“Mom, Uncle Alex understands me,” she once said. “He squeezed my finger when I told him about my test.”

“If we don’t disconnect him before Friday, the company will freeze everything,” Mauricio whispered.

“I’ve already arranged it,” Lorena replied coldly. “Tomorrow we sign the papers and turn off the machines. I’m done pretending to care.”

Carmen felt sick listening to them. But what shocked her even more was what happened next.