Chapter 3 - The Discharge and the EvictionWhen Valeria walked through the front door of her penthouse apartment the next day, her breathing was still shallow, but her resolve was forged in steel.
The apartment was silent. Ricardo was nowhere to be found, but his presence lingered in the mess he had left behind—expensive suits thrown over chairs, empty take-out boxes on the coffee table, and bills stacked neatly by the door.
Valeria didn't even drop her bag. She walked straight to the master bedroom, opened the walk-in closet, and pulled down three large suitcases. With cold efficiency, she began throwing Ricardo’s designer clothes, shoes, and luxury watches into the bags.
Just as she zipped the third suitcase, the front door clicked open. Ricardo walked in, flanked by Doña Carmen and Mariana. They looked like an invading army ready to reclaim lost territory.
"Valeria, have you lost your absolute mind?" Doña Carmen shrieked, marching straight into the living room with her nose turned up in disgust. "How dare you speak to my daughter like a common criminal? And locking Ricardo out? This is his home too!"
"No, Carmen. It’s not," Valeria said, walking out of the bedroom and dragging the heavy suitcases behind her. She dropped them right at their feet with a loud thud.
Ricardo stepped forward, his face flushed with embarrassment and anger. "Valeria, stop this right now. You’re making a fool of yourself. Apologize to my mother, transfer the money for Mariana’s apartment, and maybe—just maybe—I’ll consider letting you sleep in our bed tonight."
Valeria let out a short, cold laugh that sent a shiver down Ricardo's spine.
"Our bed?" She walked over to the entryway, picked up the stack of unpaid bills, and threw them at Ricardo’s chest. "There is no 'our' anymore, Ricardo. Look at the coffee table. Look at the floor. Your bags are packed. You have exactly thirty minutes to get your family out of my apartment, or security will throw you out into the street."
Mariana stepped forward, her eyes narrowing into slits. "You arrogant bitch! You wouldn't be anything without my brother! Without our family name, you're just a nobody orphan who got lucky!"
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Before Mariana could finish her sentence, the front door swung open again. Two large security guards stepped inside, flanked by Marcus Vance carrying a thick manila folder.
"Actually, Miss Mariana," Marcus said smoothly, stepping into the room with a confident smile, "Valeria is the sole owner of this property, this corporation, and every asset attached to it. And according to this eviction notice, you are trespassing."
