Chapter 4: The Father Who Never Left
For several seconds, I couldn't move.
My father.
The man I had spent my entire childhood believing had abandoned me was apparently alive, wealthy, and connected to the very company at the center of my divorce.
I looked at Arthur.
"You're telling me my father is alive?""
Arthur nodded slowly.
"And you knew?""
"No. Not until Grace started investigating.""
"Then how did you get this photograph?""
"She sent it to me two days before she died.""
I looked down at the picture again.
The older man standing beside Grace had deep-set eyes, silver hair, and a small scar above his left eyebrow.
My mother used to tell me that my father had a scar from a motorcycle accident.
She also used to say he had beautiful hands.
I remembered those details because they were the only things she had ever told me about him.
"What's his name?"" I asked.
Arthur hesitated.
"Daniel Bennett.""
The surname struck me.
"Bennett?""
Arthur nodded.
"He founded Bennett International with a business partner nearly forty years ago. That partner was your grandfather.""
I stared at him.
"My grandfather?""
"Your mother's father.""
The room seemed to tilt.
My grandfather had supposedly been a modest businessman who died before I was born. My mother had never mentioned any connection to an international corporation.
"Why would my mother hide all this?""
Arthur looked toward the window.
"Because your father disappeared after a serious dispute with the company's board. Your grandfather believed Daniel had stolen company money. He threatened to destroy him.""
"And my mother?""
"She was caught between them. She left Mexico City and raised you somewhere your grandfather's influence couldn't reach.""
I pressed my fingers against my forehead.
"So my entire childhood was built on a lie?""
"Not entirely," Arthur said gently.
"Your mother loved you. That part was never a lie.""
Before I could answer, Rebecca entered the office.
She held her phone in one hand.
"We have a problem.""
Arthur turned.
"What happened?""
"Someone just reported a break-in at the storage facility where Alejandro kept his documents.""
I looked at the key in my hand.
"Storage 214?""
Rebecca nodded.
"Security footage shows a woman entering twenty minutes ago.""
"Who?""
Rebecca turned her screen toward us.
The image was grainy, but the woman was unmistakable.
Camila.
She wore a black coat and carried a large leather handbag.
Arthur immediately reached for his phone.
"Call the authorities.""
Rebecca shook her head.
"Already done. But there's something else.""
She enlarged the photograph.
Camila was standing beside a man.
A man whose face was partially visible beneath the hood of his jacket.
I recognized his watch.
Alejandro's watch.
My stomach tightened.
"They're together.""
Arthur nodded.
"Then we need to know what they're looking for.""
I looked at the key.
"Maybe the original ledger.""
Rebecca frowned.
"Possibly. But there's another possibility.""
She opened a file on her tablet.
"Storage 214 was rented under a company registered to Daniel Bennett.""
I stared at her.
"My father?""
"Yes.""
Arthur stepped closer.
"That storage unit wasn't part of Alejandro's original investigation. Grace rented it herself.""
I felt a chill move down my spine.
"Then why would Camila have access?""
Arthur looked at the photograph again.
"Because Grace may have given her something.""
I thought about the note.
She gave me the original.
Suddenly, the words made sense.
"Camila has the ledger.""
"Or she knows where it is," Rebecca replied.
I picked up my handbag.
"Then we're going there.""
Arthur stepped in front of me.
"No.""
"She's carrying evidence that could clear my name.""
"And Alejandro knows that. If he's there, he may be desperate.""
I looked directly at him.
"Arthur, he has already stolen my money, used my identity, and possibly helped conceal a woman's death. I'm not going to sit in this house while he destroys the last piece of evidence.""
Arthur studied me.
Then he nodded.
"Rebecca, call the police and stay on the line. We're going together.""
The storage facility stood behind an old industrial building on the eastern side of the city.
Rainwater ran down the concrete walls.
A security guard sat inside a small booth, watching a television with the volume turned too high.
Arthur showed him a document.
"We're here for unit 214.""
The guard examined it.
"Someone's already inside.""
"Who?""
"Couple. Man and woman.""
Arthur glanced at me.
"Which unit?""
The guard pointed down the corridor.
We walked past rows of metal doors until we reached 214.
The door was open.
Inside, cardboard boxes covered the floor.
Camila stood beside a filing cabinet, holding a thick envelope.
Alejandro was tearing through a stack of papers.
He looked up.
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then Camila dropped the envelope.
"Valeria?""
Alejandro stepped between us.
"What are you doing here?""
I held up the key.
"I could ask you the same question.""
His face hardened.
"Leave.""
"No.""
He laughed bitterly.
"You really don't know when to stop, do you?""
I looked past him.
"What's in the envelope?""
"Nothing that concerns you.""
Arthur entered behind me.
"Everything in this room concerns me.""
Alejandro's expression darkened.
"Stay out of this, Bennett.""
Arthur pointed toward the filing cabinet.
"Where is the original ledger?""
Camila looked at Alejandro.
He shot her a warning glance.
That was all I needed.
I turned toward her.
"Camila, what did Grace give you?""
Her eyes filled with tears.
"Nothing.""
"Then why are you here?""
"Because he told me there was money.""
Alejandro grabbed her arm.
"Shut up.""
She pulled away.
"No! I'm done protecting you!""
She turned to me.
"Grace contacted me because she knew Alejandro was stealing from the company. She offered me proof.""
"Why would she trust you?""
Camila looked down.
"Because I was working for him.""
My stomach dropped.
"Working for Alejandro?""
She nodded.
"At first, I was just supposed to find out what Grace knew. He said she was becoming unstable. He told me she was stealing money and planning to blame him.""
Arthur's face went rigid.
"And you believed him?""
"I wanted to believe him.""
Her voice cracked.
"He promised me we'd leave together. He said once everything was settled, we'd start over.""
I stared at her.
"Did you know he was married?""
She looked away.
"Yes.""
"Did you know about the bracelet?""
She nodded.
I almost laughed.
Even now, she looked ashamed of the bracelet.
Not the betrayal.
The bracelet.
Alejandro stepped forward.
"That's enough. We're leaving.""
Arthur blocked the doorway.
"Not without the documents.""
Alejandro shoved him.
Rebecca shouted from the corridor.
"Police are on their way!""
Alejandro froze.
Then he looked at Camila.
"Give me the envelope.""
She backed away.
"No.""
"Camila.""
"No!""
She opened her handbag and removed a small silver object.
A flash drive.
"Grace gave me this.""
Arthur reached for it.
But Camila held it against her chest.
"Before I hand it over, I want protection.""
Arthur looked at her coldly.
"You helped Alejandro conceal evidence.""
"I know.""
"You lied to investigators.""
"I know!""
Her voice broke.
"Do you think I don't know what I've done?""
For the first time, she looked genuinely frightened.
Then she turned toward me.
"Valeria, there's something you need to know about your father.""
I stepped closer.
"What?""
Camila glanced at Alejandro.
"He didn't disappear because of your grandfather.""
Her eyes filled with tears.
"Your father was forced to disappear because Alejandro's father ordered it.""
Arthur went completely still.
"That's impossible," he whispered.
Camila looked at him.
May you like
"Then explain why Daniel Bennett has been living under another name for twenty years.""
And before anyone could ask another question, the storage facility lights went out.
