Then Brenda suddenly reappeared when she heard about the wedding’s extravagance.
Claiming regret and past depression, she played the role of a redeemed mother. Sofía eagerly embraced her, slowly pushing me aside—first from wedding planning, then from the bachelorette party, and finally from the ceremony itself.

Three days before the wedding, Sofía asked me not to attend so Brenda could take the “Mother of the Bride” role. She called me “helpful” and reminded me that “blood is thicker than water.” In that moment, I realized I was seen as useful—not loved.On the wedding day, Brenda embarrassed herself by getting drunk and causing a scene. The next morning, Sofía arrived expecting the apartment keys. Instead, I handed her a lease agreement: I had rented the apartment out. The gift had been meant for my daughter—the girl who once called me Mom—not for someone who reduced me to a stepmother.