“Then we shall proceed with the preparations as planned,” the woman sitting next to Mrs. Carlos said, her voice calm and composed, as if nothing had just happened. I watched Ivan walk away, leaving me to drown in the weight of it all. Everything was starting to suffocate me, and the worst part was that I couldn’t do anything about it.

“What if I don’t want any of this?” I asked, dropping my hands to my sides in frustration.

Mrs. Carlos clicked her tongue, rising from her seat with ...