CHAPTER 4: THE FATHER WHO BURIED HIS OWN DAUGHTER
For several seconds, Alejandro couldn't move.
The words repeated inside his head like a nightmare.
“Camila’s own father helped them.”
No.
It was impossible.
Camila’s father, Esteban Navarro, had been the one person Alejandro believed would never betray her.
He was a quiet man.
A respected doctor.
A man who had always treated Camila like she was the most precious thing in the world.
When Alejandro and Camila married, Esteban had held his daughter’s hands and said:
"If you ever hurt my daughter, I won't need a lawyer to destroy you. I'll only need the truth."
And now...
the truth was destroying him.
“You’re lying.”
Alejandro’s voice trembled.
Rosa looked down.
“I wish I was.”
Mauricio crossed his arms.
“You still don't understand, brother.”
Alejandro turned toward him.
“Don't call me brother.”
For the first time, Mauricio’s smile disappeared.
“You think everyone betrayed you because they are monsters.”
He stepped closer.
“But sometimes people do terrible things because they have no choice.”
Alejandro stared at him.
“No choice?”
His voice became louder.
“My wife was alive.”
“My son was born.”
“And you created a funeral for both of them.”
He pointed at Mauricio.
“You had a choice.”
Mauricio looked away.
Only for a moment.
But Alejandro saw something.
Guilt.
A tiny crack in the man who always pretended to feel nothing.
Suddenly, Eugenia interrupted.
“Enough.”
Her voice echoed through the warehouse.
“This conversation is useless.”
She looked at Alejandro.
“You want answers?”
She took a deep breath.
“Fine.”
Everyone became silent.
Even Mauricio looked surprised.
Eugenia continued:
“Camila discovered something she should never have discovered.”
Alejandro stared.
“The company money?”
“No.”
Eugenia shook her head.
“Something much more dangerous.”
She walked toward an old wooden table.
“The De la Vega empire was built on secrets.”
She placed her hand on the table.
“Your grandfather had enemies.”
“Your father made deals that could never become public.”
“And this family survived because we knew how to protect its name.”
Alejandro’s eyes narrowed.
“So you destroyed innocent people to protect a reputation?”
Eugenia didn't answer.
That silence was enough.
Five months earlier...
Camila had found a hidden account.
Not one of the fake supplier accounts.
Not one of Mauricio’s illegal transfers.
Something older.
Something buried.
A secret account containing millions of dollars.
Money that had disappeared from the company decades ago.
Money connected to a man who officially died before Alejandro was even born.
His grandfather.
But the worst part...
was the name written beside the account.
Alejandro De la Vega.
Camila initially thought it was a mistake.
Until she discovered the truth.
The account had been created in Alejandro’s name when he was only six years old.
Someone had been using his identity.
Someone had been hiding money behind him.
Someone had been preparing him to become the perfect scapegoat.
If the truth ever came out...
Alejandro would take the blame.
Not Mauricio.
Not Eugenia.
Him.
“She came to me first,” Rosa said quietly.
Everyone looked at her.
“Camila?”
Rosa nodded.
“She was terrified.”
“She said she didn't know who she could trust.”
Alejandro closed his eyes.
Because that sentence hurt more than anything.
Camila had been surrounded by people.
Her husband.
Her family.
Doctors.
Friends.
And yet...
she had been completely alone.
“She asked me to help her escape.”
Rosa continued.
“But before we could leave the hospital…”
Her voice broke.
“Mauricio found us.”
Alejandro looked at his brother.
“What did you do?”
Mauricio remained silent.
“What did you do?”
This time Alejandro shouted.
Mauricio finally spoke.
“I was supposed to scare her.”
The room froze.
Alejandro stared.
“What?”
Mauricio swallowed.
“I was supposed to convince her to give me the documents.”
“I didn't know they planned to fake her death.”
A bitter laugh escaped Alejandro.
“You expect me to believe that?”
“It’s the truth!”
Mauricio’s voice cracked.
And for the first time...
Alejandro saw something human in him.
Regret.
“I thought my mother wanted to negotiate with her.”
“I thought she wanted to stop Camila from exposing the company.”
He looked down.
“I was wrong.”
Then Alejandro noticed something.
A detail nobody else had mentioned.
“If Mauricio didn't know about the fake death…”
He looked at Eugenia.
“Who planned it?”
Silence.
Mauricio slowly turned toward his mother.
His face changed.
“Mother?”
Eugenia didn't respond.
That was the answer.
Mauricio stepped back.
“No…”
For the first time, even Mauricio looked afraid.
“You told me she would only disappear.”
Eugenia’s expression remained cold.
“She was a threat.”
“She was pregnant with the heir.”
“She had evidence.”
“She had to be removed.”
Alejandro felt sick.
“You killed your daughter-in-law.”
Eugenia looked at him.
“No.”
Her voice was emotionless.
“I protected this family.”
Suddenly...
A loud noise came from outside.
Everyone turned.
A car engine.
Someone had arrived.
Rosa looked terrified.
“No…”
Alejandro looked at her.
“Who is it?”
Before she could answer...
the warehouse door opened.
A woman entered.
She was wearing a long coat.
Her face was pale.
Her eyes were full of tears.
Alejandro stopped breathing.
The world seemed to stop.
Because the woman standing in front of him...
was impossible.
A woman who was supposed to be dead.
A woman whose coffin he had touched.
A woman whose funeral he had attended.
Camila.
Alive.
She looked at Alejandro.
And whispered:
“I'm sorry.”
Alejandro couldn't speak.
His legs almost gave out.
“Camila…”
She took a step forward.
But before he could reach her...
Eugenia shouted:
“Stop!”
Everyone froze.
Camila looked at her.
And Eugenia’s face finally revealed something Alejandro had never seen before.
Fear.
Real fear.
Because Camila wasn't supposed to return.
She wasn't supposed to survive.
And she wasn't supposed to bring the evidence she carried in her hands.
Camila slowly raised a small envelope.
“I know everything.”
She looked at Eugenia.
“I know what you did.”
Then she looked at Alejandro.
“And I know who actually tried to kill me.”
Alejandro stared.
“Who?”
Camila’s eyes filled with tears.
She opened her mouth.
And the name she said next destroyed everyone in the room.
“Your father.”
The warehouse fell silent.
Because Alejandro’s father...
had been dead for fifteen years.
But according to Camila…
the man everyone believed was buried...
was still alive.
May you like
And he was the one who started everything.
TO BE CONTINUED...
