Then I raised my head and, in a firm voice, said:
—Of course I can take it. After all, this company, that office… and even the position that you believe you govern, belong to me. My name is Valeria Monteverde, president and majority shareholder of this group. And you… just attacked the owner in front of everyone.
—Of course I can take it —I repeated, looking directly at Camila—. Because this thermos, this company and everything you see here… belong to me. I am Valeria Monteverde, daughter of the founder, president of the board and majority shareholder of Grupo Monteverde.
The silence that followed was so dense that even the sound of the air conditioning seemed like thunder.
Camila blinked, confused.
Then he laughed nervously.
—You? The owner? Don’t make me laugh…
But his voice no longer sounded firm.
Alejandro, on the other hand, was completely pale.
—Valeria… I can explain it…
I turned my head slowly towards him.
—No. You already talked enough yesterday. I heard every word.
I pulled out my phone, tapped the screen, and within seconds, audio began playing through the dining room speakers.
Camila’s honeyed voice filled the place:
—Your wife is useless. A woman like her only gets in the way…
Then came Alejandro’s laughter.
Then his own voice, cold, cruel, unrecognizable to anyone who had ever believed in him:
—I put up with her for three years just because she was the founder’s daughter. But soon I’m going to get her out of the way. Then you will have the place you deserve.
A murmur ran through the dining room.
Some employees opened their eyes in horror. Others turned to look at Alexander as if they had suddenly discovered that the man they obeyed every day was a stranger.
Camila took a step back.
—That… that’s taken out of context…
—From context? —I asked calmly.
Then I raised my hand.
The dining room doors burst open.
Three people entered: Mr. Ramiro Salas, two external auditors… and behind them, four investigative police officers.
Alexander’s face crumbled.
—Valeria, please don’t do this here…
—Not here? —I barely smiled—. Curious. Yesterday you didn’t mind humiliating me here either.
Ramiro moved forward, opened a folder and spoke with a firm voice:
—Mr. Alejandro Fuentes, by instruction of the extraordinary council convened this morning, you are suspended from all your executive functions. In addition, there is a formal complaint for corporate fraud, diversion of resources, abuse of trust and use of shell companies for the illegal extraction of group funds.
Camila began to shake.
—No… no… this must be a mistake…
Ramiro didn’t even look at her.
—And you, Miss Camila Rivas, are included in the investigation for complicity, physical assault within corporate facilities and possible participation in irregular financial operations through immediate family members.
Camila turned to Alejandro as if waiting for him to save her.
—Tell them something! You said everything was covered! You said she was stupid who didn’t know anything!
It was like watching a rope break.
Everyone’s eyes passed from Camila to Alejandro.
And Alexander understood, too late, that the woman for whom he had betrayed his life had just buried him with her bare hands.
—Shut up! —he shouted.
—Shut me up? —Camila screamed, out of her mind—. You promised me marriage! You promised me the presidency when you got rid of her! You even told me that the founder’s old documents were already destroyed!
That phrase changed everything.
I felt my back harden.
—What documents? —I asked for.
Alejandro remained motionless.
Camila put a hand to her mouth, as if she had just realized what she had said.
I took a step forward.
—Answer.
He swallowed.
—Valeria… listen… your father… before he died… He left some papers, but they were no longer valid…
—Answer well.
Ramiro looked up suddenly.
—What papers are you talking about?
Alejandro lowered his eyes.
And then, for the first time since it had all started, I saw something real in him.
Fear.
Not the fear of losing money.
Not the fear of losing office.
But the fear that something much worse would come to light.
I knew it before he spoke.
I felt it in my chest.
Like a cold blow.
—My father left a private succession clause, right? —I said, almost in a whisper.
Alejandro did not respond.
Ramiro tensed.
