Chapter 5: The Man Behind the Missing Millions
The hospital security team escorted us to a private consultation room.
Alejandro locked the door.
I read the messages again.
The child was never supposed to inherit anything.
Leave the past buried.
My hands curled into fists.
"Who sent this?""
"An unregistered number.""
"Can it be traced?""
"Not easily.""
I stared at him.
"You seem awfully familiar with this kind of thing.""
He gave me a cold look.
"That's because I've spent six years investigating what you refused to investigate.""
I paced across the room.
"Why didn't you tell the police?""
"I did.""
"And?""
"They found no evidence that could survive in court. The offshore accounts were structured through several companies. Every person involved had a lawyer.""
I stopped.
"Who was involved?""
Alejandro placed his phone on the table.
"Your father's former financial director.""
I recognized the name immediately.
Esteban Rivas.
He had worked for my father for almost fifteen years. After my father's death, I had kept him as chief financial officer because he understood the company's accounts better than anyone.
He had also been the person who suggested Alejandro was responsible for the missing twelve million.
I stared at Alejandro.
"Esteban?""
"Yes.""
"He's been working for me all these years.""
"I know.""
I shook my head.
"That's impossible. He's loyal to this family.""
Alejandro gave a humorless smile.
"That's what he wants you to believe.""
I remembered Esteban attending my father's funeral.
He had stood beside me, wearing a black suit and holding my shoulder.
He had promised to protect the company.
He had also advised me to take legal action against Alejandro.
At the time, I had considered him a lifesaver.
Now I wondered whether he had been cleaning up his own crime.
"Why would he steal the money?""
"Because your father discovered something.""
"What?""
Alejandro opened his briefcase.
He removed a thick folder containing copies of bank statements, company registrations, and property transfers.
"Esteban had been creating fake subcontracting companies for years. Your father discovered the arrangement shortly before he died.""
I examined the documents.
The companies had different names, different registered addresses, and different directors.
But every payment eventually reached the same holding company.
"How much did he take?""
"More than twelve million. The first missing transfer was only the beginning.""
My mouth went dry.
"How much?""
"Over thirty million dollars across several years.""
I stared at the paperwork.
Thirty million.
I had spent six years blaming Alejandro for a fraction of that amount.
"Why didn't my father report him?""
"He was afraid.""
"Of Esteban?""
"Of what Esteban knew.""
I looked up.
"What did he know?""
Alejandro hesitated.
Then he pushed another document toward me.
It was an internal company report dated two months before my father's death.
Several paragraphs were highlighted.
One sentence stood out.
Potential irregularities may involve unauthorized payments approved by senior management.
I recognized the names listed below.
My father.
Esteban.
And me.
I felt my stomach twist.
"What does my name have to do with this?""
Alejandro tapped the page.
"Some of the transactions were approved using your credentials.""
"I wasn't in charge.""
"You were being prepared to take over.""
"Then someone forged my signature.""
"Possibly.""
I stared at him.
"You're telling me Esteban stole thirty million, framed you, and used my identity?""
"That's what the evidence suggests.""
I sat down.
For several seconds, I couldn't speak.
Then I remembered the message.
Someone had warned us to stop investigating.
I looked at Alejandro.
"Why would he care about the trust?""
"Because the trust holds records.""
"What records?""
"Your father placed copies of the original financial transactions inside the trust's legal archive.""
I stared at him.
"Why?""
"Because he wanted the truth preserved. He knew the money might never be recovered while Esteban was in control.""
I rubbed my forehead.
"And Camila found all this?""
"She found part of it. I helped her connect the transactions.""
I looked at the folder.
"How long have you been working together?""
"About five months.""
Five months.
During that time, I had been sleeping with Valeria, ignoring my wife, and complaining that pregnancy had made Camila too demanding.
Meanwhile, my wife had been trying to uncover a financial conspiracy that threatened our family.
"Why didn't she tell me everything?""
Alejandro leaned forward.
"Because you were telling Esteban everything.""
I froze.
"What?""
"Every time Camila found a new document, the information somehow reached him. The bank accounts would be closed. The records would disappear. Witnesses would suddenly become unavailable.""
I stared at him.
"You think I was informing him?""
"I think you trusted him enough to give him access to everything.""
My phone began vibrating.
Esteban.
I stared at the screen.
Alejandro looked at it.
"Don't answer.""
I ignored him.
I needed to hear Esteban's explanation.
"Mateo," Esteban said immediately, "I've been trying to reach you.""
"What do you want?""
"I heard Camila had an accident. How is she?""
"She's stable.""
"Thank God. I was very worried.""
I looked at Alejandro.
He shook his head.
I turned away.
"Esteban, I need you to answer a question.""
"Of course.""
"Did you know about the Villarreal family trust?""
There was a pause.
A very short one.
Then Esteban laughed softly.
"Why are you asking about that?""
"Because my wife found documents suggesting someone redirected the inheritance.""
His voice changed.
"Mateo, listen carefully. You're under a great deal of stress. Don't let Alejandro fill your head with nonsense.""
I felt a chill.
"How do you know Alejandro is involved?""
Another pause.
"Because I know him. He's always been ambitious.""
I looked at the man sitting across from me.
Alejandro's jaw tightened.
"Did you authorize a change to the trust?""
"No.""
"Did you use my signature?""
"Absolutely not.""
"Then why does your name appear on the transfer documents?""
The silence lasted longer this time.
Finally, Esteban sighed.
"Mateo, some things are complicated. Your father made arrangements that you weren't supposed to know about.""
"What arrangements?""
"I'll explain everything tomorrow.""
"Why not now?""
"Because you're emotional. You're not thinking clearly.""
I laughed bitterly.
"That's funny. Six years ago, you told me Alejandro was stealing from us, and I believed you.""
Esteban's voice became colder.
"Be careful, Mateo.""
"Is that a threat?""
"It's advice. You have a pregnant wife in the hospital and a company to protect. You should focus on those things instead of reopening old wounds.""
I looked at Alejandro.
Then I asked the question that changed everything.
"Did you send the message about my son's inheritance?""
Esteban didn't answer.
I heard a faint noise on the other end.
A chair moving.
Then he said:
"Your son should never have been part of this.""
The call disconnected.
I stood completely still.
Alejandro slowly got up.
"You heard him.""
I nodded.
"He knows.""
"Yes.""
I looked at my phone.
Then at the folder.
"What do we do?""
Alejandro gathered the documents.
"First, we secure the original trust records. Then we find out who changed the beneficiary information.""
"And Esteban?""
"We don't confront him without evidence.""
I nodded.
For the first time in six years, I was willing to listen to Alejandro.
Then a nurse knocked on the door.
"Mr. Villarreal?""
I opened it.
"Yes?""
"Your wife asked me to give you this.""
She handed me a small photograph.
It was an ultrasound image.
On the back, Camila had written:
Our little boy. Eight months and already fighting.
Below that, she had added another sentence.
Mateo, there is something I haven't told you about the night your father died.
I stared at the words.
My father had died in a hospital.
A sudden cardiac arrest, according to the official report.
I had never questioned it.
Camila had been with him that night.
She had been the last person to see him alive.
I turned the photograph over.
Alejandro watched my face.
"What?""
I showed him the message.
He went completely still.
Then he whispered:
"Mateo, we need to find the original hospital records.""
"Why?""
Alejandro looked toward the recovery-room doors.
"Because your father didn't die before he could expose Esteban.""
May you like
He paused.
"He may have been prevented from exposing him.""
