Doña Victoria opened her mouth to scream again, but Alejandro reached out and caught her firmly by the elbow.

“Mother, stop,” Alejandro whispered, his voice trembling and completely hollow.

“We have to go.”

He pulled her back toward the driveway, his head down, refusing to look at Samuel or me as he walked.

Paola followed close behind them, head bowed low, her high heels clicking quickly on the cobblestones.

The thirty-two family members turned without a word and filed out through the inner iron arch in a long, silent line.

Nobody argued, nobody made another joke, and nobody looked back as they climbed into the five luxury SUVs.