Matthias sat. Conversation bubbled, people teased one another, stories tangled over clinking glasses. The food was simple but rich with flavor. He felt his shoulders ease for the first time in years.
After dinner, Ana’s brother pulled out a guitar, and music filled the tiny space. Lucia climbed into Matthias’s lap, setting a paper crown on his head. Everyone burst into laughter. He joined them without hesitation, his deep chuckle blending into the sound of life he’d long forgotten.
When the laughter quieted, Ana handed him a small box wrapped in brown paper. “For you.”
He frowned. “You didn’t have to.”
She smiled. “You showed up. That’s enough.”
Inside was a hand-carved ornament shaped like a tiny house. On it, etched with a child’s uneven letters, was a single word: Welcome.
Matthias swallowed hard. “I don’t remember the last time someone gave me a gift that meant something.”
But before he could say more, his phone buzzed. His father’s name flashed on the screen.
He stepped outside.
“Matthias,” the voice growled. “I hear nonsense about you spending Christmas with a maid. You’re making the family a laughingstock. Cut ties immediately, or don’t bother showing your face at the firm again.”
When he returned inside, the noise of laughter had faded. Ana met his eyes. “Bad news?”
He nodded. “My father doesn’t approve.”
“Do you care what he approves of?” she asked quietly.
He looked at Lucia, now fast asleep on the couch with her paper crown slipping sideways, and shook his head. “Not anymore.”
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