Chapter 14: The Betrayal That Wasn't
Chapter 14: The Betrayal That Wasn't
The evidence against Mariana spread quickly.
By morning, anonymous reports appeared online.
"Mariana Vale Linked to Valmont Security Breach."
"The Woman Who Took Control of Valmont May Be Its Greatest Threat."
The same media that once praised her now questioned her.
Exactly as someone planned.
Adrian read the headlines silently.
Mariana watched him.
"Say it."
He looked up.
"Say what?"
"What you are thinking."
Adrian sighed.
"I don't know what to think."
Those words hurt.
But she understood.
Because trust was something she had destroyed herself.
Not by betraying him.
By hiding the truth.
"I need time."
Mariana nodded.
"Take it."
She walked away.
But Adrian didn't know something.
Mariana wasn't hurt because he doubted her.
She was hurt because a part of her hoped he wouldn't.
That afternoon, Lucas found something.
"Mariana."
She looked at him.
"You found the evidence?"
He nodded.
"Yes."
He placed a tablet in front of her.
"The authorization was copied."
"Copied?"
"Someone created a digital duplicate of your identity."
Mariana studied the information.
"Who has that technology?"
Lucas hesitated.
"Only a few people."
"Names."
He looked at her.
"Alexander Vale."
Silence.
Mariana closed her eyes.
Her own brother.
The man she barely knew.
The man who appeared after twenty years.
Could he really be behind this?
Meanwhile, Adrian visited Alexander.
The meeting took place at an old private club.
"You framed Mariana."
Alexander smiled.
"So you finally chose her."
Adrian's expression darkened.
"Answer me."
Alexander leaned back.
"You sound exactly like Victor."
"Don't compare me to my father."
Alexander laughed.
"You should."
Adrian stared.
"What do you want?"
"Justice."
"By destroying everyone?"
Alexander's expression changed.
"You think Mariana is innocent?"
"Yes."
"Then you don't know the truth."
Alexander placed a document on the table.
Adrian opened it.
His face changed.
It was a birth record.
A family record.
And one name caught his attention.
Mariana Vale.
But below it was another name.
A name that changed everything.
Adrian looked up.
"What is this?"
Alexander whispered:
"Your wife isn't just Victor's chosen heir."
A pause.
"She's the rightful heir to the entire Valmont bloodline."
That night, Adrian returned to the estate.
Mariana was waiting.
"You spoke to Alexander."
Adrian nodded.
"Yes."
"What did he tell you?"
Adrian looked at her.
For the first time, he saw her differently.
Not as a powerful woman.
Not as a business rival.
But as someone carrying a secret even she didn't understand.
"Mariana..."
She looked at him.
"What?"
"Who are you really?"
Her expression became cold.
"That's what everyone wants to know."
"No."
Adrian stepped closer.
"I want to know because I want to understand you."
Before she could answer, the mansion alarm sounded.
Lucas ran in.
"We have a problem."
Mariana turned.
"What now?"
Lucas looked at Adrian.
Then at Mariana.
"Alexander is gone."
A pause.
"And he took Victor's final file."
Mariana's face changed.
May you like
Because that file contained the one thing nobody could survive.
The truth about the Valmont inheritance.
