Chapter 5
Chapter 5: The Uninvited Guests
Valeria Montes strode into the room.
The fierce, brilliant attorney wore a sharp, tailored navy-blue suit and an expression of absolute, terrifying authority. Following closely behind her, marching in perfect synchronization, were two stern-looking agents from the Federal Prosecutor's Office, their badges prominently displayed on their belts. Beside them was a woman clutching a thick leather briefcase.
The visual contrast between the heavily armed federal agents and the opulent, flower-draped dining room was jarring.
Evangelina’s smile vanished entirely, replaced by a mask of aristocratic indignation. Alonso slowly set his wine glass down, his hand visibly trembling so much the red wine sloshed over the rim, staining the tablecloth like blood.
Renata simply looked up, her posture perfect. She didn't flinch. And for the first time in six long years, no one in the Ibarra family dared to speak over her or interrupt her.
The woman with the briefcase stepped forward, her voice cutting through the heavy tension like a machete.
"I am Special Agent Salcedo with the Federal Financial Crimes Unit. I need to speak immediately with Alonso Ibarra and Evangelina de Ibarra regarding multiple felony counts of corporate fraud, identity theft, forgery of legal documents, and large-scale embezzlement."
A collective, horrified gasp swept through the room. The relatives who had been laughing and recording videos just minutes ago suddenly shoved their phones deep into their pockets or purses, suddenly terrified that their proximity to this disaster would somehow implicate them. The second-hand shame had suddenly become legally radioactive.
Evangelina stood up so fast her chair screeched violently against the hardwood floor.
"This is utterly absurd! Do you have any idea who we are?" she stammered, her voice shrill and trembling. She tried to force a laugh, but it came out sounding like a choke. "This is all a terrible misunderstanding! My daughter-in-law, Renata... she is very sensitive. She is mentally unwell, she’s been seeing doctors! She must have misinterpreted some complex company documents because she has never, ever understood how prominent, successful families manage their wealth!"
Renata stood up slowly. She didn't shout. She didn't cry. She didn't need to. The truth was the loudest thing in the room.
"You called me a pathetic social climber at Christmas dinner," Renata said, her voice echoing clearly, locking eyes with Evangelina. "Alonso asked me to sign what he called 'investment portfolios' while promising to buy me a house where we could start a family. You both used the inheritance money from my deceased aunt—the only family I had left—to pay off gambling debts and shore up shell companies I didn't even know existed."
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Alonso lunged forward around the table, his face a mask of panic, trying to grab her hand. "Renata, baby, please, listen to me, you're confused, you're sick—"
"Do not touch her!" Valeria, the lawyer, intervened sharply, stepping between them with lightning speed, blocking Alonso's path. "Step back, Mr. Ibarra."
