I stood at the edge of the sprawling dining area, my feet rooted to the ground as my gaze settled on the scene unfolding before me. Rafael sat at the head of the long, ornate table, his powerful presence impossible to ignore.
He was surrounded by his father, Carlos, whose commanding aura matched his own, his brother Mateo, who always seemed to carry a shadow of resentment in his sharp features, and his two eldest sons, Santiago and Julian, who were already learning to mimic their father’s effortless confidence.
Laughter rippled through the group, Rafael’s especially loud and full, his shoulders shaking with a mirth that seemed too genuine for someone like him. The sound filled the air, mingling with the clinking of crystal glasses and the low hum of familial chatter. The glow from the c
