Chapter 9 - THE WOMAN WHO ESCAPED FIRST
The anonymous sender contacted Elena through Claire.
Her name was Lucia.
She had served as Alejandro’s executive assistant for four years before leaving Varela Capital without explanation.
They met in a quiet office after midnight.
Lucia kept her coat buttoned despite the warm room.
“I sent the loan notices,” she said.
“Why?”
“Because he chose you.”
Elena did not understand.
Lucia placed an old phone on the table. It contained messages from Alejandro that sounded painfully familiar.
Apologies.
Threats.
Promises that no one would believe her.
Photographs showed bruises on Lucia’s arms and back.
“He told everyone I stole money,” Lucia said. “Victoria paid me to disappear. She said if I spoke, they would have me arrested.”
“Did Alejandro assault you?”
Lucia nodded.
“He did more than that. He used employees to move money between companies. When I refused to alter invoices, he hurt me. Then his mother made the evidence vanish.”
Lucia had saved copies of internal ledgers before leaving.
The records showed that Varela Capital had been insolvent for nearly two years. It had concealed losses by moving investor funds between developments.
The waterfront pledge was not meant to finance a new resort.
It was meant to cover missing money before auditors discovered it.
“How much?” Elena asked.
“Almost three hundred million dollars.”
Elena felt the room tilt.
The Varelas were not simply desperate.
They were preparing to steal her family’s most valuable property to conceal a financial crime.
Lucia agreed to cooperate with investigators if Elena promised protection.
“You’ll have it,” Elena said.
Lucia studied the engagement ring on Elena’s hand.
“You’re still marrying him?”
“I’m walking into the ceremony.”
“That isn’t the same answer.”
Elena looked at the files covering the table.
Alejandro believed the wedding would give him control of the Marquez empire.
Instead, the ceremony would place every relevant person in one room. Alejandro, Victoria, Gabriel, their attorneys, investors, and political allies would all attend.
Claire could deliver the injunction the moment the conduct clause was triggered.
The detective could move once Alejandro’s coercion was documented.
But Lucia gave Elena one final warning.
“Victoria keeps records on everyone she controls. Judges. bankers. inspectors. Your father may be in those files too.”
Elena’s breath caught.
“What could she have on him?”
Lucia shook her head.
“I never opened the folder. I only saw the label.”
It read:
May you like
ROBERTO MARQUEZ — ORIGINAL AGREEMENT.
👉 Elena had prepared to expose Alejandro’s crimes, but Victoria’s secret file suggested Don Roberto’s own past might be the weapon that destroyed them all.
