Chapter 6 - THE POISONED FEAST
The dinner table was set with exquisite care,
featuring fine china and polished silver.
Renata poured dark red wine into two crystal glasses,
her movements elegant and relaxed.
She acted as if they were celebrating a joyous return,
rather than hiding a captive upstairs.
Andrés sat opposite her,
his face a mask of calm military discipline.
He sipped the wine,
finding it bitter,
though he knew it was just his anger.
Renata began to speak,
using clinical terms she had clearly rehearsed for days.
She talked about your mother’s sudden exercises,
her unprovoked aggression toward me.
She brought up the concept of amnesia,
suggesting the onset of severe dementia.
She claimed that the family doctor had already visited,
strongly recommending an immediate psychiatric evaluation.
From beneath the table,
she pulled out a thick leather folder,
placing it gently next to his plate.
These are the legal documents,
Andrés,
she said,
her voice dripping with sweet concern.
I need you to authorize these procedures,
to sign the commitment papers tonight.
It is for the benefit of everyone,
especially for her own protection.
Your mother can no longer decide for herself,
as her mind is completely gone.
We need to act quickly before her condition gets any worse,
and she hurts someone.
Andrés picked up the pen,
his fingers tracing the cold plastic.
He looked down at the dense paragraphs of legal jargon,
noticing the specific clauses.
You brought a lot of paperwork,
he remarked quietly,
his tone completely unreadable.
Renata let out a long,
audible sigh of relief,
believing she had succeeded.
She mistakenly thought that his military uniform made him docile,
accustomed to blindly following orders.
She had completely forgotten a crucial detail about his past,
a life before the army.
Before enlisting,
Andrés had worked for four consecutive years in a specialized unit.
He had been an investigator for the Prosecutor’s Office,
tracking down complex property fraud.
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He knew exactly how forged signatures and forced commitments looked,
and Renata had just handed him the evidence.
