Chapter 7 - The Account in Zurich
At 4:18 p.m., Mariana received an unexpected call.
Her financial investigator spoke first.
“We found something.”
Mariana looked up from her desk.
“What?”
“An account connected to Andrew.”
“How much?”
“Potentially nine million.”
Mariana’s expression sharpened.
“Where?”
“Zurich.”
Alejandro, sitting across from her, immediately noticed the change.
Mariana placed the call on speaker.
“Source?”
“Transfers from Whitmore subsidiaries.”
Alejandro leaned forward.
“Company money?”
“Possibly.”
The investigator continued.
“Some transfers originated from accounts indirectly supported by Escalante credit.”
Mariana went still.
Andrew hadn’t merely depended on her money.
He might have diverted it.
“Get everything.”
“We’re working on it.”
“Quietly.”
“Understood.”
The call ended.
Alejandro studied his granddaughter.
“You still want seventy-two hours?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I want him to choose what he does next.”
Alejandro understood.
“You’re giving him one final chance to tell the truth.”
Mariana looked at the city.
“Yes.”
That evening, she returned to her family’s penthouse.
Her old bedroom had remained almost unchanged.
On the dresser sat a photograph from her wedding.
Andrew was smiling at her.
She remembered that day.
He had cried when she walked down the aisle.
She had believed those tears.
Maybe they had been real.
That was what hurt.
People weren’t always monsters from the beginning.
Sometimes they became worse slowly.
One compromise.
One lie.
One betrayal at a time.
Her phone buzzed.
A message from Andrew.
PLEASE LET ME EXPLAIN.
She stared at it.
Another followed.
I KNOW SORRY ISN’T ENOUGH.
Then another.
BUT THERE ARE THINGS YOU DON’T KNOW.
Mariana’s eyes narrowed.
She typed three words.
THEN TELL ME.
Andrew’s reply didn’t come.
One minute.
Five.
Ten.
Nothing.
Mariana put down the phone.
That was his chance.
He had failed it.
Again.
Then her investigator called back.
“Ms. Escalante?”
“Yes.”
“We identified the account holder.”
Mariana waited.
“It isn’t Andrew.”
She frowned.
“Who is it?”
“Brenda Collins.”
Mariana slowly stood.
“How much?”
“Eight million, seven hundred forty thousand dollars.”
Mariana’s expression turned cold.
“Where did it come from?”
A pause.
“Whitmore Holdings.”
Another pause.
“And at least part of it can be traced to Escalante-backed financing.”
Mariana closed her eyes.
Andrew had used her money to build a secret fortune for his mistress.
But the investigator wasn’t finished.
“There’s something else.”
“What?”
“Someone tried to move the money twenty-three minutes ago.”
Mariana opened her eyes.
“Who?”
“We don’t know yet.”
“Where?”
“To the Cayman Islands.”
“Did it go through?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because the transfer required a second authorization.”
Mariana’s voice became quiet.
“Whose?”
May you like
The investigator answered.
“Andrew Whitmore’s.”
