Chapter 12 - THE COMPANY WITH NO OFFICE
Aurelia Holdings had been registered eight months earlier.
On paper, it provided luxury property consulting.
It had no employees.
No active website.
No actual office beyond a rented business address in Madrid.
Beatriz owned one hundred percent.
Our auditors found three payments from companies connected to Lucas.
Consulting fees.
Advisory fees.
Acquisition analysis.
None corresponded to real work.
Then they found something worse.
A draft agreement.
If the eight-million-euro transfer had succeeded, Aurelia Holdings would have received almost three million through a second transaction.
Elena placed the file on the table.
“This looks planned.”
I stared at the numbers.
“How did she expect to get away with it?”
“She may not have expected you to discover it quickly.”
“Eventually I would.”
“Eventually.”
Elena tapped another document.
“But look at this.”
It was a draft marital separation agreement.
My supposed signature appeared at the bottom.
It was false.
The agreement claimed I had voluntarily transferred several assets to Beatriz.
It also contained a paragraph involving Isabella.
I read it once.
Then again.
If I became unavailable for an extended period, Beatriz would seek temporary guardianship authority.
My blood went cold.
“Unavailable how?”
Elena shook her head.
“It’s vague.”
I stood.
“Was she planning something?”
“Don’t jump beyond the evidence.”
I paced toward the window.
Three months in Dubai.
Blocked calls.
Removed staff.
Disabled cameras.
Forgery practice.
Financial transfers.
Guardianship language.
And a frightened eight-year-old being taught that her father would never believe her.
The pieces were beginning to form one picture.
Not a perfect one.
But enough.
Beatriz hadn’t simply mistreated Isabella because she disliked her.
She had been isolating her.
Making her obedient.
Making her afraid to speak.
Making sure that if something changed legally or financially, the child at the center of it would not challenge the story.
My phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
Beatriz spoke immediately.
“We need to meet.”
“Why?”
“Because Lucas is lying to you.”
“So are you.”
Silence.
Then she said something unexpected.
“If you want the truth, come to the villa alone.”
Elena shook her head.
I kept my eyes on her.
“What time?”
“Seven.”
“And Beatriz?”
“Yes?”
May you like
“If this is another performance, it will be your last one.”
She hung up.
