Chapter 2 - The Ghost of the Hacienda
Within hours of Mateo's return, the atmosphere in the village changed entirely. The poor, forgotten farmer Elías was no longer the town’s pity case; he was now residing in a temporary luxury villa Mateo had rented on the outskirts of the neighboring city.
For the first time in his life, Elías slept on orthopedic sheets, ate meals prepared by a private chef, and had doctors checking his fragile health. Yet, all the old man wanted was to hold his son’s hand.
"Mateo," Elías pleaded from his bed, his voice weak but filled with love. "You shouldn't have come back for me if it meant putting yourself in danger. Severo is a monster. He owns the police, the judges, the land... he has killed men for far less than what you did today."
Mateo sat by his father's side, gently squeezing his calloused hand. "Father, the education you gave me, the sacrifices you made... they weren't in vain. I am the chief structural engineer and majority shareholder of Vanguard Global Infrastructure. My net worth is more than Severo could ever dream of. But more importantly, I have resources. I have investigators. And they have uncovered a truth that has been buried for a quarter of a century."
Mateo stood up, walking to the window that looked out toward the distant, imposing silhouette of Don Severo’s grand hacienda, La Milagrosa.
"When you found me in that ravine," Mateo began, his eyes narrowing, "you found me wrapped in an expensive silk blanket. That blanket bore the crest of the De La Cruz family—Severo’s family. But Severo never married. He never had children. Or so the town believed."
Mateo pulled a manila folder from his leather briefcase and opened it. Inside were old, yellowed newspaper clippings, birth certificates, and a certified DNA report.
"Twenty-six years ago, Severo’s older brother, Alejandro de la Cruz, was the rightful heir to the entire estate. Alejandro was a kind man, much like you, Father. He wanted to split the land among the poor farmers who actually worked it. But then, Alejandro suddenly died in a 'horse riding accident.' His pregnant wife, Isabella, vanished shortly after. The town was told she fled to Spain out of grief."
Mateo turned to Elías, his eyes burning with a dark fire.
"She didn't go to Spain, Father. My investigators found a retired nurse who worked at the hacienda back then. Severo locked Isabella in the cellar of the hacienda to steal the inheritance. When she gave birth to me, Severo’s men took me, threw me into the ravine during that storm, and left me to die. They told Isabella her baby was stillborn. She died of a broken heart a week later."
Elías gasped, his hand flying to his mouth. "My God... you are Alejandro’s son. You are the rightful owner of everything."
"Yes," Mateo said, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "Severo built his empire on the blood of my parents and the sweat of men like you. He thinks he is a king. But I am about to dismantle his kingdom brick by brick."
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The phone in Mateo’s pocket buzzed. He answered it, listening quietly for a moment before a cold smile spread across his face.
"It has begun," Mateo told Elías. "Severo just tried to deposit the cash I gave him. He is about to receive a very unpleasant surprise."
