“See you at the ceremony. Ricardo wants to be present. After all, he is also his dad.”
I felt nauseous.
Not out of fear.
But because something deep down told me that Ricardo was not going to arrive as a proud father.
He was going to come to claim what he never sowed.
And I still didn’t know that, that same morning, Emiliano had delivered a report that he had been preparing for months.
A report with altered names, falsified contracts and construction permits.
The first name on the list was Ricardo.
And the worst was yet to be revealed on stage.
PART 3
Ricardo arrived as he always wanted to be seen: expensive suit, shiny watch, smile of an important man.
Daniela was at her side, made up as if for a wedding, with a red dress that was too striking for an academic ceremony. He still clung to that image of eternal youth that he had built in networks, although his eyes brought fatigue and nerves.
When he saw me, he greeted me with a small smile.
—Carmen, what a pleasure. Looks good… good.
That “good” sounded like an insult.
Ricardo didn’t even hug me. He just looked towards the stage, where Emiliano was sitting next to other students.
—Let’s see if it was really a big deal —he said—. Because there are many boys’ prizes.
I looked at him calmly.
—Pay attention.
The ceremony began.
They appointed young people from Monterrey, Guadalajara, Puebla, Mérida. Projects on energy, medicine, drinking water, transportation. Each applause filled the audience with pride.
Then they said:
—Emiliano Torres Vargas.
My son walked to center stage with a serenity that broke me inside. Tall, thin, with the same deep look he had as a baby when he seemed to understand everything without speaking.
The director read:
—Recognized for his research in predictive systems for urban infrastructure and for his collaboration in detecting irregularities that compromised public safety in recent housing developments.
The audience murmured.
The screen behind Emiliano turned on. Dr. Valeria Robles, a researcher recognized for denouncing corruption in public works, appeared.
