[Revelando Verdades]

I stand frozen, my heart pounding as if it's trying to escape my chest. The air is heavy with tension, suffocating me as I watch the scene unfold before my eyes. I can't decide whether I should step back, escape from this nightmarish encounter, or step forward, protect my sister from this predator.

Then, Victor's gaze shifts toward me, his face flushing with embarrassment and panic. He hurriedly stuffs himself back into his pants, his attempt to regain his composure only emphasizing the grotesque reality of what I've stumbled upon. Isabel's attempt to feign nonchalance is almost heartbreaking.

"What are you doing here, mijita?" she forces a smile. "My show is about to resume. You don't want to miss it. Go down; it'll give you a better view of the stage."

I open my mouth to respond, to confront the situation that has been thrust upon us, but the words falter on my tongue. The anger, the disbelief, the protectiveness—all tangled together, preventing any coherent thought from forming.

"Oh, I think you've shown enough already," I finally manage to say, my voice quivering with a mixture of fury and concern. "We're going home."

Isabel's response is swift, her tone incredulous. "Don't be ridiculous."

We lock eyes, a battle of wills, of shattered illusions and stark truths. The room seems to close in around us, the walls narrowing as if they're suffocating us.

My grip tightens on Isabel's hand as I step toward her, every step a resolute declaration of my intention. "Isabel, we need to leave. Now."

But Victor steps in our way, a sneer twisting his features. "Well, baby Ferreiro, you don't have a say in this. So just fuck off!"

His words hit like a slap to the face, igniting a firestorm of rage within me. My sister's well-being is at stake, and I won't let this vile man continue to hold her captive.

I glance at Isabel, my voice steady and firm. "We're leaving."

She looks torn, her loyalty to our father and the weight of responsibility etched on her face. "Catalina, be understanding. I can't leave. We need the money. Desperately. I have to work."

I can't hold back any longer. The anger, the fear, the fierce love for my sister—all of it surges through me, propelling me forward. "Work? I thought your work was dancing, not blowjobs. I guess I was wrong."

Isabel's defenses rise, her voice strained. "I'm doing the best I can to support papá."

"And you think papá would want you to bring yourself this low?" I try to reason with her, my words laced with the desperation of a sister who can't bear to see the person she admires most fall so far. "He loves you, he wouldn't—"

"He wouldn't have survived without the money I bring home. I have to do this. You know I have to."

Tears well up in my eyes, a mixture of frustration and heartache. "I don't want you to."

"And I don't want you to suffer while our papa withers away. He deserves a future, and so do you. You've always said how you'd like to get back to school, get a law degree. I have made my little nest egg. I think I will be able to afford the fees. Wouldn't that be neat?"

I'm moved by her words, her sacrifice, but I can't ignore the wrongness of this situation. My sister shouldn't have to sell herself to secure a future for our family. My voice softens, but my resolve remains unshaken. "No."

Victor's patience has worn thin. He steps forward, his demeanor menacing. "I've had enough of your theatrics, girls. You don't have a choice in this matter. Isabel is performing, and she's performing now!"

Before I can react, he pushes me aside and takes Isabel's hand, leading her toward the large red curtain that separates the backstage from the stage itself. She casts a desperate look back at me, her eyes a mosaic of fear and sorrow. "I'm sorry, Catalina. I have to."

I can't let him take her out there.

Not again.

Not like this.

I reach out, grabbing Isabel's other hand and pulling back with all the strength I can muster. Victor is furious, his grip unyielding as he tugs against me. Isabel's body is caught in the tug-of-war between us, and in the chaos, she loses her balance, falling to the ground with a pained cry. She clutches her ankle, a mixture of fear and pain in her eyes. She's hurt.

"Dios!" I exclaim. "Estas bien?"

I help her up, but she falters. I don't think she can stand on her own.

"I- I don't know. It's my stupid ankle."

"Did you twist it?" Victor hisses.

I meet his furious gaze, my voice sharp and resolute. "Twist it, fracture it. Doesn't matter. We're leaving. She can't perform like this. Nor should she."

Victor's temper flares, his voice venomous. "I've paid her in advance for the show. She must perform. The crowd is waiting, cheering her name. Listen."

The music starts, a steady beat that signals the show's imminent return. The situation is dire; they need a dancer.

Isabel's voice is weak but hopeful. "Maybe Carmen can replace me? I saw her not too long ago. She can improvise on stage, do one of her own numbers."

Victor snorts. "Carmen left. Half an hour ago."

Isabel considers this for a moment, then she turns to me. "Catalina, you have to do it."

Do what? She can't possibly mean...?

I shake my head, my heart pounding. "No, I can't."

Isabel's gaze locks onto mine, her eyes beseeching. "You can. You're an incredible dancer, and it's your choreography. You helped me complete it when I was out of ideas. You know it step by step. Please."

"No!" I declare, and as if that really doesn't matter, Victor begins considering it. "Can she do it? Can she dance like you, Isa?"

Isabel nods. "Aha! She's a natural."

I am not.

I really, really am not.

Victor throws a tiny silver outfit at me, but I am so lost in my turmoil that it hits me on the face. "Hey!" I protest. "Careful."

"Do it," he insists, turning his back on my to allow me to undress. "And I'll pay you double. Hell, I'll pay you triple. But I need a dancer and I need her now. Not taking no for an answer. Refuse, and the bouncer won't let you out."

I don't want to do this. Yet Isabel has been putting herself out there for us for years, overcoming fears and charming the masses, doing the unthinkable. How can I abandon her when she needs me the most?

With a deep breath, I start removing my clothes one by one. My trembling fingers make it hard to fit into the intricate outfit, but Isabel helps me. Soon, I wear an intricate low-cut bra that is meticulously crafted from an array of glistening crystals. It provides just enough coverage to tease the imagination while leaving the rest to the viewer's anticipation. Delicate silver chains drape gracefully from the bra, creating an illusion of cascading stars. A pair of tiny silver panties completes the outfit.

It's gorgeous.

It's hideous.

It shows too much skin and it catches the light with every movement. I am going to be as dazzling as a disco ball.

Everybody is going to be staring. That's not exactly the ideal scenario for one who wishes to go unnoticed.

"You're so beautiful," whispers Isabel through the vanity mirror. My panicking reflection reciprocates the look.

I am? I don't feel beautiful. I feel exposed and vulnerable and very, very naked. There is no dignity in this. Papa would want us to keep our dignity. If only he knew...

"Not bad," agrees Victor, scrutinizing me, his gaze wandering all over me. "Maybe you should follow your big sister's career path after all."

"I don't even think my sister should be following my sister's career path." I turn to Isabel. "Seriously! Get a normal job."

"We'll talk about this later." She didn't refuse, she let the option open. which fills me up with hope. Would she consider a different occupation? For me? I think she would.

"Alright," I say.

As the tension hangs in the air, the crowd's cheers outside grow louder. Estrella! Estrella! Estrella! The stage beckons.

Isabel looks at me with a mix of gratitude and vulnerability. "Thank you, mijita."

My heart is heavy with the weight of the choices we've had to make. "If I don't have a heart attack on that stage, I'm gonna come back and kill you for this, Isa."

"I love you, Catalina. You'll do great. Now, go get 'em!"

And as the music's rhythm pulses through the air, and the velvet curtains open, I step toward the stage and into the last place I ever thought I'd be. 

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