The Cry Upstairs
“Stop throwing tantrums. Your father will come home and see what kind of girl you are!”
The angry voice echoed from the second floor of the mansion.
Paloma froze at the back door. She could hear a child crying, her sobs sharp and desperate.
“No one can stand you anymore. Stay there and cry until you learn!”
A door slammed hard.
“Oh dear… what a mess,” murmured Carmen, the housemaid who greeted Paloma. “The lady of the house is nervous again.”
“The lady?” Paloma asked softly.
“Mrs. Verónica — the girl’s stepmother.”
More cries filled the house, breaking the silence.
“And where’s the father?”
“Traveling, always traveling,” Carmen sighed. “Listen, sweetheart, this job won’t be easy.”
Paloma didn’t hesitate. She ran upstairs, following the sound of the crying child.
In the hallway, a blonde woman with perfect makeup and elegant clothes stepped out of a room, slamming the door behind her.
“You must be the new maid,” Verónica said, adjusting her hair to look composed. “Good. I have to go out. The girl’s just throwing a fit. When she stops, you can start working. She’s fine, really — just being dramatic as always.”
Verónica hurried down the stairs, grabbed her purse, and left without another word.
Meeting Little Camila
The crying continued from the closed door.
Paloma knocked gently.
“Hi, sweetheart. May I come in?”
The sobs grew quieter.
“I promise I won’t scold you.”
She slowly opened the door.
Inside, a little girl with brown hair sat on the floor, hugging her knees. Her face was wet with tears, her eyes red and puffy.
“Hey, sweetheart,” Paloma said softly. “What’s your name?”
The girl looked up, cautious.
“Camila.”
“Camila… that’s such a beautiful name. I’m Paloma. Why were you crying?”
Camila pointed to her stomach.
“It hurts.”
“Are you hungry?”
The girl nodded.
“When did you last eat?”
“I didn’t.”
Paloma glanced at her watch — one in the afternoon.
“You didn’t have breakfast either?”
“Verónica forgot… forgot again.”
Paloma’s heart tightened. “How can someone forget to feed a child? Come on, let’s find something delicious for you.”
Camila hesitated for a moment, then slowly reached out and held Paloma’s hand.
A Bond Begins
Three weeks passed. Since that first day, Paloma had become the only person who could make Camila smile. The little girl started talking more, eating better, and sleeping peacefully through the night.
One afternoon, while folding laundry in the main bedroom, Paloma opened a drawer and froze.
Inside, she found a bottle of sleeping pills… and a hidden phone filled with deleted messages.
One message still visible read:
“When he signs the insurance papers, we’re leaving. No one will ever suspect.”
The sender was Sergio — the personal assistant of Eduardo Álvarez, the billionaire owner of the house… and Camila’s father.
Paloma’s heart raced. This wasn’t just neglect — it was a plan. A plan to steal everything from Eduardo, even his peace of mind.
The Truth Comes to Light
That night, while Verónica slept, Paloma connected the hidden phone to the computer and sent all the files to an email address she found in a notebook: [email protected].
Three days later, the mansion woke up surrounded by police cars.
Eduardo had returned from his trip unannounced — with officers and lawyers by his side. Verónica tried to pretend she was innocent, but the messages, the security videos, and Paloma’s testimony were undeniable.
“You don’t know what you’re doing, Eduardo!” Verónica shouted as the officers took her away.
“Oh, I know exactly what you did,” he said coldly.
Camila ran toward Paloma, trembling. Eduardo knelt beside them, his eyes filled with unshed tears.
“My daughter… did she treat you well?” he asked quietly.
Paloma smiled sadly, stroking Camila’s hair.
“She just needed love.”
Eduardo stood still for a moment, the weight of truth heavy on his face. Then, in front of everyone, he said:
“Paloma, you’re staying. Not as a maid… but as the person who saved what matters most to me.”
A New Beginning
Months later, the story made headlines.
The young housemaid who uncovered the scheme was now the director of “Camila’s Light Foundation,” an organization dedicated to helping children who had suffered neglect and abuse.
And every afternoon, in the mansion’s sunny garden, Eduardo and Paloma could be seen playing with Camila — her laughter echoing through the air, free and fearless at last.