PART 8 — THE MAN WHO INTRODUCED RICARDO

I remembered his name.
And the moment I did, my entire body went cold.
It wasn’t Ricardo.
It wasn’t Laura.
It wasn’t Daniela.
It wasn’t anyone I had suspected.
It was Mateo Vargas.
My father’s closest business partner.
The man who had stood beside my father for almost twenty years.
The man who had given the speech at my wedding.
The man who had placed his hand on my shoulder afterward and said:
“Your father would be proud of you.”
The man who had introduced Ricardo to my family.
I stared at the old photograph.
Mateo was not in it.
But suddenly, I understood why my father had written that Ricardo had been introduced to our family through someone he trusted.
Mateo.
It had to be him.
I looked at my lawyer.
“Mateo Vargas.”
He frowned.
“Who is that?”
“My father’s business partner.”

“You’re certain he introduced Ricardo?”

“Yes.”

“How?”

“I remember.”

I closed my eyes.

The memory came back.

Seventeen years earlier.

A dinner at my father’s house.

Mateo had brought Ricardo with him.

I had been twenty-five.

Ricardo had been charming.

Confident.

Funny.

My father had barely spoken.

At the time, I thought he simply didn’t like Ricardo.

I had been wrong.

He wasn’t disapproving.

He was afraid.

And now I understood why.

I opened my father’s letter again.

There was another page I hadn’t noticed.

It had been folded behind the first.

My fingers trembled as I unfolded it.

The first sentence said:

Mateo will tell you that he introduced Ricardo to me by coincidence. He is lying.

I stopped breathing.

My lawyer moved closer.

“Keep reading.”

I did.

Ricardo was not looking for work when Mateo brought him to my office. He was looking for information.

My heart began pounding.

Information.

The same word Laura had used.

The same word the mysterious man had used.

The same word that kept appearing in every piece of the puzzle.

I continued.

I discovered this too late. By then, Ricardo had already learned more about our family than he should have.

I looked at Sofía.

She was standing silently near the door.

“Mom…”

“I know.”

“What is happening?”

I didn’t have an answer.

I only knew that the man I had married might have entered my life with an agenda.

Not because of the inheritance.

Not because of love.

Because of something my father had possessed.

Something valuable enough to make people lie for seventeen years.

I looked at the USB drive.

“Let’s find out.”

My lawyer immediately stopped me.

“Not here.”

“Why?”

“Because if someone already knows about the red box, they may know about the drive.”

He placed it into a protective evidence bag.

“We’ll have it examined professionally.”

I nodded.

Then my phone rang.

Laura.

I stared at her name.

I didn’t answer.

It rang again.

Still, I didn’t answer.

Then a message appeared.

Please answer. I need to tell you the truth.

I typed:

Then tell me.

Three dots appeared.

Then disappeared.

They appeared again.

Finally:

Not by phone.

I replied:

Where?

Her answer came immediately.

The old church. Tomorrow at 10.

The old church.

The place where my parents had been married.

The place where my father had taken me every Sunday when I was a child.

The place where Laura and I had once promised each other we would always protect one another.

I stared at the message.

Then another arrived.

Come alone.

My lawyer read it over my shoulder.

“No.”

I looked at him.

“No?”

“You are not going alone.”

“But she asked—”

“I don’t care what she asked.”

He looked at the photograph.

“Someone is manipulating this situation.”

“I think Laura is scared.”

“Maybe.”

“Then I need to know why.”

“Yes.”

He paused.

“But we do it safely.”

I agreed.

That night, I barely slept.

At exactly 3:17 a.m., I woke up.

I didn’t know why.

The room was dark.

My phone was on the bedside table.

I reached for it.

There was a message.

From Laura.

Don’t go to the church.

I sat up.

Another message appeared.

Someone knows we are meeting.

Then:

If you still want answers, go to Mateo’s old office.

I stared at the screen.

Then the final message arrived.

And don’t trust the person who arrives before you.

I felt a chill.

Someone was changing the meeting location.

Someone was watching.

Someone knew.

I called Laura.

No answer.

Again.

Nothing.

I called my lawyer.

He answered immediately.

“Mariana?”

“Something happened.”

“What?”

I told him.

He was silent.

Then:

“Don’t go anywhere tonight.”

“I won’t.”

“Keep the red box with you?”

“No. It’s locked in a safe.”

“Good.”

I hung up.

Then I heard something.

A soft sound.

From downstairs.

I froze.

It sounded like a door opening.

I reached for my phone.

The house was supposed to be empty.

I was staying in a small apartment now.

Only me.

No Ricardo.

No Sofía.

No one.

I quietly stepped out of bed.

Another sound.

A drawer opening.

My heart pounded.

I called emergency services.

Then I stood behind the bedroom door.

Footsteps moved through the hallway.

Slow.

Careful.

Then stopped.

My door handle moved.

Once.

Twice.

I held my breath.

The door opened slightly.

A shadow appeared.

I couldn’t see the face.

Then a voice whispered:

“Mariana?”

I almost screamed.

But I recognized the voice.

It was Sofía.

I opened the door.

She nearly fell into my arms.

“Mom!”

“What are you doing here?”

“I couldn’t sleep.”

I looked behind her.

“Did you see anyone?”

“No.”

“Are you sure?”

She nodded.

Then she looked at me.

“Mom, what’s happening?”

I hugged her.

“I don’t know.”

And for the first time, I admitted something I had been refusing to admit.

“I think someone is watching us.”

Sofía pulled away.

“Who?”

“I don’t know.”

She stared at me.

“Is it Dad?”

“No.”

I hesitated.

“At least, I don’t think so.”

She looked frightened.

“Then who?”

I didn’t answer.

Because deep down, I already suspected the truth.

It wasn’t just one person.

It was a network of people connected to my father’s old business.

And Ricardo had somehow become part of it.

The next morning, my lawyer called.

“Mariana.”

“Yes?”

“We accessed the USB.”

My heart jumped.

“What did you find?”

“Financial records.”

“That’s it?”

“No.”

He paused.

“There’s a folder labeled with your name.”

I sat down.

“Open it.”

“We did.”

“And?”

“It’s a list.”

“What kind?”

“Dates.”

“Dates of what?”

“Your life.”

My blood ran cold.

“What do you mean?”

“Your wedding date.”

I froze.

“Sofía’s birth date.”

I couldn’t speak.

“Your father’s death.”

My hands started shaking.

“The date of your inheritance.”

I whispered:

“What else?”

“Your separation from Ricardo.”

I closed my eyes.

“How could someone have recorded all of that?”

“We don’t know.”

“What’s the earliest date?”

Silence.

Then:

“Your first meeting with Ricardo.”

I opened my eyes.

“What?”

“It’s listed.”

“When?”

He gave me the date.

I remembered it.

It was the dinner at my father’s house.

The night Mateo introduced Ricardo.

My lawyer continued.

“But there’s something else.”

“What?”

“There’s a note beside that date.”

“What does it say?”

He read it.

Phase One Begins.

I felt sick.

“Phase One?”

“Yes.”

“What is Phase Two?”

“We don’t know.”

“Why?”

“Because the file is encrypted.”

I stood.

“Can you break it?”

“Eventually.”

“How long?”

“I don’t know.”

I heard a notification.

My phone.

A message.

Unknown number.

Phase Two has already begun.

I stared at it.

My lawyer’s voice came through the phone.

“Mariana?”

I didn’t answer.

Another message.

Look at Sofía.

My blood froze.

Then:

She was never supposed to know.

I immediately called my daughter.

No answer.

Again.

Nothing.

My heart began racing.

I grabbed my keys.

My lawyer asked:

“What’s wrong?”

“I can’t reach Sofía.”

“Where is she?”

“At the university.”

“I’m coming.”

We drove there.

I called her repeatedly.

Nothing.

When we arrived, I ran inside.

I found her friend first.

“Where is Sofía?”

“She left.”

“When?”

“About twenty minutes ago.”

“Where did she go?”

“She said someone was waiting for her.”

My stomach dropped.

“Who?”

“She didn’t say.”

“Did she look scared?”

Her friend hesitated.

“Yes.”

I turned toward my lawyer.

We both knew.

Someone had reached my daughter.

We rushed outside.

Then my phone rang.

Unknown number.

I answered.

“Where is my daughter?”

A man’s voice replied:

“Safe.”

“Let me speak to her.”

“Not yet.”

“Who are you?”

“You keep asking the wrong question.”

“What question should I ask?”

The voice paused.

Then:

“Ask why your father chose you.”

I felt my blood run cold.

“What does that mean?”

“Your father had two children.”

I froze.

“Two?”

“Yes.”

“No.”

“You were not the only one.”

My heart stopped.

“Who?”

The man laughed softly.

“Ask Laura.”

The call ended.

I stared at the phone.

My lawyer looked at me.

“What did he say?”

I couldn’t speak.

Two children.

My father had two children?

That was impossible.

Unless…

I thought about something my mother once said.

A sentence I had forgotten.

She had been arguing with my father when I was young.

I had been standing outside the bedroom door.

My mother had cried:

“You promised you would never bring that child into our lives.”

At the time, I thought she was talking about someone else’s child.

Now I wasn’t sure.

I looked at my lawyer.

“I need to see Laura.”

He nodded.

“But first, we find Sofía.”

We traced her phone.

It had been turned off.

Then, suddenly, it came back online.

One location.

An abandoned warehouse near the river.

We drove there.

The building was almost empty.

Broken windows.

Rusting doors.

Silence.

I called out:

“Sofía!”

No answer.

We entered.

“Sofía!”

Still nothing.

Then we heard a voice behind us.

“Mariana.”

I turned.

Laura stood in the doorway.

Alone.

Her face was pale.

She looked exhausted.

“Where is my daughter?”

“I don’t know.”

“What do you mean you don’t know?”

“I was told she would be here.”

“By who?”

She shook her head.

“Mateo.”

My blood froze.

“Mateo?”

“Yes.”

“Where is he?”

“I don’t know.”

I stepped toward her.

“Tell me everything.”

Laura began crying.

“I tried to protect you.”

“You keep saying that.”

“I know.”

“Then stop saying it and tell me the truth.”

She looked at me.

“You want the truth?”

“Yes.”

She took a deep breath.

“Ricardo wasn’t introduced to the family by Mateo.”

I frowned.

“What?”

“Mateo didn’t find him.”

“Then who did?”

Laura looked directly into my eyes.

“Your father.”

I felt the world tilt.

“My father?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because your father needed someone.”

“For what?”

“To protect the family.”

“From who?”

She hesitated.

Then whispered:

“From Mateo.”

I couldn’t breathe.

“What?”

“Mateo had been stealing from your father.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“But why would Dad bring Ricardo in?”

“To investigate him.”

I stared at her.

Everything I thought I knew was collapsing.

“Then why did Ricardo betray me?”

Laura looked away.

“Because he stopped working for your father.”

“What happened?”

“He discovered something.”

“What?”

She whispered:

“The truth about your birth.”

My heart stopped.

“What about my birth?”

Laura began crying.

“I was told never to tell you.”

“Tell me now.”

She shook her head.

“I can’t.”

“Why?”

“Because your father wasn’t your biological father.”

The room went silent.

I couldn’t hear anything.

Not the traffic outside.

Not my own breathing.

Nothing.

“What?”

Laura looked at me.

“He loved you.”

She was crying now.

“He raised you as his daughter.”

I took a step backward.

“No.”

“Mariana…”

“No.”

“You deserve to know.”

“Who was my biological father?”

Laura closed her eyes.

Then whispered a name.

A name I had heard before.

A name that made everything suddenly terrifying.

Mateo Vargas.

I stared at her.

The man who introduced Ricardo.

The man my father distrusted.

The man who knew our family secrets.

The man who had apparently been stealing from my father.

The man who had now taken Sofía.

My voice barely came out.

“Where is my daughter?”

Laura looked at me.

“I don’t know.”

“Then why did you bring me here?”

“I didn’t.”

“What?”

She shook her head.

“I received the same message you did.”

My phone vibrated.

We both looked down.

A new message.

There was a photograph.

Sofía.

She was sitting in a chair.

Alive.

Unharmed.

But behind her stood a man.

Mateo.

And below the photograph were seven words:

Now you know who your father really was.

I stared at the screen.

Then another message appeared.

Come alone, Mariana.

I looked at Laura.

She whispered:

“Don’t go.”

I looked back at my daughter.

I had spent seventeen years learning how to survive betrayal.

But nothing had prepared me for this.

Because the man holding my daughter wasn’t Ricardo.

It wasn’t Daniela.

It wasn’t even someone I had feared.

It was the man who had been connected to my family before Ricardo ever entered my life.

And now I understood the most terrifying part.

The seven million pesos weren’t just an inheritance.

They were connected to a secret my father had spent my entire life protecting.

And Mateo had finally decided he wanted it back.

But there was one thing Mateo didn’t know.

I wasn’t the frightened twenty-five-year-old woman who had married Ricardo.

I wasn’t the woman who believed every explanation.

I wasn’t the woman who stayed silent to keep the family together.

I had survived the hospital.

I had survived Ricardo.

I had survived the betrayal.

And I had learned something along the way.

When someone thinks they have nothing left to lose…

that’s when they become hardest to control.

I looked at Laura.

“Where is Mateo?”

She shook her head.

“I don’t know.”

I picked up my phone.

The photograph of Sofía was still on the screen.

Then I noticed something in the background.

A clock.

A large industrial clock.

I recognized the building.

It wasn’t an abandoned warehouse.

It was an old factory owned by my father’s company.

The factory that had supposedly been sold years ago.

The factory that Mateo had told everyone was demolished.

I looked at Laura.

“I know where he is.”

Her eyes widened.

“Mariana…”

I grabbed my keys.

“No.”

She reached for my arm.

“You can’t go alone.”

I looked at her.

“I won’t.”

Then I called the one person I had never expected to call again.

Ricardo.

He answered on the first ring.

Neither of us spoke.

Finally, he said:

“I knew this day would come.”

My blood went cold.

“What did you know?”

“That Mateo would eventually come for you.”

I closed my eyes.

“Where is my daughter?”

“I can help you.”

“Where is she?”

“Mariana…”

“Where is Sofía?”

He took a breath.

“At the old factory.”

I froze.

“You knew?”

“Yes.”

“How long?”

“Years.”

I felt anger rising.

“You knew about Mateo?”

“Yes.”

“You knew about my father?”

“Yes.”

“You knew about the seven million?”

“Yes.”

“And you let me believe you betrayed me for another woman?”

Silence.

Then Ricardo said something I never expected.

“I did betray you.”

I couldn’t speak.

“But the affair wasn’t the reason I came into your life.”

My heart stopped.

“What was?”

He whispered:

“Your father hired me to watch your family.”

I closed my eyes.

And suddenly, the entire seventeen-year marriage I thought I understood…

became a lie inside another lie.

TO BE CONTINUED IN PART 9…

Click Here to continuous Read​​​​ Full Ending Story👉PART(9): “engnghia-He Went Looking for My 7 Million, but I Had Already Changed Everything-engnghia”