Chapter 10 - The Price of Power
A month later, the media storm had finally begun to subside. Alejandro De la Vega was awaiting trial in a high-security facility, while Valeria’s ex-husband and mother-in-law had both been sentenced to prison for fraud and grand larceny. Peace seemed to have finally returned to the top floor of the corporate tower.
It was midnight. The lights of Madrid stretched out like a sea of gold beneath her window. Valeria held her sleeping baby, rocking him gently while gazing out at the horizon.
Gabriel Reyes entered the office silently, placing a warm cup of tea on her desk. "Everything is in order, Valeria. The markets responded better than expected. Our valuation is up 15% this week. You are officially the most powerful woman in the country's financial sector."
Valeria offered a weary smile, though her eyes remained fixed on the glass. "Why don't I feel relieved, Gabriel?"
"Because you know Alejandro was right about one thing," Gabriel replied softly. "He was a shark, but he was only swimming in a tank built by someone else."
Her private phone—the same number that had remained silent since the night she returned—emitted a soft chime. It wasn't a call. It was a text message from a blocked number.
Valeria gently placed the baby in his crib and walked over to her desk. She opened the message. It contained nothing more than GPS coordinates pointing to an isolated region in northern Spain, along with a single sentence:
"Your father didn't die of executive stress, Valeria. He died because he discovered what is buried underneath the old Palencia factory grounds. Alejandro was just the janitor. If you want to meet the real owners of the building, come alone this Friday. Bring the black envelope."
Valeria felt the air freeze in her lungs. She looked down at the black envelope still resting on her desk—the one bearing her father’s original wax seal.
She looked at her sleeping son, then back to Gabriel, who was watching her with growing concern, sensing the sudden shift in the room.
"Is something wrong, Madam President?" Gabriel asked, taking a step forward.
May you like
Valeria slid the phone into her jacket pocket, locked the screen, and turned back to face the vast, dark expanse of the city. A cold, fierce fire—brighter than anything she had ever felt before—glinted in her eyes.
"Gabriel... prepare the company car for early Friday morning," she commanded, her voice leaving no room for debate. "We're taking a trip north. It's time to find out what price my father really paid for our freedom."
