Then he ran off with the girls to teach them how to make paper flowers.
Mateo looked at her, his chest tight. It wasn't curiosity anymore. It wasn't guilt anymore.
He was in love.
But he also understood something terrible: the more he loved her, the more unforgivable his lie was.
And the next day she decided to reveal the truth, without imagining that that truth could destroy everything…
PART 3
The watch shop was full when Mateo Herrera walked in wearing a custom-made dark gray suit.
The murmur died away immediately. Her polished shoes clicked onto the marble floor with a confidence that had nothing to do with the man in the old t-shirt who had walked in days before.
Fernanda saw it first.
"You again?" he said contemptuously. "Did you finally manage to borrow some clothes?"
Mateo didn't even look at her. He walked to the center of the store, took out a black folder, and spoke in a voice that made even the manager tremble.
—Good afternoon. I am Mateo Herrera, CEO and owner of Grupo Herrera.
The air went out.
Fernanda went white. Mariana looked down. The manager felt his shirt collar tighten.
Lucia dropped the cloth she was holding.
"Matthew?" she whispered.
He looked at her with a mixture of pride and fear.
—I came to this branch dressed as an ordinary man to see how they treated people when they thought they had no money. And I found two things: arrogance in those who should be serving, and dignity in those who never needed to put on a show.
He opened the folder.
"I have videos of mockery, discrimination, manipulated commissions, and workplace abuse. Fernanda, you're fired. Mariana, human resources will review your case. And you," she said to the manager, "are suspended for allowing it."
Fernanda started to cry.
—Mr. Herrera, I didn't know it was you.
"That's the problem," Mateo replied. "It didn't have to be me to deserve respect."
Then he turned towards Lucia.
—Lucía Ramírez will be promoted to senior consultant effective today. Her salary will triple. And she will have my direct support.
He hoped to see her happy. He hoped for relief, gratitude, perhaps a smile.
But Lucia was pale.
"Was it all a test?" he asked.
Mateo lost his smile.
—Not exactly. I wanted to know the truth.
"My truth or your power?" she said, her voice breaking. "You saw me crawling in the street looking for a wallet that was never lost. You let me tell you about my life in the orphanage while you hid the fact that you were my boss. And now you come here to reward me in front of everyone as if I were some kind of hero for your good deed of the month?"
—Lucía, I wanted to protect you.
—I don't need you to protect me by lying to me.
The entire store was listening.
"You didn't see me as a person," she continued. "You saw me as an answer to your question: 'Are there still good people?' And I wasn't born to prove humanity to a bored millionaire."
Mateo wanted to approach.
-I'm sorry.
-Me too.
See the rest on the next page.
