That night, Julián slept in an armchair near his daughter’s hospital bed. Lily, finally relieved of her pain by the medication, woke in the dim light. “Daddy… should I go back to Mommy’s?” Julián stroked her hair. “No, my darling. You’re staying with me. You’re safe now.” Lily let out a long sigh, as if an enormous weight had been lifted from her chest. “Thank you for believing me.” “Always,” Julián said, his voice breaking. “That will never change.”

Three weeks later, a judge reviewed the photos, medical reports, and plane tickets. “Gross neglect and risk of flight,” he concluded. “Sole custody is awarded to the father.”

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