Chapter 14 - The Reunion
Mariana was standing by the window of the empty conference room when the door opened.
She turned around slowly.
Andrew stood in the doorway. He didn't look like the powerful, ruthless executive she had married. The expensive tailored suits were gone. The arrogant posture was gone. He looked entirely defeated.
For a long moment, neither of them spoke. The silence in the room was heavy, thick with the weight of unsaid apologies and deep scars.
"Hello, Mariana," Andrew finally said, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Andrew," she replied coldly. Her face was a mask of absolute control.
He stepped further into the room but kept his distance, respecting her space.
"You look well," he offered awkwardly. "The foundation... you have done incredible things."
"I didn't ask you here for small talk," Mariana cut him off. She walked over to the table and picked up the yellow envelope. "I asked you here to explain this."
Andrew looked at the envelope.
"It is exactly what it looks like," he said. "Financial records. Wire transfers. Proof that Victor Vance has been bribing two city judges and three councilmen to block your zoning permits."
"And how did you get this?" she demanded, her eyes narrowing with suspicion.
"When I was running the company... before everything collapsed... Vance approached me for a joint venture. I didn't trust him, so I had private investigators dig into his offshore accounts. I kept the files as leverage."
Mariana crossed her arms.
"You sat on evidence of massive political corruption for years just to use it as leverage?"
Andrew lowered his head, ashamed.
"Yes. Because I was a corrupt, terrible man. I played the same dirty games he did."
"So why give it to me now?" Mariana asked, stepping closer. "What do you want, Andrew? A payoff? A job? Do you want me to publicly forgive you so you can rebuild your reputation?"
Andrew looked up, meeting her eyes. They were filled with genuine sorrow.
May you like
"I don't want anything from you, Mariana. I don't deserve your forgiveness, and I know I will never have it. I gave you those files because Victor Vance is trying to destroy the only good thing that ever came out of the Escalante name."
Mariana searched his face, looking for the lie. But for the first time in her life, she couldn't find one.
