Chapter 5: The Betrayal Inside My Empire
For a few seconds, I couldn’t speak.
The words from Camila echoed inside my car.
*Someone from Horizonte Capital signed the contract.*
Not someone from the Ortega family.
Not some stranger.
Someone who worked for me.
Someone who had access to my world.
Someone who knew exactly who I was.
My fingers tightened around the steering wheel.
“Camila,” I said slowly, “read the name again.””
“I’m looking at it.””
“Read it.””
A pause.
Then her voice became softer.
“Sebastian Morales.””
The name hit me harder than I expected.
Because Sebastian wasn’t just an employee.
He was one of the first people I trusted.
He had joined Horizonte Capital when it was nothing more than a small office with borrowed furniture and three employees.
Back then, everyone thought we would fail.
Everyone except Sebastian.
He stayed.
He worked late.
He helped me build the company.
Over time, he became my chief financial strategist.
The person I asked for advice.
The person who knew every major decision.
The person who knew exactly how much my company was worth.
“No,” I whispered.
Camila didn’t argue.
She knew that word.
The word people said when they were trying to protect a memory.
“Valeria.””
“No.””
I closed my eyes.
“Sebastian wouldn’t do that.””
“I wanted to believe the same thing.””
My eyes opened.
“What did you find?””
“His signature is on the document.””
“That can be forged.””
“Yes.””
“So?””
“So I checked the records.””
My heartbeat increased.
“And?””
“He used his company authorization.””
I felt the air leave my lungs.
Company authorization meant access.
Permission.
Trust.
“Are you sure?””
“Yes.””
I looked out at the Ortega house.
The family that had planned my marriage.
The husband who had lied to me.
The person inside my own company who may have helped them.
For the first time since leaving that house, I felt something stronger than anger.
Betrayal.
Because strangers could hurt you.
But only people close enough could make you question your own judgment.
“Find everything,” I said.
Camila was quiet.
“Everything?””
“Yes.””
“About Sebastian?””
“About everyone.””
I started the engine.
“No more trusting people because I want them to be good.””
The next morning, I walked into Horizonte Capital for the first time since the wedding.
The building stood in the center of the financial district, surrounded by glass towers and people who moved quickly with coffee cups and briefcases.
Most people here knew me as the founder.
The leader.
The woman who never lost control.
Nobody knew that twenty-four hours earlier, I had been standing in a bedroom being told to wash someone else’s underwear.
Nobody knew my marriage had been a business arrangement disguised as love.
When the elevator doors opened on the executive floor, conversations stopped.
My assistant, Elena, immediately stood.
“Ms. Cruz.””
I smiled slightly.
“Good morning, Elena.””
She looked surprised.
“Congratulations on the wedding.””
The words hurt.
Not because she meant anything by them.
Because they reminded me of the lie everyone believed.
“Thank you.””
She looked at me carefully.
“Is everything okay?””
I picked up my coffee from the desk.
“No.””
Her expression changed.
“But it will be.””
I walked toward my office.
Before entering, I stopped.
The door across from mine was open.
Sebastian’s office.
He was inside, speaking on the phone.
I watched him through the glass.
The same man who had sat beside me during our first major investment.
The same man who knew how much pressure I carried.
The same man who had once told me:
“People will try to take advantage of you because they think kindness is weakness.””
I remembered those words.
And now I wondered if he had been describing others.
Or himself.
As if he felt my presence, Sebastian looked up.
Our eyes met.
His smile appeared immediately.
“Valeria.””
I walked in.
He stood.
“Congratulations. I heard the wedding went well.””
I studied his face.
No guilt.
No nervousness.
Nothing.
That almost made it worse.
“Did you?””
He smiled.
“Yes.””
I placed my purse down.
“Then you probably heard I left.””
The smile disappeared.
Only for a second.
But I saw it.
“I heard there was a disagreement.””
“A disagreement.””
“Yes.””
I walked toward his desk.
“Is that what you call it?””
Sebastian became uncomfortable.
“Valeria, whatever happened, I’m sure it can be handled.””
I looked around his office.
Awards.
Certificates.
Photos of company milestones.
A photo of him and me at the opening of our first international branch.
“I thought so too.””
He looked at me.
“What changed?””
I stared at him.
“People.””
The silence between us grew.
Then I asked:
“Do you know Mauricio Ortega?””
A tiny reaction.
A blink.
A pause.
Most people wouldn’t notice.
I did.
Because I spent my life reading people.
“I know of him.””
“Interesting answer.””
“What do you mean?””
“Not ‘yes.’ Not ‘no.’”
I stepped closer.
“‘I know of him.’”
Sebastian looked away.
“Valeria…”
“Did you help his family?””
His face hardened.
“What?””
“Did you help the Ortega family approach me?””
Silence.
That was enough.
I didn’t need a confession.
Not yet.
But I needed to know how deep it went.
“Why would you think that?””
“Because your name is on a marriage contract.””
His face changed.
“What contract?””
I watched him carefully.
“You tell me.””
For the first time, Sebastian looked afraid.
Not angry.
Afraid.
And that told me everything.
“You found it.””
I froze.
“You know about it.””
He immediately realized his mistake.
The room went silent.
Sebastian closed his eyes.
“Valeria…”
“How long?””
He didn’t answer.
“How long have you known?””
“Since before you met him.””
I stepped back.
The person I trusted most had just confirmed my worst fear.
“Why?””
He looked exhausted.
“Because I was trying to protect you.””
I almost laughed.
“Protect me?””
“Yes.””
“You helped a man marry me under false pretenses.””
“You don’t understand.””
“Then explain.””
He ran a hand through his hair.
“There are things about Mauricio you don’t know.””
“Then tell me.””
“I can’t.””
I stared at him.
“You can’t?””
“Not yet.””
I felt something cold settle inside me.
Everyone had the same excuse.
Not yet.
Later.
Eventually.
When the time was right.
Everyone wanted me to wait while they controlled the truth.
“No.””
Sebastian looked up.
“No?””
“No more waiting.””
I picked up my purse.
“Valeria.””
I stopped at the door.
“I trusted you.””
His expression changed.
“I know.””
“No.””
I shook my head.
“You don’t.””
I looked back at him.
“If you knew what that meant, you would never have done this.””
I left.
Two hours later, Camila arrived at my office.
She placed a folder on my desk.
“I found more.””
I opened it.
Inside were financial records.
Emails.
Photos.
My eyes moved quickly.
“What am I looking at?””
“Connections between Sebastian, Mauricio, and Alejandro Vargas.””
The same name.
The competitor.
“Why is Vargas involved?””
Camila sat down.
“That’s the part I don’t understand.””
I looked through the documents.
Then I saw it.
A transfer.
A large one.
From a company linked to Alejandro Vargas.
To an account connected to Sebastian.
My chest tightened.
“Camila.””
“Yes?””
“How long ago was this?””
She checked.
“Three years.””
Three years.
Before Mauricio.
Before the wedding.
Before everything.
I stared at the date.
Something didn’t fit.
“Wait.””
“What?””
“If they were planning this three years ago…”
I looked up.
“…they weren’t looking for a wife.””
Camila frowned.
“What do you mean?””
I slowly closed the folder.
“They were looking for a way into Horizonte Capital.””
The room became silent.
Because suddenly, Mauricio wasn’t the center of the story.
He was just one piece.
A piece someone else had moved.
My phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
I answered immediately.
A woman’s voice spoke.
“Valeria?””
“Yes.””
“I know who sent the marriage contract.””
My grip tightened.
“Who?””
The woman hesitated.
Then whispered:
“It wasn’t Sebastian.””
I stood.
“What?””
The voice became urgent.
“You need to listen carefully.””
“Who are you?””
A pause.
Then:
“My name is Lucia Ortega.””
I froze.
Another Ortega.
But this time, the voice sounded scared.
“I was Mauricio’s first fiancée.””
The room seemed to disappear.
“Why are you calling me?””
Her breathing shook.
“Because I know why they chose you.””
I waited.
And then she said:
“They didn’t want your money.””
My heart stopped.
“They wanted something much more valuable.””
“What?””
May you like
Her answer came quietly.
“They wanted your identity.””
