My stepdaughter called me a servant at my own table, so I removed my card from everything she used.

Always wanting to correct me.

Then Fabián leaned forward. Not toward me. Toward her.

—She’s not your daughter, Adriana. Don’t correct her.

That’s when I understood it wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment thing. He had been thinking about it.

I nodded once.

-Alright.

The dinner continued, awkward and fake. Ximena went back to her phone. Fabián stayed put as if he’d continue reading …