Chapter 10 - MARISSA’S LAST WARNING
The recording was five years old.
Marissa sat inside her car.
Sophie would have been three.
Her voice sounded tired.
“If anything happens to me, Alejandro needs to know about Blake.”
Alejandro’s stomach tightened.
Marissa continued.
“Thomas Blake contacted me again today.”
“He says Alejandro ruined his company.”
“He wants money.”
“He says if Alejandro doesn’t pay, he’ll make sure the Rivers family understands what it feels like to lose something.”
Alejandro paused the recording.
“Why didn’t she tell me?”
Elena looked devastated.
“She probably didn’t want to worry you.”
Rachel nodded.
“Keep watching.”
Marissa appeared again.
“I told him to stay away from Sophie.”
“He laughed.”
“He said children are how powerful people learn humility.”
Alejandro closed his eyes.
Thomas Blake hadn’t simply blamed Alejandro.
He had threatened his family.
Years before Valerie ever entered Rivers Logistics.
Rachel explained what detectives had found.
After Thomas died, Valerie inherited boxes of his documents.
Letters.
Debt notices.
Newspaper clippings.
Photographs of Alejandro.
Photographs of Marissa.
Even one photograph of Sophie as a toddler.
Valerie had inherited more than her father’s belongings.
She inherited his obsession.
But Valerie had taken it further.
Far further.
Alejandro watched the final seconds.
Marissa looked directly into the camera.
“If Sophie ever sees this one day, baby, I love you.”
Alejandro’s eyes filled.
“I love you more than anything in this world.”
“And Alejandro…”
Marissa smiled faintly.
“If you’re watching this, don’t blame yourself.”
He looked away.
The words hit too close.
“You always try to carry everything.”
“You can’t.”
“Just protect my girl.”
The video ended.
Alejandro sat in silence.
Elena was crying.
Rachel quietly left the room.
Alejandro replayed the last sentence.
Just protect my girl.
He had promised that at Marissa’s grave.
And for weeks, he had failed.
Or that was how it felt.
That afternoon, Sophie asked why he was crying.
Alejandro didn’t lie.
“I saw a video of your mom.”
Sophie’s eyes widened.
“Mommy?”
“Yeah.”
“Can I see?”
Alejandro hesitated.
Then nodded.
He showed her only the final part.
Sophie watched her mother’s face.
When Marissa said, “I love you,” Sophie touched the screen.
“Again.”
Alejandro replayed it.
“Again.”
He replayed it.
By the fifth time, Sophie was crying.
Alejandro held her.
“I forgot her voice.”
He closed his eyes.
“I know.”
“I didn’t want to forget.”
“You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“Will I forget yours?”
Alejandro pulled her closer.
“You’ll get sick of mine first.”
She laughed through her tears.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“Wait until you’re sixteen.”
Sophie smiled.
Then she looked at the screen again.
“Mommy told you to protect me.”
Alejandro swallowed.
“Yes.”
“You did.”
His face tightened.
“Sophie—”
“You came home.”
Three words.
That was all.
You came home.
For the first time since the ambulance ride, Alejandro allowed himself to believe that maybe failure wasn’t the whole story.
He had missed signs.
But when Sophie spoke, he listened.
And listening had saved her.
That evening, prosecutors formally charged Valerie.
But Valerie refused to speak.
Until her attorney delivered a message.
She would confess.
May you like
She would explain everything.
But only if Alejandro came to hear it.
