Mariana sprang to her feet and mustered all her remaining strength—not to flee, but to grab the wrist with which Valeria was holding the machine. The grip of a mother protecting her baby was so powerful that Valeria screamed in pain and the machine fell with a « clack » to the floor.
« Do you want to shave my head? » Mariana growled, her eyes as cold as knives. « Do you think I’m ‘good’ just because I kept quiet? I endured it for my son. Not because I’m afraid of a cheap ‘husband stealer’ like you. »
Valeria still didn’t understand what was happening when Mariana, quick as lightning, grabbed her long hair —the extensions, her pride— and pulled down hard.
« Ow! Let go of me! It hurts! You’re crazy! » Valeria writhed; her heels slipped on the cement.
But Mariana held her firmly. Her belly, as her center of gravity, kept her grounded, and the more Valeria struggled, the more she lost her balance.
Mariana bent down, picked up the machine, and turned it on. Without hesitation. Without trembling.
« You like cutting hair, don’t you? » she said slowly, each word like a blow. « Today I’m going to teach you a lesson: don’t you ever go into another woman’s house again. »
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
Three decisive passes at the point where the extensions began. Expensive, chestnut-brown strands fell to the scorching floor like trash.
Valeria let out a scream. But she couldn’t break free.
Mariana didn’t leave her bald. She just ruined one big side , the right one, enough to turn the « salon » hairstyle into a disaster: long and short patches, exposed glue, real hair mixed with the fake, as if it had been torn apart.
Mariana let go of her and pushed her hard.
Valeria fell to her knees, clutching her head, her mouth twisted, tears overflowing… but voiceless, out of sheer shame.
Mariana stood erect, breathing heavily. Sweat trickled down her forehead, but her posture was firm, like a wall. She pointed directly at Valeria:
—Look at this. I cut your hair so you’ll remember: don’t you ever come near my house again. And my husband… if you like men who betray their wives and children, he’s yours. For free. Get out.
The entire city of Santa Elena fell silent for a couple of seconds.
Then, from Doña Rosa’s side, there was applause.
Then the gatekeeper applauded, and then one after another… the whole alley erupted in applause, as if they were venting their anger in Mariana’s name.
—Well done!
—Let her learn her lesson for stealing husbands!
—Pregnant and with a temper, now that’s scary!
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