Chapter 12: The Inheritance
Three months later, I got a letter.
It was from Andrew.
I stared at the envelope for a long time.
Then I opened it.
Mariana,
By the time you read this, I'll be gone.
I don't expect you to forgive me. I don't expect you to care about anything I have to say.
But I wanted to say it anyway.
I was wrong.
Not just about the money. Not just about the business.
I was wrong about everything.
About the way I treated you. About the way I let my mother speak to you. About the way I let Brenda—
I was wrong.
You deserved better.
You always deserved better.
I'm sorry I couldn't be that better for you.
But I hope you find it.
Someone who sees you the way you are. Someone who loves you the way you deserve.
Someone who doesn't break you.
I don't expect you to forgive me. But I want you to know that I finally understand.
And I'm sorry.
Andrew.
I read the letter three times.
Then I put it down.
Rosa found me staring at the wall.
"Everything okay?"
I handed her the letter.
She read it.
Her face changed.
"Well," she said slowly. "That's not what I expected."
"Me neither."
"What are you going to do?"
I thought about it.
"Nothing."
"Nothing?"
"He apologized. I accepted. But I'm not going to answer. I'm not going to give him anything else."
"Smart."
"I thought so."
I folded the letter and put it in a drawer.
"Mariana?"
"Yeah?"
Rosa sat down across from me.
"What are you going to do next?"
May you like
I smiled.
"Whatever I want."
