Chapter 4 - Ricardo read the sentence three times.HE WAS NEVER YOUR SON.
“No.”
His voice was barely audible.
Inspector Herrera took the photograph.
“Don't jump to conclusions.”
Ricardo stared at the image.
Gabriel Santoro stood beside Diego.
But Diego had been wearing a school uniform.
The photograph wasn't old.
It couldn't be.
Ricardo hadn't seen Gabriel in years.
He had spent those years telling himself that the rivalry was dead.
Apparently it wasn't.
His hands began to shake.
“When was this taken?”
The forensic team checked metadata from the hard drive.
“Two months ago.”
Ricardo looked toward Valeria.
She wasn't there.
“Where is she?”
An officer appeared.
“She left the room five minutes ago.”
Ricardo's face hardened.
“Find her.”
They searched the mansion.
Valeria was gone.
Her driver was gone too.
Only her handbag remained.
Inside it was a passport.
But not hers.
It belonged to another woman.
Elena Galván.
Ricardo stared at the name.
His dead mother's name.
His mother had been gone for twelve years.
Why was her passport in Valeria's handbag?
Inspector Herrera looked disturbed.
“This case is becoming larger than child abuse.”
Ricardo didn't care about larger.
He cared about Diego.
They found Valeria's car abandoned three kilometers from the mansion.
The driver's door was open.
Her phone was smashed on the pavement.
No blood.
No body.
No explanation.
Back at the hospital, Ricardo returned to Diego's room.
His son was awake.
“Daddy?”
“I’m here.”
Diego looked at him.
“Did you find Mommy?”
Ricardo hesitated.
“Not yet.”
The boy swallowed.
“She said she would come.”
“Did she tell you where?”
“No.”
“Diego…”
The boy looked down.
“Daddy, are you mad at me?”
Ricardo's chest tightened.
“No.”
“Because I didn't tell you everything.”
“I'm not mad.”
“You promise?”
“I promise.”
Diego slowly reached for his hand.
That simple gesture nearly broke Ricardo.
“Tell me.”
The boy whispered.
“Mommy said I wasn't supposed to call you Daddy.”
Ricardo went still.
“What?”
“She said real fathers don't leave.”
Ricardo closed his eyes.
“Who told her that?”
“I don't know.”
Then Diego added:
“But there was a man.”
“What man?”
“He came at night.”
“What did he look like?”
Diego thought.
“Tall.”
“Hair?”
“Dark.”
“Anything else?”
“A scar.”
“Where?”
The boy touched his neck.
“Here.”
Ricardo's mind raced through every enemy he had ever made.
Then Diego said:
“He called me Mateo.”
Ricardo froze.
“Who is Mateo?”
The boy shrugged.
“He said it was my real name.”
The room seemed to tilt.
Ricardo stood abruptly.
“Diego, look at me.”
The boy did.
“Your name is Diego.”
“He said it wasn't.”
“Who?”
“Mateo.”
Ricardo's phone vibrated.
It was Inspector Herrera.
A message.
WE FOUND A WOMAN CLAIMING TO BE DIEGO'S BIOLOGICAL MOTHER.
Ricardo stared at the screen.
Then another message arrived.
She says Valeria stole the child seven years ago.
His blood went cold.
He walked out of the room.
Inspector Herrera met him in the corridor.
“Where is she?”
“Interview room.”
They entered.
A woman sat there.
Late twenties.
Exhausted.
Her hands were shaking.
She looked at Ricardo.
Then burst into tears.
“That's my son.”
Ricardo stepped back.
“What did you say?”
“Diego.”
She pointed toward the hospital room.
“He is my son.”
Ricardo shook his head.
“No.”
“My name is Camila Ortega.”
She pulled out a faded photograph.
A newborn baby.
Wrapped in a blue blanket.
A tiny birthmark on the left ankle.
Ricardo knew that birthmark.
Diego had it.
Camila whispered:
“He was taken from me after he was born.”
Ricardo stared at her.
“Why would Valeria take him?”
“Because she couldn't have a child.”
“That isn't enough.”
Camila wiped her tears.
“There was a deal.”
“What deal?”
She looked toward the glass.
Then lowered her voice.
“Valeria didn't buy my child.”
“Then who did?”
Camila's eyes filled with terror.
“Gabriel Santoro.”
Ricardo stepped back.
“What does Gabriel want with my son?”
Camila's answer was quiet.
“Not your son.”
May you like
A pause.
“Your company.”
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