“Mom, have dinner here this afternoon—I’ll be home early.” I smiled, comforted by my daughter’s cheerful voice, never imagining that this very day would turn my world upside down.

Three hours later, when Rafael and the woman returned, the police were waiting. Maricel came home and froze, shocked to see her husband in handcuffs. Rafael struggled:

“Mom! Why are you doing this to me?”

I replied coldly:

“If you did nothing wrong, why fear the consequences?”

Maricel collapsed in tears. I saw her devastation.

That night, I told her everything. She listened silently, sobbing:

“Mom, if you hadn’t been here, I would have lost everything.”

Weeks later, the truth came out: Rafael was drowning in gambling debts and had planned to steal from Maricel and run off with his mistress. He even forged documents for the house transfer.

On the day of the verdict, Rafael kept his head bowed, unable to meet my gaze. A man who had everything had lost it all to greed.Continue reading…