Chapter 3 - The Crown Prince's Empty Castle
Two days later, Daniela gave birth.
I knew this because my private investigator, hired by Gabriel, sent me a real-time update along with high-definition photographs. Ricardo was captured standing outside the VIP maternity suite, weeping tears of joy, holding a blue balloon that said "It's a Boy!" He looked like the proudest man on earth. Elvira, who had miraculously "recovered" enough to be discharged in a wheelchair, was photographed holding the baby, her face glowing with the satisfaction of finally having the grandson she had always demanded.
While they were celebrating their twisted, secret family, I was executing a financial slaughter.
I took the signed authorization Gabriel had prepared and marched into Ricardo’s bank. As his legal wife, I still had the authority to pull the remaining balance from our joint checking and savings accounts—accounts I had primarily funded with my own salary over the years. I drained them. I left exactly one peso in the balance.
Next, I called the luxury car dealership. Ricardo leased an expensive Mercedes SUV, paid for through an account tied to my name. I canceled the lease and requested an immediate voluntary repossession.
Finally, I packed. But I didn't pack my things. I packed his.
I spent the entire afternoon boxing up Ricardo’s designer suits, his expensive watches, his golf clubs, and his endless array of cologne. I didn't throw them on the lawn. I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of a hysterical scene. I neatly stacked thirty cardboard boxes in the garage. I changed the locks on the front, back, and side doors. I reprogrammed the electronic garage keypad. I completely erased him from the physical space of my life.
That evening, Ricardo was scheduled to move Daniela and his new son, Mateo, into a luxury high-rise condo he had leased downtown. He believed the massive commercial loan had cleared, giving him the liquid capital to pay the exorbitant deposit and furnish the condo with high-end designer pieces.
My investigator called me at 6:00 PM.
“He’s at the condo building, Mariana,” the investigator reported. “He brought Daniela, the baby, and his mother. But there’s a problem at the front desk.”
I opened my laptop and watched the live feed my investigator was broadcasting from a discreet distance in the lobby.
Ricardo was aggressively arguing with the building manager. Daniela was standing nearby, holding the newborn, looking exhausted and confused. Elvira sat in her wheelchair, clutching her purse indignantly.
“What do you mean the wire transfer bounced?!” Ricardo’s voice echoed through the marble lobby, his face flushed with panic. “I authorized a seven-million-peso collateral loan! The funds should be in the escrow account!”
“Sir, I have the bank on the line,” the manager said coldly. “The loan was rejected. The collateral documents submitted were completely blank. And furthermore, your primary debit card has declined for the baseline deposit. You have no funds available. I cannot give you the keys to the penthouse.”
Ricardo staggered backward as if he had been physically struck. He pulled out his phone, his hands shaking violently, and opened his banking app. I knew exactly what he was seeing. A balance of one single peso.
Daniela stepped forward, tears welling in her eyes. “Ricardo? What’s going on? Where are we supposed to sleep tonight with the baby?”
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“I... I don't understand,” Ricardo gasped, the illusion of his wealth completely evaporating in front of his mistress and his mother. He dialed my number.
I sat at my dining room table, watching my phone ring. I took a slow sip of my tea, let it ring five times, and then, with absolute satisfaction, hit decline.
