Chapter 5 - Eighteen Million Reasons
Alejandro read his grandfather’s trust agreement at Valeria’s bedside.
The trust held a little over eighteen million dollars for future Aranda children. Esther managed it temporarily. Once Alejandro and Valeria’s baby was born, he would take over as trustee.
There was one exception. If a court found both parents unfit, Esther could continue managing the money as the child’s appointed guardian.
“She hurt you for control of a trust,” Alejandro said.
Valeria stared at the papers. “She didn’t even wait for our daughter to be born.”
Their daughter. He and Valeria had learned the sex of the baby only a month earlier. They had argued fondly about names over breakfast. Now that memory felt as though it belonged to someone else.
Alejandro called Gabriel.
“You signed Esther’s notice.”
“I thought Valeria fell while she was drinking,” Gabriel said.
“You were there.”
“Yes.”
“Did you smell alcohol?”
“No.”
“Did you see a bottle?”
“No.”
“Then you knew it was false.”
Gabriel said nothing.
“Tell me what Esther knows about Lucia Moreno.”
“She found an old personnel file. Lucia worked at Aranda Holdings.”
“I know that. What did Esther threaten Valeria with?”
“I haven’t seen the file.”
Alejandro did not believe him.
A message from Marisol arrived while they spoke. She had found an invoice for a private investigator, charged to an account Esther controlled. The investigator had been hired two weeks before the photograph appeared on Alejandro’s desk.
He ended the call.
“The picture came from Esther,” he told Valeria.
“She knew you’d believe it.”
Alejandro had no answer.
Later that morning, Daniel checked Valeria’s test results. The baby was doing well. Valeria needed rest and follow-up care, but she could likely leave the hospital soon.
“Where will I go?” she asked.
“Anywhere you choose,” Alejandro said. “I’ll make sure it’s safe.”
Daniel’s phone rang. He listened for a moment, then looked sharply at Valeria.
“There’s a woman downstairs asking for you.”
“Who?”
“She says she’s your mother.”
May you like
Valeria went still.
“My mother died when I was nineteen.”
