Chapter 6 - THE SECRET CAMILA KEPT
I drove back to Camila’s with Diego’s words stuck in my head.
Ask Camila where she was last Tuesday.
It sounded like manipulation.
Probably because it was.
But Diego knew how to put poison in a sentence.
You didn’t have to believe him.
You just had to wonder.
Camila was making grilled cheese for Sofía when I arrived.
Sofía ran to me.
“Mommy!”
I hugged her too tightly.
“Can I eat in the living room?”
“Sure.”
Once she disappeared, I looked at Camila.
“Where were you last Tuesday?”
Her face changed.
That was enough.
“Oh my God.”
“Verónica—”
“Where were you?”
“At your house.”
I stepped back.
“What?”
“Diego called me.”
“Why?”
“He said you were getting suspicious about money.”
My chest tightened.
“And you went?”
“I thought maybe I could figure out what was happening.”
“You didn’t tell me.”
“I was going to.”
“When?”
She rubbed her face.
“I found Teresa there.”
“What were they doing?”
“Moving boxes.”
“What boxes?”
“Files. Papers. I don’t know.”
“You saw them stealing documents from my house and said nothing?”
“I confronted Diego.”
“And?”
“He told me you already knew.”
I laughed.
“That worked on you?”
“No. That’s why I kept watching.”
She walked to a cabinet and removed a flash drive.
“I copied something.”
I stared at it.
“What?”
“His laptop was open.”
My anger stopped.
Camila placed the drive on the counter.
“I grabbed whatever I could.”
We opened it.
Folders appeared.
BANK.
PROPERTY.
CUSTODY.
VERONICA.
My own name.
I clicked it.
Inside were screenshots of private messages between me and Camila.
Photos.
Old medical bills.
Employment records.
A copy of my driver’s license.
Then a document titled:
CUSTODY STRATEGY.
My hands started shaking.
The first page described me as emotionally unstable.
Controlling.
Paranoid.
Possibly dangerous.
There were notes about building a case that I was alienating Sofía from Diego.
One line was highlighted.
If Veronica leaves voluntarily with the child, frame departure as parental interference.
Camila whispered, “Jesus.”
Another line:
Teresa willing to testify regarding Veronica’s temper.
Then:
Document any medication use.
I felt sick.
I had taken anxiety medication briefly after my father died.
Diego knew that.
He planned to use grief against me.
Then I found photographs.
Me leaving work.
Me grocery shopping.
Me walking Sofía to school.
Someone had been following me.
At the bottom of the folder was an invoice.
Private investigator.
Three months.
I sat down.
“He’s been planning this for months.”
Camila looked horrified.
Then another file caught my attention.
VIDEO_0814.
I clicked.
Security camera footage appeared.
Our living room.
Date stamped four weeks earlier.
Teresa and Diego were standing beside the sofa.
Teresa held several folders.
Diego said, “Once the property closes, I’ll file.”
Teresa replied, “And the girl?”
My stomach dropped.
Diego looked toward the stairs.
Then said:
“She comes with me.”
Teresa smiled.
“Good. A girl shouldn’t be raised by a woman who teaches her to challenge men.”
I stopped breathing.
Then Diego lowered his voice.
“If Veronica fights custody, we have another option.”
Teresa asked, “What option?”
Diego looked directly toward the camera.
May you like
And smiled.
Then the recording ended.
