“IF THAT CARD GOES THROUGH, I’LL PAY FOR IT!” – THE MANAGER MOCKED THE FARMER, UNAWARE OF WHO HE WAS DEALING WITH

straw hat, faded by years under the sun, stood in sharp contrast to the polished marble showroom floor.

Each step toward the main counter carried the scent of soil and roasted agave. The store’s general manager, Alejandro—a sharply dressed man in his forties with a tailored Italian suit, slicked-back hair, and a gold watch—looked Mateo up and down with continue reading …