There were murmurs, some muffled applause. I wept silently.

The ruling was reserved. Days later, the decision arrived: custody remained with me until Daniel reached the age of majority, and a gradual and respectful visitation schedule was established with Isabella, contingent upon the child’s well-being.

Isabella publicly accepted the decision. Privately, she asked to speak with me. We met without lawyers. She confessed that abandoning him had been her biggest mistake and that money hadn’t filled that void. We agreed on something simple yet difficult: to put Daniel first.

The following months were strange but stable. Daniel graduated high school with honors. Isabella followed the rules, appeared without ostentation, and listened more than she spoke. I continued working, now with the certainty that I had done the right thing. I didn’t win because of wealth or titles, but because of consistency.

We learned that justice doesn’t always separate; sometimes it brings order. And that love, when it is constant, leaves marks that no document can erase. The story didn’t end with a winner and a loser, but with clear responsibilities and a young man who could choose without fear.

Today, Daniel is eighteen and preparing to study law.

See more on the next page

Advertisement

<

←Previous pageNext page→