Chapter 7 - The Woman Wearing Emeralds
Police searched the river for Margaret’s body.
They found nothing.
Her phone was discovered beneath a bridge.
Daniel’s phone had been left inside her abandoned car.
Mariana did not believe either of them was dead.
The evidence felt arranged.
Every discovery pushed suspicion in a specific direction.
Someone wanted Mariana to believe Margaret had killed her mother.
Someone wanted Andrew to believe Daniel had kidnapped Margaret.
Someone wanted Rafael and Alejandro to continue accusing each other.
The confusion was not accidental.
It was strategy.
Mariana returned to Escalante headquarters after midnight.
Andrew followed her into the private conference room.
“You should rest,” he said.
She looked at him.
“You are not allowed to pretend you care for me.”
“I am not pretending.”
“You slapped me twice.”
“I know.”
“You accused me of stealing.”
“I know.”
“You ordered me to kneel in front of your mistress.”
Andrew lowered his eyes.
“I know.”
Mariana felt her anger rise.
His quiet answers did not make forgiveness easier.
They made it impossible to release the rage she had carried from the mansion.
“I protected you for four years.”
“I know.”
“I loved you.”
His voice became softer.
“I know.”
“That is the part you destroyed.”
Andrew looked at her bruised cheek.
“I know.”
Mariana turned away.
Samuel Voss entered with a stack of medical files.
He had examined the documents from the emerald chip.
“Your mother received an injection three hours before her death.”
“What was it?”
“A heart medication.”
“She did not have a heart condition.”
“No.”
“Then it killed her.”
Samuel hesitated.
“The recorded dosage should have killed her.”
Mariana faced him.
“Should have?”
“Your mother’s blood samples showed no trace of the drug.”
Andrew frowned.
“Then someone changed the medical records.”
“Or changed the medication.”
Samuel opened another file.
“The syringe contained saline.”
Mariana stared at him.
“Someone pretended to kill my mother?”
“Possibly.”
“Why?”
A voice answered from the doorway.
“To help her disappear.”
Margaret entered between two Escalante security officers.
Her clothes were wet.
A cut marked her forehead.
Andrew rushed toward her.
“Where were you?”
Margaret ignored him.
She looked directly at Mariana.
“Your mother did not die in that hospital.”
Mariana stopped breathing.
“That is impossible.”
“I saw her body.”
“You saw a woman whose face had been damaged by chemotherapy.”
Margaret removed a bracelet from her wrist.
It was an old hospital identification band.
The printed name had faded.
The patient number remained visible.
Samuel compared it with the records.
“It does not match Isabel Escalante’s number.”
Mariana gripped the table.
“Who was the woman in the bed?”
“A terminal patient with no family.”
Margaret’s voice trembled.
“Isabel arranged the exchange.”
“Why would she do that?”
“Because someone had already tried to poison her twice.”
Mariana stepped closer.
“You knew she survived.”
“Yes.”
“For eight years?”
Margaret lowered her eyes.
“Yes.”
Andrew looked at his mother with horror.
“You let Mariana believe her mother was dead.”
“I was ordered to protect the secret.”
“By whom?”
“Isabel.”
Mariana’s anger broke through.
“Where is she?”
“I do not know.”
“Do not lie to me.”
“I have not seen her in seven years.”
Margaret reached beneath her coat.
The guards moved immediately.
She slowly removed a folded letter.
“Your mother gave me this.”
Mariana recognized the handwriting.
Her hands shook as she opened it.
My dearest Mariana.
If Margaret gives you this letter, the enemy has found the emerald.
Trust no one who claims they are protecting you.
Not Rafael.
Not Samuel.
Not even your father.
Mariana looked toward Alejandro.
He had entered unnoticed.
His face was filled with grief.
Mariana continued reading.
There was one final sentence.
The person who betrayed me carries the same blood as you.
A loud crash came from the corridor.
The lights flickered.
Samuel Voss grabbed the edge of the table.
Blood spread across his white shirt.
A bullet had entered through the glass wall.
He collapsed beside Mariana.
May you like
Before losing consciousness, he whispered one name.
“Elias.”
