Chapter 3 - The Conspiracy Unravels
The next morning, the high-society columns of Chicago were on fire.
Though the Aranda family had tried their best to pay off the journalists and suppress the story, too many wealthy eyes had witnessed the spectacular showdown at the country club. Whispers of Teresa’s decades-old affair, the illegitimacy of her eldest son Rodrigo, and the public vindication of Daniela Salgado were the only things anyone was talking about.
I sat in the office of my attorney, Amanda Vance, a sharp, formidable woman who specialized in high-asset divorces and family law. On her desk lay a massive stack of folders.
"You did an incredible job gathering this evidence, Daniela," Amanda said, adjusting her glasses. "But the genetic scandal is only the tip of the iceberg. The second part of the investigation we initiated into Teresa’s financial activities has yielded something even more explosive."
"What did you find?" I asked, holding a sleeping Lucía in my lap.
"Teresa Aranda and Paulina Mier didn't just plan to humiliate you to get a divorce," Amanda explained, sliding a document toward me. "They used Rodrigo’s digital signature and personal identification to transfer over two million dollars from the Aranda family trust into an offshore account registered under Paulina’s name."
I gasped. "They stole from Rodrigo?"
"Precisely. Teresa knew that if Rodrigo remained married to you, the family wealth might eventually be split, or worse, pass down to a child she didn't approve of. She wanted to secure the funds first. Paulina was her accomplice. They planned to use the paternity scandal to force Rodrigo into a quick, emotional divorce, leaving you with nothing, while they split the stolen trust money."
"Does Rodrigo know?"
"Not yet," Amanda replied with a cold smile. "But he will. I have already filed a formal complaint with the state prosecutor for bank fraud, identity theft, and conspiracy. Teresa and Paulina are facing serious prison time."
The office door opened, and Amanda’s secretary stepped in. "Ms. Vance, Rodrigo Aranda is outside. He says he won't leave until he speaks with Mrs. Salgado."
I looked at Amanda, who gave me a reassuring nod. "Do you want to see him?"
"Let him in," I said. "It's time to put an end to this."
Rodrigo entered the room. He looked as if he hadn't slept in days. His eyes were bloodshot, his stubble thick, his clothes wrinkled. When he saw Lucía, his eyes softened with an intense, agonizing longing, but he kept his distance, knowing he had lost the right to hold her.
"Daniela," he said, his voice barely a whisper. "Thank you for seeing me."
"I'm only seeing you to hand you this," I said, sliding the copy of the financial fraud documents across the desk. "Your mother and your little friend Paulina didn't just want to get rid of me, Rodrigo. They wanted to rob you blind."
Rodrigo took the documents, his eyes scanning the bank transfers and the forged signatures. As he read, the last remaining fragments of his loyalty to his mother shattered. He let out a dry, broken laugh, tears streaming down his face.
"She... she did this," he muttered. "My own mother. The woman who told me she was doing everything to protect my future."
"She was protecting her own pocket, Rodrigo," I said. "And you were too blind to see it. You let her poison your mind against the only person who actually loved you for who you were, not for your last name."
Rodrigo dropped the papers onto the desk and looked at me, his shoulders shaking with silent sobs. "I am so sorry, Daniela. I know 'sorry' is a pathetic word right now. I know I don't deserve you. I don't deserve Lucía. But I want to make this right. I will sign whatever you want. The divorce, the custody... I won't fight you. I will give you everything. I just... I just want you to know that I am going to destroy them for what they did to us."
May you like
"I don't care what you do to them, Rodrigo," I replied, looking him in the eye. "My priority is my daughter. If you want to prove you have a shred of decency left, you will cooperate with my lawyer and ensure Lucía’s future is secure. And then... you will leave us alone."
Rodrigo closed his eyes, a painful nod of agreement escaping him. "Okay," he whispered. "Whatever you need."
