Paula turned pale.
“That’s been rigged!” he shouted.
But the video continued.
Illegal transfers.
Counterfeit emails.
Signatures copied.
Everything.
Test after test.
Absolute silence.
The judge turned off the projection.
—Anything to add, Ms. Aguilar? Mr. Salgado?
Salgado was sweating.
—This… this proves nothing…
“On the contrary,” the judge replied. “It demonstrates an attempt at fraud, falsification of evidence, and moral damage against Mr. Herrera.”
The hammer struck.
—Mr. Andrés Herrera is acquitted of all charges.
Andrés felt like the world was stopping.
—Furthermore, a criminal investigation is ordered to be opened against the plaintiffs and their legal representatives.
Paula started to cry.
Salgado tried to leave, but two judicial police officers were already at the door.
The judge continued:
—And the restitution of back wages, compensation and damages to the defendant is ordered.
The hammer fell one last time.
—The session is adjourned.
Andrés remained seated.
Without reacting.
As if her body still didn’t understand that it was all over.
That he had won.
Rojas patted him on the back.
—Boy… you just saved yourself from ruining your life.
People started to come out.
Andrés gathered his things, still dazed.
When she stepped out into the hallway, she heard a voice.
—Mr. Herrera.
He turned around.
She was the judge.
Now without a toga, just with a sober suit and a more human look.
He approached.
—I wanted to return this to you personally.
He handed her the USB drive.
—Thank you… —Andrés said, still speechless.
She watched him intently.
—Today it reminded me of something important.
-What thing?
—That justice also depends on small human acts. If you hadn’t stopped… I wouldn’t be here on time, and perhaps this hearing would have been postponed for weeks. Or worse… resolved without reviewing new evidence.
Andrés smiled nervously.
—I just did what anyone would do.
She shook her head.
—Not everyone stops when they’re in a hurry.
There was an awkward silence.
“Well… thanks again,” he said. “I guess I got lucky today.”
The judge smiled slightly.
—Sometimes luck is simply a consequence of doing the right thing.
She said goodbye and walked down the hallway.
Andrés left the courthouse.
The cool air hit his face.
And for the first time in months, he breathed a sigh of relief.
He thought it was all over.
But something was still missing.
Two weeks later.
Andrés received an unexpected call.
His former company wanted to reach an out-of-court settlement.
Not only would they pay him compensation, but they would also offer to rehire him in another area.
The criminal investigation against Paula and Salgado was progressing rapidly.
And the video had become key evidence.
His life was beginning to settle down.
But the most surprising thing happened a month later.
Andrés was in a cafe, checking job offers, when someone sat down opposite him.
He looked up.
The judge.
Without a gown, without formality.
Just a woman with a tired smile.
-Can?
—Of course… —he replied, surprised.
She ordered a coffee.
—Today is my day off. And I wanted to thank you again.
—It wasn’t necessary…
She looked at him seriously.
“Do you know how often I see people ruined by lies, corruption, and abuse?” he asked. “That day… for once… someone doing the right thing won.”
Andrés lowered his gaze.
—It hardly ever happens.
—But it happened.
They looked at each other for a few seconds.
Something was different now.
Without legal tension.
Just two people who had crossed paths by accident.
Destiny.
She got up.
—Take care, Mr. Herrera.
-Andrew.
She smiled.
—Take care, Andrés.
And he left.
Andrés saw her leave.
He thought about everything that had happened.
How a horrible morning turned into the start of something new.
Months later he got a better job.
He paid his debts.
He went back to sleep peacefully.
And every time he saw someone stopped on the road, he remembered that day.
Because he understood something he would never forget:
Sometimes, helping a stranger doesn’t just change your life.
It can save yours too.
And as he drove his old Tsuru, now without tapes and better repaired, he smiled as he remembered that morning.
The morning he stopped for five minutes…
And it changed his destiny forever.
END
