Chapter 8 - THE FIRST ATTACK
Renata didn’t wait long.
By the next morning, Alejandro’s company was in crisis.
Two investors withdrew.
A major client suspended a development contract.
Another demanded an emergency meeting.
The reason appeared online before breakfast.
A story had been leaked to several gossip sites.
SUCCESSFUL ARCHITECT ABANDONS BRIDE AT ALTAR AFTER VIOLENT FAMILY MELTDOWN.
The article painted Renata as a victim.
Lucía was described as emotionally troubled.
Alejandro was described as unstable.
There was no mention of the locked restroom.
No mention of the forged school papers.
No mention of the medicine.
Alejandro read the article once.
Then closed it.
Mateo threw his phone onto the table.
“Guillermo.”
“Obviously.”
“He’s destroying the company.”
Alejandro looked at the financial projections.
“We can survive.”
“For how long?”
“Long enough.”
Mateo stared at him.
“You’re willing to lose everything?”
Alejandro looked through the glass wall of his office.
On his desk was a framed photograph of Lucía.
“Yes.”
Mateo nodded slowly.
“Good answer.”
At noon, Detective Sofía called.
“We found the pharmacy.”
Alejandro stood.
“What pharmacy?”
“The bottle from Renata’s bag.”
“And?”
“The substance is a prescription sedative.”
Alejandro’s hand tightened around the phone.
“Was it dangerous?”
“In the amounts we believe were being used, it could cause drowsiness, confusion, memory problems, and impaired coordination.”
Alejandro felt sick.
Lucía had complained about headaches.
She had stumbled twice.
Renata had blamed clumsiness.
Alejandro had believed her.
“We’re adding it to the investigation.”
“Can you arrest Renata?”
“We need to locate her first.”
Then Sofía paused.
“There’s something else.”
“What?”
“The prescription was issued under your name.”
Alejandro sat down.
“What?”
“Your identification was used.”
“I never requested it.”
“We know.”
Another forged document.
Another piece of his identity Renata had stolen.
That evening, Alejandro went home.
Lucía was sitting at the kitchen table drawing.
He kissed the top of her head.
“What are you making?”
“A new house.”
Alejandro smiled faintly.
“You’re stealing my job.”
Lucía smiled.
Then he noticed the drawing.
Three people stood outside the house.
Alejandro.
Lucía.
Mariana.
No Renata.
Lucía looked down.
“Are you mad?”
“Why would I be mad?”
“Because Mommy is there.”
Alejandro sat beside her.
“Never.”
Lucía hesitated.
“Renata said you didn’t like when I talked about Mommy.”
Alejandro’s chest tightened.
“She told you that?”
Lucía nodded.
“She said it made you sad.”
Alejandro took her hand.
“Talking about your mom might make me sad sometimes.”
Lucía’s face fell.
“But sadness isn’t bad.”
She looked at him.
“It means I loved her.”
Lucía leaned against him.
“And you can talk about her whenever you want.”
“Even when you get married someday?”
Alejandro smiled sadly.
“Especially then.”
A knock came at the door.
Mateo entered.
His face was serious.
“We found the red car.”
Alejandro stood.
“What?”
“Detective Mendoza traced one registered to Renata nine years ago.”
Alejandro’s pulse quickened.
Mateo continued.
“She sold it.”
“When?”
“Three days after Mariana died.”
Silence.
Alejandro looked toward Lucía.
She was still drawing.
Mateo lowered his voice.
“There’s more.”
“What?”
“The buyer kept the car.”
Alejandro stared at him.
“And police have it.”
The forensic examination began that night.
By morning, they found something beneath the passenger seat.
A tiny silver pendant.
Alejandro recognized it immediately.
May you like
He had given it to Mariana on their first anniversary.
And it had disappeared the day she died.
