I worked until exhaustion.
When work started, Rosa took me to a small private clinic. There were no family members waiting outside. Nobody took my hand except Rosa.
The birth was difficult.
I remember hearing a baby cry.
Then I heard a nurse scream that there was another child.
Twins.
I didn’t know because I had barely received medical follow-up during my pregnancy.
They put the first baby in my arms. He had black hair and the smallest fingers I had ever seen. I called her Valentina.
They took the second baby away before I could see his face.
A few minutes later, a doctor came back and told me I hadn’t survived.
I cried until I was exhausted.
For years, I carried the weight of this girl’s pain that I was never able to hug.
Valentina has become my reason for living.
She worked as a waitress during the day and studied at night. While she slept, she made bracelets, bags and small accessories that she sold online. At first, I only received one or two orders a week.
Then, a photo of my handmade jewelry went viral.
Orders began to arrive from all over the country. I hired two women to help me. Then ten. A small online store became a brand, and the brand became an international company.
Six years later, we bought our first house.
Ten years later, he owned stores throughout Mexico.
A los treinta y cinco años, era más rica de lo que la niña asustada a la que habíamos echado a la calle jamás podría haber imaginado.
Pero el éxito no lo ha curado todo.
Cada cumpleaños me recordaba que debería haber habido dos chicas a mi lado.
Y cada vez que miraba a Valentina, me preguntaba cómo sería su gemela.
Veinte años después de que mis padres me rechazaran, decidí volver.
Pensaba que iba a volver para demostrarles que había sobrevivido sin ellos. Quería que vieran a la mujer que habían abandonado.
Llegué en un Mercedes negro y me detuve frente a la casa de mi infancia.
La casa parecía más pequeña que en mis recuerdos. La puerta estaba oxidada, las paredes agrietadas y la maleza había invadido la cancha donde yo había jugado antes.
Me acerqué a la puerta principal y llamé.
Una joven abrió.
Durante unos segundos, permanecimos en silencio.
It looked like he had suffered a stroke.
I had my eyes, my cheekbones and the same little mark above my left eyebrow that Valentina has had since she was born.
My heart started beating the chamade.
—Who are you looking for? —she asked.
Before she could respond, my parents appeared behind her.
My mother covered her mouth.
My father was furious.
I looked at them and smiled coldly.
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