Chapter 5: The Woman Behind the Betrayal
Mariana stayed silent after Rodrigo finished speaking.
Not because she had nothing to say.
Because for the first time in years, she realized she might never have truly known anyone in her own home.
Not Rodrigo.
Not Ximena.
Not even the family she married into.
The café around her continued moving.
A waiter placed a cup of coffee on another table.
Someone laughed quietly near the entrance.
A couple discussed vacation plans.
Normal life continued.
But Mariana felt like she was standing in the middle of a storm no one else could see.
"What did you say?"" she asked.
Rodrigo's breathing was heavy on the phone.
"The original ownership records are gone.""
"Why do you have original ownership records?""
"Because they were kept in my private archive.""
Mariana looked at the envelope on the table.
The documents Doña Rebeca had given her.
The documents showing Rodrigo was not the man he claimed to be.
"Why would Ximena take them?""
Another silence.
This time, Rodrigo hesitated.
And Mariana noticed.
"What?""
"I don't know.""
She almost laughed.
"You don't know?""
"Mariana, listen to me.""
"No.""
Her voice became colder.
"I have spent ten years listening to you explain things after they went wrong.""
Rodrigo said nothing.
"You always know after.""
A pause.
"You knew after you lied.""
Another pause.
"You knew after you cheated.""
Another.
"You knew after you hurt me.""
Her hand tightened around the phone.
"So tell me something. When did you know Ximena was dangerous?""
The silence answered before he did.
"Rodrigo?""
Finally, his voice came.
"I had doubts.""
Mariana closed her eyes.
Of course.
"I knew it.""
"What?""
"You never believed she was innocent.""
"No.""
The honesty surprised her.
"I thought she was loyal.""
Mariana looked toward Doña Rebeca.
The older woman lowered her eyes.
"And I was wrong.""
The words sounded strange.
Rodrigo admitting he was wrong.
But Mariana felt no satisfaction.
Only exhaustion.
"Where are you?""
He asked.
"Why?""
"I need to see you.""
"No.""
"Mariana.""
"No.""
Her answer was immediate.
"You don't get to decide when we talk anymore.""
His breathing changed.
"You can't just abandon me.""
The irony was almost unbearable.
Mariana looked at the floor.
The same floor where she had begged him to listen.
The same floor where he had broken the last piece of trust between them.
"Rodrigo.""
"What?""
"You abandoned me first.""
She ended the call.
For several seconds, she simply stood there.
Then Doña Rebeca spoke.
"You believe him?""
Mariana looked at her.
"I believe he is afraid.""
"That wasn't my question.""
Mariana didn't answer.
Because she didn't know.
That was the hardest part.
For years, she had believed Rodrigo was the villain of her story.
Simple.
Easy.
Now the truth was becoming more complicated.
And sometimes, complicated truths hurt more than simple lies.
"Tell me about Ximena," Mariana said.
Doña Rebeca looked surprised.
"You want to know?""
"I need to.""
The older woman nodded slowly.
"Ximena Duarte appeared two years ago.""
"I know.""
"No.""
Doña Rebeca shook her head.
"You know when Rodrigo introduced her.""
Mariana frowned.
"What do you mean?""
"She met him long before that.""
A cold feeling moved through Mariana.
"How long?""
"Almost a year before you knew.""
Mariana stared.
"That isn't possible.""
"It is.""
Doña Rebeca took a breath.
"She attended business events. She studied the company. She learned about Rodrigo's habits.""
"Why?""
"Because she wasn't interested in him.""
Mariana thought about Ximena.
The perfect clothes.
The perfect smile.
The way she always seemed to know exactly what to say.
"Then what was she interested in?""
Doña Rebeca looked at the envelope.
"The company.""
Mariana leaned back.
"But why seduce Rodrigo?""
"Because Rodrigo had one weakness.""
Mariana almost smiled.
"His ego.""
"Exactly.""
The older woman continued.
"Ximena made him feel like the smartest man in every room. She never questioned him. Never challenged him. Never warned him.""
Mariana looked away.
Everything she had done wrong in Rodrigo's eyes, Ximena had done right.
Not because she was better.
Because she fed his need.
"She became the person he wanted beside him.""
Doña Rebeca paused.
"And then she started asking questions.""
"What kind?""
"About the company.""
Mariana felt a chill.
"Financial questions?""
"Yes.""
"About ownership?""
"Yes.""
The pieces started connecting.
Ximena had not accidentally discovered Rodrigo's weaknesses.
She had searched for them.
"Who is she working for?""
Doña Rebeca shook her head.
"I don't know.""
"You're telling me you don't know anything?""
The older woman looked hurt.
"I know my son.""
A pause.
"But I underestimated her.""
Mariana stood.
"I need to find her.""
"Why?""
"Because she has the records.""
Doña Rebeca grabbed her arm.
"No.""
Mariana looked down at her hand.
The older woman immediately released her.
"Don't go after Ximena alone.""
"Why?""
"Because women like her don't leave evidence behind.""
Mariana remembered something.
The champagne.
The smile.
The confidence.
Ximena had never looked afraid.
Not once.
Even when Rodrigo's company started collapsing.
Even when investigators arrived.
She had disappeared.
Not panicked.
Planned.
Mariana picked up her phone.
"I need to call someone.""
"Who?""
"Someone who knows where Ximena is.""
"Who?""
Mariana hesitated.
Then she remembered.
There was one person Rodrigo trusted more than almost anyone.
His assistant.
Daniel Vega.
Daniel had worked beside Rodrigo for eight years.
He knew every meeting.
Every schedule.
Every private conversation.
If Ximena had planned something, Daniel might have noticed.
The call connected after three rings.
"Mrs. Altamirano?""
Mariana was surprised.
Daniel had never called her that warmly.
"Daniel.""
"I was hoping you would call.""
Her eyes narrowed.
"Why?""
A pause.
Then his voice lowered.
"Because I think I made a mistake.""
"What kind of mistake?""
"I helped Rodrigo hide things.""
Mariana looked at Doña Rebeca.
The older woman was listening carefully.
"Daniel, where are you?""
"I can't talk here.""
"Where are you?""
Another pause.
Then:
"The old Altamirano warehouse.""
Mariana frowned.
"What are you doing there?""
"I found something.""
"What?""
Daniel's voice became almost a whisper.
"Something Ximena left behind.""
Mariana felt her heartbeat increase.
"What?""
"I don't know exactly.""
A pause.
"But it has your name on it.""
The line went silent.
Mariana gripped the phone.
"My name?""
"Yes.""
"Daniel, what is it?""
Before he could answer, another voice interrupted.
A man's voice.
"Who are you talking to?""
Daniel suddenly became quiet.
Mariana heard movement.
A door closing.
Then Daniel whispered:
"Mrs. Altamirano, don't come here.""
"Why?""
"Because I'm not alone.""
The call ended.
Mariana stared at the phone.
Doña Rebeca stood.
"What happened?""
Mariana looked at her.
"Someone found Daniel.""
"Who?""
Mariana didn't know.
But then her phone received a new message.
Not from Daniel.
Not from Rodrigo.
From Ximena.
Only one sentence.
*You finally started asking the right questions.*
Mariana's fingers went cold.
Another message appeared.
*But you are too late.*
Then a photograph arrived.
Mariana opened it.
Her breath stopped.
It was a picture of Daniel inside the warehouse.
Standing beside him was someone she knew.
Someone she trusted.
Someone who had been helping her father for years.
Someone who should not have been there.
The final message arrived.
*Ask your father why he never told you who really owns Altamirano Sistemas.*
Mariana looked up slowly.
Doña Rebeca saw her expression.
"What is it?""
Mariana turned the phone around.
The older woman's face changed instantly.
Because the person standing beside Daniel in the photograph was not a stranger.
It was Don Esteban Salvatierra.
And suddenly, Mariana had a new question.
Not why Rodrigo lied.
May you like
Not why Ximena betrayed him.
But why her own father had hidden the truth from her.
