“You’re an ungrateful thief!” Doña Victoria shouted, her whole body shaking with rage.

“You’re ungrateful trash!”

I stood on the stone step, resting my thumb against my father’s silver pocket watch in my pocket.

“The trash gets taken out today,” I said softly, my voice carrying clearly across the quiet courtyard.

“You can leave.”

Marcus stepped into the middle of the flagstones at once, flanked by two uniformed security officers.

“The presentation is over,” Marcus said in a crisp, unyielding voice.

“Please return to your vehicles immediately.”