PART 3 — The Secret Ofelia Buried for Twenty Years
The folder fell from the old woman’s hands.
Not because she dropped it.
Because Sofía Mendoza no longer had the strength to hold herself together.
For three months, she had believed she was fighting grief.
Now she realized…
She had been fighting a nightmare.
The woman standing at her door introduced herself as Elena Robles.
She was a retired nurse.
A woman with tired eyes and trembling hands.
And according to her…
She had known Ofelia Barragán for more than twenty years.
—You need to know the truth before they convince everyone that this was just a family tragedy —Elena whispered.
Sofía looked at the folder.
Then back at the woman.
—Who are those babies?
Elena took a deep breath.
—Children whose deaths were never investigated properly.
The words hit Sofía like a storm.
She opened the folder.
Inside were newspaper clippings.
Medical reports.
Photographs.
Letters.
The first page showed a young couple smiling beside a newborn baby.
A normal family.
A happy family.
Until the headline caught Sofía’s eyes.
“Three-month-old baby dies unexpectedly after falling ill at home.”
Sofía’s hands started shaking.
The second file.
Another baby.
Another family.
Another tragedy.
The third.
Another.
And another.
Every case had the same pattern.
A healthy baby.
A sudden illness.
A grandmother who was always present.
And a mother who was blamed.
Sofía covered her mouth.
—No…
Elena nodded sadly.
—Ofelia has always been good at one thing.
She paused.
—Making people believe she is the victim.
At that moment, memories flooded Sofía’s mind.
Every conversation.
Every insult.
Every moment Ofelia made her doubt herself.
The first day she brought Gael and Bruno home.
Ofelia had looked around the house and sighed.
—This is how you’re raising children?
Sofía had smiled nervously.
—I’m learning.
Ofelia had smiled back.
But there was no kindness in it.
—Some women are born mothers.
She looked at the babies.
—Others just give birth.
Sofía remembered that sentence.
She remembered crying in the bathroom afterward.
And Mauricio…
He did nothing.
Nothing.
Elena sat down slowly.
—You need to understand something. Ofelia doesn’t hate children.
Sofía looked confused.
—Then why?
The old nurse looked at the empty hallway.
—Because she hates anyone who takes someone away from her.
A cold silence filled the room.
—When Mauricio married you, you became the most important woman in his life.
Elena looked at Sofía.
—And Ofelia couldn’t accept that.
Sofía closed her eyes.
She finally understood.
The twins were not the beginning.
They were the final step.
The goal was never just the babies.
The goal was destroying her.
Taking away everything she loved.
Her family.
Her reputation.
Her sanity.
Her life.
Suddenly…
The front door opened.
Sofía turned.
Mauricio stood there.
His face was exhausted.
His eyes were red.
But when he saw Elena…
His expression changed.
Fear.
Real fear.
—What is she doing here?
Elena stood.
—Telling your wife the truth.
Mauricio looked at Sofía.
—Don’t listen to her.
Sofía stared at him.
The man she had loved for ten years.
The man who promised to protect her.
The man who betrayed her.
—How many times did you lie to me?
Mauricio swallowed.
—Sofía…
—How many times did you watch me cry and pretend you didn’t know why?
He looked away.
That was his answer.
Sofía felt something inside her die.
Not love.
Something worse.
Trust.
Then Mauricio whispered:
—I never wanted this.
Sofía laughed bitterly.
A broken laugh.
—But you allowed it.
He had no response.
Because it was true.
After a long silence, Mauricio finally spoke.
—My mother told me the babies were only going to be sick.
Sofía froze.
—What?
He looked ashamed.
—She said if the babies became weak, people would believe you couldn’t handle motherhood.
His voice cracked.
—She said you would leave.
Sofía stared at him.
—And you believed her?
Mauricio closed his eyes.
—She raised me to believe that nobody would ever love me the way she did.
A tear fell from his face.
—She made me afraid of losing her.
Sofía’s expression hardened.
—So you sacrificed your children because you were afraid of your mother?
Mauricio had no answer.
Then…
Elena interrupted.
—There’s something else.
Both of them looked at her.
She reached into the folder and pulled out one final document.
A medical report.
From twenty years ago.
Sofía read the name.
Her blood turned cold.
Patient: Ofelia Barragán.
The report was from when Mauricio was only eight years old.
—What is this?
Elena hesitated.
—The first time Ofelia tried to destroy a family.
Sofía looked down.
The report described a child.
A little boy.
Mauricio.
And a mysterious illness.
The notes from the doctor said:
“Symptoms inconsistent with diagnosis. Possible external substance exposure.”
Sofía looked up.
—She did this to her own son?
Elena nodded.
—She made Mauricio sick when he was a child.
Silence.
—Why?
The old nurse answered:
—Because when Mauricio was sick, everyone focused on Ofelia.
Sofía felt sick.
This wasn’t about jealousy.
It wasn’t about control.
It was something much darker.
Ofelia had spent her entire life creating situations where she could be needed.
Where people depended on her.
Where she was the hero.
Even if she had to become the villain first.
Suddenly, Sofía’s phone rang.
Unknown number.
She answered.
A man’s voice spoke.
—Mrs. Mendoza?
—Who is this?
—My name is Dr. Ricardo Salas.
Sofía froze.
The doctor who treated Gael and Bruno.
—Why are you calling me?
There was silence on the other end.
Then he said:
—Because I reviewed your twins’ medical files again.
Sofía’s heart started racing.
—And?
The doctor lowered his voice.
—Your babies were not killed by medicine in the bottles.
Sofía stopped breathing.
—What?
—The substance found in their system was much more complicated.
A pause.
Then:
—Someone with medical knowledge helped create it.
Sofía looked at Elena.
Then at Mauricio.
The doctor continued:
—And there is another problem.
Her hands tightened around the phone.
—What problem?
The doctor whispered:
—The person who gave me the twins’ medical information…
Was not Ofelia.
It was someone else.
Someone who wanted Ofelia to take the blame.
Someone who had been manipulating everyone from the beginning.
And then the doctor said the name.
The name that made Sofía’s entire world collapse again.
May you like
“It was your own husband, Mauricio Mendoza.”
TO BE CONTINUED…
