Chapter 4 - The Code Only Three People Knew
Alejandro had changed that access code six months earlier.
Only three people knew it.
Alejandro himself.
Rafael.
And Marcela.
Esther had never been given the code.
At least, that was what Alejandro had believed.
"Pull the authorization logs."
"I already did."
Rafael handed him a tablet.
The deletion request had been entered at 2:14 in the morning three days earlier.
That was the same night Samuel had visited Valeria.
The request included Alejandro's digital signature.
"Can this be forged?"
"Yes."
"By anyone?"
"No."
Rafael looked uncomfortable.
"Someone would need access to either your encrypted office token or the backup authorization stored in the family vault."
Alejandro looked toward the staircase.
Marcela had disappeared.
"Find my sister."
Rafael nodded.
"Quietly."
Alejandro turned to Samuel.
"Get Valeria out of here."
Valeria grabbed Alejandro's sleeve.
"You're not coming?"
"I will."
"After I find out why my family is using my identity to erase evidence."
Her grip tightened.
"Don't confront them alone."
The concern in her voice hurt him.
He had spent three days imagining betrayal.
She had spent weeks trying to survive people carrying his last name.
"I won't."
He kissed her forehead gently.
Then Samuel led her outside.
Alejandro watched the car disappear through the gate.
Only then did he return inside.
Esther was waiting in the drawing room.
Marcela sat beside her.
That alone answered Rafael's question.
His sister had not needed to be found.
She had gone directly to their mother.
Alejandro entered.
"Did you delete the recordings?"
Marcela crossed her arms.
"Of course not."
"Did you use my access code?"
"No."
"Did you know Samuel was visiting Valeria?"
Marcela glanced at Esther.
One second.
Maybe less.
But Alejandro saw it.
Esther spoke.
"This interrogation is beneath you."
Alejandro ignored her.
"Marcela."
"Did you know?"
Marcela stood.
"I knew someone was entering the house."
"So you photographed him."
"Yes."
"Why not confront him?"
"Because I thought Valeria was having an affair."
"You're lying."
Marcela's face flushed.
Alejandro stepped closer.
"If you thought he was her lover, you would have told Mother immediately."
"You tell Mother everything."
"But instead you sent the photograph only to me."
"Because I was protecting you."
"No."
"You were manipulating me."
Esther rose.
"Enough."
Alejandro turned.
"No."
"It hasn't even started."
He placed the bottle of tea on the table.
"I'm testing this."
Esther stared at it.
"That ridiculous drink?"
"The ridiculous drink you've been giving my wife every morning."
"It is a traditional herbal mixture."
"Then you have nothing to worry about."
Esther's lips pressed together.
Alejandro continued.
"I'm also bringing in an outside forensic team."
"They'll inspect the kitchen."
"The medicine cabinet."
"Valeria's supplements."
"Everything."
Marcela laughed.
"You've lost your mind."
"Maybe."
"But if the tests come back clean, you can remind me for the rest of my life."
He started toward the door.
Esther's voice stopped him.
"Your father would be ashamed of you."
Alejandro slowly turned.
His father, Eduardo Aranda, had died twelve years earlier after a sudden cardiac collapse.
The family had rarely spoken about the details.
Alejandro had been twenty-four.
Marcela had been twenty-one.
Esther had built an altar to her late husband's memory and controlled every story told about him.
"What does Father have to do with this?"
Esther's expression changed.
"Everything you have exists because this family survived together."
"Don't destroy it because a frightened woman filled your head with accusations."
Alejandro stared at her.
"A frightened woman?"
"She's my wife."
"She is carrying my son."
"Your grandson."
Esther said nothing.
That silence stayed with him.
Alejandro left the room.
In the hallway, Teresa was waiting.
She looked terrified.
"Señor Alejandro."
"What is it?"
The older woman glanced behind him.
"I heard you asking about the security recordings."
"Yes."
She crossed herself.
"I saved one."
Alejandro stopped breathing for a moment.
"One what?"
"A recording."
"From the hallway outside señora Valeria's room."
"When?"
"Four nights ago."
"The night she fell."
Teresa pulled a tiny memory card from inside her apron.
"I copied it before they erased everything."
Alejandro stared at the card.
"Why?"
May you like
Teresa's eyes filled with tears.
"Because this is not the first time I have watched your mother hurt someone and then make the evidence disappear."
