Chapter 2 - Unearthing the Serpent
The fallout of Julián’s exposure rattled the foundations of Alcázar Technologies. For three days, forensic accountants tore through the corporate ledgers, unearthing a web of unauthorized wire transfers, shell companies in the Cayman Islands, and systematic embezzlement totaling nearly twelve million pesos over three years—far beyond the initial 1.8 million that had triggered Santiago’s suspicions.
In the quiet sanctuary of the Puerta de Hierro kitchen, the atmosphere was vastly different.
Mariela sat at the wooden island, nursing a cup of chamomile tea. Sofía was curled up on the adjoining stool, fast asleep with her head resting on her arms, exhausted from the emotional turbulence of the past week.
Santiago walked in quietly, holding a thick manila folder. He looked tired, the weight of familial betrayal finally settling into his bones, but there was a newfound lightness in his posture.
"He's being held without bail," Santiago said softly, pulling out a chair opposite Mariela. "The authorities found the missing documents in his personal safe at the corporate office. The police are also reopening the investigation into the previous employees who 'disappeared.' Julián framed them all to cover his own tracks."
Mariela looked up, her eyes wide with a mixture of relief and lingering anxiety. "Does that mean... am I fired?"
Santiago paused, studying her face—the faint dark circles under her eyes, the worn fabric of her blouse, the fierce, unyielding dignity that she wore like armor.
"Fired?" Santiago repeated, a faint smile touching the corners of his mouth. "For sneaking your daughter into a billionaire’s house, breaking every security protocol I established, and ultimately saving my company from a financial parasite? If I fired you, Mariela, I’d be the biggest idiot in Guadalajara."
A breath she didn't know she was holding escaped Mariela’s chest. A nervous laugh bubbled up, followed by a tear that slipped down her cheek. "I lied to you. I broke your rules."
"You protected your child," Santiago corrected gently. "And you showed me more honesty in two weeks than my own blood showed me in a lifetime."
He slid the manila folder across the table. Mariela opened it hesitantly. Inside were two documents: one was a formal cancellation of her eviction notice, with her past-due rent settled in full; the second was an employment contract as head of interior redesign and facility aesthetics for Alcázar Technologies’ new R&D center, complete with a salary that would change her life and Sofía’s forever.
May you like
Mariela stared at the papers, her hands trembling. "Santiago... I can't accept this. This is too much."
"It's not charity," he said, leaning forward. "During the weeks I pretended to be blind, I watched you organize my entire life by texture and memory. I heard you talking to Sofía about color theory, proportions, and light. You are a brilliant designer who got buried under the wreckage of survival. It’s time you started dreaming again."
