Chapter 4: The Secret Inside the Contract
For several seconds after Adrian's words, I couldn't hear anything except the sound of my own heartbeat.
"Ask your wife why your daughter was the last person standing between me and your entire empire.""
The sentence repeated in my mind.
Again.
Again.
Again.
I looked at Beatriz.
She looked like someone who had just watched a door slam shut.
Not angry.
Not defensive.
Afraid.
And that frightened me more than anything else.
Because Beatriz had always been fearless.
She could walk into a room full of investors and convince them they needed her approval.
She could smile while destroying someone's reputation.
She could turn an argument into a victory before the other person realized they were losing.
But now?
Now she looked like someone who knew the truth had finally caught up.
I tightened my grip on the phone.
"Adrian.""
The line was silent.
"Tell me what you mean.""
A slow breath came through the speaker.
"Daniel, you spent years believing you built your empire alone.""
My eyes moved toward the security footage still frozen on the computer screen.
The fake signature.
The forged documents.
The hidden cameras.
"Where is this going?""
"Exactly where it should have gone eight years ago.""
My jaw tightened.
"Eight years ago, you walked away.""
A bitter laugh.
"No. You made me walk away.""
Beatriz stepped closer.
"Daniel, don't listen to him.""
I looked at her.
"Why?""
She stopped.
"Because he's lying.""
I almost smiled.
"Which part?""
She had no answer.
I turned back to the phone.
"Adrian, what do you want?""
"What I've always wanted.""
"Which is?""
"My company back.""
The words were simple.
But they carried years of hatred behind them.
I remembered the last day I saw Adrian Vale.
We were standing in the conference room of our first office.
The walls were empty.
The furniture was cheap.
We had been two young men with nothing except a plan and the belief that we could build something bigger.
He was my closest friend.
My business partner.
Almost my brother.
Then I discovered he had been moving money between accounts without approval.
Not stealing.
Not exactly.
But hiding transactions.
When I confronted him, he told me I was too controlling.
That I cared more about numbers than people.
That I would destroy anyone who stood in my way.
I removed him from the company.
He disappeared.
And I never looked back.
Until now.
"You lost your company because you betrayed my trust," I said.
His voice became colder.
"No, Daniel. I lost my company because you decided you were the hero of the story.""
My eyes narrowed.
"What does that mean?""
"Find the original partnership agreement.""
I looked at the computer.
"What?""
"Find it.""
"Why?""
"Because your entire life is built on a lie.""
The call ended.
I stared at the phone.
Then at Beatriz.
"Where is the original agreement?""
She didn't answer.
That was the second time tonight she had chosen silence.
And each time, it revealed more than words could.
I walked toward my office.
Beatriz followed.
"Daniel.""
I kept moving.
"Stop.""
I didn't.
"Daniel, listen to me.""
I turned around.
"No.""
My voice was quiet.
"Tonight, I listened to you lie for three months.""
She froze.
"I listened while you explained why Isabella was distant.""
Another step.
"I listened while you told me she was becoming difficult.""
Another.
"I listened while you convinced me everything was normal.""
My throat tightened.
"But my daughter was suffering in the same house where I thought she was safe.""
Beatriz looked down.
For once, she had nothing to say.
My office was on the second floor.
A room with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the ocean.
Usually, it was where I felt most powerful.
Tonight, it felt like a crime scene.
I unlocked the hidden drawer beneath my desk.
Inside were my most important documents.
Property deeds.
Investment agreements.
Company records.
Everything I had spent decades protecting.
I searched through the folders.
Nothing.
The original partnership agreement wasn't there.
I checked again.
Then again.
Gone.
Beatriz stood at the doorway.
"I told you.""
I turned.
"You knew where I kept it.""
Her face tightened.
"I knew you kept important documents here.""
"Where is it?""
She said nothing.
I walked toward her.
"Where is the agreement, Beatriz?""
"I don't have it.""
"Then who does?""
Her eyes flickered.
A tiny reaction.
But I caught it.
"Who?""
She swallowed.
"Adrian.""
The answer landed like a punch.
"Why?""
She looked exhausted suddenly.
Not guilty.
Not innocent.
Just exhausted.
"Because he said he needed it.""
"And you gave it to him?""
"No.""
The answer came quickly.
Too quickly.
I studied her.
"Then how did he get it?""
She looked away.
I already knew.
"Beatriz.""
Her shoulders dropped.
"He had access.""
"To my office?""
She didn't respond.
"To my files?""
Still nothing.
"To our home?""
The silence became unbearable.
I stepped back.
"How long?""
"What?""
"How long have you been working with him?""
Her eyes filled slightly.
But I didn't know if it was regret.
Fear.
Or frustration.
"Daniel...""
"How long?""
She whispered:
"Six months.""
Six months.
The number echoed.
Six months of meetings.
Six months of lies.
Six months while I was traveling, building, trusting.
Six months while my daughter lived with whatever this nightmare was.
I looked at her.
"Why?""
She wiped her face.
"You don't understand.""
"Then explain.""
"You changed.""
I frowned.
"What?""
"You became obsessed with winning.""
I almost laughed.
"Winning?""
"You stopped seeing people.""
"People?""
My voice sharpened.
"You mean like our daughter?""
She flinched.
Good.
She should.
"You think I don't know I made mistakes?""
I stared.
She continued.
"I was alone.""
"You had Isabella.""
"She needed you.""
The words came out before she could stop them.
Then she realized what she had said.
Silence.
I looked at her.
"You just admitted it.""
She looked confused.
"What?""
"You know she needed me.""
Beatriz looked away.
For the first time, I saw something behind all the cruelty.
Regret.
But regret doesn't erase damage.
It doesn't heal wounds.
It doesn't return childhood.
I walked back to the desk.
"Why did Adrian need the agreement?""
She hesitated.
Then answered.
"Because he believed he was still entitled to half of everything.""
"Half?""
"Yes.""
"After eight years?""
She nodded.
"According to him, you forced him out illegally.""
I laughed bitterly.
"That's insane.""
"Maybe.""
"Maybe?""
She looked at me.
"You never saw the full contract.""
I stopped.
"What?""
"The original one.""
I stared.
"What are you talking about?""
She took a slow breath.
"Daniel, the contract you signed wasn't the final version.""
My blood ran cold.
"What?""
"There were changes made before the company was officially registered.""
"Who made them?""
She didn't answer.
I already knew.
"Adrian.""
She nodded.
"But that's not the worst part.""
The room became silent.
I waited.
"What is the worst part?""
Beatriz looked toward the hallway.
Toward where Isabella was waiting downstairs.
Then she said:
"Your daughter found the missing pages.""
My entire body froze.
"What?""
"Three months ago.""
"How?""
"She found them hidden in the old study.""
I stared at her.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
Beatriz's eyes filled with fear again.
"Because Adrian told me what would happen if you ever saw them.""
My voice dropped.
"What did he say?""
She whispered:
"He said you would lose everything.""
I stepped closer.
"What pages, Beatriz?""
She didn't answer.
"WHAT PAGES?""
Her voice broke.
"The pages that prove Adrian never owned half your company.""
I waited.
The next words came slowly.
"The pages that prove someone inside your company tried to transfer ownership behind your back.""
I looked toward the door.
Toward my daughter.
The little girl who had been carrying trash bags while adults played games around her.
"She found evidence?""
Beatriz nodded.
"And Adrian found out she had it.""
My stomach turned.
"That's why she was afraid.""
Beatriz closed her eyes.
"Yes.""
A cold silence filled the room.
Then I heard a sound.
A small gasp.
I turned.
Isabella was standing at the end of the hallway.
She had heard everything.
Her face was pale.
"Daddy...""
I rushed toward her.
But before I reached her, she spoke.
"The pages are gone.""
I stopped.
"What?""
She looked at me with tears in her eyes.
"I hid them because I knew Mommy was looking for them.""
My heart raced.
"Where did you hide them?""
She shook her head.
"I moved them.""
"Where?""
She looked toward the front door.
Then whispered:
"Somewhere Mommy and Adrian would never think to search.""
A sudden crash came from outside.
All of us turned.
The sound of breaking glass.
Someone had entered the villa.
Beatriz's face went white.
"No...""
I grabbed Isabella and pulled her behind me.
"Who is it?""
Beatriz whispered the answer.
May you like
And the name made every instinct in my body wake up.
"Adrian.""
