Chapter 3 - The Name Inside the File
Mariana was taken to the hospital under police escort.
Julián refused to leave her side.
Rocío was detained, but she kept insisting that everything would collapse if they arrested her.
No one understood what she meant.
Not yet.
At the hospital, doctors monitored Mariana’s contractions.
The baby was stable.
But the stress had triggered premature labor symptoms.
Julián sat beside her bed holding her hand.
“I should have told you I was coming home.”
Mariana looked at him.
“You thought you were protecting me.”
“I thought I was surprising you.”
“You did.”
A weak smile crossed her face.
Then disappeared.
“Julián…”
“I know.”
“No. You don't.”
She looked toward the police officer guarding the door.
“I think your mother has been afraid of something for a long time.”
He squeezed her hand.
“We'll find out.”
The door opened.
A military investigator entered.
He placed a sealed folder on the table.
“Captain Lozano, we found something concerning.”
Julián stood.
“What?”
The investigator opened the folder.
“Your deployment records were altered.”
Julián stared.
“That’s impossible.”
“Someone changed the return date.”
“To what?”
“Two months later.”
Mariana sat upright.
“That means…”
“They wanted everyone to believe Julián would be away longer than he really was.”
The investigator placed another document on the table.
“Someone also sent a false casualty notification.”
Julián clenched his fists.
“Who had access?”
“We’re investigating.”
The investigator hesitated.
“There's more.”
He showed them a list.
Mariana recognized one name immediately.
“Dr. Esteban Varela.”
Her gynecologist.
Julián frowned.
“My mother recommended him.”
Mariana stared at the page.
“I never met him.”
“You did,” the investigator said.
Mariana shook her head.
“No.”
“Your mother changed one of your appointments.”
Julián suddenly remembered.
Three months earlier, Rocío had insisted on driving Mariana to a specialist.
Mariana had refused.
Rocío became angry.
Julián had dismissed it as family tension.
Now it looked different.
The investigator turned another page.
A photograph showed Rocío meeting a man outside a private clinic.
The man was Dr. Varela.
Beside him stood another person.
A lawyer.
And behind them was a woman Mariana did not recognize.
Mariana stared at the photograph.
“Who is she?”
The investigator looked at Julián.
“We don't know.”
Rocío knew.
That became clear when officers showed her the photograph.
She refused to speak.
Then one officer mentioned the woman's name.
“Lucía Herrera.”
Rocío went pale.
Julián noticed.
“Who is Lucía?”
Rocío whispered,
“She should have died.”
Everyone in the room became silent.
Mariana felt another contraction.
“Who is she?”
Rocío looked directly at her.
“Your sister.”
Mariana froze.
“I don't have a sister.”
Rocío lowered her eyes.
“You do.”
Julián stared at his mother.
“You've known this?”
“For thirty-four years.”
The investigator stepped closer.
“Where is she?”
Rocío shook her head.
“I don't know.”
“You just said she should have died.”
“She was supposed to.”
Mariana's heart pounded.
“Why?”
Rocío closed her eyes.
“Because your father wanted only one child to survive.”
Julián looked at Mariana.
Her face had gone completely white.
“My father?”
Rocío said nothing.
The investigator opened the last page.
A birth record from thirty-four years earlier.
Two babies.
One mother.
One father.
And two names.
Mariana Lozano.
Lucía Herrera.
Mariana stared at the second name.
Then her phone, sealed in an evidence bag, suddenly vibrated.
Everyone turned.
A new message appeared on the screen.
Only six words.
May you like
I know where your sister is.
And beneath it was an address.
