Part 2
The atmosphere inside the cramped kitchen turned razor-thin in a matter of seconds. The man carrying the iron crowbar took a heavy, intimidating step toward the table, but Mateo reacted with the lightning swiftness born of pure love and protective devotion. He grabbed the heavy skillet off the stove burner, holding the piping hot pan out in front of him like a shield while placing his body directly in front of his grandmother.
—Take one more step toward my grandmother, and I swear to God neither of you walks out of this kitchen on your own two feet —Mateo growled, his eyes fierce and his stance immovable as a fortress.
The executive sneered, trying to maintain his aura of corporate superiority, but the sheer intensity in the young man’s eyes made him hesitate. He knew that a violent altercation inside the house would draw unwanted attention from the surrounding neighborhood—a tight-knit community that adored Elena and would not hesitate to flood the alley in her defense.
—Don’t be a fool, kid —the corporate representative said, adjusting his silk necktie with a stiff hand—. That decaying piece of paper your grandmother is holding isn’t worth the ink it was printed on in a modern court of law. My firm holds the capital, the political connections, and the legal machinery. Hand over the original grant, and I will personally write you a cashier’s check for twenty thousand dollars so you can rent a nice apartment across town.
—This home is not for sale for twenty thousand dollars, nor for twenty million —Mateo replied, his voice echoing with an authority he had never known he possessed—. My grandfather poured his sweat, blood, and youth into these stone walls, and my grandmother has poured her heart into this community for over half a century. Your corporate greed isn’t going to erase our history.
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