With each bite Carmen offered, Juan felt his privileged world crumbling. Rage welled up inside him. He stood still for a few moments, wondering why he felt this tension. “I can’t allow this,” he finally murmured, determined to confront the truth.
Determined to act, he took a few steps back, but his mind was buzzing with questions. He had to face his wife, his forgotten past, everything he had suppressed in his life for the sake of success. His heart pounding, Juan turned and prepared to return to his truck, but before he could, he heard a distant laugh that stopped him.
An Unexpected Encounter
“Can you imagine living like this, Grandpa?” Carmen said, her melodious voice vibrating in the air. “We’re going to find something better. I promise.” The young woman’s words echoed in his mind, crossing the line of what he had believed.
Without a second thought, Juan walked toward the group and raised his voice, shattering the peaceful atmosphere that had settled over them. “What the hell do you think you’re doing, Carmen?” His tone was one of barely contained fury, on the verge of losing control. The elderly people turned away in fear, while Carmen, frozen, stared at him in astonishment.
“Juan? You here?” Her eyes widened, and her voice held a mixture of panic and surprise. “I…”
“Stealing food?” Juan didn’t stop to listen to the explanation. “I can’t believe you did that, after all these years.”
“You’re not understanding!” Carmen shouted, her nervousness now obvious. “It’s not what you think!” Her hands trembled as she tried to explain, but he interrupted her. “Stop lying!”
