.
Almost peaceful.
Almost ordinary.
"You lied to me.""
She didn't turn around.
"About what?""
"About María trying to contact me.""
The cup in her hand stopped moving.
Only for a second.
But he noticed.
"You went through old messages?""
"No. María told me.""
Vanessa sighed.
"Of course she did.""
The disappointment in her voice was almost theatrical.
"Roberto, you cannot seriously believe an employee over your wife.""
"My daughter is afraid of you.""
Vanessa turned.
Her expression changed.
"She is grieving.""
"Don't use that excuse.""
"I am trying to help her.""
"By making her scared?""
Vanessa stepped closer.
"You have no idea what it is like taking care of a child with special needs.""
The words were carefully chosen.
Designed to make him feel guilty.
Normally, they would have worked.
Not today.
"Don't pretend you sacrificed more than everyone else.""
Her face hardened.
"Be careful.""
"Is that a threat?""
"No.""
She smiled faintly.
"It's a reminder.""
"Of what?""
Vanessa looked directly into his eyes.
"That you don't know everything about your own family.""
That night, Roberto returned to his office and opened the photograph again.
This time, he noticed something he had missed.
The reflection in the mirror.
The person standing behind Sofía.
The person who looked like Daniel.
Was holding a document.
Roberto zoomed in.
His breath stopped.
Because written on the paper was a name.
Not Daniel's.
Not Vanessa's.
His own.
May you like
And beneath it were three words.
*Custody Transfer Agreement.*
