Hello…? My voice sounded strange, as if it wasn’t my own.

—And I never accepted their business deals.

—

My mind started putting the pieces together.

The absences.

The strange money.

Lies.

—

—Years ago —she said—, Diego started getting involved in… bad things.

Pause.

—Very bad.

—

I swallowed.

—What kind of things?

—

She didn’t hesitate.

—Money that wasn’t yours.

—Dangerous people.

—Debts that cannot be paid with money.

—

I felt the air getting heavier.

—

« When I refused to help him, » he continued, « he decided on something very simple. »

Pause.

—Disappear.

—

—Make her disappear…?

—

« For everyone, » she said. « I was already dead. »

—

The world bowed.

—So… all this time…?

—Here —she replied—. Alone.

—

—And why didn’t he leave?

—

Doña Lupita smiled sadly.

—Because if I leave…

They will know that I am still alive.

—

-They?

—

And then he said it.

The word that finally broke everything.

—

—The people your husband works with.

—

Silence.

—

Then…

I heard something.

Outside.

—

A car.

Stopping.

—

We both remained still.

Doña Lupita looked at me.

And for the first time…

I saw fear in his eyes.

—

« You shouldn’t have come today, » she whispered.

—

My heart began to beat strongly.

-Because?

—

She did not answer.

He just looked towards the door.

—

Steps.

Gravel crunching.

—

And then…

the voice.

—

—I knew you were going to come sooner or later.

—

Diego.

—

My blood ran cold.

—

The door opened slowly.

—

And at that moment…

I understood something with brutal clarity:

Not only had he discovered the truth.

—

He had gone straight into it.

—

And there was no way to leave as if nothing had happened.