“Dad… who is she?”

Carlos swallowed.

“It’s… my boss.

The woman on the sofa slowly turned her head.

“Carlos… what’s wrong?”

Carlos walked towards her carefully.

“Nothing, love. Only… a visit.

Laura took a step inside the house without asking permission.

Something inside her—something that was normally buried under layers of discipline and distance—told her that she should understand what was going on.

“Is she sick?” He finally asked.

Carlos took a few seconds to answer.

“Yes.

His voice was low.

“Very sick.

Laura crossed her arms.

“And that’s why you missed work three times?”

Carlos looked up.

There was no rage in his eyes.

Only tiredness.

A deep tiredness.

“My wife has kidney failure.

Laura blinked.

“Since when?”

“Two years ago.

Two years.

Laura felt a slight chill.

“And you never mentioned it?”

Carlos shook his head.

“I didn’t want problems at work.

Laura looked at the woman again.

His breathing was irregular.

“Are you receiving treatment?”

Carlos hesitated.

“Sometimes.

Laura frowned.

—What does “sometimes” mean?

Carlos closed his eyes for a moment.

“When we can afford it.”

The silence fell like a stone.

Laura looked around the house.

The old furniture.

The peeling paint.

Children.

The baby.

Suddenly, everything began to make sense.

“How many children do you have?” he asked.

“Three.

Laura breathed slowly.

“And you work cleaning offices at night…” and taking care of them during the day?

Carlos nodded.

“My wife can’t get up anymore.

Laura looked at the woman again.

His hands were very thin.

Too much.

“Why didn’t you ask for help?”

Carlos let out a small sad laugh.

“Because people like me don’t ask for help.

That phrase hit something inside Laura.

Something I didn’t expect to feel.

Shame.

For years I had seen Carlos every night cleaning his office.

Always punctual.

Always in silence.

He never imagined that, after finishing his shift, he would return to a house full of impossible responsibilities.

“Why was he absent this week?” Laura finally asked.

Carlos looked at the ground.

“Because the hospital said my wife needs dialysis urgently.

Laura felt her chest tighten.

“And you haven’t taken it?”

Carlos looked up.

His eyes were red.

“It costs more than I earn in three months.

Laura froze.

In his world, that amount of money was… nothing.

A dinner.

A watch.

A weekend.

But in this house… it was the difference between life and death.

The baby cried again.

Carlos carried him with one hand while with the other he tried to calm the little boy.

Laura felt something strange in her chest.

A sensation I didn’t remember feeling in a long time.

Humanity.

He slowly approached the sofa.

The woman looked at her with a faint smile.

“Sorry for the mess…

Laura didn’t know what to say.

No one had ever apologized to her for being sick.

He looked at Carlos.

“When do you need treatment?”

“Today.

Laura pulled out her phone.

He dialed a number.

—Patricia.

There was a silence on the other side.

“I want you to call the Central Hospital.”

Have a private room and full dialysis treatment set up for a patient named Elena Rodriguez.

Carlos raised his head.

“Madam… no—

Laura raised a hand.

“You also arrange medical transportation right now.

Patricia hesitated.

—At the expense of the company?

Laura looked at the three children.

Then the pale woman on the sofa.

“No.

His voice was firm.

“At my expense.”

Carlos seemed unable to speak.

Her eyes filled with tears.

“Madam… I can’t afford that.

Laura put the phone away.

“I’m not asking you to pay for it.

The little boy looked at Laura curiously.

“Is my