Desperate, I went to the notary’s office…

without imagining that the reading would change everything

I didn’t want to be there.

Still, I stood upright, arms crossed, feeling the hostile stares burning into my back. The notary’s office was far too silent, far too formal, and the air felt heavy.

— Mrs. Valenzuela, I’m glad you decided to join us, — said the notary, Gustavo Herrera, in a professional tone as he organized several documents on the desk.

— I had no other choice, counselor — I replied without turning around. — Although I still don’t understand why I’m here.

— You will understand shortly — he said, adjusting his glasses. — Don Ricardo was very specific.

A chill ran down my spine.

Behind me, I knew exactly who was sitting there: Javier, my ex-husband; Camila, the mistress who had taken my place; and Doña Mercedes, my former mother-in-law — the woman who had always made my life miserable.

— Helena, sit down already, — Javier snapped impatiently. — Let’s get this over with.

— I prefer to stand, — I replied coldly.

Doña Mercedes scoffed, as dramatic as ever.

I slowly turned to face them.

Javier looked impeccable in his expensive suit, wearing that false confidence I knew all too well. Camila, with her blue-dyed hair and nervous smile, tried to appear confident. And Doña Mercedes… she was the same as always: judgmental eyes, superior posture, as if the world owed her something.

— Then let’s begin, — announced the notary.

And at that moment, my mind went back in time.

One week earlier

I was alone in my small architecture office, reviewing blueprints, when my phone rang. It was nearly midnight.

— Architect Valenzuela? This is notary Gustavo Herrera. I apologize for the late call, but it’s important.

— Yes?

— It concerns the will of Mr. Ricardo Castellanos. He passed away yesterday and left explicit instructions that you be present at the reading.

It felt as though a bucket of cold water had been poured over me.

Don Ricardo.

Javier’s father.

The only member of that family who had ever treated me with respect during our seven years of marriage.

— There must be a mistake, — I said. — I divorced his son over a year ago.

— There is no mistake, ma’am. Don Ricardo was very clear. The reading will take place next Tuesday at ten in the morning. Your presence is essential.

After hanging up, I stood frozen by the window, staring at the lights of Monteverde, the elegant neighborhood in Mexico City where I once believed I would be happy.

Seven years destroyed the moment I found Javier and Camila together… in my own home.

The next day, I called Patricia, my best friend and lawyer.

— Are you crazy? Of course you have to go, — she said as we drank coffee together. — If Don Ricardo included you, it must be for an important reason.

— I don’t want to see them — I replied. — Not Javier, not his mother, and certainly not that woman. You know how hard it was to leave that marriage.

I lifted my sleeve and showed her the scar on my wrist — a reminder of the day I shattered a mirror after discovering the betrayal.

— I don’t want anything more from the Castellanos family.

Patricia took my hands firmly.

— Helena, you’re 35 years old and you have your whole life ahead of you. Whatever it is, this will give you closure. If you don’t go, you’ll carry that doubt forever.

I sighed.

— Doña Mercedes always hated me. From the very first day, she made me feel inferior.

— Because she knew you were worth more than that entire family combined.

I remembered the first time I met Don Ricardo. While Doña Mercedes criticized my dress for being too simple, he asked me about my sustainable architecture projects. He was the only one who saw me as a professional, not as an accessory to his son.

— I’ll go, — I decided. — But not for them. For Don Ricardo.

The day of the reading

On the morning of the reading, I dressed in a navy-blue suit. My armor.

With every button I fastened, I built a wall around my heart. I would not give them the satisfaction of seeing me weak.

The notary’s building, in the Roma district, gleamed under the October sun when I arrived.

Now, inside, the notary cleared his throat and began to read.

— “This is the will of Ricardo Castellanos…”

Every word echoed through the room.

Doña Mercedes straightened in her chair. Javier crossed his arms. Camila gripped her handbag tightly.

— “I bequeath my assets as follows…”

The notary paused and looked directly at me.

— To Mrs. Helena Valenzuela, I leave my house in Monteverde, as well as sixty percent of my total estate.

The silence was absolute.

— WHAT? — Doña Mercedes shouted, jumping to her feet. — That’s impossible!

— My father must have been confused! — Javier protested. — She’s no longer part of the family!

The notary raised his hand.

— Mr. Castellanos left an explanatory letter.

He opened the envelope and read:

“Helena was the only person in this family who treated me with dignity. While everyone else saw status, she saw purpose. When my son betrayed his vows, she was the one who preserved honor. I trust her more than anyone else.”

My eyes burned, but I remained standing.

— The remaining forty percent shall be divided between my son Javier and my wife Mercedes, — the notary concluded.

Doña Mercedes looked pale. Camila avoided everyone’s gaze. Javier seemed to have aged ten years in seconds.

— This is absurd, — he hissed.

I stood even taller.

— No, Javier. This is consequence.

I picked up my purse and walked toward the door.

Before leaving, I turned back just once.

— Don Ricardo was the only man in that family who understood what character meant. Today, I finally understand why.

I stepped outside and took a deep breath.

The sun was still there. The world kept moving.

But something inside me had changed.

It wasn’t revenge.
It wasn’t money.

It was justice.

And for the first time in a long while, I felt that a chapter had closed — not with pain, but with dignity.