The night grew heavy. Shadows stretched long across the small house as Alex sat quietly by the crackling firece, the mes painting his face in flickering gold.


    Across from him, old José sat hunched in his worn wooden chair.


    Neither spoke. The only sound was the faint crackle of the mes.


    Josephine stepped softly from the back room, her voice gentle.


    "Lucia''s asleep." She moved closer and sat down beside Alex, the glow of the fire warming her face.


    For a long moment, silence hung over them.


    Then José stirred suddenly, rising to his feet. "How could I forget? I haven''t served you a drink."


    "I''ll help," Josephine said quickly, springing up before he could refuse.


    He nced at her, sighing as though carrying the weight of unspoken words.


    "You... ah, never mind." Shaking his head, he pointed her toward the tea.


    José lowered himself back into the chair, his tired eyes watching Josephine prepare the tea.


    Something in them shimmered-age, memory, sorrow. The shine of unshed tears.


    Josephine returned with three cups, setting them down gently.


    "Josephine," José asked suddenly, "do you have a family?"


    She paused, the question touching a hidden ache. "I''m an orphan. I never had a real family, but... I had a mother. The woman who ran the orphanage. She raised me as her own."


    José leaned in, questioning her again and again, as if he longed to gather every piece of her story.


    Then he turned sharply toward Alex.


    "Alex! Look at me. I''ve been so caught up in talking, I forgot to ask-have you eaten? Wait here. I''ll make something.”


    He hurried into the kitchen, his frail hands still steady with purpose.


    "Grandpa," Josephine called, rushing after him, "let me help."


    José gave her a grateful nod, and together they began preparing a simple dinner.


    But before the warmth of the kitchen could settle, screeching tires shattered the quiet.


    A car skidded to a stop outside. Momentster, the door mmed open with a thunderous bang.


    A man stormed inside, his voice a whip crack.


    "Father! How many times have I told you? Get out of this broken-down shack! My girlfriend is ashamed every time I bring her here!"


    "Then don''t bring them here," José answered calmly from the kitchen. "We''re not leaving this house."


    The man''s eyes swept the room until theynded on Alex. "And who the hell are you? Who let you in?"


    Alex turned to face him. The man was dressed in a sharp business suit, mid- thirties, his face twisted with contempt.


    "I''m talking to you! Are you mute?"


    "I''m the doctor," Alex said tly.


    The man''s lip curled. "A doctor? Why don''t you just let them die, and I''ll pay you ten times what you make?"


    Alex''s voice was cold. "I''m a doctor, not a hitman."


    He turned away, refusing to give the man his full attention.


    The intruder scoffed, dropping into a chair. "Boring. Father, why won''t you listen? This stinking house isn''t worth rotting in."


    "Maria will nevere back. You''ve wasted decades waiting for her-she''s dead!"


    "Shut your mouth, William!" José roared from the kitchen. His voice cracked with fury.


    "You''re breaking your mother''s heart!"


    William leaned forward, sneering. "I''m waking you up from your delusion. If you want to see Maria so badly, why don''t you just die and meet her in the grave?"


    Josephine saw José''s eyes glisten with tears.


    Her chest tightened. She couldn''t hold back-she stepped forward, facing William head-on.


    "How dare you speak to your father like that?" she snapped.


    William stood, frowning darkly. "And who the hell are you?"


    "I came here with Doctor Alex to help your parents," Josephine shot back.


    "So keep your filthy mouth shut about death. It''s taboo."


    William''s gaze raked over her, slow and calcting. His sneer twisted into something uglier.


    "You''re a beautiful woman. How about you quit working for this doctor? I''ll pay you ten times more. Follow me, and we''ll have fun all day long."


    William''s hand twitched as if to touch Josephine in a way no decent man should. But before he could, she struck first-her palm cracked across his face with a sharp, echoing p.


    "You-how dare you hit me!" William''s eyes zed with shock and fury.


    "That''s for your filthy mouth," Josephine spat, her voice trembling with rage, "for cursing your own parents."


    William''s face twisted red.


    "You think you''re better than me?" He lunged at her, fists curled.


    "Enough, William." José stepped forward, his old voice carrying surprising steel. "What do you want?"


    William''s gaze lingered on Josephine, dripping with both anger and something fouler.


    "If you try to hurt her," José warned, standing between them, "you''ll get nothing from me."


    William snarled, then threw up his hands.


    "Fine. I don''t have time for this. I''m heading out with friendster. Just give me money." He shoved his palm toward José, demanding.


    "I gave you a million dorsst month," José said, frowning.


    "I started a business," William snapped.


    "It failed, so I shut it down."


    "You can''t keep doing this! I won''t give you another cent if you waste it all again,"


    the old man barked, his voice trembling with anger.


    William leaned back, a wicked grin spreading across his face.


    "Oh,e on, old man. You''re going to die soon anyway. What good''s your


    money to you?" he sneered, each word dripping with cruelty.


    "My money is none of your concern," José muttered.


    "Oh, I know what this is." William''sugh was bitter


    "You''re hoarding it for Maria, your precious fost daughter. Pathetic. She''s gone, dead! You should be


    pampering me. I''m your only


    son the only one left to take care of you."


    José''s jaw tightened. "Shut your mouth. You''re nothing but an adopted son."


    William rolled his eyes and bellowed mockingly. "Mother! Mother, Father''s bullying


    me!"


    "Keep your mother out of this," José snapped. "She needs her rest."


    "Then hand me the damn money. Do you think I''d ever set foot in this dump if it wasn''t for that?"


    José sighed, heavy and defeated. He pulled out his phone. "I''ve transferred a hundred thousand dors."


    William''s re could have cut ss. "Are you mocking me, old man? A hundred thousand? That won''t even pay for one night''s party!"


    "Then don''t have the party," José shot back.


    Rage exploded in William''s face. He charged forward, fist cocked, his shadow looming over José.


    "Do you want me to hit you again?


    How long until you learn it''s neveret


    enoun


    Should I break your teeth time? Maybe I''ll kill you instead!"


    Josephine rushed in, nting herself in front of José. "Fight someone your own


    age, you coward! If you''re so desperate, fight me!"


    José''s chest clenched. He had only just met this young woman, yet she was


    willing to risk everything for him.


    William sneered. "If you want to die, I''ll dly grant your wish." He moved to strike


    her.


    "Enough!" José''s voice cracked like thunder. "I''ve sent you a million dors. This will be thest time. Do not ask me again."


    William''s smirk twisted darker. “You


    ?


    don''t decide that, old man. My wallet does. When it''s empty, I''ll be back. And I keeping back. So prepare the money-I''ll take it


    whenever I want."


    He turned and stormed out, mming the door behind him.


    "What a bastard," Josephine muttered.


    José could only sigh. "When he was young, he was polite. Honest. That''s why we


    adopted him. But somewhere along the way, everything changed."


    From the bedroom, a frail voice called out, trembling. "Maria... Maria.....”


    The door creaked open and Lucia appeared, eyes clouded with confusion. She


    shuffled until she found Josephine and clung to her desperately.


    "Don''t leave me again, Maria. Don''t go."


    Josephine''s heart ached. She held the old woman tightly. "I''m not going


    anywhere. Please, lie down and rest."


    "Yes... yes..." Lucia whispered, nodding like a child. "I am hungry."


    Together, they sat down for dinner. Josephine served the table with care, cleaning every dish afterward.


    She carried the trash out the back door into the night air.


    William suddenly emerged from the shadows, swinging a baseball bat.


    It smashed into her back with a sickening thud. Her gasp caught in her throat, and


    the world spun as she crumpled to the ground.


    "You dare p me?" William growled, his voice low and cruel. "Fine. You''ll pay.


    Tonight, you''re mine. We will have fun!"


    He hoisted her limp body and dragged her to his car.


    Without a nce back at the house, he threw her into the back seat, mmed the


    door, and roared off into the darkness.