Chapter 6 - THE MOTHER OF THE HOUSE
Mercedes Cárdenas did not confess.
Not exactly.
Women like Mercedes did not confess.
They explained.
“You inherited an empire that existed because generations of this family understood one simple principle,” she told Rodrigo. “Survival requires decisions.”
“My wife died.”
“A tragedy.”
“My daughter was 4.”
For the first time, Mercedes looked away.
Rodrigo stepped closer.
“Say her name.”
“Rodrigo.”
“Say Sofia’s name.”
Mercedes’s jaw tightened.
“The child was never supposed to be in the car.”
Upstairs, Elena covered her mouth.
Rodrigo became completely still.
That sentence was more powerful than any confession.
“The brakes,” he whispered.
Mercedes said nothing.
“You knew.”
“I knew Camila was planning to deliver stolen corporate documents to prosecutors.”
“Stolen?”
“They belonged to this family.”
“They proved you were laundering money through the foundation.”
“They proved I was protecting the company from politicians who would have destroyed it.”
Rodrigo’s voice cracked.
“So you had her killed.”
“No.”
Mercedes stood.
“I ordered someone to frighten her. To stop her. Victor hired men who were supposed to intercept the car.”
“Her brakes failed.”
“That was not my order.”
“But you covered it up.”
Mercedes looked at her son.
“Yes.”
Rodrigo staggered backward as though she had struck him.
His own mother had known.
For 3 years.
She had watched him bury his wife.
She had watched him carry Sofia’s tiny coffin.
And she had said nothing.
“You let me believe it was an accident.”
“What would the truth have changed?”
“Everything!”
His shout shook the room.
Elena had never heard Rodrigo raise his voice.
Mercedes remained calm.
“The company would have collapsed. Thousands of employees would have lost their jobs. Your father’s name would have been destroyed.”
“I don’t care about the name!”
“You will when you remember it paid for every privilege you have ever enjoyed.”
Rodrigo stared at her with something colder than hatred.
“Get out of my house.”
Mercedes smiled sadly.
“It is my house too.”
“Not anymore.”
She picked up her purse.
At the doorway, she paused.
“You think Elena is different?”
Rodrigo’s expression changed.
Mercedes noticed.
“Ah.”
A small smile.
“So that’s what this is.”
“Leave her out of it.”
“She entered your home under a false history. Her father helped steal from you. Her grandmother hid evidence.”
“Elena had nothing to do with any of that.”
“Neither did Sofia.”
Rodrigo lunged forward.
Elena ran downstairs.
“Rodrigo!”
He stopped.
Mercedes looked up.
For the first time, surprise crossed her face.
Elena held up her phone.
“I recorded everything.”
Mercedes’s composure cracked.
“You foolish girl.”
“I’ve been called worse.”
“Give me the phone.”
“No.”
Mercedes took one step toward her.
Rodrigo moved between them.
“My security team has copies already.”
That was a bluff.
Mercedes believed him.
Her eyes hardened.
“You have no idea what you’ve done.”
Rodrigo opened the front door.
“Yes, I do.”
Mercedes left.
But she was not finished.
By morning, photographs of Elena and Rodrigo were online.
Images from outside the hospital.
Images from the mansion.
A photograph of Rodrigo touching Elena’s face.
Anonymous sources claimed Elena had manipulated the grieving billionaire.
Another story claimed her father was a disgraced former executive involved in fraud.
By noon, reporters surrounded Carmen’s hospital.
Elena stared at her phone.
“They’re calling me a gold digger.”
Rodrigo took it from her.
“Stop reading.”
“They know where Grandma is.”
“She’ll be moved.”
“You don’t understand. This happened because of me.”
“No. This happened because my mother wants you frightened.”
“It’s working.”
Rodrigo looked at her.
Elena’s eyes were red.
“I spent my entire life being nobody, Rodrigo. And I liked being nobody. Nobody photographs you buying groceries. Nobody investigates your dead mother. Nobody asks whether you’re sleeping with your employer.”
He went quiet.
“Are you?”
Elena blinked.
“What?”
“Sleeping with your employer?”
Despite everything, she laughed.
“No.”
“That makes one accusation easy to deny.”
She hit his arm.
He smiled.
Then she stopped laughing.
“What are we doing?”
Rodrigo knew what she meant.
He stepped closer.
“I don’t know.”
“You’re grieving.”
“Yes.”
“I’m your employee.”
“Yes.”
“My biological father helped destroy your family.”
“Yes.”
“This is a terrible idea.”
“Probably.”
Elena whispered, “Good.”
Then she kissed him.
It was not dramatic.
It was hesitant.
Almost frightened.
Rodrigo did not touch her for several seconds.
Then his hand settled gently against her cheek.
The kiss deepened.
And for the first time in 3 years, Rodrigo felt something without immediately apologizing to the dead for feeling it.
When they separated, Elena rested her forehead against his.
Then Mateo called.
Rodrigo answered.
His expression changed immediately.
“What happened?”
Mateo’s voice was urgent.
“Mercedes disappeared.”
“Find her.”
“That’s not the biggest problem.”
Rodrigo looked at Elena.
“What is?”
“The police just arrested Sebastián.”
“For what?”
May you like
Mateo paused.
“The murder of Victor Luján.”
