Page 3

"We want you where you belong, sweetheart," her mother begins again, in the gentle tone she rarely uses. "You're wasting your life, and whether you believe it or not, your father and I suffer over that every single day."

Claudia doesn't move. She doesn't even exhale in indignation or laugh sarcastically the way she has other times. She just sits there, watching her parents, trying to get her pulse to slow down.

"We're here because we've reached an agreement with your aunt Elvira," her mother explains. "We can't put all the blame on you—we've spoiled you, and we're responsible for your behavior too. After a lot of discussion, we believe what you're missing is discipline, and above all, the experience of earning your own money in a job that doesn't consist of sitting in a chair updating the online store's website."

"What…?" Claudia doesn't understand any of this.

"Starting Monday, March eighth, you'll be joining your aunt's factory," her father says. "Full time. You'll rotate through every department until you understand how the whole thing runs. That way you'll know what it feels like when your back aches and your feet hurt, and above all, you'll understand the family business from the ground up."

"Is this a joke?"

"I'm not finished. You'll sign a contract for a duration of six months." Claudia's eyes go straight to the stapled documents the lawyer handed out at the start of the meeting. "Your credit card has been canceled as of today, and you'll live on the salary you earn here. You own your apartment outright, so you barely have any expenses—you should be able to manage."

"I'm not going to—"

"Claudia," her mother cuts her off when she sees her pushing her chair back. "Listen to your father, he's not finished."

She goes still again, and for a moment she glances at her aunt, but Elvira lowers her eyes to the document, twirling her pen between her fingers, wishing this farce would end—it seems designed for no purpose other than to humiliate her niece.

"We're doing this for your own good, and you'll thank us when it's over."

"I'm not working here. You can't make me."

"Do you want your card back? Your standing in this family?" her father says, his voice a quiet threat.

"My standing?" she asks, confused.

"You will do this, sweetheart," her mother says again, folding her hands on the table. "Because if you don't, you don't just lose the card—I'll write you out of the will, and you'll lose your job at the offices too. Think it through carefully: six months here and you get your life back as a grown, responsible woman, or you get up right now and walk out that door, but then you're on your own."

Elvira opens her mouth and shuts it, furious. This part was never explained to her—no one told her they were going to hand her niece such a drastic ultimatum. But she doesn't have children, and she can't interfere with the way her sister chooses to raise her daughter.

"While you're here you'll comply with the schedule and with any task your aunt assigns you. If you don't, the deal is off and you're left with nothing. No going out on weeknights, no showing up late, no drinking until you can't remember your own name and letting people take photos that… well, anyway. For six months you're going to conduct yourself like a responsible adult."

"You can't control me, and you certainly can't stop me from going out if I feel like it."

"Of course I can," her father says, straightening up and fixing her with a look as if he'd like to strike her down. "While you're here, you'll be under your aunt's supervision—which her assistant… what's the name of the girl we saw in the parking lot?" He frowns as he searches the contract for the name.

"Laia," the lawyer offers.

"Right, Laia," he says, chewing over each syllable. "I've reached an agreement with your aunt—this girl will be a sort of guardian angel, someone who makes sure that when you leave here, you go home instead of heading out to party."

This time she does let out a disbelieving snort.

"You're seriously putting a babysitter on me? Really?"

"We'll do whatever it takes to straighten you out—that's what parents are for. This girl will follow you every day and keep an eye on your building to make sure you don't leave it, and if you do, we'll know, because every week she'll write up a report detailing your every move. She'll hand it to your aunt and to me, and it's what determines whether you get your life back in six months."

"It really isn't that long, honey," Blanca says. "And when it's over, you'll thank us."

Claudia stands up and grabs her coat.

"Maybe being cut off is the better deal. At least I'd have control over my own life for once."

She pushes the chair aside and walks toward the door, but before she gets there she feels a hand close around her wrist.

"Claudia, wait."

When she turns, she finds her aunt's eyes on her. Elvira draws her toward the corner and speaks in a low voice.