Chapter 5 - THE MAN IN MY HOUSE
The recovered footage came from a hidden service camera near the wine cellar.
Beatriz did not know it existed.
My security team had installed it years earlier after a burglary scare.
Mateo played the first clip.
Alejandro Vega entered my house at 11:48 p.m.
Beatriz kissed him.
Not on the cheek.
On the mouth.
I felt nothing.
No heartbreak.
That surprised me.
Maybe betrayal had already become too small compared to what she had done to Isabella.
The next clip showed them sitting at my kitchen island.
Documents spread everywhere.
Alejandro pointed to something.
Beatriz said, “Once the Dubai project closes, he’ll move the next tranche.”
Alejandro answered, “Then we take it before he notices.”
My fists tightened.
Another clip.
Beatriz laughed.
“He notices buildings.”
She tapped her chest.
“He never notices people.”
That one hurt.
Mateo looked at me.
“Keep watching.”
The footage jumped ahead several days.
Isabella entered the kitchen.
She wore pajamas.
“What are you doing here?” Beatriz demanded.
“I’m thirsty.”
Alejandro smiled.
“Come here, sweetheart.”
Isabella stayed near the door.
Beatriz stood.
“Go back upstairs.”
“I heard Dad’s voice.”
Beatriz glanced toward a laptop.
A recording of my voice was playing.
My skin crawled.
“What was that?” I asked.
Mateo paused the footage.
“We think they used voice cloning.”
“For what?”
“Authentication calls.”
I stared at the screen.
They had stolen my voice.
My signature.
Probably passwords.
Everything.
The footage resumed.
Isabella pointed at the laptop.
“Is Dad home?”
Beatriz grabbed her arm.
“No.”
“Ow.”
“You saw nothing.”
“I just want Dad.”
Beatriz pulled her closer.
“If you tell him anything about Alejandro, he’ll be angry with you.”
“Why?”
“Because he doesn’t like children who cause trouble.”
Isabella started crying.
Then Beatriz said the sentence that made me stand up.
“If you ruin things for me, I’ll send you away, and your father won’t stop me.”
I punched the table.
Mateo flinched.
“Sorry.”
“No.”
My voice shook.
“Keep going.”
The final clip was different.
It showed Alejandro and Beatriz arguing.
“We need the last authorization,” Alejandro said.
“You said the forged signature was enough.”
“For the accounts, yes.”
“What about the villa?”
“We need Gabriel physically present or legally incapacitated.”
Beatriz stared at him.
Then said quietly, “He travels all the time.”
Alejandro gave her a look.
“What are you suggesting?”
She didn’t answer.
She only smiled.
Mateo paused the video.
The room went silent.
“Gabriel.”
I stared at the screen.
“Were they planning to hurt me?”
“We don’t know.”
“Find out.”
My phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
“Gabriel Navarro?”
“Yes.”
“This is Inspector Elena Márquez with the National Police.”
My stomach tightened.
“How can I help you?”
“We need you to come in.”
“Why?”
A pause.
“Your wife has filed a complaint.”
“For what?”
“Domestic intimidation.”
I laughed once.
Not because it was funny.
Because I finally understood the strategy.
“What exactly did she say?”
“That you returned unexpectedly, threatened her, removed your daughter from the home, and are attempting to control family finances.”
I closed my eyes.
Inspector Márquez continued.
“She also submitted evidence suggesting you may have been planning to remove the child from Spain.”
May you like
I opened my eyes again.
The trap was already closing.
