"Then what do you suggest?" My voice is louder now, bordering on shouting. "That I sit here and let him destroy everything I've built? That I let him leak those forged documents and turn my allies against me?"
"I'm saying you need to be strategic. You need to think this through instead of reacting."
"Iamthinking it through. And what I'm thinking is that Gerard needs to be eliminated before he does any more damage."
I'm so angry, I know it's not a good idea and still, I don’t care.
"You're not thinking clearly. You're letting your emotions control you."
"Don't tell me what I'm doing," I shout. "Just do your job and find me a way to stop him."
The door to my den opens, and I turn and see Sofia standing in the doorway.
Her eyes are wide and frightened.
She clutches a cookie in one hand and stares at me like I’m a stranger.
I lower the phone and take a breath.
"I'll call you back,” I grumble before I end the call and set the phone on my desk.
Sofia doesn't move from the doorway, but she looks like she wants to run.
"Who were you shouting at?" she asks in a small voice.
Her head cocks sideways and her eyes stay wide.
"Just someone I work with," I say.
I soften my tone as much as I can. "My business sometimes gets loud."
"You sounded angry."
"I was angry. But not at you."
She takes a tentative step into the room.
"Are you still angry?"
"No,Tesoro. Not anymore."
She walks closer and stops in front of my desk.
She holds up the cookie shaped like a star and covered in red sugar.
"I made this for you."
I take the cookie from her hand and feel the crushing weight of guilt.
"Thank you," I tell her.
This is no world for a child so innocent as her.
"Marta said you like sweets. Is that true?"
"I do."
She smiles a little.
