I was sitting in the doctor’s waiting room when my phone rang. It was Angela, my only daughter. Her voice sounded strange, almost cold, as she said, “Mom, we’re going to Europe tomorrow. I already sold your beach house and your car.”

I had decisions to make. I could call a lawyer, reclaim my property, recover everything that had been taken from me. But something told me there was a better way to handle this, a more educational way. I called Jorge, the lawyer who had handled Roberto’s affairs.
He had been present at the funeral, had offered his condolences, and had told me that if I needed anything, I shouldn’t hesitate to call him. Well, now I needed him. Mr. Antonia, it’s nice to hear from you. How are you feeling? Fine, Jorge. I need to see you urgently. I found some documents of Roberto’s that I don’t quite understand.

Of course, you can come to my office tomorrow morning. I’ll be there. That night, for the first time in months, I slept soundly. I dreamed of Roberto. He was sitting in his favorite chair reading the newspaper like every morning. And when he saw me, he smiled and said, “It’s about time, my love. It’s about time you stood up for yourself.” I woke up with a strange feeling.
It wasn’t exactly happiness, but it wasn’t the sadness I’d felt for so many months either. It was something close to determination. For the first time since Roberto’s death, I had a clear purpose. I was going to take back what was mine, but not in the way Angela expected. The next morning, I got ready with more care than usual. I put on my wine-colored dress, the one Roberto always said made me look elegant.
I combed my hair, put on a little makeup, and when I looked in the mirror, I saw a woman I hadn’t seen in a long time. I saw a strong woman. Jorge’s office was downtown. It was an old but elegant building, with marble floors and large windows.

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Jorge greeted me with a warm smile, but when I showed him the documents, his expression changed completely. Mr. Antonia, this is much more than I imagined. Roberto was a very intelligent man. Look, according to these papers, you are the owner. I know, Jorge, I already reviewed them. What I need to know is what I can do legally.
Jorge explained to me that everything was in order, that the documents were legitimate, that I was the rightful owner of all those properties. He also confirmed something I already suspected. The sale of the beach house had been illegal because Angela had no right to sell it. We can recover the house immediately, Mrs. Antonia, and we can also proceed legally against your daughter for fraud. No, Jorge, I don’t want to proceed legally.

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