Chapter 2: The Call
Chapter 2: The Call
Maria almost ignored it.
She was too embarrassed.
Too humiliated.
But something told her to answer.
With shaking hands, she lifted the phone.
"Hello?"
A cheerful voice responded immediately.
"Mrs. Santos?"
"Yes?"
"This is the National Lottery Commission."
Maria frowned.
The room remained focused on her.
"We're calling to verify your winning ticket."
Silence.
Maria blinked.
"I'm sorry... what?"
The caller laughed.
"Mrs. Santos, your ticket matched all six numbers."
The phone nearly slipped from her hand.
Victoria rolled her eyes.
"What now?"
Maria wasn't listening.
Her heart pounded.
"How much?" she whispered.
The lottery representative answered.
The room watched as Maria's face changed completely.
Shock.
Disbelief.
Tears.
Then she covered her mouth.
The caller continued.
"After taxes, your winnings total approximately forty-three million dollars."
The ballroom froze.
Maria stopped breathing.
Several nearby guests heard the amount and stared.
Someone dropped a champagne flute.
Another guest whispered:
"Did she say forty-three million?"
The news spread through the ballroom in seconds.
Like wildfire.
The same people who had ignored her moments ago were suddenly paying very close attention.
Victoria laughed nervously.
"That's impossible."
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But Maria's tears were real.
And so was the ticket.
