Chapter 2: The Price of His Betrayal
I didn't sleep much that night.
At 6:30 a.m., I was already in my father's study, standing beside a long walnut desk covered with financial reports.
Arturo sat behind it, wearing his reading glasses.
Daniel stood near the window with a tablet.
On the desk lay a printed photograph of Camila's bracelet.
Beside it was a bank transaction record.
“Explain this again,” I said.
My father removed his glasses.
“Three months ago, our internal audit department identified irregular payments from a subsidiary account. The amounts were relatively small individually, but the transactions shared a pattern.””
Daniel turned his tablet toward me.
“Several payments were processed through a consulting company called Serrano Advisory.””
I read the name.
“Camila's family?””
“Her brother owns it,” Daniel replied.
“The company was registered less than a year ago.””
My father pointed to the transaction list.
“Some of the money was transferred to a jewelry retailer. We traced one purchase to a bracelet matching the one Camila wore last night.””
I looked at the photograph.
The pear-shaped diamond.
The emerald clasp.
The tiny engraving on the inside.
It was unmistakable.
“Are you saying Alejandro used Grupo Vanguardia money to buy her jewelry?””
“Not necessarily,” my father said.
“We are saying the transaction requires investigation.””
I pulled out a chair.
“How did money from your company reach her family?””
Daniel opened another document.
“Desarrollos De la Vega has been using several outside consultants while preparing its financing proposal. One of those consultants introduced a company that later received payments from a contractor connected to our investment portfolio.””
I looked at him.
“That's a long route.””
“Deliberately long, we suspect.””
My father leaned back.
“Which is why I don't want you making any decisions based on your marriage.””
I looked at him.
“Papa, my marriage is over.””
“I know. But Alejandro may try to make your personal history part of this investigation.””
I understood.
If I approved financing for his company, people could accuse me of favoritism.
If I rejected it, they could accuse me of revenge.
Either way, my surname would be dragged into the matter.
“Then remove me from the final vote,” I said.
My father nodded.
“That is exactly what I intend to do. But I want you to examine the preliminary authorization and identify whether anything has been misrepresented.””
Daniel placed a blue folder in front of me.
The De la Vega financing proposal.
I opened it.
The project involved the redevelopment of a historic waterfront district into a luxury residential and commercial complex.
The estimated investment was enormous.
The company was asking Grupo Vanguardia to provide a significant portion of the capital.
On the first page, Alejandro's signature appeared beneath the company logo.
I turned several pages.
Construction schedules.
Land valuations.
Projected returns.
Employment estimates.
Everything looked polished.
Too polished.
“Who prepared the financial forecasts?””
“Desarrollos De la Vega's finance director,” Daniel answered.
“Who verified the land ownership?””
“Our external legal team.””
“And the contractor agreements?””
“Not yet independently verified.””
I looked up.
“Why was the proposal allowed to reach preliminary approval without that?””
My father answered.
“Because the initial figures were consistent with the documentation provided. We are now questioning the source of some supporting records.””
I turned another page.
Then I saw something familiar.
A company name.
Serrano Advisory.
My stomach tightened.
“Daniel.””
“Yes, Ms. Mendoza?””
“Why is Camila's brother listed as a strategic consultant?””
Daniel checked the document.
“He was engaged to provide market research.””
“Was his company paid?””
“Yes.””
“How much?””
Daniel read the figure.
I slowly closed the folder.
“Papa, this isn't just about a bracelet.””
“No,” my father said quietly.
“It isn't.””
At 9:15 a.m., I arrived at the Mendoza residence.
My father had insisted that we discuss the proposal there before the formal committee review.
The mansion stood behind tall iron gates, surrounded by manicured gardens and ancient olive trees.
I had grown up in that house.
But I rarely stayed there after my marriage.
I had wanted a home that felt like mine.
Not one filled with security guards, household staff, and people who addressed me by my father's title.
That morning, however, the house was anything but peaceful.
A black Mercedes stood in the driveway.
Beside it was Alejandro's silver SUV.
I stopped at the entrance.
Daniel came toward me.
“Ms. Mendoza.””
“Why are they here?””
“Your father agreed to receive them.””
I looked at him.
“Both of them?””
“Mr. De la Vega and Mrs. De la Vega.””
I closed my eyes briefly.
Of course.
Beatriz.
My former mother-in-law had never accepted that her son had married someone she considered ordinary.
She had once told me that a woman who entered a powerful family should understand her responsibilities.
Apparently, those responsibilities included tolerating her son's affairs.
I walked into the main salon.
Beatriz was sitting on the cream-colored sofa, holding a porcelain teacup.
She wore a pale blue suit and a string of pearls.
Alejandro stood beside the fireplace.
Both turned when I entered.
“Isabel,” Beatriz said, rising immediately.
Her smile was almost convincing.
“My dear.””
I stopped.
“Mrs. De la Vega.””
Her smile faltered.
“Oh, don't be like that. We have known each other for years.””
“Six weeks ago, you told me never to contact your family again.””
She waved one hand.
“That was an emotional moment.””
“Was it?””
Alejandro stepped forward.
“Can we please sit down?””
I looked at him.
“Why are you here?””
Beatriz answered before he could.
“We heard there had been some confusion at the restaurant. Alejandro was very upset.””
I almost laughed.
“Was he upset because I was humiliated, or because he discovered who my father was?””
Beatriz placed her teacup down.
“Isabel, that's unfair.””
“Then tell me what is fair.””
She took a breath.
“You were once part of our family. We shared holidays, celebrations, important moments. Surely that means something.””
I looked at her.
“It meant something to me. That's why I stayed longer than I should have.””
Her cheeks reddened.
Alejandro moved between us.
“Mother, please.””
Then he turned to me.
“I want us to stop the divorce.””
I stared at him.
“The divorce is final.””
“We can remarry.””
“That's not how this works.””
“People make mistakes.””
“People also make choices.””
He lowered his voice.
“I know I made terrible choices. But I want another chance.””
I crossed my arms.
“Did Camila know you were coming here?””
He hesitated.
Beatriz interrupted.
“Camila is not relevant to this conversation.””
“She's wearing my bracelet.””
Beatriz's eyes flickered.
“What bracelet?””
“The one Alejandro bought with money that appears to have passed through a company owned by her brother.””
Alejandro's expression hardened.
“Where did you hear that?””
I watched him carefully.
“Why? Does it sound familiar?””
He looked toward my father, who had entered quietly and was now standing near the doorway.
“Mr. Mendoza, I think there's been a misunderstanding.””
My father didn't move.
“Then perhaps you can explain it.””
Alejandro adjusted his cuffs.
“The bracelet was a personal gift. It has nothing to do with the company.””
“Then why is it connected to a transaction under investigation by my compliance department?”” my father asked.
Beatriz turned sharply toward her son.
“Alejandro?””
He didn't answer.
I walked toward the table and placed the blue financing folder in front of him.
“Since you're so interested in rebuilding our relationship, perhaps we should discuss your company.””
He looked at the folder.
His eyes immediately recognized the logo.
“That's our financing proposal.””
“Yes.””
“You have it?””
“I am the chair of the preliminary investment review committee.””
He opened his mouth.
Then closed it.
Beatriz looked between us.
“Isabel, what does that mean?””
I pulled out the chair opposite him.
“It means that the financing request submitted by Desarrollos De la Vega is being reviewed by my department.””
Alejandro sat down.
His fingers touched the cover of the folder.
“Your department?””
“My department.””
He looked at my father.
Arturo answered for me.
“My daughter oversees the strategic investment division at Grupo Vanguardia. She has been involved in our international operations for years.””
Beatriz slowly lowered herself onto the sofa.
I could almost hear the calculations happening in her head.
For years, she had assumed I was unemployed because I didn't discuss my work.
She had never asked.
She had simply decided that I was living off Alejandro.
Now she was sitting in my father's mansion, learning that the woman she had criticized for wearing inexpensive clothes controlled a division responsible for investments worth billions.
Alejandro turned a page.
“Isabel, I had no idea.””
I smiled faintly.
“I know.””
He continued looking at the documents.
Then I placed my finger on the authorization page.
“Examine this.””
He leaned forward.
At the bottom of the page was my full name.
ISABEL MENDOZA.
Below it was my official title.
*EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR — STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS, GRUPO VANGUARDIA.*
His fingers trembled.
He read it again.
Then looked at me.
“You're an executive director?””
“Yes.””
“Since when?””
“Before we married.””
His face lost color.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
I leaned back.
“I did. You just never listened.””
Beatriz looked horrified.
“But you always said you were working on independent projects.””
“I was.””
“Why didn't you tell us your father was Arturo Mendoza?””
I looked directly at her.
“Because I wanted to know whether your son loved me without the money.””
The room became painfully quiet.
Alejandro lowered his eyes.
Then he said something that made me almost pity him.
“I did love you.””
I studied him.
“Then why did you let your mother call me a gold digger?””
He didn't answer.
“Why did you let Camila insult me?””
Silence.
“Why did you give her a bracelet and lie to my face?””
He finally whispered.
“I don't know.””
I nodded.
“That's the problem, Alejandro. You never know what you've done until someone else makes you face the consequences.””
My father approached the table.
“Mr. De la Vega, this meeting is not a negotiation. Your financing proposal will be evaluated independently. Your personal relationship with my daughter will have no bearing on the outcome.””
Alejandro nodded quickly.
“Of course.””
Beatriz stood.
“Arturo, surely we can find a way to resolve this amicably. Our families have so much in common.””
My father looked at her.
“Mrs. De la Vega, our families have nothing in common that requires a business arrangement.””
Her mouth tightened.
Alejandro closed the folder.
“Isabel, can I speak to you alone?””
“No.””
“Just for a moment.””
I stood.
“You have had four years of private conversations with me. Most of them were lies. I don't think we need another.””
He looked desperate.
“I'm trying to make things right.””
“Then start by telling the truth.””
His expression shifted.
Before he could answer, the double doors opened.
Daniel entered quickly.
He was holding a tablet.
“Mr. Mendoza, I'm sorry to interrupt.””
My father turned.
“What happened?””
Daniel looked at Alejandro.
Then at me.
“We have a serious security incident.””
“What kind?”” I asked.
“Someone accessed a confidential page from the De la Vega financing file at 2:13 this morning.””
My stomach tightened.
“Which page?””
“The page containing the revised capital allocation and internal risk assessment.””
My father took the tablet.
“Was the document authorized for external access?””
“No.””
“Do we know who downloaded it?””
Daniel nodded.
He turned the screen toward us.
A security log was displayed.
One employee identification number.
One access timestamp.
One registered device.
May you like
And one name.
Camila Serrano.
Related Stories
