Chapter 3 - The Man Who Thought She Was Stupid
Arturo's face turned pale.
“That is a lie.”
Octavio opened the folder again.
“Would you like to choose which document we begin with?”
“I said this is a lie.”
Mariana remained seated.
“Then explain the signatures.”
Arturo looked at her.
“You authorized me to act for the company.”
“Within specific limits.”
“You never understood those limits.”
There it was again.
The contempt.
Mariana nodded.
“Explain them to me.”
Arturo hesitated.
She pushed one contract toward him.
“Go ahead.”
He glanced at it.
“Mariana, this isn't the place.”
“You've spent years telling people I don't understand finance. Educate me.”
Nearby conversations had stopped completely.
Arturo lowered his voice.
“You're making yourself look foolish.”
Mariana's eyes remained steady.
“No. I'm giving you one final opportunity to tell the truth.”
Camila picked up her purse.
Arturo noticed.
“Where are you going?”
“Home.”
“Sit down.”
“No.”
“Camila.”
She stared at him.
“You told me Mariana depended on you.”
“She does.”
Mariana looked toward Sergio.
He stepped forward.
“Mrs. Alvarado has personally overseen restructuring for fourteen months.”
Arturo stared at him.
“You work for me.”
Sergio's expression remained polite.
“No, sir.”
A long silence followed.
“I work for the Alvarado Hospitality Group.”
Arturo's face reddened.
“I brought in investors.”
“Using Mariana's family name,” Octavio said.
“I saved this company!”
Mariana finally stood.
“No.”
Her voice wasn't loud.
It didn't need to be.
“My father built this company.”
She stepped closer.
“My mother worked beside him.”
Another step.
“Thousands of employees built it.”
She touched the folder.
“And while they were working, you were moving money through companies you controlled.”
Arturo looked around.
“Everybody leave.”
Nobody moved.
His voice rose.
“I said leave!”
Mariana turned toward the restaurant staff.
“Please continue serving our guests.”
Immediately, waiters resumed moving.
Arturo stared at her.
For perhaps the first time in their marriage, he realized nobody in the room was waiting for his permission.
Mariana picked up the divorce envelope.
“Your attorney can contact Octavio Monday.”
“You think you can just walk away?”
“Yes.”
“What happens to you without me?”
She studied him.
That question would once have terrified her.
Now it sounded almost funny.
“Tomorrow morning at nine, I chair the board meeting.”
Arturo blinked.
“You?”
“Yes.”
“They'll destroy you.”
“They already voted.”
His expression froze.
Mariana continued.
“Unanimously.”
“No.”
“Except for one seat.”
Arturo understood.
His.
“You can't remove me.”
Octavio spoke.
“Your board position was conditional upon your executive relationship with the group.”
Arturo turned on Mariana.
“You planned this.”
“For fourteen months.”
“You were spying on me?”
“I was protecting my company.”
“Our company.”
“No.”
Mariana's eyes hardened.
“My family's company.”
Camila stepped away.
Arturo grabbed his wine glass, then thought better of it and set it down.
“Fine.”
He laughed bitterly.
“Keep the hotels.”
Mariana said nothing.
“I have my own company.”
Octavio exchanged a glance with Mariana.
Arturo saw it.
“What?”
Mariana almost looked sorry for him.
“Your company has a problem.”
“What problem?”
“The money you used to finance its expansion.”
Arturo's smile vanished.
“You have no idea what you're talking about.”
“I know exactly where it came from.”
Octavio closed the folder.
“Which is why the civil filing matters.”
Arturo stared at them.
“You wouldn't.”
Mariana's voice softened.
“You should have known me better.”
He stepped closer.
“You'll ruin me.”
“No, Arturo.”
She picked up her handbag.
“You did that yourself.”
Then she looked toward Camila.
“You're free to stay tonight. The room is already paid for.”
Camila looked horrified.
Mariana turned toward Arturo.
“You aren't.”
Arturo stared at her.
“You're throwing me out?”
Mariana gave him the same polite smile hotel staff gave departing guests.
“Mr. Molina?”
Sergio stepped forward.
“Yes, Mrs. Alvarado?”
“Please prepare Mr. Ledesma's bill.”
May you like
She paused.
“And remove the family discount.”
