Three weeks had passed since that one night, Damián had been traveling constantly, going to London, New York, then somewhere in Asia. He communicated with the household only through emails and instructions to Doña Elena. With me, there was nothing, not a single glance, not even the curt nod he used to give. I told myself it was for the best. One night, as agreed. But my body betrayed me every single day. I woke up aching, I touched myself at night remembering his hands, his voice, and the way he had held me afterward. It was never enough. Xóchitl kept me grounded. We painted, read stories about kings and princesses, and danced in the garden. She had grown more talkative, more affectionate, and her laughter helped fill the emptiness. But every time I heard the distant sound of the helicopter, my heart would leap, then crash when it wasn’t him. Until tonight. The helicopter landed just after sunset. I was finishing Xóchitl’s bedtime routine when the low thrum of the rotors vibrated t
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