Chapter 3 - The Vultures Gather
The loud shrieking immediately drew the rest of the family like vultures to a carcass. Karla, Javier’s other sister whose boutique business had completely failed six months prior, leaned against the doorframe with a cruel, mocking smirk on her face.
“Pay her back with what exactly?” Karla scoffed, crossing her arms. “With your cheap farm cheese? Do you even know how much that cream costs? It’s worth more than your entire house in the village.”
Mónica, the eldest sister who was supposedly completing a master's degree she had been enrolled in for five years, let out a vicious, condescending laugh.
“This is exactly why you shouldn't bring country people into a decent, civilized house,” Mónica sneered, looking down at the older woman still kneeling on the floor. “They always claim they just want to help, but they end up ruining absolutely everything they touch. They have no concept of luxury.”
Doña Graciela, Javier’s mother and the matriarch of the parasites, finally appeared in the hallway. She wore a silk robe and an expression of pure, unadulterated elitism. She didn't know that Natalia had just stepped out of her office and was standing perfectly still at the top of the stairs, listening to every word.
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“These women simply do not understand the concept of boundaries,” Doña Graciela said loudly, making sure her voice carried. “They are so used to cleaning other people's houses like the maids they are, they actually believe they have the right to touch our belongings.”
Up on the landing, Natalia felt something cold and heavy lodge itself directly in her chest. For years, she had silently endured their passive-aggressive remarks disguised as jokes. They mocked her mother’s accent. They complained her cooking smelled too strong. They constantly reminded Natalia how "lucky" she was to have married into a "refined" family like Javier's. Yet, Natalia was the one paying the mortgage on this multi-million peso house. Natalia’s accounts funded Jimena's makeup courses, Karla's failed store, and Doña Graciela's private consultations. They called her mother a maid, while living entirely off Natalia’s hard work.
