She told relatives that Mariana had turned me against her, that the legal dispute was a misunderstanding, and that she’d been forced out while recovering from surgery.

Some relatives believed her at first.

Others called me privately and asked careful questions.

I answered only what was necessary, avoiding the temptation to distribute every humiliating detail.

“Why don’t you just show everyone the footage?” Lydia asked one evening.

“Because Mariana isn’t a public exhibit,” I said.

“The people handling the dispute have the evidence they need.”

Lydia nodded.