Chapter 4 - MARCELA'S FIRST LIE
Marcela recovered quickly.
Too quickly.
"I don't know."
"You sent me the picture."
"I saw a strange man leaving your house at two in the morning."
"This is your house too, Alejandro."
"I thought you deserved to know."
"Where were you standing when you took it?"
Marcela hesitated.
"The upstairs balcony."
"Which balcony?"
"The west hall."
Alejandro almost smiled.
The west hall had no view of the back door.
Marcela had forgotten that he designed the renovation himself.
"Try again."
Her face tightened.
"What is this?"
"A question."
Marcela crossed her arms.
"Why are you interrogating me?"
"Because my wife is covered in bruises."
Silence.
It lasted less than a second.
But it was enough.
Marcela's eyes flickered toward Valeria's bedroom.
Not surprise.
Recognition.
Alejandro stepped closer.
"You knew."
"Alejandro, pregnancy hormones can make women—"
"Finish that sentence."
Marcela stopped.
His voice went colder.
"Go ahead."
"Tell me my wife bruised herself because of hormones."
Marcela exhaled.
"Mother told me there was an argument."
"An argument?"
"Valeria became hysterical."
Alejandro stared at her.
"Was the doctor part of the argument?"
Marcela's face drained of color.
There it was.
Confirmation.
Alejandro stepped back.
"Get out."
"Alejandro."
"Out."
"You don't understand."
"Then explain."
Marcela glanced toward the stairs.
Her voice dropped.
"Valeria is not who you think she is."
Alejandro laughed quietly.
"You sent me a fake photograph to make me think she had a lover."
"It wasn't fake."
"The man was Tomás."
Marcela went still.
For the first time, genuine panic reached her face.
"Who told you that?"
"So you know him."
Marcela looked away.
Alejandro moved closer.
"What did Father discover?"
She stared at him.
"What are you talking about?"
"The ledger."
Marcela's lips parted.
That was all he needed.
"You know."
She grabbed his arm.
"Lower your voice."
He pulled away.
"Why?"
"Because Mother will hear you."
Alejandro felt something cold travel down his spine.
Marcela hadn't said the housekeepers might hear.
Or Valeria.
Or the staff.
She had said Mother.
"What is in the ledger?"
Marcela looked toward the staircase.
Then whispered.
"Money."
"What money?"
"Money that never belonged to us."
Alejandro stared.
Marcela continued.
"Father wanted to expose it."
"Mother stopped him."
His jaw tightened.
"How?"
Marcela's eyes filled with tears.
"I don't know everything."
"But I know what happened the night before he died."
Alejandro took another step toward her.
"What?"
May you like
Marcela whispered.
"Mother made me switch his medication."
