Chapter 7 - THE UNCLE AT THE HEAD OF THE TABLE
Victor Castillo answered Alejandro’s call immediately.
“Where the hell are you?”
Alejandro almost laughed.
Victor sounded exactly like the concerned uncle he had known all his life.
“You’ve seen the news.”
“Yes.
They say Elena is alive.
Is that true?”
“It’s true.”
Victor exhaled dramatically.
“Thank God.”
Alejandro stared at the photograph of Victor and Vivian.
“Where are you?”
“New York.
Board meeting.”
“Stay there.”
“Alejandro, what’s happening?”
“I’ll explain in person.”
Victor lowered his voice.
“Do not trust Vivian.”
Alejandro closed his eyes.
The performance was perfect.
“Why?”
“I’ve suspected her for months.”
“Of what?”
“Financial irregularities.”
Alejandro looked at Nathan.
Nathan silently wrote.
KEEP HIM TALKING.
Victor continued.
“I didn’t want to burden you while you were still searching.”
“How considerate.”
Victor missed the sarcasm.
“You know I’ve always protected the family.”
Alejandro looked toward Marco.
His son sat beside Elena reading a book while Isabella watched them.
“Of course.”
“When can you meet?”
“Tonight.”
Nathan shook his head.
Alejandro continued.
“Your apartment.”
Victor hesitated.
“Fine.”
After the call, Nathan said.
“You’re not going.”
“Yes, I am.”
“You have direct evidence he’s involved.”
“I have a photograph.”
“And a murder plan.”
“With no signature.”
Elena approached.
“Victor won’t confess.”
“I know.”
“Then why?”
“Because people reveal things when they think they’re winning.”
Elena studied him.
“You’re going to let him think you’re desperate.”
“Yes.”
A faint smile appeared.
“I remember that trick.”
Alejandro looked at her.
“Tokyo acquisition.”
“You pretended the bank had rejected financing.”
“And our competitor lowered the price.”
“You came home unbearably proud.”
“I was twenty-nine.”
“You were unbearable at thirty too.”
They both stopped.
For a second they were not prisoner and rescuer.
They were husband and wife again.
Then Elena looked away.
The moment passed.
That night Alejandro entered Victor’s Manhattan penthouse wearing a concealed recording device provided by Nathan.
Federal agents could not officially intervene yet.
Nathan had quietly contacted an internal corruption unit.
But until warrants were issued, Alejandro was bait.
Victor embraced him.
“My God.
You look terrible.”
“So do you.”
Victor smiled.
“There’s my nephew.”
They sat.
Whiskey appeared.
Alejandro did not drink.
Victor poured anyway.
“So.
Elena.”
“She’s alive.”
“And the boy?”
Alejandro watched him carefully.
Victor’s hand stopped for less than a second.
“What boy?”
There.
Alejandro leaned back.
“My son.”
Victor forced surprise.
“You have a son?”
“Apparently.”
“Incredible.”
“You don’t sound surprised.”
Victor smiled.
“I’m stunned.”
Alejandro changed direction.
“I need money.”
That surprised him genuinely.
“Money?”
“My accounts are temporarily frozen.”
“Because of Vivian?”
“And legal issues.”
Victor relaxed.
Alejandro saw it.
“What do you need?”
“Ten million.”
“That’s substantial.”
“I may have to leave the country.”
Victor’s eyes sharpened.
“With Elena?”
“Yes.”
“And the child?”
“Of course.”
Victor slowly swirled his drink.
“That may be complicated.”
“Why?”
“The boy could become a legal target.”
“In what way?”
“Custody.
Inheritance.
Public scrutiny.”
“You’ve thought about it.”
Victor realized his mistake.
“I’m a board member.
Succession matters.”
Alejandro smiled.
“Right.”
Victor stood.
He walked toward the window.
“You know, your father always worried about you.”
“What does that have to do with Marco?”
“He thought emotion made you vulnerable.”
“My father adored Elena.”
“He tolerated Elena.”
Alejandro stiffened.
Victor continued.
“Mateo believed the Castillo name required discipline.”
Mateo Castillo.
Alejandro’s father.
Dead eight years.
“You’re talking about him like he knew.”
Victor turned.
There was something almost pitying in his eyes.
“He knew more than you ever realized.”
Alejandro felt cold.
“Knew what?”
Victor stared for a long moment.
Then smiled.
“Nothing.”
Alejandro stood.
The meeting was over.
But Victor blocked him.
“You should leave Elena.”
Alejandro stared.
Victor continued.
“Take the money.
Go somewhere quiet.
Let Vivian handle the mess.”
“Why would I do that?”
“Because some doors shouldn’t be opened.”
“I’ve heard that recently.”
Victor’s eyes hardened.
“You’re not your father, Alejandro.”
“Thank God.”
“You think that’s an insult to him.
It isn’t.”
Victor stepped closer.
“Mateo understood sacrifice.”
Alejandro’s voice dropped.
“What did my father sacrifice?”
Victor said nothing.
Alejandro left.
Outside, Nathan waited in a van.
“You got something.”
“Not enough.”
“Maybe.”
Nathan replayed Victor’s statement.
Mateo understood sacrifice.
Elena listened remotely.
Then her voice came through Alejandro’s earpiece.
“Alejandro.”
“Yes?”
“There’s something I never told you.”
He closed his eyes.
Another secret.
“What?”
“When I found Marco three years ago, I found a letter with him.”
“From whom?”
“Your father.”
Alejandro stopped.
“My father was dead.”
“The letter was written before he died.”
“What did it say?”
Elena was silent for several seconds.
Then she whispered.
“It said he knew I was pregnant.”
Alejandro couldn’t speak.
“He knew about Marco?”
“Yes.”
“And he never told me?”
“There was more.”
“What?”
“He told Vivian to hide the pregnancy from you.”
Alejandro stared through the van window at Victor’s penthouse.
For seven chapters of his life, he had believed Vivian had infiltrated the Castillo family.
May you like
Now the possibility was far worse.
Maybe the Castillo family had invited her in.
