WIFE IN 365 DAYS

Manuela, breathless and frantic, raced down the long hospital corridor in New Orleans, cradling her seven-year-old brother, Lucas, in her arms. She had been immersed in her father's business, learning the ropes, when the devastating news arrived. Her parents had been involved in a tragic accident while driving to Arizona to celebrate their anniversary. As Manuela navigated the hallway towards the operating room, the only sound she could hear was the frantic pounding of her heart. Fear gnawed at her, her every thought consumed by the fate of her parents. All she could do was pray, desperately hoping that they wouldn't leave her, for without them, she felt utterly lost and alone. "Please, not my parents, don't take them from us," Manuela whispered, her voice barely audible, as she fought back tears to keep Lucas from seeing her distress. When Manuela reached the operating room, a doctor emerged, and she immediately approached him. "Excuse me, doctor, I’m the daughter of the patients inside. They were brought here because of a car accident. How are they?" she asked, her voice shaking with anxiety and fear as the doctor removed his surgical mask and looked directly at her. "I'm sorry, but they didn't make it," the doctor replied. His words felt like a deafening blow to Manuela, echoing in her ears as the reality of the situation sank in. "N-no..." "The injuries they sustained in the accident were too severe. We thought your mother might pull through, but she succumbed to internal bleeding in her abdominal area. I offer my deepest condolences for your loss," the doctor said, gently stroking Lucas's hair before leaving Manuela, who collapsed onto the floor, overwhelmed by the devastating news. "Mom! Dad! You can't leave us!" Manuela cried out, her sobs echoing through the operating room hallway. The pain of their loss was unbearable. She couldn't accept that they were gone, that they had left her and Lucas in this way. The thought that their supposed celebratory vacation had turned into a tragedy that stole their parents from them was incomprehensible. Manuela could only let out a torrent of tears, her grief consuming her. Lucas, sensing her distress, reached out and touched her cheek, bringing her back to reality. "Why are you crying? Didn't Mom say crying makes you ugly?" Lucas said innocently, oblivious to the tragedy that had befallen his parents. Manuela hugged her brother tightly, her heart aching with the weight of their loss. Standing before the operating room, she could only weep, her tears a testament to the emptiness left by the absence of their parents. The news of their parents' passing spread quickly, and many people who knew them came to offer their condolences. Some were heartbroken, their faces etched with sorrow and pity for Manuela, now left to navigate life without her parents' guidance. At twenty-five, she felt unprepared for the responsibility that now rested on her shoulders, but she knew she had to be strong. On the day of their parents' burial, Manuela stood before their graves, vowing to herself that she would never let Lucas down and that she would honor the legacy her parents had built. "I will take care of Lucas, Mom, Dad. Wherever you are, please continue to guide us," she whispered, her voice choked with emotion. From a distance, a figure stood observing them, hidden amongst the trees near her mother's grave. "What are your orders, señor? Mr. Ibañez is gone," a heavyset man asked, standing behind the figure who remained fixated on the siblings. "Let Mr. Ibañez's daughter grieve for now. After that, I will take the necessary steps to ensure that the debt he left behind is settled. His daughter will be the one to pay," the figure replied, his voice cold and devoid of sympathy as he turned and walked away, followed by his entourage. Unbeknownst to Manuela, a new wave of challenges was about to crash down upon her in the days to come.