Chapter 9 - THE AUDIT OF SHAME"What... what is this?" Rodrigo stammered, his voice cracking as he stared at the financial audit in his hands. "Where did you get these numbers? This is impossible!"
"Nothing is impossible when you actually look at the books instead of skimming off the top," Alejandro said coldly, his voice ringing through the silent boardroom.
The papers Mariana had distributed weren't just standard corporate reports. They were forensic audits detailing years of embezzlement, illegal offshore asset concealment, and systematic financial fraud. And right at the center of every single illicit transaction was one primary name: Rodrigo Alcocer.
"For the past four years," Alejandro continued, standing up and leaning over the table, "while I was focused on expanding our global market presence, you and my dear, soon-to-be-ex-wife Regina were treating Alcocer Global as your personal piggy bank. You embezzled over forty million dollars from our community development funds—money earmarked for low-income housing and pediatric hospitals—to fund your luxury yachts, penthouse apartments, and high-society mistress allowances."
The board members gasped, frantically flipping through the pages of the audit. Several directors who had blindly signed Rodrigo’s petition now looked like they were going to vomit. If the federal authorities saw these documents, every single person who had enabled Rodrigo’s corruption—or looked the other way—would be facing federal prison time for conspiracy and money laundering.
"You're lying!" Rodrigo shrieked, slamming his fists onto the table and knocking over a glass of water. "These are forged documents! Fabricated by this... this nobody you dragged off the street!"
"They aren't forged, Rodrigo," a calm, familiar voice echoed from the doorway.
The heavy mahogany doors swung open again. This time, walking into the room was the head of federal financial crimes unit, flanked by four armed investigators, holding official federal search and seizure warrants.
Rodrigo staggered backward, hitting the back of his chair and nearly tripping over it. He looked around the room with wild, panicked eyes, realizing too late that the trap had snapped shut around him completely. There was no escape.
"Rodrigo Alcocer," the lead federal investigator announced, stepping forward with a pair of steel handcuffs gleaming in his hand. "You are under arrest for corporate fraud, embezzlement of public trust funds, and international money laundering. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law."
As the heavy handcuffs clicked sharply around Rodrigo’s wrists, he cast one final, murderous glare toward Mariana.
"You..." Rodrigo hissed through clenched teeth as the agents yanked him backward toward the doors. "You ruined everything, you filthy little beggar! You won't get away with this!"
Mariana didn't flinch. She stood tall, holding her head high, looking him straight in the eyes.
"I'm not a beggar, Rodrigo," Mariana replied calmly and clearly. "And I'm not invisible anymore."
As the doors closed behind the disgraced nephew and the federal agents, a profound, heavy silence settled over the boardroom. The remaining board members sat frozen in sheer terror, waiting for the executioner's final blow.
Alejandro sat back down slowly, looking around the table at the cowering executives.
May you like
"The meeting is adjourned," Alejandro said quietly. "Effective immediately, all of you are on probation. You will spend the next year rebuilding every single community fund you neglected. And if anyone has a problem with that... the door is right behind you."
Not a single person moved. Not a single person spoke.
