I came back early and found my wife silently washing dishes; my own family had her hidden away as a servant, and when I heard them tell her, “You should be grateful to be here,” I knew everything was rotten.

“I… didn’t want problems.”

That was enough. This wasn’t one night—it was a pattern.

Vanessa crossed her arms.
“Mom said this is best. Lucía doesn’t know how to behave around people like us.”

I stayed calm.
“Taking care of her? By making her clean your mess?”

“They’re just dishes,” she replied.