Chapter 26 - The Trial of Trust
Valeria was sitting on the floor of the nursery, building a tower of soft, colorful blocks for little Leo.
The heavy door opened. Mateo stepped inside, his face as hard and unreadable as carved stone. He tossed the stack of printed emails directly onto the carpet in front of her.
"What is this?"
Valeria asked, looking up in sheer confusion.
"You tell me,"
Mateo replied, his voice dangerously low, entirely devoid of its usual warmth.
"Those are transcripts of your private communications. You are apparently selling your shares to the Vanguard Group. You are tearing the company apart."
Valeria’s eyes widened in absolute, unadulterated shock as she read the fabricated documents.
"Mateo, I have never seen these before in my entire life!"
Valeria cried out, her hands shaking violently.
"I don't even know who the Vanguard Group is!"
"The IP address traces directly to your personal laptop, Valeria,"
Mateo argued, the heavy burden of his new paranoia bleeding into his voice.
"We survived a murder attempt together. Why would you betray me now?"
Valeria stood up. She did not cry. She did not cower. The fierce, unbreakable woman who had survived the balcony emerged entirely.
"Look at me, Mateo,"
May you like
Valeria commanded, stepping directly into his personal space, her blue eyes blazing with a fierce, brilliant light.
"I held onto a tearing curtain over a two-story drop to protect my son. You reached out and pulled me from the abyss. We are bound by blood and survival. If you truly believe that I would trade our safety for money, then Daniel has already won, because he has successfully poisoned your soul."
