Chapter 4 - The Ghost of the Past
As the guests began to frantically gather their belongings and flee the tense scene, two police officers walked down the stone path. Valeria’s brother tried to slip away through the rose garden, but Mateo’s security team blocked his path, forcing him to the ground.
Valeria stood by the altar, her breathing ragged. The police officers approached her, handcuffs in hand.
"Valeria Ortiz," the lead officer said. "You are under arrest for conspiracy to commit fraud, child endangerment, and unlawful confinement."
"Wait!" Valeria laughed, a wild, manic sound that made the remaining guests freeze. She looked at Mateo, a wicked, triumphant grin spreading across her face. "You think you've won, Mateo? You think you're the hero of this story?"
Mateo kept his arm around Sofía, who had just been brought down from the room by his trusted assistant. He held his daughter close, shielding her eyes. "Take her away, officers."
"Ask her!" Valeria shrieked, pointing a manicured finger at Sofía. "Ask the little brat where she found that document! She didn't find it in my bridal bag. She found it in the safe in the study—the safe that belonged to Elena!"
Mateo froze. The air in his lungs suddenly felt like liquid lead. "What did you say?"
"Elena wasn't sick, Mateo," Valeria whispered, her voice carrying a sickeningly sweet tone. "Your perfect, beautiful first wife didn't die of a sudden heart attack. Why do you think I had access to her medical records? Why do you think I knew exactly how to draft those 'medical reports' for you?"
The garden fell into a deathly silence. Even the police officers paused, sensing the gravity of the revelation.
"What did you do to Elena?" Mateo demanded, his voice dropping to a dangerous, vibrating whisper.
"I didn't do anything," Valeria sneered, stepping closer despite the officer holding her arm. "But your dear business partner, Julian... he sure did. Ask him about the pharmaceutical imports. Ask him why Elena was visiting his office the night before she 'passed away'."
Mateo slowly turned his head toward the front row.
Julian, his best friend since college, his business partner, and the best man at this very wedding, was standing near the exit. His face was completely devoid of color. He looked at Valeria with pure, unadulterated terror.
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Without a word, Julian turned and ran toward the parking lot.
The betrayal ran deeper than Mateo could have ever imagined. The woman he was about to marry and his best friend had murdered his wife.
