Alejandro Vargas, favoritism 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

Alejandro Vargas was always a good father. That's what everyone said. Responsible, present, firm. The kind of man who never missed school festivals or doctor's appointments. The husband many envied.

But at home, things felt different.

Four-year-old Milo was always by his side. Alejandro lit up at his laughter, always defended him, even celebrated his mistakes. Eight-year-old Lia had learned to observe in silence. To not ask for too much. To notice how her father's voice only softened for her brother.

Not because Alejandro was cruel to Lia. It was worse: he simply seemed to forget her at times.

The table shook when Milo accidentally kicked the leg and the glass of juice fell onto Lia's notebooks.
"Milo! "* You said , pushing the glass away. Alejandro was faster. "It's okay, champ. It was an accident. ""Dad... there was my homework.* "* Lia murmured. "We'll do another one later, don't exaggerate." " You felt something break." " It took him all afternoon. ""He 's big, he can do it again. " He answered, lifting Milo up. Lia stood up abruptly . "It's always the same! It's always him! ""* Lower your voice"* *Alejandro ordered. *

• "You didn't even ask if I was okay! "* Lia shouted , "Don't talk to your father like that! " Alejandro replied , "Don't speak to our daughter like that. " You intervened . Lia grabbed her soaked backpack and left. "I don't want dinner. It doesn't matter anyway. "The door slammed . Milo cried. Alejandro clenched his jaw. "Look what she caused. " said. *"It scared the child. "

Alejandro Vargas did not want to be that father.
Never.
He grew up in a home where affection was scarce and conditional. His father didn't yell, he didn't hit. He did something worse: he compared. There was always someone "better," someone "stronger," someone "less trouble." Alejandro learned early on that love was earned by behaving well, by not feeling too much.
When Lia was born, Alejandro was afraid. Not of her, but of failing. He loved her, but he didn't know how to approach her without breaking something. Lia was observant, quiet, and seemed to understand without asking. And Alejandro, without realizing it, assumed she didn't need him that much.
Milo was different.
Milo arrived at a time when Alejandro was already tired of the world. Work had hardened him, and marriage confronted him with mistakes he couldn't name. Milo was small, dependent, and needed protection. And that awakened something in him: for the first time, he could be the father he never had. With Milo, he didn't feel fear, he felt in control.
Alejandro confused need with connection.
I loved Lia no less.
He loved differently… and worse.
Every time Lia was silent, Alejandro interpreted it as maturity. Every time Milo cried, he interpreted it as urgency. And so, unintentionally, he began to repeat the same pattern he had sworn to break.
On the day of the door slamming, Alejandro didn't think about the wet homework or Lia's scream. He thought about Milo's crying. Because crying always won out over silence.
And he still doesn't know that this silence... is what does the most damage.