At 9:20, Rodrigo entered the Soumaya Museum with Ximena hanging on his arm.
The photographers’ flashbulbs blared. He didn’t correct anyone who called Ximena “Mrs. Montemayor.” Instead, he hugged her waist and posed as if he’d already erased Mariana from his life.
Ofelia walked behind in a sequined dress. Paulina was broadcasting the whole thing live.
“My brother is finally where he deserves to be,” she told the camera.
A coordinator escorted them to table number 1, right in front of the stage.
Rodrigo tried to hide his emotion. That table was reserved for the gala’s benefactor and the executives of Corporativo Cárdenas. His sitting there could only mean one thing: the mysterious heiress had decided to make him her main partner.
Montemayor Capital nearly disappeared three times.
Each ransom payment had been made using different funds, all secretly linked to Mariana.
She had paid for her father-in-law’s heart surgery, covered 14 months of wages, paid off Ofelia’s debts, and financed Paulina’s failed boutique. She had never asked for applause. She just wanted to know if that family could respect her without knowing her fortune.
The solution had been to let her wash the dishes.
Under the table, Ximena caressed Rodrigo’s leg.
“When they announce the investment, we will make our agreement official,” he whispered.
“I’ll bring you the divorce papers tomorrow,” she replied.
Ophelia listened and drank champagne.
—Mariana will sign. Give her a small apartment and she’ll go away happy. That woman has nowhere else to go.
Arturo, Rodrigo’s father, looked down.
—They shouldn’t treat her that way.
“Don’t interfere,” Ophelia interrupted. “We’ve already done enough for her.”
No one noticed that the broadcast’s microphones were on. In the control room, Tomás Cárdenas, the company’s legal director and Mariana’s cousin, saved the recording.
At 9:45 the lights went out.
The host
announced a $900 million fund for rural clinics, social housing, and clean water projects. She then called for silence.
—For years, the person behind this fund has remained in the shadows, preferring to meet only those who come forward without ulterior motives. Tonight, he has decided to reveal his identity.
Rodrigo adjusted his jacket.
The golden coat of arms of the Corporativo Cárdenas appeared on the screen.
—We welcome its president, heir, and majority shareholder: Mariana Cárdenas de Montemayor.
The doors upstairs opened.
Mariana appeared at the top of the stairs.
Her green dress fell around her like a dark wave. Her emerald necklace reflected the lights in the room, and three attendants stood behind her.
The silence was absolute.
Rodrigo jumped up and knocked over a glass. Ximena let go of his arm. Ofelia gasped, and Paulina lowered her phone, despite the thousands of people still online.
“It’s not possible,” Rodrigo muttered.
Mariana stepped down without looking at him. When she reached the last step, everyone in the room stood up.
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