Mateo lowered his head, a heavy, bittersweet smile touching his lips. “No, Patrona. They were my partners. Ten years ago, before I ever stepped foot in your mansion as a housekeeper, I was a young corporal in the federal K-9 special tactical unit stationed near the northern border.”
My heart hammered against my ribs. “The money you send home every month…”
“It goes to the specialized K-9 sanctuary and veterinary rehabilitation center in my hometown,” Mateo explained softly, looking up into my eyes with complete, unshielded honesty. “Rachid lost a leg to an explosive device protecting my squad. Moncho and Lupita were retired due to severe lung trauma. The state abandoned their medical pensions, so I swore I would work every day of my life to pay for their care, their food, and their peace. They are my family, Valeria. They are the ‘brats’ I protect.”
Tears welled in my eyes as the sheer beauty of his devotion washed over me. The man my mother had ridiculed as an uneducated, irresponsible servant was a decorated, self-sacrificing hero who carried the weight of his fallen partners on his back without ever asking for praise.
