“Without Alejandro’s monthly allowance, you won’t even be able to pay your electricity bill by the end of the month,” Doña Victoria said, her words dripping with mock affection.

Alejandro stood beside his sister, a smug, relaxed smile spreading across his face.

“You were never meant for our level, Elena,” he said, straightening his collar.

“You should have stayed in the quiet obscurity my family found you in.”

I lifted my bag by its strap and looked straight into Doña Victoria’s eyes.

“A month is long enough to find out who really depends on whom,” I said calmly.

Doña Victoria tilted her chin back and scoffed loudly as two junior court clerks walked past us toward the glass doors at the front.