—Aunt Maria, I have thought about it carefully and I am willing to leave the Torres family to go abroad and live with you. On the other end of the phone, Maria’s voice was full of joy, as she lovingly gave instructions. —Very well, Rosa, I will organize your visa immediately, it will probably take a month. Take advantage of this time to say goodbye to your friends and colleagues, since once you settle in New Zealand, it will be difficult for you to meet again. —Especially Hugo, who has raised you since you were little. Gratitude for his upbringing is something you should not forget, make sure you thank him properly. Rosa responded with a few sentences in a low voice. After hanging up the phone, she got up from the balcony and returned to the living room, directing her gaze, almost without thinking, towards the photograph on the table. In the image, a red twilight bathed the sky, projecting a warm glow on both faces. Hugo Torres, at seventeen, stood on a swing, smiling as he pushed a seven-year-old Rosa, whose dress fluttered in the wind, brushing against the tulips in the garden. Despite the years that had passed, Rosa still remembered how happy she felt that day when they took the photo. Unfortunately, times change and she and Hugo could no longer return to those days. Reflecting on this, a flash of sadness crossed Rosa’s eyes; she looked away into the distance, remembering even more distant times. The Díaz and Torres families had been friends for generations, and Hugo was ten years older than Rosa, so she had called him uncle since she was little. When Rosa was seven, her parents died tragically in a plane crash, and it was Hugo who welcomed her into the Torres family, and raised her by his side. Moved by compassion for her early orphanhood, he always kept her close and took care of her personally. He told her bedtime stories, took her to and from school every day, no matter the weather, and whenever he found something new and interesting, he bought it for her. Thus, Hugo raised Rosa into a lovely young woman. Because of his constant tenderness and meticulousness, Rosa had depended on him since she was little. When she reached the age of first loves, she fell hopelessly in love with the man who had watched her grow up. On her seventeenth birthday, Hugo threw a big party, as was his custom. During the party, he had drunk too much, and she helped him rest. Seeing the man she loved right in front of her, she couldn’t resist and gave him a kiss. Immediately, Hugo opened his eyes and pushed her to the other end of the sofa. Confused, Rosa believed that it was the right time to declare her love for him. However, for Hugo, those words were completely inappropriate and a taboo. He became very angry. “Rosa! Don’t you realize that I’m your uncle?” —I call you uncle, but I am Diaz and you are Torres, we have no blood ties. Seeing that she persisted in her error,Hugo frowned. “I’m ten years older than you! You’re only seventeen, you don’t know how to distinguish between family love and romantic love, you don’t even understand what it means to like!” Rosa had always listened to his words, but on this subject she was particularly stubborn. “So you reject me because I’m too young? Never mind, I’ll grow up too and show you that I can distinguish between love and that I know what it means to like.” She didn’t remember how that argument had ended. But since then, every birthday, she would propose to Hugo. He rejected her every year, but she never thought of giving up. In a month she would turn twenty-one. But this year, she decided that she wouldn’t propose. Because a month earlier, Hugo had brought his girlfriend home and introduced her. Rosa felt devastated, but still, holding back her tears, she asked him if he was trying to get her to give up by bringing his girlfriend. Hugo looked at her indifferently and with a cold voice replied: “Don’t be so conceited. I’m the right age to have a girlfriend, it’s completely normal.” The calmness with which he looked at her hurt her deeply. She cried all night, her mind churning with memories of the past years. At dawn, Maria, who was abroad, sent her a message: “Rosa, do you want to come abroad and live with me?” “In fact, when the Diaz family had the accident, I wanted to take you with me, but at that time my career was not stable and I was suffering from postpartum depression, so I couldn’t do it. Now that you’ve grown up, staying in the Torres family is not convenient. Things have improved here, would you like to come and live with me?” Rosa didn’t reply to that message. Because she didn’t want to leave Hugo, she wanted to try one more time. But in those two weeks, he seemed to be purposely showing off his girlfriend, Ana Garcia, in front of her. Holding hands, hugging, kissing, doing everything that couples in love do. The night before, he had even spent the night with Ana in her room. Rosa sat in the living room until three in the morning, until she saw the light in her room go out and heard ambiguous sounds coming from inside. She covered her mouth with her hand as tears fell silently, soaking the sofa. At that moment, she decided to give up. To give up her love for Hugo.Because a month earlier, Hugo had brought his girlfriend home and introduced her. Rosa felt devastated, but still, holding back her tears, she asked him if he was trying to get her to give up by bringing his girlfriend. Hugo looked at her indifferently and in a cold voice replied, “Don’t be so presumptuous. I’m the right age to have a girlfriend, it’s completely normal.” The calmness with which he looked at her hurt her deeply. She cried all night, her mind churning with memories of the past years. At dawn, Maria, who was abroad, sent her a message: “Rosa, do you want to come abroad and live with me?” “In fact, when the Diaz family had the accident, I wanted to take you with me, but at that time my career was not stable and I was suffering from postpartum depression, so I couldn’t do it. Now that you’ve grown up, staying in the Torres family is not convenient. Things have improved here, would you like to come and live with me?” Rosa did not respond to that message. Because she didn’t want to leave Hugo, she wanted to try one more time. But in those two weeks, he seemed to be purposely showing off his girlfriend, Ana Garcia, in front of her. Holding hands, hugging, kissing, doing everything couples in love do. The night before, he had even spent the night with Ana in her room. Rosa sat in the living room until three in the morning, until she saw the light in her room go out and heard ambiguous sounds coming from inside. She covered her mouth with her hand as tears fell silently, soaking the couch. At that moment, she decided to give up. Give up on her love for Hugo.Because a month earlier, Hugo had brought his girlfriend home and introduced her. Rosa felt devastated, but still, holding back her tears, she asked him if he was trying to get her to give up by bringing his girlfriend. Hugo looked at her indifferently and in a cold voice replied, “Don’t be so presumptuous. I’m the right age to have a girlfriend, it’s completely normal.” The calmness with which he looked at her hurt her deeply. She cried all night, her mind churning with memories of the past years. At dawn, Maria, who was abroad, sent her a message: “Rosa, do you want to come abroad and live with me?” “In fact, when the Diaz family had the accident, I wanted to take you with me, but at that time my career was not stable and I was suffering from postpartum depression, so I couldn’t do it. Now that you’ve grown up, staying in the Torres family is not convenient. Things have improved here, would you like to come and live with me?” Rosa did not respond to that message. Because she didn’t want to leave Hugo, she wanted to try one more time. But in those two weeks, he seemed to be purposely showing off his girlfriend, Ana Garcia, in front of her. Holding hands, hugging, kissing, doing everything couples in love do. The night before, he had even spent the night with Ana in her room. Rosa sat in the living room until three in the morning, until she saw the light in her room go out and heard ambiguous sounds coming from inside. She covered her mouth with her hand as tears fell silently, soaking the couch. At that moment, she decided to give up. Give up on her love for Hugo.Rosa sat in the living room until three in the morning, until she saw the light in her room go out and heard ambiguous sounds coming from inside. She covered her mouth with her hand as tears fell silently, soaking the sofa. At that moment, she decided to give up. To give up her love for Hugo.Rosa sat in the living room until three in the morning, until she saw the light in her room go out and heard ambiguous sounds coming from inside. She covered her mouth with her hand as tears fell silently, soaking the sofa. At that moment, she decided to give up. To give up her love for Hugo.