Chapter 12 - The Longest Three Minutes of Alejandro’s Life
The room changed instantly.
Nurses moved faster.
The doctor gave short instructions.
Alejandro was asked to step back.
He refused until Valeria looked at him and whispered, “Do what they say.”
He moved toward the wall.
Three minutes.
Later, Alejandro would learn that the fetal heart rate had been unstable for less than three minutes.
To him, it lasted an entire lifetime.
He watched Valeria’s face.
Watched the monitor.
Watched strangers work to protect the two people he loved most.
And he thought of every ridiculous meeting he had once called urgent.
Every business deal he had treated like life or death.
Every dinner he had skipped.
Every phone call from Valeria he had answered with, “Can this wait?”
Nothing would ever feel urgent in the same way again.
Then the heartbeat strengthened.
The room slowly relaxed.
Alejandro gripped the back of a chair.
The obstetrician exhaled.
“That’s better.”
Valeria started crying.
Alejandro reached her immediately.
He kissed her forehead.
“You’re okay.”
“We’re okay,” she whispered.
For now.
The doctor explained that the pregnancy remained high-risk.
They wanted Valeria under continuous monitoring.
Complete rest.
No stress if possible.
Alejandro almost laughed at the last instruction.
No stress.
His mother was under criminal investigation.
His father had hidden evidence.
His family company was entering a succession crisis.
Someone had burned a law office.
And the woman he loved had nearly lost their child.
Still, he promised.
“I’ll keep everything away from this room.”
Valeria looked at him.
“You can’t protect me by hiding everything.”
He paused.
She continued.
“That’s what your family does.”
The sentence stopped him.
“You’re right.”
“No secrets.”
“No secrets.”
That promise became the first new rule of their marriage.
An hour later, Rafael called.
Alejandro almost ignored it.
Valeria nodded toward the phone.
“Answer.”
He did.
Rafael sounded shaken.
“Son, your mother is gone.”
Alejandro stood.
“What?”
“She left the mansion during the search.”
“How?”
“The police allowed her to remain in the east sitting room with her attorney.”
“And?”
“She said she needed medication.”
Alejandro closed his eyes.
“Let me guess.”
“Private bathroom exit.”
“Yes.”
“Where is she?”
“I don’t know.”
“Her phone?”
“Left behind.”
“Car?”
“One vehicle is missing from the garage.”
Alejandro looked at Valeria.
“Call Detective Cruz.”
“I did.”
“Then why are you calling me?”
Rafael went quiet.
Finally, he said, “Because I know where she might go.”
Alejandro’s voice sharpened.
“Where?”
“The old vineyard house.”
The Arandas had owned a small vineyard property outside the city for decades.
Alejandro had not visited it in years.
“Why there?”
“Your mother kept records there.”
“What records?”
“Private company ledgers.”
Alejandro frowned.
“What kind of ledgers?”
Rafael hesitated.
“The kind she never wanted auditors to see.”
Valeria heard.
She looked at Alejandro.
He put the phone on speaker.
Rafael continued.
“She used discretionary accounts.”
“For what?”
“Payments.”
“To Teresa?”
“Maybe.”
“To Héctor?”
“Probably.”
“To anyone else involved?”
“I don’t know.”
Alejandro rubbed his forehead.
“If those records connect her to the medical tampering…”
“They could prove everything.”
“Then tell the police.”
“I have.”
“Good.”
Rafael lowered his voice.
“But there is something else at the vineyard.”
Alejandro waited.
“A recording system.”
“What recording system?”
“Your grandfather installed it in his office.”
“Why?”
“He didn’t trust board meetings.”
Despite everything, that sounded exactly like Don Emilio.
“Does it still work?”
“Yes.”
“Why does that matter?”
Rafael took a breath.
“Because Esther used that office for a meeting six months ago.”
“With whom?”
“Teresa.”
Alejandro’s pulse increased.
“And?”
“And me.”
Silence.
“What happened at that meeting?”
Rafael began crying.
“I should have stopped her then.”
Alejandro’s voice went flat.
“Dad.”
“She explained the entire plan.”
Valeria covered her mouth.
Alejandro could barely speak.
“And you sat there?”
“Yes.”
“You heard everything?”
“Yes.”
“And did nothing?”
Rafael’s answer was almost inaudible.
“Yes.”
Alejandro ended the call.
He could not hear another word.
Not yet.
Valeria looked at him.
He stared at the floor.
“My father knew from the beginning.”
She reached for his hand.
May you like
He did not deserve the comfort.
She gave it anyway.
