His face burned from the slaps, but the pain was nothing compared to the overwhelming collapse and anguish in his heart.
In that moment, Gerardo felt more than just anger, he was drowning in regret and guilt.
If he had known his whole marriage was just one big betrayal and humiliation, he would never have sacrificed his own mother for that mother-daughter pair.
For twenty years, he hadn't even looked at her. Even when she came to see him, he had pushed her away, refusing to let her in.
Thinking about all of it made Gerardo feel like the most worthless person alive, and a painful, broken wail tore from his throat.
Watching Gerardo cry and lash out, Maria felt too exhausted to even mock him.
Just when she thought she was about to be suffocated for real, fresh air suddenly rushed into her lungs. She felt like a stranded fish that had been thrown back into the water.
