The judge banged his gavel, a sound that echoed like a thunderclap of justice.
“The system failed. But today, humanity triumphed. I deny the DIF’s request. I grant legal custody, temporary and with a view to permanent adoption, to Mr. Mateo. And I order a criminal investigation for labor rights violations against the company owned by Miss Valeria’s family.”
The room erupted in applause, shouts, and tears. Mateo fell to his knees, covering his face as he wept inconsolably. Sofía ran to him and they embraced with tremendous force.
Six months passed. The cold mansion in Polanco had been transformed. Toys were scattered everywhere, there were baby food stains on the walls, and the constant sound of laughter filled the air. Mateo sat on the living room floor, wearing a lint-covered business suit, watching Santi take his first steps toward him while Sofía clapped excitedly.
Mateo had lost his high-society fiancée and some elitist “friends,” but when he looked at those three children who had given him back his soul, he knew the truth. Bl00d makes you related, but only love, sacrifice, and the courage to face the whole world for the well-being of an innocent person make you family. And he had found his at a red light, in the middle of the city traffic.
