MY PREGNANT WIFE CALLED ME 17 TIMES WHILE SHE WAS DYING… I REJECTED EVERY CALL FOR MY MISTRESS, AND MY WORST ENEMY ENDED UP WITH EVERYTHING

The next morning, I arrived at Villarreal Holdings determined not to lose.

I had slept for less than two hours.

Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Camila lying at the bottom of the stairs. Then I saw my father's letter. Then I heard the sound of her voice asking whether Valeria had been worth it.

By sunrise, guilt had become something physical.

It sat beneath my ribs like a stone.

But fear was stronger.

I had spent my entire adult life believing that losing control was the same as losing everything.

Now, with a vote scheduled to determine my future, I was prepared to fight anyone who stood between me and the company.

Even my wife.

The boardroom was full when I entered.

All eight directors were present. Ricardo sat near the screen, his laptop open. Mr. Salgado stood at the head of the table with two lawyers beside him.

Alejandro was seated next to Camila's attorney.

An empty chair had been placed beside them.

I recognized the folder on the table.

The final ownership document.

I took my seat.

Mr. Salgado began.

"This meeting has been called to review the company's governance structure, the status of the development credit facility, and the executive leadership of Villarreal Holdings.""

He glanced around the room.

"Before we begin, I want to remind everyone that the board's responsibility is to protect the company and its stakeholders, not the personal interests of any individual.""

I looked directly at him.

"Then let's talk about the people who built it.""

"That is precisely what we intend to do.""

He motioned toward Ricardo.

The screen displayed a timeline of the company's history.

The first entry showed the original property acquisition.

The second showed the transfer of funds from Camila's investment account.

The third showed a series of financial guarantees made by her family.

Then came the incorporation of Villarreal Property Group.

The screen filled with names, percentages, and dates.

My name appeared at the top.

Camila's appeared beneath it.

The percentage beside hers was larger than I expected.

I felt the room shift around me.

Ricardo explained the structure carefully.

"Based on the records currently available, Camila Villarreal held a substantial beneficial interest in several founding entities. Some of those interests were later transferred, some were licensed, and others remained subject to separate agreements.""

I interrupted.

"Those transfers were made voluntarily.""

"Some were," Ricardo replied.

"Others were conditional.""

"She signed the documents.""

"Yes. But the conditions attached to those signatures still apply.""

I looked toward Alejandro.

He was reading a paper, not watching me.

That irritated me.

"Would you care to explain how you became the person controlling my wife's interests?""

Alejandro looked up.

"I'm not controlling your wife's interests. I'm acting as an administrator for the trust she established.""

"Which gives you control over my company.""

"It gives me the responsibility to vote the shares held by the trust in accordance with its terms.""

"And who decides what those terms mean?""

"The trust documents, the law, and the courts if necessary.""

I laughed.

"Convenient answer.""

Mr. Salgado struck the table lightly with his pen.

"Mateo, please allow the meeting to proceed.""

I sat back.

The next presentation concerned the company's financial exposure.

The bank had requested additional security for the development loan. Several properties had been used as collateral, and some of the guarantees were linked to entities in which Camila held interests.

Without her authorization, the company could not simply restructure those guarantees.

If the bank refused to extend the credit facility, the company would need to find twenty million dollars or sell assets.

I knew the numbers.

I had approved the project.

I had promised investors that the development would be profitable within eighteen months.

If the project collapsed, the consequences would reach beyond my own wealth. Contractors would lose work. Employees could be laid off. Suppliers might not be paid.

For the first time, I understood that the company wasn't just a symbol of my success.

It was a responsibility.

And I had treated that responsibility like a trophy.

Mr. Salgado closed the financial presentation.

"We will now review the final document submitted by Camila Villarreal's legal team.""

The attorney beside Alejandro opened the folder.

I leaned forward.

"Before you read it, I want to make something clear. Camila and I are still legally married. Whatever disagreements we have, this company is part of our family.""

Alejandro finally looked at me.

"Then you should have remembered that last night.""

I clenched my jaw.

Mr. Salgado intervened.

"Enough. The document will be read into the record.""

The attorney adjusted her glasses.

"The agreement concerns the original capital contributions, intellectual property rights, and governance conditions associated with the formation of Villarreal Holdings and its subsidiaries.""

She paused.

"Under the agreement, Camila Villarreal retains a contractual right to require an independent review of the company's founding records if she determines that her contributions have been misrepresented or that her interests have been placed at risk.""

I felt cold.

The attorney continued.

"Following such a review, the agreement permits the reclassification of certain interests and requires the board to reconsider any executive authority exercised without the necessary shareholder approval.""

I looked at Ricardo.

He wouldn't meet my eyes.

The attorney turned another page.

"Additionally, the agreement contains a provision concerning the executive's conduct where personal decisions create a material risk to the company or its stakeholders.""

My pulse quickened.

"What does that mean?""

She looked directly at me.

"It means the board is authorized to review your continued appointment as chief executive officer.""

I slammed my hand on the table.

"This is a personal attack!""

Mr. Salgado's expression hardened.

"Your wife did not write the board's responsibilities. The shareholders approved them.""

"She knew this would happen!""

"Yes," Alejandro said quietly.

"She understood what she was signing.""

I turned toward him.

"You've been waiting for this moment.""

"No.""

He placed his hands on the table.

"I've been waiting for you to understand that the company doesn't belong to one person simply because his name is on the building.""

I stood.

"You're using my wife's accident to take over.""

Alejandro rose too.

"Your wife's accident is why we're all here. But the documents existed long before it happened.""

I looked around the room.

"Does anyone else think this is absurd?""

Nobody answered.

I turned to Mr. Salgado.

"Call a vote. Right now.""

He nodded.

"We will.""

My heart pounded.

I was certain the directors would hesitate.

They had worked with me for years. They knew my business instincts, my negotiating skills, and my ability to attract investors.

They might dislike the publicity, but they couldn't deny what I had accomplished.

Mr. Salgado called the vote on my continued appointment.

One director voted to retain me without restrictions.

Two voted to retain me temporarily pending the financial review.

Five voted to suspend my executive authority.

The result appeared on the screen.

*Executive authority suspended pending independent review.*

I stared at the words.

For several seconds, I couldn't breathe.

"That's not possible.""

Mr. Salgado closed his folder.

"The resolution takes effect immediately.""

I looked toward Ricardo.

"You're going to let them do this?""

He stood.

"Mateo, I supported you because I believed in the company. I can't continue supporting decisions that put it at risk.""

I turned toward Alejandro.

He remained seated.

"You won," I said.

He shook his head.

"No one won.""

I laughed bitterly.

"You have the company. You have my wife on your side. You have the board.""

"I don't have your wife, Mateo. She's not a prize to be awarded to whoever behaves better.""

His voice was steady.

"And I don't want your company. I want the company to survive without being used as an extension of your ego.""

I stepped toward him.

"Then why are you still here?""

"Because Camila asked me to stay until the review is complete.""

I looked away.

The meeting continued without me.

The directors discussed the bank, the audit, and the appointment of an interim executive.

I heard every word, but none of it seemed real.

My company was moving forward without me.

For years, I had believed that if I ever lost control, everything would collapse.

Instead, people were doing their jobs.

The business was being examined, not destroyed.

The board was asking questions, not staging a coup.

And the man I hated was protecting the company from the decisions I had made.

When the meeting ended, I remained seated.

Alejandro approached.

"Mateo, I want to make something clear.""

I looked up.

"What?""

"I'm not going to use this situation to humiliate you. I won't discuss private details of Camila's medical condition with the press, and I won't encourage anyone to turn her pain into entertainment.""

I gave a bitter smile.

"How generous.""

He ignored the sarcasm.

"But I won't lie to protect you either.""

I stared at him.

"What do you want from me?""

"Nothing.""

"Everyone wants something.""

"Perhaps that's why you've never understood the difference between loyalty and a transaction.""

He picked up his briefcase.

"Your wife needs time to recover. Your son needs his father to become someone he can trust. And your company needs a leader who understands that responsibility isn't the same as control.""

He paused.

"Those are your problems to solve.""

Then he walked away.

I sat alone in the boardroom for nearly half an hour.

Eventually, my phone rang.

Valeria.

I answered without thinking.

"Mateo, we need to meet.""

"Why?""

"Because the police have asked me to give a formal statement about that night.""

I rubbed my forehead.

"Tell them what happened.""

She hesitated.

"I will. But there's something else.""

"What?""

"The video wasn't leaked by Alejandro.""

I sat upright.

"What are you talking about?""

"The club manager told me the recording was accessed from a tablet in the VIP room. The person who copied it was one of your friends.""

I felt a surge of anger.

"Who?""

"Diego.""

I closed my eyes.

Diego had laughed with me that night.

He had watched me reject Camila's calls.

He had raised his glass when I toasted my freedom.

Now he had apparently decided to save himself by exposing me.

"Why would he do that?""

Valeria's voice trembled.

"Because he's afraid the investigation will uncover the money he borrowed from your company. He thinks if he helps the police, they'll leave him alone.""

I stood.

"He's dead.""

"Mateo, please don't do anything stupid.""

I barely heard her.

I called Diego immediately.

He answered on the fourth ring.

"Mateo.""

"You leaked the video.""

Silence.

Then he sighed.

"I didn't think it would spread that far.""

"You recorded me?""

"The camera was already there. I just copied the footage.""

"You used me to protect yourself.""

"I was trying to protect my own business.""

I laughed.

"Of course you were.""

He began speaking quickly.

"Listen, the investigators are asking questions about the development project. I thought if I cooperated, I could keep my name out of the story.""

"What questions?""

"The original funding. The shareholder agreements. The transfers from Camila's accounts.""

My stomach tightened.

"What transfers?""

Diego fell silent.

Then he said, "Mateo, there's something you need to know about the original acquisition.""

I gripped the phone.

"Tell me.""

"Your father didn't just use Camila's money to fund the company. He made a separate agreement with her family.""

"What agreement?""

"I don't know all the details. But I saw a copy of it when we were preparing the refinancing package.""

I felt a chill move through me.

"What did it say?""

Diego took a shaky breath.

"It said that if the company ever misrepresented Camila's contribution or denied her ownership rights, the original control agreement could be challenged.""

I stared at the empty boardroom.

"Who else knows about this?""

"Your father's estate attorney. Camila's lawyer. Probably Alejandro now.""

I ended the call.

For a moment, I couldn't move.

Then I opened my laptop and searched through the old corporate files.

The folder was still there.

*FOUNDING AGREEMENTS — RESTRICTED.*

I entered my password.

A list of documents appeared.

Most were familiar.

One wasn't.

A scanned agreement dated twelve years earlier.

My father's signature appeared at the bottom.

Camila's father's signature was beside it.

And on the final page, a handwritten clause had been added.

I read it once.

Then again.

If the founding contributions of Camila Villarreal were materially misrepresented, she would have the right to seek recognition as a controlling partner in the original holding structure.

The clause had been signed by my father, witnessed by the family attorney, and acknowledged by the board at the time.

I stared at the screen.

This wasn't a new agreement.

It wasn't something Alejandro had invented.

It was a promise made before I became the man I was today.

A promise my father had tried to protect.

A promise Camila had kept for twelve years.

And a promise I had broken every time I told the world I had built everything alone.

My phone rang again.

This time, it was Isabel.

"Mr. Villarreal, Camila has asked me to arrange a meeting with you.""

I stood so quickly that my chair rolled backward.