“He told her Elena was the only person who had ever truly held their household together, and that they had thrown away the only real strength the family had.”

“Did Paola sign her waiver on the vehicle accounts?” Samuel asked.

“She signed it ten minutes ago,” Oscar said.

“She’s in her bedroom packing her clothes.”

“Make sure the signed originals reach my city office by ten o’clock tomorrow morning,” Samuel said, and tapped the button to end the call.

At ten o’clock, I walked out onto the broad stone terrace above the lower gardens.

The mountain air was cold and sharp, carrying the dark, rich smell of pine needles and damp earth from the forested slopes.