Chapter 12: The Deal at Midnight
Camila pulled me into the hallway.
"Don't sign it.""
I looked at her.
"They'll hurt Daniel.""
"They'll hurt him whether you sign or not.""
I glanced toward the stairs.
Two men had taken Daniel upstairs.
Richard remained in the living room, calmly pouring another drink.
"How do we get him out?"" I whispered.
Camila looked toward the kitchen.
"There's a service entrance behind the pantry.""
"How do you know?""
"I've been here before.""
I stared at her.
"With Alejandro?""
She nodded.
"Many times.""
For a moment, I wanted to say something cruel.
Then I remembered the photograph of Grace.
Camila had made terrible choices.
But she was the only person in this house who seemed willing to help me.
"Can you get Daniel out?""
"I can try.""
"What about Richard?""
Camila looked at the living room.
"He's expecting you to sign. We need to keep him occupied.""
I took a deep breath.
"Then I'll give him what he wants.""
Camila grabbed my wrist.
"Valeria—"
"I won't actually sign.""
She studied my face.
Then nodded.
"Five minutes.""
I returned to the living room.
Richard looked up.
"Have you made your decision?""
I sat opposite him.
"I have some questions.""
He smiled.
"Of course.""
"Why did you choose Alejandro?""
"Because he was ambitious.""
"That isn't enough.""
"He was also desperate. His family had debts. He wanted money and influence. I offered him both.""
"And he agreed to marry me?""
"He agreed to make himself useful.""
I stared at him.
"Did you ever tell him I was your daughter?""
"No.""
"Why not?""
Richard took a sip of his drink.
"Because men like Alejandro behave differently when they believe they have something to lose.""
I leaned forward.
"So you wanted him to believe I was just an inheritance.""
"Exactly.""
The casual cruelty of his answer made my hands tremble.
"And when I discovered the affair?""
Richard smiled.
"That was unfortunate.""
"Unfortunate?""
"It complicated the divorce.""
I looked at him.
"You planned to frame me for the stolen money.""
"Only temporarily.""
I almost laughed.
"Temporarily?""
"The company would have recovered its funds. You would have been compensated.""
"With my own money?""
He didn't answer.
I looked at the transfer agreement.
"Where is Sebastian?""
Richard's expression changed.
"Why?""
"He's your son too.""
"He's a liability.""
"He's your firstborn.""
Richard placed his glass down.
"Sebastian was supposed to be the heir. But he became emotional. He wanted recognition instead of power.""
I remembered his face at the chapel.
His trembling hands.
His anger.
"He wanted a family.""
Richard laughed.
"Families are complicated.""
I looked at him.
"No. People like you make them complicated.""
His eyes narrowed.
"Be careful.""
I picked up the pen.
"Tell me one more thing. What happened to Grace?""
Richard's expression remained calm.
"She was a brilliant girl.""
"Did you kill her?""
"She made a mistake.""
"What mistake?""
"She believed that knowing the truth made her untouchable.""
I felt my stomach turn.
"Who arranged the accident?""
Richard looked toward the window.
"Ask Alejandro.""
I gripped the pen.
"Why?""
"Because he was the last person to see her alive.""
My blood went cold.
Then Richard slid the transfer agreement toward me.
"Sign.""
I lowered the pen.
But before it touched the paper, a voice came from the hallway.
"Don't do it.""
Daniel.
He was standing at the top of the stairs.
One of the men lay unconscious behind him.
Richard jumped to his feet.
"How did you get out?""
Daniel descended slowly.
"Your security has always been terrible.""
Richard reached for the drawer.
But Camila appeared behind him.
She held a small handgun.
"Don't.""
Richard froze.
"Camila. You have no idea what you're doing.""
"Actually, I do.""
She pointed toward the desk.
"Put your hands where I can see them.""
Daniel reached the bottom of the stairs.
He looked at me.
"Are you all right?""
I nodded.
Then I turned toward Richard.
"You're finished.""
Richard began laughing.
"You think this is over?""
He pressed a button beneath the desk.
A red light appeared.
Somewhere in the house, an alarm began sounding.
Camila looked toward the hallway.
"What did you do?""
Richard smiled.
"I called the police.""
Daniel shook his head.
"Of course you did.""
Richard straightened his jacket.
"They'll find an armed woman, a violent intruder, and a forged transfer agreement. I wonder who they'll believe.""
I looked at the document.
Then at the recorder on the desk.
My mother's voice.
The confession.
The truth.
I grabbed the recorder.
Richard lunged toward me.
Daniel intercepted him.
They crashed against the desk.
The glass shattered.
Camila shouted.
I ran toward the front door.
But before I reached it, someone stepped into the entrance.
Alejandro.
His face was bruised, and his shirt was stained with blood.
He looked directly at me.
"Give me the recorder.""
I held it against my chest.
"No.""
He glanced at Richard.
"You're supposed to be keeping her here.""
Richard pushed Daniel away.
"Where is the original deed?""
Alejandro smiled.
"Already taken care of.""
He held up a document.
My signature appeared at the bottom.
I stared.
"That's a forgery.""
"Maybe.""
He stepped closer.
"But it will be enough to start the transfer.""
Camila raised her weapon.
"Put it down, Alejandro.""
He looked at her.
"You're still playing the hero?""
"You used me.""
"You helped me.""
Her face tightened.
"I know.""
Alejandro turned toward me.
"Valeria, let's end this. Sign the final authorization, and I'll give you the money.""
I shook my head.
"How much?""
"Ten million.""
I stared at him.
"You think you can buy me?""
"No. I think you finally understand what you're worth.""
Something inside me went quiet.
For eight years, I had wanted him to admit that he had used me.
Now he had.
And somehow, it felt smaller than I expected.
I looked at Daniel.
Then at Camila.
Then at Richard.
Three people whose lives had been tied to mine long before I understood why.
"No," I said.
Alejandro's smile disappeared.
He raised his hand.
A gunshot exploded.
The recorder fell from my fingers.
I screamed.
Camila collapsed against the wall.
Blood spread across her white blouse.
"Camila!""
Alejandro stared at the gun in his hand.
For one second, he looked as shocked as I felt.
Then the front windows shattered.
Police officers stormed into the room.
"DROP THE WEAPON!""
Alejandro threw the gun aside.
Richard raised his hands.
Daniel rushed toward Camila.
I dropped beside her.
"Stay with me!""
She struggled to breathe.
Her fingers closed around mine.
"Valeria...""
"Don't talk.""
She shook her head.
"I have to tell you something.""
Her voice was barely audible.
"Grace didn't die because of Alejandro.""
I leaned closer.
"Then who?""
Camila looked toward Richard.
Then she whispered:
"Arthur ordered the car to be sabotaged.""
My blood ran cold.
"What?""
Camila tried to speak again.
But her eyes closed.
I grabbed her hand.
"Camila!""
The paramedics rushed into the room.
As they lifted her onto the stretcher, something slipped from her coat pocket.
A small folded photograph.
I picked it up.
It showed Arthur Bennett standing beside Alejandro outside a garage.
On the back was a handwritten message.
*THE ORIGINAL PLAN — APPROVED BY ARTHUR.*
I stared at it.
The man who had promised to protect me.
The man who had claimed to be investigating Grace's death.
The man who had sat across from me in that restaurant.
He had been involved from the beginning.
And just as the police escorted Richard out of the house, my phone vibrated.
A message from an unknown number.
May you like
*VALERIA, DON'T BELIEVE CAMILA.*
*SHE WAS THE ONE WHO DROVE GRACE'S CAR.*
