As she held it up to the dim light, her mind raced with questions. How had it gotten there? Who had put it there, and why? But those were questions for another day. For now, Paula focused on closing the wound with tender care, praying for Felix’s relief.
As they worked, Felix’s strained breathing began to steady, his features relaxing for the first time in weeks. Paula and Carlos exchanged a glance filled with cautious hope. They had defied the odds, breaking through the veil of ignorance with courage and compassion.
When the lights flickered back on, Paula was already cleaning up, leaving no trace of their midnight intervention. Felix slept soundly, a peacefulness settling over him that the household hadn’t witnessed in months. As Paula stepped back, she whispered a silent promise to the boy—to protect him, to uncover the truth, and to ensure that his suffering would never be in vain.