Part 1: The Price of Survival
Isabella Cruz grew up where hope was rationed. By twenty-three, her life was a loop of exhaustion in a textile factory. Then came Rafael Moreno—a widower forty years older, a man of property and secrets.
People whispered: Marry him, and the debts vanish. The hospital bills for her grandmother would be paid. Isabella hesitated, but Rafael’s voice was steady. “Are you afraid of marrying an old man?” he asked. She only smiled, torn between fear and gratitude.
The wedding was small and silent. That night, Isabella sat on the edge of the bed, trembling. She feared his touch and the life she had traded herself into. But when Rafael entered, he didn't reach for her. He sighed, reached for a thick envelope, and whispered, “Isabella, I need to tell you the truth before it’s too late.”