Chapter 8 - What Really Happened That Night
Lucía told us everything.
Mariana had discovered Mauricio's fraud.
She had also discovered Lucía's identity.
She planned to expose him.
The night of the accident, Mariana was driving to meet a lawyer.
Lucía was supposed to be transferred to a safe location.
But Mauricio intercepted them.
He followed Mariana.
He forced her car toward the edge of the road.
The crash happened.
Mariana died.
Sofía survived.
Mauricio arrived at the hospital before me.
He threatened the staff.
He altered records.
He told everyone Sofía was dead.
But she wasn't.
She survived for several hours.
And during those hours, she told a nurse something.
She had seen Mauricio at the crash site.
She had recognized him.
The nurse was the one who took the photograph.
The photograph I had received.
I sat in silence.
“My daughter knew.”
Lucía nodded.
“She told Mariana's sister.”
“Who?”
“My mother.”
Valeria stared.
“Then why did everyone say she died?”
“Because Mauricio paid someone to make sure she disappeared.”
I could barely breathe.
“Where did he take her?”
Lucía looked at me.
“He didn't.”
“What?”
“He ordered someone else to do it.”
“Who?”
Lucía shook her head.
“That person was never identified.”
Then she handed me a small envelope.
Inside was a hospital bracelet.
SOFÍA VILLARREAL.
The date matched the accident.
Under the name was another handwritten note.
Alive at 11:40 PM.
I closed my eyes.
For three years, I had believed my daughter died at the hospital.
Now I knew someone had lied.
But there was still no proof that Sofía had survived beyond that night.
I asked Lucía.
“Did you ever see her?”
She nodded.
“Yes.”
“When?”
“After the accident.”
My heart stopped.
“Where?”
“She was taken away.”
“By whom?”
“A woman.”
“Clara?”
“No.”
“Who?”
Lucía hesitated.
“Your sister-in-law.”
I stared.
“I don't have a sister-in-law.”
Lucía looked confused.
“Mauricio's wife.”
I felt cold.
“Mauricio's wife died two years ago.”
Lucía shook her head.
“No.”
“What?”
“She is alive.”
The room went silent.
Then Daniel entered.
He held a phone.
“We found a surveillance camera.”
“Where?”
“Outside Mauricio's warehouse.”
The footage showed a woman entering.
I recognized her immediately.
Mauricio's supposedly dead wife.
She carried a little girl by the hand.
The girl's face was hidden.
But her dress was unmistakable.
White.
The same dress Sofía had worn that night.
I felt my knees weaken.
“She survived.”
Valeria grabbed my arm.
“Then we have to find her.”
I called Mauricio.
He answered on the first ring.
“You finally understand.”
“Where is my daughter?”
He laughed softly.
“You don't deserve to call her your daughter.”
My hands shook.
“If you hurt her—”
“You hurt her first.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You chose a dinner over your family.”
The call ended.
Then a message arrived.
One location.
An abandoned farmhouse outside Monterrey.
May you like
And beneath it:
Come alone.
