“There they are,” Valeria said, pointing at Mateo, who was holding Sofía behind him like a human shield. “He’s out of his mind. He brought those street children in and refuses to let them go.”
Attorney Mendoza stepped forward, holding a folder.
“Mr. Mateo, hand over the children. They will go to a public shelter. You have no legal rights over them, and keeping them is a federal crime.”
Mateo felt his bl00d boil. He knew all too well what the public shelters in the country were like: overcrowded places where three orphaned siblings, especially three-month-old babies, would be immediately separated and perhaps never see each other again. Sofia clutched his pants with her trembling little hands, murmuring, “Don’t let them separate us, please, I beg you.”
“I didn’t kidnap them, I saved them from starving to de:ath on the street while the system you represent did absolutely nothing,” Mateo replied firmly. “I demand 48 hours. My lawyers will arrange for temporary custody. If you take them, it will be by force and in front of security cameras.”
Valeria, furious at the humiliation, ripped off her 3-carat engagement ring and threw it at his chest.
“You’re crazy. I’m calling off the wedding. I’m going to make sure Mexican high society turns its back on you. You’ll regret choosing street rats over me.”
When Valeria and the authorities temporarily withdrew due to the intervention of Mateo’s powerful lawyers, the real test began. Over the next 48 hours, Mateo experienced both unconditional love and utter exhaustion. Sofía taught him how to change diapers, how to check the temperature of his baby’s milk on his wrist, and how to soothe Diego’s colic by singing softly. Mateo canceled all his meetings and lost the 50 million deal, but when Santi smiled at him for the first time while feeding him a bottle at 3 a.m., he knew his old life had been worthless.
But Valeria’s revenge was lethal. Using her family’s power, she bought off tabloid media outlets. The next day, gossip magazines and local newspapers were plastered with Mateo’s face and disgusting headlines: “The Fake Philanthropist: Millionaire Goes Crazy and Kidnaps Children.” Public pressure on the DIF (National System for Integral Family Development) grew exponentially. Attorney Mendoza returned the following day with a search and seizure warrant. They were going to break down the door if necessary.
Cornered, Mateo made a radical decision. He took out his phone and opened Facebook. He started a live broadcast.
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