Chapter 12 - The Father Who Started It
Mateo's father had been dead for seven years.
Yet his name appeared in every document.
Roberto Ledesma.
The original architect of the fraud.
The foundation.
The shell companies.
The false identities.
Everything began with him.
Before his death, Roberto had created a private archive.
The archive contained instructions for controlling the family fortune.
It also contained evidence against Esteban.
But Roberto had hidden the archive from Teresa.
Why?
Because he knew Teresa would use it against everyone.
We found the archive in an old office.
Inside was a handwritten confession.
Roberto admitted stealing millions.
He admitted creating the shell companies.
He admitted using Victoria's identity.
He admitted manipulating Mateo.
But he also wrote one thing that changed the investigation.
“Teresa will eventually blame everyone except herself.”
She had.
For decades.
Even when she tried to kill me.
The final pages named Esteban.
He had been stealing from Roberto.
Then from Teresa.
Then from the foundation.
When he realized I had found the missing payments, he panicked.
He hired Nicolás.
But Nicolás didn't follow the plan exactly.
Instead of killing me immediately, he staged the terrace collapse.
He wanted everyone to believe it was an accident.
When I survived, Teresa became desperate.
She attacked me in the hospital.
The evidence was now overwhelming.
Teresa.
Esteban.
Nicolás.
All three faced charges.
Victoria cooperated with investigators.
Mateo surrendered every financial document he had.
Gabriel testified.
Andrés preserved every recording.
Jimena fought to make sure none of the evidence disappeared.
But there was still one question.
“What happens to Mateo?”
Jimena looked at me.
“That depends on what you want.”
I looked at him through the hospital window.
He stood alone in the hallway.
For three years, I had wanted him to defend me.
Now he had finally done it.
But sometimes doing the right thing too late still leaves scars.
I asked him to come inside.
He did.
“I love you,” he said.
I closed my eyes.
“I loved you too.”
He swallowed.
“Too?”
“I don't know what comes next.”
He nodded.
“I'll wait.”
For the first time, I believed him.
Then Andrés entered.
He was holding another document.
“We found one more account.”
My heart sank.
“Whose?”
He looked at Mateo.
“Yours.”
Mateo's face went pale.
The document showed a transfer made from Mateo's private account on the night of my fall.
The recipient was Nicolás.
Mateo whispered:
“I never made that transfer.”
Andrés turned the page.
The signature was Mateo's.
But the handwriting underneath wasn't.
Someone had forged his signature again.
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And beside the transaction was a note:
PAYMENT COMPLETE.
