CHAPTER 5: “THE TRUTH THAT COULD NO LONGER BE HIDDEN”
The note slipped from Alejandro Ferrer’s hand.
Three words.
Only three words.
“You were warned.”
But those words carried a message more terrifying than any threat.
Someone had entered the Ferrer mansion.
Someone had taken Camila.
And someone wanted Alejandro to know they were watching him.
—CAMILA!
Teresa’s scream echoed through the hallway.
She ran from room to room, opening doors with trembling hands.
The little girl who always held her stuffed rabbit.
The little girl who cried quietly so nobody would get angry.
The little girl who never asked for expensive toys or beautiful clothes.
She was gone.
—My daughter…
Teresa collapsed against the wall.
—I should have protected her…
Alejandro immediately grabbed his phone.
His voice became sharp.
—Lock every exit. Nobody leaves this house.
The security staff moved quickly.
But Alejandro already knew something.
This wasn’t a random kidnapping.
This was personal.
Renata appeared at the end of the hallway.
Perfectly calm.
Almost too calm.
—What happened?
Teresa turned toward her.
For the first time in months…
She wasn’t afraid.
She was furious.
—Where is my daughter?
Renata looked surprised.
—Your daughter?
She looked around.
—Are you accusing me?
Teresa walked toward her.
Her eyes were full of tears.
—You hated her from the first day.
—You took away her food.
—You told her she didn’t belong here.
Her voice broke.
—You wanted her gone.
Renata’s expression hardened.
Then she smiled.
—Careful, Teresa.
She lowered her voice.
—People who make accusations without proof usually regret it.
Before Teresa could answer, Alejandro stepped between them.
—Enough.
Everyone became silent.
Because they had never heard Alejandro speak like that.
Not with anger.
With disappointment.
He looked at Renata.
And for the first time…
She looked afraid.
The security manager rushed in.
—Mr. Ferrer!
Alejandro turned.
—Did you find anything?
The man swallowed.
—Yes.
He handed Alejandro a tablet.
—The cameras were disabled for exactly seven minutes.
Alejandro looked at the screen.
Seven minutes.
Not eight.
Not six.
Exactly seven.
Whoever did this knew the system.
Then another detail appeared.
A camera in the garden had continued recording.
A backup camera.
Alejandro opened it.
And everyone watched.
A figure carrying Camila crossed the garden.
The image was blurry.
But one thing was clear.
The person wasn’t a stranger.
It was someone from inside the mansion.
Someone who knew every corner.
Someone who had access.
Teresa covered her mouth.
Because she recognized the clothes.
—No…
Her voice trembled.
—It can’t be.
Alejandro looked at her.
—Who is it?
Teresa’s eyes filled with tears.
—Mariela.
The entire mansion froze.
Mariela.
The woman who had helped raise employees’ children.
The woman everyone trusted.
The woman who always defended Camila.
The woman who had warned Teresa to leave.
The woman who knew the mansion better than anyone.
But Alejandro wasn’t convinced.
Because he remembered the cameras.
He remembered Mariela’s fear.
She wasn’t acting like someone who wanted to hurt Camila.
She was acting like someone trapped.
—Find her.
Alejandro ordered.
—Now.
Twenty minutes later, they found Mariela.
Not running away.
Not hiding.
Sitting in the old storage building behind the mansion.
Crying.
And in her arms…
Was Camila.
Safe.
Sleeping.
Holding her rabbit.
Teresa ran forward.
—Camila!
Mariela immediately stood.
—I didn’t hurt her!
Her voice broke.
—I swear, I didn’t hurt her.
Teresa grabbed her daughter.
Holding her tightly.
Then she looked at Mariela.
Confused.
—Why?
Mariela cried.
—Because Renata ordered me to take her.
Everyone froze.
Alejandro stepped closer.
—Explain.
Mariela wiped her tears.
—She said she needed Camila away from the house before you discovered the truth.
Alejandro’s eyes narrowed.
—What truth?
Mariela looked at Camila.
Then at Teresa.
And whispered:
—The truth about who Camila’s father really was.
The room became silent.
Teresa looked confused.
—What are you talking about?
Mariela took a deep breath.
—Your mother never told you everything.
Teresa froze.
—My mother?
Mariela nodded.
—Ten years ago, your mother worked for Eduardo Ferrer.
Alejandro listened carefully.
—My father?
—Yes.
Mariela looked down.
—She was his assistant.
Not a maid.
Not an employee.
His most trusted person.
Then she revealed something nobody expected.
—Your mother discovered that someone inside the Ferrer company was stealing money.
Millions of dollars.
She found evidence.
But before she could expose them…
She disappeared.
Alejandro felt cold.
His father’s old secret.
The missing documents.
The fake companies.
The stolen donations.
Everything connected.
—Who was stealing? —he asked.
Mariela hesitated.
Then whispered:
—The person who is still doing it today.
Everyone slowly turned.
Toward Renata.
But Renata wasn’t there.
Alejandro immediately checked his phone.
A message had arrived.
From Renata.
Only one sentence:
“You finally understand.”
Then another message appeared.
A photograph.
A photograph of a suitcase filled with documents.
And a flight ticket.
Destination:
Switzerland.
Departure:
Tonight.
Alejandro’s face changed.
She wasn’t trying to win anymore.
She was trying to escape.
But then Teresa noticed something.
Something nobody else saw.
Camila was still holding her stuffed rabbit.
Except now…
There was something hidden inside it.
A small piece of paper.
Teresa carefully opened the rabbit’s hidden zipper.
Inside was an old USB drive.
Everyone stared.
Alejandro picked it up.
—Where did this come from?
Teresa shook her head.
—I don’t know.
But then she remembered.
The day Alejandro gave Camila the rabbit.
He had no idea…
Someone had already placed something inside it.
Something Eduardo Ferrer had hidden years ago.
Alejandro connected the USB drive.
One file appeared.
No password.
No protection.
Just a video.
A video recorded by his father before his death.
The screen turned on.
Eduardo Ferrer appeared.
Older.
Tired.
But serious.
And his first words shocked everyone:
—If you are watching this…
—it means Renata Alcázar has already tried to destroy my family.
Alejandro stopped breathing.
Because his dead father had known.
He had predicted everything.
The video continued.
—Alejandro, I need you to understand something.
—The person you should fear is not Renata.
A pause.
Then Eduardo looked directly into the camera.
—She is only working for someone much closer.
The screen froze.
Before revealing the name.
The file ended.
Everyone stared.
Because the final answer was hidden.
And the only clue left was a name written at the bottom of the video:
“The person you trusted most.”
Alejandro slowly looked around the room.
At his employees.
At his family.
At the people closest to him.
Because the real enemy…
Was still inside the Ferrer empire.
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And they had no idea who it was.
TO BE CONTINUED…
