Chapter 9 - Locker 317
Tomas survived.
His shoulder was fractured, but doctors believed he would recover.
Alejandro did not wait for morning.
The key marked E.A. 317 matched a private safe-deposit facility once used by Banco Nacional before the branch was absorbed by another bank.
Rafael confirmed that Eduardo Aranda had rented a box there in 2013.
The account remained inactive.
But not closed.
At 8:15 the next morning, Alejandro entered the bank with lawyers and an independent notary.
Box 317 was opened under formal documentation.
Inside were three objects.
A sealed letter addressed to Alejandro.
A small digital recorder.
And a folder marked ESTHER.
Alejandro stared at his father's handwriting for several seconds before opening the letter.
My son.
If you are reading this, I was either wrong about your mother or I waited too long.
I pray it is the first.
Alejandro swallowed hard.
The letter continued.
Eduardo explained that Esther had become increasingly obsessed with control of the Aranda family's assets.
Their marriage had been troubled for years.
But the conflict became dangerous when Eduardo decided to restructure the company.
He planned to transfer significant voting authority to Alejandro and create an independent trust controlling the family's foundation.
Esther strongly opposed the plan.
Then Eduardo became ill.
At first, he assumed stress.
Later, he began noticing a pattern.
His symptoms became worse after drinking the herbal tonic Esther prepared for him at breakfast.
Alejandro stopped reading.
The words blurred.
He forced himself to continue.
Eduardo had secretly preserved a sample of the tonic.
But before he could test it, Esther discovered he was consulting another physician.
The sample disappeared.
So did several files from his office.
Eduardo wrote one final warning.
Do not underestimate your mother because she loves you.
Love and possession are not the same thing.
Alejandro lowered the letter.
Rafael stood silently across from him.
"Play the recorder."
The first recordings were ordinary business notes.
Then Eduardo's voice changed.
"June ninth."
"Esther confronted me about the trust."
"She said if I divided control of the company, I would destroy the family."
A later recording.
"June seventeenth."
"I woke with blood on the pillow."
"Javier says my platelet count is dangerously low."
Another.
"June twenty-first."
"Esther knows I have spoken to Javier privately."
"She says I am becoming paranoid."
Then the final recording.
Eduardo sounded weak.
"Alejandro."
"If you ever hear this, forgive me."
"I spent years teaching you to negotiate with enemies while refusing to admit I had one inside my own home."
A long pause.
"I don't know whether Esther is poisoning me."
"But I know she is afraid of what I intend to change."
"Trust evidence."
"Not loyalty."
The recording ended.
Alejandro stared at the device.
He thought he had reached the bottom of the secret.
Then Rafael opened the folder marked ESTHER.
Inside was not evidence of poisoning.
It was a copy of an adoption record.
Alejandro saw his own name.
His own birth date.
His own parents.
But the woman listed as his biological mother was not Esther.
He read the name three times.
Lucia Marquez.
Alejandro looked at Rafael.
"This is wrong."
Rafael said nothing.
"It's forged."
Still nothing.
Alejandro searched the folder.
There was another document.
A death certificate for Lucia Marquez.
She had died when Alejandro was six months old.
Cause of death.
Hemorrhage following untreated complications.
Alejandro sat down slowly.
The dates fit.
The signatures looked authentic.
His father had hidden them deliberately.
The family secret was larger than murder.
Everything Alejandro believed about his birth had just been torn apart.
His phone rang.
Valeria.
He answered.
"Are you safe?"
Her voice was frantic.
"Yes."
"Where are you?"
"At the bank."
"Alejandro, something happened."
His heart stopped.
"What?"
"Someone tried to enter my room last night."
"Security stopped her."
"Who?"
May you like
Valeria's voice trembled.
"Marcela."
