I saw my daughter begging in the street while carrying her baby… She told me her husband had… When I stopped at the red light, I saw my daughter begging, counting coins while holding her baby in her arms.

“Because they threatened me. They said that if I went back to you, if I reported them, they would take Valentina away from me. They said I had no proof, that no one would believe me. And I… I was scared, Dad. Very scared.”

Valentina began to cry louder, with that high-pitched cry that only babies have when the heat and tiredness can no longer be endured.

Sofia rocked her desperately, but her arms were also trembling with exhaustion.

Without saying a word, I turned on the air conditioning. The car’s interior filled with cool air that seemed like an immediate relief for both of us.

I took a bottle of water from the glove compartment and gave it to Sofia.