PART 4 — The Man Behind the Monster
Sofía Mendoza couldn’t move.
The phone was still pressed against her ear.
But she no longer heard the doctor’s voice.
All she could hear was one sentence repeating inside her mind.
“It was your own husband, Mauricio Mendoza.”
The man she had trusted.
The man who held her hand when doctors told them having children might be impossible.
The man who cried when their first ultrasound showed two tiny heartbeats.
The man who whispered:
“After everything we’ve been through, I will spend my whole life protecting you.”
That man…
Had been helping destroy her.
Slowly, Sofía lowered the phone.
Mauricio noticed her expression.
And for the first time…
He looked truly afraid.
—Who was that?
Sofía stared at him.
A strange calm replaced the pain.
A dangerous calm.
—The doctor.
Mauricio’s face changed.
—What doctor?
—The doctor who treated our children.
Silence.
Elena watched them carefully.
She already knew.
Sometimes the truth didn’t arrive like an explosion.
Sometimes it arrived quietly…
With one person realizing they had been betrayed by the person standing closest to them.
Sofía stepped closer.
—Why did you send him their medical information?
Mauricio froze.
Only for a second.
But it was enough.
Sofía saw it.
The hesitation.
The fear.
The guilt.
—Answer me.
—Sofía, you don’t understand.
She laughed softly.
A broken sound.
—You’re right.
She looked at him.
—I don’t understand how the father of my children could sit beside me while I buried them…
Her voice cracked.
—And still keep lying.
Mauricio looked away.
That hurt more than any confession.
Because denial would have been easier.
But he couldn’t even look her in the eyes.
Elena stepped forward.
—Tell her everything, Mauricio.
He looked at the old nurse.
—Stay out of this.
Elena’s expression hardened.
—No.
She pointed toward the hallway.
—A woman lost two babies because you were too weak to stand against your mother.
Mauricio flinched.
But Sofía interrupted.
—No.
Everyone looked at her.
She wiped her tears.
—Don’t call him weak.
A pause.
—Weak people make mistakes.
Her eyes locked on Mauricio.
—He made choices.
The words hit him harder than a scream.
Because they were true.
Mauricio sat down.
His hands covered his face.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then finally…
He whispered:
—I didn’t want them dead.
Sofía’s eyes filled with tears.
—Then why?
Mauricio looked up.
And what she saw broke something inside her.
Not because he looked evil.
Because he looked like someone who had convinced himself he was the victim.
—My mother said you were going to leave me.
Sofía stared.
—What?
—She told me after the twins were born, you would realize you didn’t need me anymore.
He swallowed.
—She said you only stayed because you wanted children.
Sofía shook her head.
—So you believed her?
Mauricio’s voice trembled.
—She always made me feel like everyone leaves.
A bitter smile crossed Sofía’s face.
—So you destroyed the people who never would have left you.
Mauricio began crying.
But Sofía felt nothing.
The tears that once would have broken her…
Now meant nothing.
Because she remembered something.
A night two months before the twins died.
Gael had been crying.
Bruno was restless.
Sofía had been exhausted.
She remembered asking Mauricio:
“Can you stay awake with me tonight?”
And he had answered:
“I have work tomorrow.”
Then she remembered hearing him whispering in the kitchen with Ofelia.
She never knew what they were saying.
Until now.
Suddenly…
A thought hit her.
—Wait.
Both Elena and Mauricio looked at her.
Sofía’s face became pale.
—The bottles.
She looked at Elena.
—You said other babies died the same way.
Elena nodded.
—Yes.
—But why were my babies targeted now?
Nobody answered.
Sofía started walking around the room.
Thinking.
Connecting pieces.
—Ofelia hated me.
She looked at Mauricio.
—But she loved you.
Mauricio lowered his eyes.
—Yes.
—Then why would she risk losing you forever?
The room went silent.
Because that question had no easy answer.
Unless…
The target was never Sofía.
The target was never even the twins.
Elena slowly opened another document.
—There is something I found before coming here.
She placed it on the table.
A bank statement.
Sofía looked down.
Her eyes widened.
The account belonged to Mauricio.
A large amount of money had been transferred.
Just days before the twins died.
The sender’s name was:
Clínica Santa Isabel.
Sofía looked confused.
—A clinic?
Elena nodded.
—A private medical research company.
Mauricio immediately stood up.
—Where did you get that?
Too fast.
Too defensive.
Everyone noticed.
Sofía stared at him.
—You know them.
Silence.
Then…
Mauricio whispered:
—I worked with them.
The room became cold.
—What?
He sat down again.
—My laboratory was developing a new medication.
Elena looked shocked.
—The same medication found in the babies?
Mauricio didn’t answer.
And that was the answer.
Sofía felt her stomach turn.
Her husband wasn’t just involved.
He had access.
Knowledge.
Connections.
Everything needed to hide the truth.
But then…
Something unexpected happened.
The front door opened.
Two police officers entered.
Behind them was Ofelia.
But she wasn’t handcuffed.
She was smiling.
Sofía stepped back.
—How are you out?
One officer looked uncomfortable.
—Mrs. Barragán was released temporarily.
—Released?
Elena looked furious.
—On what grounds?
The officer held up a document.
—Because the evidence from the phone recording has been challenged.
Sofía frowned.
—Challenged?
The officer looked at Valentina.
—The defense claims the child was manipulated.
Ofelia smiled.
Then she looked directly at Sofía.
—You really thought a little girl’s video would destroy me?
Sofía felt cold.
Because Ofelia didn’t look scared.
She looked victorious.
Then Ofelia reached into her purse.
And pulled out something.
A small envelope.
She placed it on the table.
—Before you accuse everyone else…
She looked at Mauricio.
Then at Sofía.
—Maybe you should ask your daughter why she was secretly recording inside my house.
Everyone froze.
Sofía looked at Valentina.
The little girl’s face turned pale.
Because there was something Ofelia knew…
Something nobody else knew.
Ofelia smiled.
—Tell them, Valentina.
The girl stepped backward.
Tears filled her eyes.
—Grandma is lying…
Ofelia tilted her head.
—Am I?
She opened the envelope.
Inside was a photograph.
A photograph of Valentina…
Standing in Ofelia’s kitchen.
Holding the same bottle that killed her brothers.
Sofía felt the world disappear beneath her feet.
Because suddenly…
The evidence that saved her…
May you like
Was being turned against her own daughter.
TO BE CONTINUED…
