"I know what he did was wrong. I know he hurt you and tried to destroy everything. But Mr. Rafael..." Her voice cracked slightly. "He's facing fifteen years in prison. Fifteen years. That's basically the rest of his life."
"It's what he deserves."
"Does he though? Does making a mistake, even a terrible mistake, mean he should spend his entire life locked away?" Mrs. Santos's eyes were pleading. "I've known that boy since he was a child. I watched him grow up alongside you. And yes, he made terrible choices. But he's still family."
"He's not family. Not really." I pulled my hand away from Maliya's. "He's my father's wife's mistake. Nothing more."
Mrs. Santos looked confused. "What do you mean?"
"Lorenzo isn't my brother. Not by blood. My father wasn't his father—he was the result of my
