Chapter 7
Bia stopped speaking to Mateo.
For three days, she refused to even look at him.
She stayed with Ricardo and Sofia under police protection.
At night, she slept with Camila’s doll.
During the day, she asked questions.
Painful questions.
“Did Mommy love Gabriel?”
“Yes.”
“Did Gabriel know I wasn’t his?”
“Yes.”
“Did Mateo want me?”
Ricardo struggled with that one.
“I think he did.”
“Then why did he leave?”
“He was afraid.”
Bia looked away.
“That’s not a good reason.”
“No.”
Ricardo refused to lie for Mateo.
Not anymore.
Bia deserved truth.
Even when truth hurt.
Especially then.
Meanwhile, police searched the farmhouse.
They recovered documents linking Victor to the missing trust money.
They also found photographs of Gabriel’s damaged car taken before police arrived at the crash.
One picture showed Victor beside the wreck.
Another showed Helena speaking to Mateo.
The evidence proved Mateo had told at least part of the truth.
Then investigators found something even worse.
A recorded conversation between Helena and Victor from six months earlier.
Camila’s name was mentioned repeatedly.
Ricardo listened with Alvarez.
Victor’s voice said, “She knows too much.”
Helena answered, “Then make sure she stops talking.”
“What about the girl?”
“Leave Bia alone.”
Victor laughed.
“You suddenly have a conscience?”
“She’s useful.”
Ricardo stopped the recording.
“Useful?”
Alvarez resumed it.
Helena continued.
“As long as Camila believes I can expose the paternity secret, she stays controllable.”
Victor asked, “And if Camila goes to police?”
Helena replied, “Then the child loses everything.”
Ricardo’s hands shook.
Bia had been leverage.
Nothing more.
Then another recording surfaced.
This one had been made only two days before Camila died.
Victor sounded angry.
“You said changing the pills would scare her.”
Helena answered.
“It did.”
“She’s still threatening us.”
“Then increase it.”
Ricardo felt sick.
Alvarez stopped the audio.
“This is significant.”
“You have enough now?”
“We have enough to continue building a very serious case.”
“What about Camila’s death?”
“The medical examiner is reviewing everything.”
Two days later, the answer came.
Camila’s original death had been attributed to complications related to her medication.
But now investigators knew the medication itself may have been altered.
The case became a homicide investigation.
Helena was charged.
Victor was charged.
Ricardo expected satisfaction.
Instead, he felt empty.
Nothing brought Camila back.
Nothing gave Bia her mother.
Then Mateo asked to see Bia.
Ricardo refused to decide for her.
He sat beside his niece.
“Mateo wants to talk to you.”
“I don’t want a new dad.”
“He isn’t asking you to replace Gabriel.”
“How do you know?”
“I told him he couldn’t.”
Bia looked at Ricardo.
“You told him?”
“Yes.”
She thought for a long time.
“Can you stay in the room?”
“Of course.”
Mateo arrived carrying nothing.
No gifts.
No flowers.
No excuses.
He sat across from Bia.
“I’m sorry.”
She stared at him.
“You lied.”
“Yes.”
“You knew me.”
“Yes.”
“You came to my birthday parties.”
Mateo’s eyes filled.
“Yes.”
“And you knew you were my father.”
“Yes.”
Bia started crying.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Mateo’s voice broke.
“Because I was a coward.”
Ricardo watched him.
Mateo did not blame Helena.
He did not blame Camila.
He did not blame Gabriel.
“I was afraid that if I told the truth, you would lose the father who raised you.”
“But Gabriel was already dead.”
“Yes.”
“Then why after?”
Mateo looked destroyed.
“Because the longer I waited, the harder the truth became.”
Bia wiped her face.
“That’s stupid.”
Mateo almost smiled through tears.
“Yes.”
She looked at him.
“I’m still mad.”
“You should be.”
“I don’t want to call you Dad.”
“You don’t have to.”
“I might never.”
“I understand.”
Bia looked at Ricardo.
Then back at Mateo.
“You can come again next week.”
Mateo started crying.
“Okay.”
But before anyone could relax, Ricardo’s phone rang.
Detective Alvarez.
He sounded urgent.
“Ricardo, we found another beneficiary connected to Camila’s trust.”
“Who?”
May you like
Alvarez paused.
“Bia isn’t the only child Helena was hiding.”
