Nine miles.
Nearly three hours on foot according to the route.
Some sections had no sidewalks.
Several miles followed narrow roads winding through wooded hills.
Sofia stared at the screen.
Then she opened her contacts.
Her thumb hovered over Javier’s name.
For one weak second, she almost called him.
She almost gave him another chance.
Almost asked whether this humiliation had gone far enough.
But then she remembered him saying, Don’t start a scene.
She closed his contact.
Instead, Sofia shared her live location with her mother.
Elena Mendoza.
No dramatic message.
No explanation.
Just the GPS link and four words.
Had a problem. Walking.
Sofia stepped back into the storm.
Thirty minutes later, inside the comfortable warmth of The Pines Manor, Mariana uploaded the video she had recorded.
The family had an extended group chat with dozens of relatives.
Its name was The Alcantara-Ortega Family.
Mariana posted the clip with a caption.
First lesson for the new girl.
The responses appeared immediately.
“Leave her outside when she gets there.”
