CHAPTER 3: THE HANDCUFFS
The metallic click of the handcuffs echoed through the living room.
For a second, nobody breathed.
Mauricio stared at the officer's hand as though he were looking at a loaded weapon.
"No…" he whispered.
The officer stepped forward.
"Mr. Mauricio Vega, please remain calm."
"Calm?" Mauricio exploded. "You can't arrest me! I haven't done anything!"
Attorney Gabriel Ortega calmly adjusted his glasses.
"Actually, you have done quite a lot."
He opened another file.
"Forgery, financial fraud, tax evasion, and attempted embezzlement."
Mauricio's face turned white.
"This is a misunderstanding!"
"It isn't," Gabriel replied.
The officer took another step.
Panic suddenly flashed across Mauricio's eyes.
Then he did something no one expected.
He turned toward Valeria.
And dropped to his knees.
"Please…" he said.
Everyone froze.
Even the officers looked surprised.
Mauricio grabbed the edge of her sweater.
"Valeria, don't do this. We can fix it."
She looked down at him without emotion.
"We can start over," he continued desperately. "I made mistakes, but I love you."
Camila's mouth fell open.
"Love her?" she whispered.
"You told me you hated her!"
Mauricio ignored her.
He was focused only on Valeria.
"I'll end everything with Camila. I swear."
Camila looked as though she had been slapped.
"You promised me a life together!"
Still, he ignored her.
"Please, Valeria. Don't ruin me."
Silence.
Then Valeria slowly removed his hand from her sweater.
"Ruin you?"
Her voice was soft.
Dangerously soft.
She looked directly into his eyes.
"Tell me something, Mauricio."
He nodded eagerly.
"If I hadn't discovered the truth… would you still be begging me now?"
He opened his mouth.
No words came out.
She smiled sadly.
"Exactly."
He lowered his head.
"You weren't sorry when you lied to me."
She took a step back.
"You weren't sorry when you stole from me."
Another step.
"You weren't sorry when you moved your mistress into my house."
Tears appeared in his eyes.
"And you definitely weren't sorry when you planned to leave me with your crimes."
The room was silent.
Every word felt like a verdict.
Mauricio's shoulders slumped.
He looked defeated.
Then suddenly—
"Enough!"
Leonor's voice cut through the room.
Everyone turned toward her.
She was trembling.
Her eyes were red.
She looked at her son.
Then at the documents on the table.
Then at Camila.
Finally…
she looked at Valeria.
For years, Leonor had blamed her daughter-in-law for everything.
Too serious.
Too ambitious.
Too independent.
Too successful.
She had spent six years criticizing her.
Humiliating her.
Believing her son was the victim.
But now…
the truth was standing in front of her.
And it was ugly.
"Is it true?" she asked quietly.
Mauricio looked away.
"Mauricio."
Her voice broke.
"Answer me."
Silence.
That was answer enough.
The older woman suddenly sat down.
As though all the strength had left her body.
"You were going to leave us too?"
He looked at her.
"Mom—"
"You used us."
Her hands began shaking.
"You made us hate her."
She pointed at Valeria.
"You told us she was selfish."
Tears rolled down her cheeks.
"But you…"
She couldn't finish the sentence.
Because the truth hurt too much.
Her son was not the hero she had imagined.
He was a liar.
A thief.
A coward.
And perhaps worst of all…
he had betrayed the one person who truly loved him.
Suddenly, another voice broke the silence.
Camila.
"You lied to me too."
Everyone looked at her.
She looked completely different now.
The arrogance was gone.
The victorious smile had disappeared.
All that remained was shock.
"You said she was a cruel wife."
She pointed at Valeria.
"You said she didn't care about you."
Mauricio looked exhausted.
"Camila—"
"No!"
Her voice cracked.
"You said she never helped you!"
She looked at Valeria.
Then at the lawyer.
Then at the evidence.
And she realized something terrible.
The woman she had spent months hating…
had actually been the victim.
Meanwhile, the man she thought loved her…
had simply been using her.
Just as he had used everyone else.
Tears filled her eyes.
"Were you ever going to marry me?"
Mauricio said nothing.
The silence was devastating.
Camila slowly covered her mouth.
"Oh my God…"
Everything she had believed was a lie.
The apartment in Madrid.
The future.
The promises.
None of it had been real.
She had been a temporary escape.
Nothing more.
And for that illusion…
she had destroyed another woman's marriage.
The officer cleared his throat.
"Mr. Vega, we need you to come with us."
"No."
Mauricio stood abruptly.
"No! This is insane!"
He looked at Valeria again.
"You can't let this happen."
She didn't answer.
"Please."
Nothing.
Then his face changed.
Desperation became anger.
"You think you're better than me?"
Silence.
"You think you're innocent?"
Still nothing.
Suddenly, he laughed.
A strange, bitter laugh.
"You'll regret this."
The room grew cold.
Valeria narrowed her eyes.
"What did you say?"
He smiled.
A terrifying smile.
"You don't know everything."
For the first time that morning…
she felt uneasy.
"What do you mean?"
He looked directly at her.
"There are things you don't remember."
She frowned.
"What are you talking about?"
He took a slow breath.
Then he said five words that changed everything.
"Ask about your father's company."
The room froze.
Valeria's face lost all color.
Her father's company?
Her father had died fifteen years ago.
In a car accident.
She had inherited nothing.
Or at least…
that was what she had always been told.
Mauricio smiled.
"You should ask your dear father-in-law."
Everyone turned toward Ramiro.
The older man suddenly looked terrified.
"Don't," he whispered.
But Mauricio kept smiling.
"Tell her."
"Stop it," Ramiro said.
"Tell her who really owns this house."
Silence.
Valeria slowly looked at her father-in-law.
A strange feeling crept into her chest.
"Ramiro…"
The man couldn't meet her eyes.
"What is he talking about?"
No answer.
Her heart began pounding.
"Ramiro?"
The older man's face crumpled.
Then, with trembling hands, he sat down.
Because after fifteen years…
the secret he had buried was finally coming back to life.
And what he was about to reveal…
May you like
would destroy everything Valeria believed about her family.
TO BE CONTINUED…
