Chapter 12 - THE SON SHE CREATED
Rodrigo pressed the detonator.
Nothing happened.
Julián had cut the final ignition wire seconds earlier.
Rodrigo's face twisted. He struck Teresa and ran deeper into the tunnels. Julián followed while Camila and the agents moved the children toward the exit.
The chase ended inside the oldest wine chamber, where Rodrigo had stacked stolen cash, passports, and the original financial records.
“You could have had half of everything,” Rodrigo said. “But you wanted to be noble.”
“I wanted my family alive.”
Rodrigo laughed. “Camila was never family to Mother.”
Teresa entered behind them, blood on her lip. “Stop, Rodrigo.”
He aimed at Julián.
Teresa stepped in front of the gun.
For one long second, nobody moved.
Then she said, “I spent your whole life telling you rules were for weaker people. I was wrong.”
Rodrigo's hand trembled.
“You made me,” he said.
“Yes,” Teresa replied. “And now I will tell the truth about everything.”
He fired.
Teresa fell.
Julián tackled Rodrigo before he could fire again. They crashed through a rotten railing onto a lower platform above a stone crushing pit.
Rodrigo slipped over the edge.
Julián caught his wrist.
“Save me,” Rodrigo gasped.
Julián held on as federal agents rushed in.
Then Rodrigo pulled a knife and slashed at his hand.
Julián lost his grip.
Rodrigo fell—but landed on a maintenance net below, alive and screaming.
Agents dragged him out in handcuffs.
Teresa, barely conscious, whispered to Julián, “The coffin.”
May you like
“What about it?”
“There was something hidden beneath Camila's pillow.”
