The hat had been poorly constructed. A stiff piece of plastic from the inner seam had broken through and was pressing directly into Leo’s scalp. Every time he moved, the plastic dug deeper, irritating the same sensitive spot again and again. The pressure and pain mimicked neurological symptoms, tricking doctors into assuming a psychological disorder.
Maria cleaned the irritated skin with a warm herbal infusion she brought from home, something her grandmother had used to soothe her own children. Leo let out a soft, relieved whimper.
In that moment, Roberto burst into the room, panic twisting his features. But when he saw Leo calm in Maria’s arms and the broken piece of plastic in her hand—his expression shifted from fear to stunned realization.
All this time, the suffering had come from something simple. Something avoidable. Something overlooked in a house obsessed with protocols.
When Lorena returned, shaken by the discovery, her façade cracked. Her intentions had never been malicious—only rooted in overwhelming fear of failing as a stepmother. She had relied too heavily on medical warnings she barely understood, creating a world of restrictions that unintentionally worsened Leo’s condition.
