CHAPTER 2 — The Ballroom Turned Into a Courtroom
Carmen folded her arms.
"Oh, please."
"So you're the ex-husband."
"The man who abandoned his family."
Alexander didn't answer.
Instead, he slowly placed a thick envelope onto the banquet table.
Inside were photographs.
Hotel surveillance images.
Elevator footage.
Lobby recordings.
Every woman entering Sofia's suite.
Every woman leaving.
Time stamps.
Face recognition.
License plates.
Javier's smile disappeared.
"How..."
Alexander looked at him.
"You forgot one thing."
"The hotel belongs to one of my oldest clients."
Nobody breathed.
Mateo whispered,
"...Impossible."
Alexander slid another document across the table.
Medical reports.
Preliminary injury assessments.
Estimated reconstruction costs.
Future trauma therapy.
Projected damages.
Total estimated civil liability:
$47,800,000
Carmen laughed louder.
"No judge would ever—"
Alexander interrupted.
"This isn't for court."
"It's the opening offer."
Then another man walked into the ballroom.
Gray hair.
Federal badge.
"Carmen Robles?"
She frowned.
"Yes?"
"You are being investigated for aggravated assault, criminal conspiracy, unlawful confinement, witness intimidation, and attempted coercion involving real estate fraud."
Her smile vanished.
"What?"
Another officer entered.
Then another.
The ballroom doors closed.
Guests quietly stepped away from the Robles family.
One woman who had slapped Sofia began crying.
"I only followed Carmen!"
Another shouted,
"She told us it was family discipline!"
Phones appeared everywhere.
People recorded everything.
Javier grabbed Alexander's arm.
"You planned this!"
Alexander calmly removed his hand.
"No."
"You planned this."
"You scheduled the beating."
"I only scheduled the consequences."
Meanwhile...
Back at Elena's apartment...
Sofia finally slept.
For the first time since the wedding.
But Elena couldn't.
She noticed Alexander sitting alone on the balcony.
Looking at an old photograph.
Their family.
Years ago.
Before everything fell apart.
She quietly sat beside him.
"You've changed."
"No."
He looked into the night.
"I've just spent ten years waiting for someone to give me a reason to come back."
Elena stared at him.
"What really happened back then?"
Alexander remained silent for a long time.
Finally he spoke.
"I didn't leave because I stopped loving you."
"I left because someone threatened to kill both of you."
Elena froze.
"What?"
"I thought disappearing would keep you alive."
Before she could ask another question...
His phone rang.
One sentence changed everything.
"Sir..."
"They found the video."
Alexander slowly stood.
"Good."
The officer continued.
"...There's just one problem."
"It wasn't Carmen who ordered the attack."
Alexander stopped walking.
"What did you say?"
May you like
The answer made his blood run cold.
"The orders came from someone much higher."
