That night, Isabella found herself sitting all alone beneath the sprawling branches of the old oak tree. Her braid had come undone, and tears streaked her face. She felt an overwhelming urge to run away, to vanish completely, to let them think the worst of her while she escaped the heavy burden of their mistrust.
But then, memories of Mateo's laughter flooded her mind, her mother's delicate smile, and her father's rough hands that had built homes now falling apart. She thought of the villagers, shattered by fear and blinded by anger.
She couldn't just leave them behind. Even if they cursed her name or spat at her feet, she was determined to fight for them.
The next morning, she visited every family that had sold their land. She listened intently to their stories, tracing the contracts, the signatures, and the subtle pressures they faced. She uncovered the truth: slick agents sent by Ethan's companies, men who dangled money in front of them while wielding threats behind their backs.
Piece by piece, she gathered evidence. She spoke to widows, farmers, and workers who had been cornered and deceived. She recorded their words and copied their documents.
Her feet blistered from all the walking, her voice grew hoarse from speaking, but she pressed on.
Vindication
A week later, the villagers gathered once more in the plaza, the tension palpable in the air. Isabella climbed onto the fountain steps, holding her stack of papers high above her head.
"You accuse me of betrayal," she shouted, her voice ringing out clear and strong. "But here is the truth!"
She read aloud the testimonies families coerced, workers threatened, elders deceived. She held up contracts signed under duress, names forged, promises twisted.
Gasps rippled through the crowd. Whispers spread, this time not against her, but directed at the unseen forces that had preyed upon them.
"I have walked through your homes," Isabella cried. "I have listened to your stories. I have carried your truth. I did not betray you. I have bled alongside you. And I will keep bleeding if it means our land stays ours!"
For a moment, there was silence. Then, slowly, someone began to clap. Another joined in. Soon, the plaza erupted with applause, shouts of support rising like a powerful wave.
The suspicion didn't vanish entirely.