Chapter 11 - Valeria Changed Sides
Valeria contacted me through Rafael.
That alone surprised me.
What shocked me was the request.
She wanted to talk without Carmen present.
Rafael arranged the meeting at his office.
Valeria arrived wearing no makeup.
No designer handbag.
No carefully styled hair.
She looked younger than usual.
And frightened.
She sat across from me.
“I need you to know something.”
I waited.
“My mother told us you were going to leave Daniel.”
“When?”
“Almost a year ago.”
I stared at her.
“Why would she say that?”
“She said successful women always leave once they stop needing their husbands.”
“That sounds like Carmen.”
Valeria lowered her eyes.
“She told Daniel he needed protection.”
“Protection from me?”
“Financial protection.”
My stomach tightened.
“The business?”
She nodded.
“Mom wanted something that belonged to us.”
“Using my assets.”
Valeria flinched.
“She said Daniel was entitled to half.”
“My apartment was mine before we married.”
“I know that now.”
“Did you know then?”
“No.”
I didn’t completely believe her.
She saw it.
“I signed company registration papers.”
Her voice shook.
“But I didn’t know about the signature.”
“What signature?”
Valeria looked toward Rafael.
“The loan.”
My pulse quickened.
“Who signed it?”
She swallowed.
“Daniel.”
Silence filled the room.
I stared at her.
“You saw him?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“At your apartment.”
“When?”
“The Saturday you were traveling.”
Rafael leaned forward.
“Tell us exactly what happened.”
Valeria pressed both palms together.
“My mother had copies of your files.”
She looked at me.
“She said the bank needed authorization.”
“What did Daniel say?”
“He said you would never agree.”
My chest tightened.
“And then?”
“Mom told him married people sign for each other all the time.”
Rafael’s expression remained unreadable.
“Did anyone object?”
“I did.”
Valeria’s eyes filled with tears.
“I said it felt wrong.”
“What happened?”
“Mom told me to stop pretending I was morally superior after accepting Mariana’s money.”
She looked at me.
“I left.”
“Before Daniel signed?”
“No.”
The word was almost a whisper.
“I saw him practice your signature first.”
I felt something inside me become still.
Not angry.
Finished.
Completely finished.
Valeria pulled out her phone.
“I have messages.”
She showed Rafael a family group chat.
Carmen had written:
Once the business starts producing, nobody will have to depend on Mariana again.
Daniel replied:
She’ll notice if documents come to the apartment.
Carmen:
Then use your office address.
Another message.
We only need the bank to believe the assets are jointly controlled.
Rafael asked for copies.
Valeria agreed.
“Why are you giving us this now?” I asked.
She looked at me for a long time.
“Because Mom told me I should testify that Camila was never outside.”
My stomach dropped.
“I was there.”
She whispered.
“I saw her.”
“Did you check on her?”
Valeria began crying.
“No.”
“Why not?”
“I thought Daniel would.”
I looked away.
She continued.
“I was filming dinner.”
Her voice broke.
“I knew she was outside.”
I closed my eyes.
“I’m sorry.”
I did not say it was okay.
It wasn’t.
But I believed she was sorry.
That was different.
Before she left, Valeria stopped beside the door.
“My mother thinks everyone will eventually come back to her.”
She wiped her face.
“She thinks she can wait you out.”
I looked at her.
“She can’t.”
Valeria nodded.
“I know.”
The following morning, Carmen learned her daughter had spoken to us.
And for the first time since the divorce began, her anger was no longer aimed at me.
May you like
It was aimed at Valeria.
That was when the Rivera family truly began to collapse from the inside.
