Chapter 9 - The Husband Who Already Knew
Andrew arrived at the mansion that evening to find Mariana waiting in the ballroom.
The same ballroom.
The same marble floor.
The same chandelier.
The place where everything had ended.
Andrew stopped at the entrance.
“Mariana?”
She stood exactly where she had stood when he struck her.
There were no guests this time.
Only two attorneys.
And Alejandro Escalante.
Andrew immediately understood.
“You found out.”
Mariana looked at him.
“How long?”
Andrew didn’t answer.
“How long did you know who I was?”
He looked down.
“Mariana—”
“How long?”
“Eighteen months.”
The words echoed through the ballroom.
Mariana nodded slowly.
“So Brenda told the truth.”
Andrew’s head snapped up.
“She came to you?”
“Yes.”
“She’s lying about—”
Mariana pressed a button.
Andrew’s recorded voice filled the ballroom.
As long as she loves me, Escalante money stays close.
Andrew closed his eyes.
Mariana stopped the recording.
“Anything else?”
He looked at her.
“I can explain.”
“Please.”
Mariana folded her arms.
“I would love to hear this explanation.”
Andrew swallowed.
“When I found out who you were, the company was already in trouble.”
“So you used me.”
“No.”
“You told Victor Hale you were using me.”
“I was trying to survive.”
“At my expense.”
“I was going to fix everything.”
“When?”
Andrew said nothing.
“Before or after you moved millions into Brenda’s account?”
His face changed.
“You know about Zurich.”
“Yes.”
“That wasn’t for Brenda.”
“She owns the account.”
“I used her name.”
Brenda had not mentioned that.
Mariana narrowed her eyes.
“Why?”
“To hide money from Hale.”
Alejandro stepped forward.
“You diverted corporate funds.”
Andrew looked at him.
“I was protecting them.”
“By stealing them?”
“I planned to return everything.”
Mariana laughed once.
It was the saddest sound Andrew had ever heard from her.
“You always planned to fix it later.”
She stepped closer.
“You planned to stop cheating later.”
Andrew looked away.
“You planned to repay the money later.”
Silence.
“You planned to respect me later.”
Her voice hardened.
“And while you were waiting for later, you destroyed everything you had now.”
Andrew’s eyes filled.
“I loved you.”
Mariana stared at him.
“Maybe.”
Andrew looked up.
That answer hurt.
Mariana continued.
“Maybe some part of you did.”
She glanced around the ballroom.
“But love without respect becomes possession.”
Andrew stepped toward her.
“Give me one chance.”
“No.”
“I’ll return everything.”
“This isn’t about money anymore.”
“I’ll testify against Hale.”
Alejandro’s expression sharpened.
Mariana noticed.
“What do you know?”
Andrew hesitated.
Mariana almost smiled.
Even now.
He was bargaining.
“You still don’t understand.”
Andrew looked confused.
“You came here thinking information could buy your marriage back.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
She stepped closer.
“So listen carefully.”
Her voice was steady.
“Our marriage is over.”
Andrew’s face collapsed.
“You can cooperate with investigators because it is the right thing to do.”
She paused.
“Or you can protect yourself.”
Another pause.
“But neither choice brings me back.”
Andrew looked at the marble floor.
The place where he had ordered Mariana to kneel.
Then, slowly...
Andrew sank onto his knees.
Alejandro looked away.
The attorneys remained silent.
Mariana stared down at him.
Andrew’s voice broke.
“Please forgive me.”
The prophecy had come true.
By sunrise, they were supposed to beg.
Andrew was simply one day late.
Mariana looked at him for a long moment.
Then she said quietly.
“One day, maybe I will forgive you.”
Andrew looked up hopefully.
Mariana finished.
“But forgiveness does not mean returning.”
She walked past him.
May you like
And for the first time...
Andrew understood the difference.
