Sangre por Sangre

The next morning, Camila woke up feeling optimistic about her job interview with Ana, the President of the Provincial Lugo government. She got dressed and headed to the kitchen where her mother, Olivia Berano, was already up and preparing breakfast.

"Good morning, mama," Camila greeted her mother with a smile.

"Good morning, mija," Olivia replied, turning around to hug her daughter. "How was your interview with Ana?"

"It went really well," Camila said excitedly. "She seemed impressed with my qualifications and experience. She said I'll hear from them within the next couple of weeks if I got the job."

Olivia's expression suddenly turned serious. "Be careful with that one, mija," she warned. "Ana is not to be trusted."

Camila looked at her mother in confusion. "What do you mean?" she asked.

Olivia sighed heavily. "When I was President of the Provincial Lugo government two terms ago, Ana was one of my advisors. She was always ambitious and willing to do whatever it takes to get ahead, even if it meant making underhanded deals or going behind people's backs. I always felt like she was a snake in the grass, waiting to strike."

Camila was taken aback by her mother's words. She had never heard her speak so negatively about someone before, especially not someone in such a high position of authority.

"But I thought she seemed really nice," Camila said, trying to give Ana the benefit of the doubt.

Olivia shook her head. "Don't be fooled by her charm, mija. She's a politician, through and through. And if you do get this job, be careful not to get caught up in her schemes. The government can be a tricky place.

As Camila and Olivia continued their conversation, Olivia remembered a story she had heard about the most recent past president of the provincial government, Andoni Mendoza.

"Did I ever tell you about Andoni Mendoza, Camila?" Olivia asked, taking a sip of her coffee.

Camila shook her head. "No, I don't think so."

"Well, Andoni was the president of the government before Ana," Olivia explained. "He was known for his corruption and shady dealings. But Ana was the one who exposed his biggest scandal."

"What was that?" Camila asked, intrigued.

Olivia leaned in closer. "Andoni was selling test answers for the permanent government positions. He would charge people a lot of money to give them the answers to the test so they could get the highest score and get the job. It was a pay-for-play scheme, and it was completely illegal."

Camila was shocked. "That's terrible. How did Ana find out about it?"

"Well, at the time Ana was the head of the Tax office and she had her suspicions about Andoni, so she launched an investigation into his dealings," Olivia explained. "And she found the evidence she needed to expose him. She went public with the story, and Andoni was forced to resign in disgrace. It was a big scandal."

Camila was impressed by Ana's bravery and determination to expose corruption in the government. She knew that working with Ana would be challenging, but she felt inspired by her mother's stories of people who fought for what was right.

"I hope I can be like Ana, Mama," Camila said, feeling more determined than ever. "I want to make a difference and help clean up the government."

Olivia smiled, proud of her daughter's ambition. "I have no doubt you will, Camila. Just remember to always keep your eyes open and never compromise your integrity."

As Camila and Olivia were discussing Ana's potential job offer, Alejandro Garro walked into the kitchen, dressed in his police captain's uniform. He greeted his daughter and wife, noticing that they seemed deep in conversation.

"What are you two talking about?" Alejandro asked, pouring himself a cup of coffee.

"We were just talking about Camila's interview with Ana Agirre yesterday," Olivia explained. "She's hoping to get a government job with the province."

Alejandro raised an eyebrow. "Really? That's great news, Camila. What kind of job?"

"It's a temporary position working on integrating telecommunications into the Diputación Provincial de Lugowhile the renovations are being made, but it could become permanent depending on how well Camila does on her first big project," Olivia explained.

Alejandro nodded. "That sounds promising. And what do you think, Camila? Do you want to work for the government?"

Camila smiled. "I do, Papa. It's an opportunity to make a real difference and help the community."

Alejandro smiled proudly. "That's great to hear, Camila. Just remember to always stay true to yourself and your values, no matter where you work."

Camila nodded, knowing that her father's advice was important. Alejandro was known for his integrity and honesty in his role as a police captain, and Camila admired him for it.

"I will, Papa. Thanks for the advice," Camila said, feeling grateful for the support of her family.

Alejandro looked up from his coffee and asked, "So, what are you two planning to do today?"

Olivia smiled, "Camila and I were thinking of going shopping at Hugo Boss."

Alejandro's expression immediately shifted to one of annoyance. "Not again, Olivia. You know we can't afford to be spending money like that. Especially not on luxury brands like Hugo Boss."

Olivia sighed, "I understand that, Alejandro. But as a former President of the provincial government, I need to keep up appearances."

Alejandro shook his head, "You don't need to do that, Olivia. People respect you for who you are, not for the clothes you wear."

Olivia grew defensive, "It's not just about me, Alejandro. Camila needs to dress professionally for her job interviews. Plus, we're just looking. We don't have to buy anything."

Alejandro let out an exasperated sigh, "Fine. Do what you want. But I can't believe you're still obsessed with shopping at Hugo Boss after everything that's happened."

Olivia bristled at the comment, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Alejandro stood up, grabbing his police cap off the counter. "I have to go to work. Think about what you're doing, Olivia."

Olivia and Camila finished their breakfast and headed out to their BMW, ready to face the day. As they drove to the shopping center, Olivia couldn't help but feel conflicted. She knew Alejandro was right about Hugo Boss's questionable practices, but she also knew that appearances mattered in their social circle.

As they entered the store, Olivia put her concerns aside and focused on finding the perfect outfit for her upcoming events. Camila watched her mother carefully, knowing that Olivia was a master at balancing the demands of public life with her own moral code.

In the end, Olivia found a beautiful outfit that made her feel confident and powerful.

After leaving Hugo Boss, Olivia and Camila decided to head to a nearby café for almuerza. They were both feeling excited about Camila's new job and wanted to celebrate. As they sat down at a table, Camila's phone rang. She looked at the caller ID and saw that it was Ana.

"Hello?" Camila answered, trying to contain her excitement.

"Hi Camila, it's Ana," came the voice on the other end of the line.

"Hi Ana, what's up?" Camila asked eagerly.

"I just wanted to call and let you know that you got the job! Congratulations! We're excited to have you join the team," Ana said with enthusiasm.

Camila's heart skipped a beat as she heard the news. She couldn't believe it. She had landed the job she had been hoping for.

"Thank you so much, Ana! I'm thrilled!" Camila said, beaming with excitement.

"You're welcome, Camila. We'll be in touch soon with all the details. I look forward to working with you," Ana said warmly.

After hanging up the phone, Camila turned to her mother with a huge smile on her face.

"I got the job!" she exclaimed.

Olivia was overjoyed for her daughter. They both jumped up from their seats and hugged each other.

"We have to celebrate!" Olivia said.

Camila nodded in agreement. "Let's go to the best restaurant in Lugo," she said.

They walked to the most expensive restaurant in the city and sat down for a luxurious almuerza. They ordered the finest dishes and sipped on champagne to toast Camila's success.

As they sat there, Olivia couldn't help but feel a sense of pride for her daughter. She had worked hard to get where she was, and now she had landed a prestigious job with the Lugo government.

"I'm so proud of you, Camila," Olivia said, raising her glass of champagne in a toast.

Camila smiled back at her mother. "Thank you, Mama. I couldn't have done it without your support."