Chapter 7 - Sergio’s Second Secret
I thought seeing Sergio with File 78 would destroy whatever remained of my trust.
Instead, it gave me something I hadn't felt in days.
Certainty.
He had lied.
He had planned.
And now we finally had proof.
Detective Ruiz obtained a warrant.
But Sergio was gone.
His phone was off.
His company office was empty.
Paola's apartment was empty too.
Then the bank called.
Someone had attempted to access the trust again.
This time, they used a different identity.
Mine.
I stared at Elena.
“I was in the hospital.”
“I know.”
“Who did it?”
She placed a document on the table.
The signature looked exactly like mine.
But the handwriting analyst had already confirmed it was traced.
“Where did they get my signature?”
Elena pointed to the bottom.
“From an old mortgage document.”
Sergio had collected my signature over years.
He had been preparing.
That night, I couldn't sleep.
At 2:17 a.m., my phone received a video.
No number.
No name.
I opened it.
Sergio appeared on the screen.
He was sitting alone.
His face looked different.
Not angry.
Afraid.
“If you're seeing this,” he said, “something went wrong.”
I watched silently.
“I never wanted you to get hurt.”
I almost laughed.
“You left me bleeding.”
He looked away.
“I needed the money.”
There it was.
The truth.
“My company was collapsing. I thought I could borrow from the trust and replace it.”
“You couldn't.”
“I know.”
“Then why?”
He continued.
“Paola had already promised investors the money.”
My blood ran cold.
“She wasn't helping me.”
“She was controlling me.”
He looked toward the camera.
“And there's something you don't know.”
The video froze.
Then restarted.
Sergio whispered:
“Your mother didn't die believing I was innocent.”
My heart stopped.
“What does that mean?”
The video ended.
A second message appeared.
Come alone.
Then a location.
A warehouse outside San Andrés Cholula.
Andrés grabbed my phone.
“You're not going.”
“I have to know.”
“No.”
Detective Ruiz agreed.
“We'll handle it.”
But before she could finish, another message arrived.
This time it was a photograph.
Nicolás.
Sleeping in the hospital nursery.
Someone had taken the photograph from outside.
Under it were four words:
We can reach him.
My entire body went cold.
Ruiz immediately called the hospital.
Then she looked at me.
“Your son is being moved.”
“Where?”
“Secure care.”
“And the warehouse?”
“We go there.”
She picked up her jacket.
“But you stay here.”
I shook my head.
“No.”
“You're recovering.”
“My husband nearly killed me.”
“I know.”
“And someone is threatening my son.”
She stared at me.
Then finally nodded.
“But you stay behind the officers.”
We arrived at the warehouse twenty minutes later.
The building was dark.
One light flickered inside.
Ruiz raised her hand.
The officers moved forward.
Then the warehouse door opened.
May you like
And Sergio stepped into the light—
with his hands raised and blood on his shirt.
