Chapter 15 - The Predecessor
Elena Duarte lived a quiet, invisible life in a small town two hours outside of the city. She ran a bakery, kept her head down, and never spoke about her past.
She was Mauricio’s first wife.
When Guillermo’s black SUV pulled up outside her bakery that afternoon, Elena immediately tried to lock the door. She was terrified of the wealthy men in suits.
But Guillermo didn't send his lawyers. He sent Diana Torres.
Diana walked into the bakery, holding a file folder. She sat at a small table and ordered a coffee, waiting for Elena to stop shaking.
"I'm not from the Del Valles," Diana said softly, opening the folder to reveal a picture of Raquel, heavily bruised and pregnant. "I'm here for her."
Elena stared at the photograph, her hands trembling violently.
"They did the same thing to me," Elena whispered, tears welling in her eyes. "The isolation. The fake evidence. Emilio told me if I didn't sign the NDA and disappear, he would make sure I was locked in a psychiatric facility forever. They paid me to vanish."
"The NDA is void," Diana told her, sliding a document across the table. "They used extorted funds to pay you. The Del Valles are going down, Elena. Raquel recorded everything at the gala last night. Mauricio is in jail."
Elena’s eyes widened in pure shock. "He’s in jail?"
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"He is. But we need you to put the final nail in the coffin," Diana pleaded gently. "We need the judge to see that Raquel wasn't an isolated incident. She was a target in a systemic game of abuse. Will you testify?"
Elena looked at the picture of the pregnant woman who had survived the monster she had run from. Slowly, she wiped her tears and nodded.
