“Just cover it for now, babe. We’ll pay you back later.”

They never did.

Over the previous three months, Sofia had spent nearly **$70,000** of her personal savings on them.

The room fell silent.

“I thought I was helping my new family,” Sofia said. “It turns out you thought you found a walking credit card.”

Javier stood frozen.

But Sofia still had one more document.

And when she opened it, even Teresa stopped breathing.

# Part 3

A detailed financial spreadsheet appeared on the screen.

No dramatic headline.

Only dates, amounts, and official account information.

“$11,000 for the deposit on Mariana’s Manhattan wedding venue,” Sofia read calmly. “$9,000 for custom designer dresses. $7,000 for guest lodging. $4,500 for the DJ. $3,800 for flowers. And $5,500 to cover an overdue mortgage payment on this manor.”

The general manager turned sharply toward Teresa.

“The mortgage payment came from her?”

Teresa said nothing.

Sofia kept reading.

“$2,500 to repair Javier’s truck. $4,000 for an ‘investment’ his father made. $2,200 to clear Mariana’s credit-card debt.”

Javier began sweating.

“Sofia, please… married couples share expenses.”

“No. Those are debts you convinced me to pay for your family.”

Then she opened the final document.

It was a commercial loan application for **$140,000** in working capital for The Pines Manor.

Javier was listed as the primary applicant.

Sofia was listed as the primary co-signer and guarantor.

There was one problem.