CHAPTER 3 — THE DOOR THAT SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN OPENED
The banquet upstairs continued unaware.
Crystal glasses. Wealthy laughter. Political smiles.
But beneath it, in the industrial kitchen, an empire was cracking open.
The CEO finally straightened.
And when he turned, his voice was no longer cold.
It was deadly calm.
“Everyone out.”
No one moved at first.
Then he said it again—louder.
“NOW.”
Cooks, servers, assistants—everyone rushed out like a wave breaking against fear. Within seconds, only four people remained:
The CEO.
Valeria.
Lila.
And the truth none of them could escape anymore.
Valeria forced a smile, but it was trembling.
“You’re really going to believe her? Over me?”
The CEO looked at her for a long moment.
Then said:
“I’m going to verify everything. And if you’ve touched her—if you’ve lied to me—there will be no version of this world where you recover from it.”
Valeria’s face finally cracked.
But it wasn’t guilt.
It was panic.
Lila slowly reached into her apron pocket and pulled out a worn photograph.
A child.
The CEO took it.
May you like
And something inside him collapsed.
Because the girl in the photo had his eyes.
