She hangs her head, like the weight of this conversation is too much for her. “Your father, he... He came to speak with Seu Romário and your grandmother that night. He hoped they’d seal a truce when I got pregnant. He wanted your grandmother to be in your life. He hoped you could grow up in a world where you had your whole family together.”

“And then...?” I ask, cautious, because at this point I’m not totally sure I want to know.

“That horrible man called him a traitor and told him to leave and never come back!”

“And... Grandma?”

Mom lets out a shaky breath. “She wouldn’t hear him. I stayed at Salt, trying to get Mother to talk with me, at least. Gabriel went for a ride to clear his head. That’s when he...he had his accident, and we... We lost him forever.”

I cover my mouth with both hands.

Mom continues, as if in a numb trance, reliving everything. “Months later, you were born. And your grandmother tried to fix what she’d broken. She begged me to give our family one last chance. She swore she would never pull you into the family’s business. To keep you free from this feud.”

My heart hammers against my ribcage. That was my cooking curse all along. My family’s guilt, keeping me away from the kitchen—away from getting involved in Salt—for fear I’d get hurt the same way Dad did.

Silent tears tumble down my chin.

Mom looks nervous as she watches me cry, like she doesn’t know how to comfort me. “Don’t cry, filha. Blame me. It’s all my fault. I should have stopped Gabriel that night, but I couldn’t. I let him ride off!”

It breaks my heart to hear her say this. “What happened to Dad isn’t your fault.”

“It is my fault. And I’ve stayed here all these years to pay for my part in his death! I fought for Salt. You believe me now? You believe I did everything I could against Deals Deals?!”

I look at her, the way her eyes are getting swollen, her expression tinged with regret and pain.

“Mom,” I say to soothe her, trying to keep my voice calm although my heart feels like it’s beating out of my chest.

“Selling Salt was the last thing I wanted. It makes me feel like your father’s death, his suffering, his attempts at bringing the Molinas and our family together, were in vain. Like this bakery, this object of so much contempt, could just disappear like dust in the wind?!” She grabs my hand. “That’s my guilt to carry when I break my promise to myself and sell Salt. But at least I know you will be free to follow your dreams.”