I endured contempt in my own home until he destroyed my birthday cake with a cruel smile. My son demanded I pay for the luxury handbag I burned belonging to his wife, unaware that I had already uncovered his dirty banking secret.

That same day, we canceled any authorization Mauricio might have had, prepared a formal notice demanding that he and Valeria leave my house, and documented the bank transactions.

When I returned home, Valeria was making juice in my kitchen.

“Good, you’re here,” she said. “Mauricio and I have papers for you to sign. It’s for your own good.”

I placed my bag on the table.

“What a coincidence. I have papers too.”

For the first time, she looked unsure.

Soon after, I also took back my car. Mauricio had been using it for months without paying for gas, insurance, or repairs. When he asked where it was, I simply told him public transportation existed.

Then my daughter Mariana arrived, already convinced by Mauricio that I was “out of control.”

She accused me of being dramatic. Then, almost immediately, she asked for four hundred thousand pesos as an advance on her inheritance.