Chapter 3 - The Mask Falls
By noon, the atmosphere in the Alcázar mansion had completely transformed. The house was put on lockdown under Mateo’s strict supervision. News of the incident had not yet leaked to the press, but within the walls of the estate, the balance of power had shifted entirely.
Santiago had moved Camila and Lucía out of the cramped laundry room quarter and into the master guest suite on the second floor—a sunlit room featuring floor-to-ceiling windows, plush velvet sofas, and a balcony overlooking the private gardens.
Camila sat on the edge of the large king-sized bed, feeling completely out of place. She looked down at her hands, still red from the dish soap she had been using earlier that morning.
A knock sounded at the door, and Santiago walked in carrying a tray of warm food, fresh fruit, and juice. Behind him was Dr. Morales, the long-time private family physician of the Alcázar family.
“I brought Dr. Morales,” Santiago said gently, setting the tray down on a coffee table. “I want him to examine Lucía, just to make sure she’s healthy, and to perform the formal DNA swab so we can file the legal paperwork immediately.”
Camila stood up quickly, protective instincts kicking in. “Is this for the court? Are you trying to establish custody?”
Santiago stopped, his expression filled with pain. “Camila, look at me. I am not trying to take Lucía from you. I am trying to give her—and you—everything that was stolen from both of you. The DNA test is not for me; I know she is mine. It is for the legal system, for the estate, and to permanently strip anyone else of the right to question her legitimacy.”
Dr. Morales stepped forward with a kind, reassuring smile. “Camila, I’ve known Santiago since he was a boy. I can assure you, he has been searching for answers about what happened years ago. Please, allow me to take care of the child.”
Camila let out a long breath, nodding slowly. Lucía sat quietly on the bed as Dr. Morales gently performed a cheek swab and checked her vitals, declaring her a healthy, bright young girl, albeit slightly underweight for her age.
Meanwhile, downstairs in the main study, Mateo walked in holding a thick leather folder and a tablet.
“Boss,” Mateo said, shutting the heavy oak doors behind him. “We’ve gone through Miss Cárdenas’s phone, as well as the private archives from your late father’s estate records.”
Santiago leaned back against his desk, crossing his arms. “Tell me everything.”
“It wasn’t just your father,” Mateo revealed. “Your father’s former personal secretary, Ernesto, collaborated directly with Renata’s family four years ago. The Cárdenas family was facing severe financial distress due to failed investments in real estate. They knew that an alliance with the Alcázar group was their only way out.”
Santiago’s jaw clenched. “Go on.”
“When Camila found out she was pregnant and tried to contact you, Ernesto intercepted the messages. He paid off Camila’s landlord in Puebla to lie to you about her running off with another man. Then, he sent a hired operative to threaten Camila so she would go into hiding. They wanted her terrified and completely isolated.”
“And how did she end up working in my house as a maid?” Santiago demanded, his eyes flashing with fire.
“That was the most twisted part,” Mateo said grimly. “Ernesto passed away two years ago, but before he died, he placed Camila’s profile into the domestic staffing agency’s system with specific instructions to route her here. Renata knew Camila was here all along. She kept Camila close—under total financial pressure and constant threat of termination—to ensure Camila remained too terrified to ever speak to you.”
Santiago slammed his fist onto the solid wood desk, splitting a seam in the polished finish.
“She kept my daughter in a laundry room while living off my wealth,” Santiago growled, his voice laced with pure venom. “She treated the mother of my child like garbage to keep her quiet.”
“There’s more,” Mateo added. “Renata’s father has been illegally transferring funds from the joint venture accounts into offshore shell companies over the last six months, using the upcoming wedding as cover. They were planning to bleed your firm dry once the marriage was finalized.”
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Santiago stood up straight, his terrifying composure returning. The cold, ruthless CEO who built the Alcázar empire back into a global powerhouse had returned, but this time, he had a clear target.
“Call my legal team,” Santiago ordered cold-bloodedly. “Notify the federal prosecutors regarding financial fraud. And tell Renata I am waiting for her in the drawing room.”
