Chapter 1: The Man Behind the Name
The air shifted the moment Ricardo Salazar stepped inside.
No one spoke.
Even the chandelier seemed to stop trembling, as if the house itself recognized authority far greater than Santiago Rivas.
“Valeria,” my father said, his voice calm but firm, “come here.”
I tried to move, but my legs shook. One of the guards stepped forward, offering support as I crossed the marble floor. Santiago didn’t stop me this time.
He couldn’t.
“Mr. Salazar,” Santiago finally said, forcing a smile, “this is… unexpected.”
“Is it?” My father removed his gloves slowly. “I find it far more unexpected that my daughter has been living in a house like this… treated like that.”
His gaze shifted briefly to the camera hidden in the clock.
“I’ve seen enough.”
Beatriz’s glass slipped slightly in her hand. For the first time, her smile faltered.
“You don’t understand,” she began, but one of the attorneys stepped forward, placing a folder on the table.
“Oh, we understand everything,” he said.
The sound of papers flipping echoed louder than any scream.
Fraud. Conspiracy. Abuse. Attempted unlawful confinement.
May you like
Each word fell like a hammer.
And Santiago—powerful, untouchable Santiago—finally looked afraid.
