CHAPTER 2: The Fall of the Collins Dynasty
By noon, the Collins family mansion was no longer filled with laughter.
It was filled with panic.
Andrew stood inside his office, throwing documents across the room.
“This is impossible!”
His lawyer looked nervous.
“Mr. Collins… the investors are pulling out.”
“Why?”
The lawyer hesitated.
“Because every major financial agreement your company depends on was backed by Escalante Holdings.”
Andrew froze.
“No.”
The lawyer placed another document on the desk.
“Your mansion mortgage…”
Andrew looked at it.
His face slowly changed.
“Owned by Escalante Real Estate.”
Silence.
“The cars?”
“Leased through an Escalante subsidiary.”
“The charity foundation?”
“Funded through Escalante donations.”
Every word felt like a knife.
Because Andrew was finally discovering the truth.
The life he mocked.
The wife he humiliated.
The woman he called worthless…
Was the reason he had everything.
Meanwhile, Brenda arrived at the mansion wearing a confident smile.
She believed she was about to become the new Mrs. Collins.
Until she saw the headlines.
COLLINS INDUSTRIES FACES FINANCIAL COLLAPSE.
Her smile disappeared.
She immediately called Andrew.
“You told me everything was secure!”
Andrew looked at her coldly.
“You knew about the necklace accusation.”
Brenda became silent.
“You planned this.”
Her expression changed.
“Andrew…”
“No.”
He stepped back.
“For four years, you and my mother made me believe Mariana was nothing.”
His voice cracked.
“And she was the only reason I was something.”
That evening, Margaret came to my father’s headquarters.
For the first time, the woman who always looked down on me looked afraid.
She entered my office slowly.
“Mariana…”
I didn’t look up.
“Yes?”
Her voice became softer.
“I think there has been a misunderstanding.”
I almost laughed.
A misunderstanding?
The slap.
The insults.
The humiliation.
The years of cruelty.
A misunderstanding?
I closed the file in front of me.
“No, Margaret.”
“There was never a misunderstanding.”
“You knew exactly what you were doing.”
She lowered her eyes.
“Please.”
That word.
Please.
The same woman who once told me to crawl out of her house was now begging me to listen.
I stood.
“You wanted to know where someone like me belonged.”
I walked toward the window.
“Now you know.”
She looked at me.
I continued.
“I belonged here.”
Three days later…
Andrew requested a private meeting.
I agreed.
Not because I forgave him.
Because I wanted him to hear the truth.
When he entered my office, he looked different.
Broken.
Not physically.
But the arrogance was gone.
He stared at me.
“How long?”
I said nothing.
“How long were you hiding this?”
“Since before our wedding.”
His face fell.
“You knew?”
“Yes.”
“You knew everything?”
“Yes.”
He sat down.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
I looked at him.
“Because I wanted you to love Mariana.”
“Not the Escalante name.”
May you like
His eyes filled with regret.
But regret came too late.
