Chapter 8 - The Child Victor Could Not Allow to Be Born
For six hours, doctors fought to stop Valeria's labor.
By evening, the contractions slowed.
Their daughter stayed where she belonged.
For now.
Gabriel came out of the room looking exhausted.
“We bought time.”
“How much?”
Alejandro asked.
“Maybe hours. Maybe weeks.”
Alejandro hated uncertainty.
Business had taught him to control outcomes.
Pregnancy had taught him control was often an illusion.
Then Detective Bennett called.
They had found Marcus Vale.
He had been arrested at a motel near Chula Vista.
Inside his room were burner phones, hospital maps, photographs of Valeria, and instructions from Victor.
One message changed everything.
If birth occurs, contingency E.
“What is contingency E?” Alejandro asked.
“We don't know.”
But Esther did.
When Bennett showed her the message, Esther whispered:
“Emergency custody.”
Alejandro stared.
“What?”
“Victor once asked me what would happen to the trust if you and Valeria were both declared unfit parents.”
Alejandro's blood chilled.
“Why?”
“He said it was estate planning.”
“And what did you tell him?”
“That temporary control would go to the child's court-appointed guardian.”
“Who?”
Esther closed her eyes.
“Under the old documents?”
“Yes.”
“Victor.”
The plan became clear.
If Victor couldn't prevent the child from being born, he would attempt to gain control over her inheritance.
Alejandro immediately ordered every estate document reviewed.
But the greater danger arrived from somewhere else.
That night, social services appeared at the hospital.
An anonymous report claimed Valeria had intentionally consumed dangerous substances during pregnancy.
Alejandro nearly exploded.
Detective Bennett stopped him.
“This is what Victor wants.”
“He is trying to take my daughter before she's even born.”
“Then don't give him evidence that you're unstable.”
Alejandro looked through the glass.
Two investigators were questioning Valeria.
He forced himself to remain calm.
For once, anger would not save anyone.
Evidence would.
Gabriel supplied the medical records.
Teresa gave a statement.
Esther confessed her role in the herbal packets.
The investigators withdrew.
Victor's plan failed.
But the experience changed Alejandro.
He finally understood what it meant to fight someone who knew every weakness in the system.
Victor had spent decades writing the Arandas' contracts.
He knew their money.
Their trusts.
Their scandals.
Their fears.
He knew where every body was buried.
Perhaps literally.
So Alejandro did something Victor would never expect.
He called a press conference.
Against every attorney's advice, Alejandro stood before cameras outside the hospital.
“My name is Alejandro Aranda.”
Hundreds of reporters shouted questions.
He raised one hand.
“My family benefited from property obtained through fraud decades ago.”
The crowd erupted.
He continued.
“I will not hide that fact.”
Aranda executives watching from headquarters nearly fainted.
“My father discovered the truth before his death and attempted to correct it. He did not go far enough.”
Alejandro looked directly into the cameras.
“So I will.”
He announced an independent forensic audit.
Full cooperation with law enforcement.
Restitution for anyone harmed by fraudulent acquisitions.
And temporary resignation as CEO.
Victor's leverage disappeared in less than five minutes.
He could no longer threaten Alejandro with exposure.
Alejandro had exposed himself.
Back inside, Gabriel watched the broadcast.
When Alejandro returned, Gabriel stood.
“That was either brave or incredibly stupid.”
“Probably both.”
For the first time, Gabriel smiled at him like a brother.
Then Detective Bennett's phone rang.
She answered.
Her expression changed.
“We found Victor.”
Alejandro stood.
“Where?”
She turned the phone so they could see a traffic-camera image.
A black sedan heading east.
“He crossed into Arizona.”
“Why Arizona?”
Gabriel stared at the image.
Then he remembered something.
“My mother owned a cabin outside Sedona.”
Bennett looked at him.
“Still in the family?”
“I thought it was sold.”
“Address?”
Gabriel gave it.
Police moved immediately.
But Victor had anticipated them.
By the time officers reached the cabin, it was empty.
Except for one thing.
A wall covered in photographs.
Alejandro.
Gabriel.
Esther.
Valeria.
Tomas.
Elena.
And at the center:
A photograph of newborn Alejandro lying beside his mother in a hospital bed.
Written beneath it:
THE WRONG SON INHERITED EVERYTHING.
When Gabriel saw the photograph, he stared at Alejandro.
“What does that mean?”
Alejandro didn't know.
But Esther did.
When Bennett showed her the image, the older woman nearly collapsed.
“No.”
Alejandro caught her.
“What?”
She shook her head.
“He knows.”
“Knows what?”
Esther looked at Gabriel.
Then at Alejandro.
And whispered:
“Alejandro isn't Tomas's biological son.”
The room went silent.
Alejandro slowly released his mother's arm.
“What did you say?”
Esther's eyes filled with tears.
“You were already six months old when Tomas learned.”
Alejandro stepped backward.
His entire identity seemed to fracture.
“Who is my father?”
May you like
Esther whispered the answer.
“Victor.”
