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María’s breath caught in her throat.
For one terrifying second, every fear she had buried over the past few months crashed into her mind at once.
She pushed the bathroom door open so hard it slammed against the wall.
“Alejandro!”
Both Alejandro and Sofía jumped.
Alejandro immediately stood and stepped away from the bathtub, raising his hands in surprise.
“María? What are you doing home?”
She rushed straight to her daughter, wrapping a towel around her tiny shoulders and pulling her close.
“What happened?” she demanded, her voice shaking.
Sofía clung tightly to her mother.
Alejandro looked completely confused.
“I was just helping her clean the scrape on her knee.”
María looked down.
Only then did she notice the basin beside the tub. Inside was warm water, a bottle of antiseptic, clean gauze, and several colorful waterproof bandages decorated with cartoon animals.
The bruise on Sofía’s knee was fresh.
Still, María couldn’t ignore everything that had happened over the past weeks.
“Leave the room,” she said firmly.
Alejandro hesitated.
“María—”
“Now.”
Without another word, he walked into the hallway and quietly closed the door behind him.
María knelt in front of her daughter.
“My love,” she whispered. “I need you to tell me the truth. No matter what it is, you won’t get in trouble.”
Sofía stared at the floor.
After a long silence, she finally spoke.
“The boys at school push me.”
María felt her stomach twist.
“They say I’m weird.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”