Chapter 4 - The Sound of the Slap
The front door chimed open, signaling Javier’s arrival. He walked into the foyer, tossing his briefcase onto the entry table. Hearing the commotion echoing from the hallway, he marched toward Jimena's room. He was the golden boy of the family, raised to believe that his mere presence commanded absolute authority.
When Javier arrived at the scene, he didn't stop to ask a single question. He didn't look up to see his wife standing paralyzed on the staircase. He didn't even look down at Doña Refugio, who was still frantically trying to gather the sharp shards of glass with her bare, trembling fingers. He only saw his mother and his sisters looking highly distressed over a spilled jar of cosmetics, and his fragile male ego decided that immediate, violent action was required to restore order.
He walked straight toward the sixty-two-year-old woman.
Without a single word of warning, Javier raised his hand and slapped his mother-in-law violently across the face.
The sound of the impact was dry, sharp, and utterly horrific. It echoed through the massive house, sounding exactly like a thick crystal glass shattering against a marble floor.
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Doña Refugio gasped, her body giving way under the force of the blow. She fell sideways, tumbling out of the bedroom and crashing onto the beige rug in the living room. One of her calloused hands flew up to cover her stinging cheek, while the other desperately searched the floor for leverage she could not find.
On the dining table, the beautiful feast she had spent hours cooking—the red rice, the almond chicken, the fresh tortillas—still sat perfectly arranged. The steam had entirely dissipated, leaving the food growing cold. But the sheer, paralyzing humiliation in the room was burning hot.
