Chapter 9 - Mateo's Real Name
I didn't sleep that night.
Mateo's real name was Daniel Reyes.
According to the records, he had been adopted at age four.
His adoption file was sealed.
But the birth mother's name was visible.
Victoria Ledesma.
The woman everyone believed had died.
I stared at Gabriel.
“Mateo is Victoria's son?”
“Yes.”
“Then Teresa is his grandmother.”
Gabriel nodded.
The revelation changed everything.
Teresa hadn't raised Mateo out of love.
She had raised him as part of a plan.
Victoria had disappeared after attempting to expose Teresa.
Mateo had been too young to understand.
But as he grew older, Teresa had controlled his life.
His education.
His career.
His marriage.
Even his finances.
Then he met me.
And something went wrong.
“He started loving you,” Gabriel said.
I looked away.
“Did he?”
“I believe he did.”
“Belief isn't evidence.”
“No.”
Gabriel looked at me.
“But there is evidence.”
He handed me a letter.
It was from Mateo.
Written two years earlier.
I read it slowly.
He had written about wanting to leave the family business.
Wanting to protect me.
Wanting to expose Teresa.
But he had been afraid.
At the bottom, one sentence stood alone.
IF I EVER FAIL VALERIA, IT WILL BE BECAUSE I WAS TOO AFRAID TO SAVE HER.
My eyes filled with tears.
Then I remembered the terrace.
His face.
His warning.
Maybe he hadn't pushed me.
Maybe he had known.
Maybe he had tried to stop it.
Or maybe the letter was another lie.
We couldn't know yet.
At sunrise, Mateo came to the hospital.
Two detectives stood outside.
He entered alone.
He looked exhausted.
He saw the letter in my hand.
“You found it.”
I stared at him.
“You knew.”
He lowered his head.
“I knew my mother was dangerous.”
“Did you know she planned my death?”
“No.”
“Did you know about the insurance?”
He hesitated.
“Yes.”
My heart broke again.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I thought I could fix it.”
I laughed bitterly.
“You nearly got me killed.”
“I know.”
He stepped closer.
“I deserve your hatred.”
I didn't answer.
He placed a flash drive on my bedside table.
“Everything is on this.”
“What is it?”
“My mother's records.”
He turned toward the door.
Then stopped.
“There is one person who can explain all of it.”
“Who?”
He looked back.
“My mother.”
Before he could leave, police officers entered.
One carried an arrest warrant.
“Mateo Ledesma?”
“Yes.”
“You're under arrest.”
Mateo looked at me.
“I didn't kill you.”
The officer turned him around.
Then Teresa's voice came from the hallway.
“You never understood what I did for you, Daniel.”
May you like
Mateo froze.
Because Teresa had just used his real name...
