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"Why?"

"I don't know…" Claudia leans forward and pulls a few blades of grass from the garden, twisting them between her fingers as she watches them. "In their eyes I never do anything right, no matter what I do—everything seems wrong to them. Even thinking for myself feels like a crime in that house."

Elvira turns slightly toward her and crosses one leg over the other, listening closely.

"They're determined to have me in the offices learning the business so I can take over management and honor the damn family name. They even made me study business administration, but I don't want any of that." She pauses and takes her first sip from her glass. "That's why they wear me down so much—they've been pushing for years and I still haven't given in."

"And you punish them by acting out," Elvira concludes.

Claudia gives a vague shrug.

"I just go out because I don't want to think," she says quietly. "I know it's not very mature, but when I'm out I think less, and if it also pisses them off…" She clicks her tongue when she realizes how pathetic that sounds. "I'm a mess. I don't even know why they keep pushing so hard—it's obvious I'm not cut out for any of that or anything like it."

"Don't say that. What I see is a woman on the verge of a breakdown, nothing more—but what I ask myself is what the real reason is that you need to punish them in a way that ends up hurting you too."

"Because that I know how to do," she blurts out, without thinking.

"And what is it you don't know how to do?"

Claudia stares at the dark liquid in her glass, then turns to face her aunt.

"Stand up to them. Hold my ground. Tell them they've spent my whole life telling me that everything I loved was a waste of time, that they forced me to study a degree I didn't want, and that they decided my future without asking me—just because I carry this damn name," she spits out, furious at herself. "I've never wanted to run the company. I have no interest in desk work."

"So what do you want, then, Claudia?" Elvira asks, making her say it out loud.

She goes quiet, staring at her hands as she rests her elbows on her knees. Elvira doesn't push—she simply watches and gives her whatever space she needs.

"Design, I guess," she finally answers, without looking up. "It's what I always wanted, but according to my mom it was a stupid hobby that would never pay the bills. She said it was really hard to get anyone to buy my designs and that the sensible thing was to sell other people's designs." A bitter laugh escapes her. "And that's exactly what I do—I update her website to sell what other people design."

Rage washes over Elvira. She's never gotten along with her sister—too self-centered and selfish to consider anyone else—but she never could have imagined it would extend to her own daughter, on whom she's imposed dreams that aren't hers after dismissing the ones that were.

"You just said it to me."

Claudia sits up, confused.

"What?"

"You said you don't know how to stand up to them, but you just put into words everything you want to say to them—here, with me. So you can do it with them too. You don't owe them anything, Claudia—not your mother, not your father. You don't owe them the degree they made you get, or the years you've wasted in those offices, or a single day more of your life doing something you don't want to do. You still have time to choose your own path." She takes Claudia's hand as Claudia covers her eyes with the other and leans forward. "Look at me, please."

Claudia sniffles, presses her fingers against her eyes, and tries to breathe slowly before turning toward her.

"I know I'm coming into your life very late. I should have been there and I wasn't, and that's something I'll regret for the rest of mine. But I'm here now, and if you'll let me, I don't want to leave it again. You have my full support—I'll help you with whatever I can, including standing up to my sister."

"That I want to do myself," Claudia says, because one thing is what she always does—complaining and telling them she doesn't want the position, but carrying on anyway without ever being able to say enough.

"Yeah, but if you need me by your side I'll be there—just for moral support. And afterward we can go get drunk together."

Claudia smiles.

"First I need to figure out what I actually want to do, and right now my head is too much of a mess. I don't think I could go back to school."

"Well, take your time to think it through. You don't need to go back to school to do what you love." Elvira takes a sip because her mouth has gone dry. "In my factory you have access to everything you need to learn. Use Remei—ask her every question you've got. That woman is an endless source of knowledge, I promise you. Besides, you know perfectly well that the best learning happens right in the thick of things, not studying theory."

"Thank you," she says with a smile, sniffling again.

"You're welcome."

"Can I ask you something?" Claudia says.