Chapter 10 - MARIANA’S MISSING YEARS
Mariana returned to her childhood home for the first time in four years.
The Escalante residence was large, but it felt different from Andrew’s mansion.
There were no rooms designed only to impress visitors.
The shelves held photographs, books, and objects collected across decades.
Her mother’s piano still stood near the windows.
The brown leather handbag had belonged to Isabel Escalante.
Isabel had carried it during the earliest years of the family business.
She had refused to replace it even after the company became successful.
“A valuable thing does not become worthless because someone fails to recognize it,” she used to tell Mariana.
Mariana placed the bag beside the piano.
Rafael entered carrying two cups of tea.
“You should rest.”
“I don’t know how.”
“You have been carrying that family for too long.”
Mariana looked toward her mother’s photograph.
“I thought Andrew loved the person I was.”
“He loved how your strength made him feel.”
“I let him take credit.”
“You wanted a partnership.”
“I created an illusion.”
Rafael sat beside her.
“When your mother and I started Escalante Capital, we made mistakes.”
“We trusted the wrong people.”
“We lost money.”
“We nearly lost the company.”
“But we never confused forgiveness with permission.”
Mariana lowered her eyes.
She remembered the first time Andrew insulted her in front of his friends.
He had apologized afterward.
The second time, he blamed the alcohol.
The third time, he claimed she had embarrassed him first.
Each incident had been small enough to excuse.
Together, they had formed a pattern she refused to name.
“Why didn’t you tell me to leave?” she asked.
“I did.”
“You stopped.”
“Because every time I pushed, you defended him more strongly.”
Rafael looked at her gently.
“You had to see the truth with your own eyes.”
Mariana touched her cheek.
“I saw it.”
Her phone rang.
It was Helena.
“The jewelry broker has agreed to cooperate.”
“Does he still have the necklace?”
“Yes.”
“He also has security footage showing Brenda delivering it.”
“What about the money?”
“Most of it was transferred to Julian Mercer.”
“Can it be recovered?”
“We have frozen the domestic portion.”
Helena paused.
“There is something else.”
“Andrew wants to meet you privately.”
Mariana looked at the dark garden outside.
“For what?”
“He says he wants to apologize.”
Rafael’s expression showed exactly what he thought of that.
Mariana considered the request.
Andrew was not sorry when he believed he still had power.
Now the accounts were frozen, the board had removed him, and detectives were questioning his mistress.
His apology had arrived at the exact moment he needed something.
“Tell him I’ll meet him,” Mariana said.
“Tomorrow.”
“Where?”
“In the mansion.”
Rafael studied her.
May you like
“Why there?”
“Because that is where he ordered me to kneel.”
