Chapter 3 - The Hidden Safe
The morning sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon when we finally returned to our quiet suburban home.
The house felt entirely different now, entirely cleansed of the toxic, suffocating presence my mother-in-law had always brought with her.
Alejandro refused to let me lift a single finger, gently guiding me to the plush living room sofa with a warm cup of herbal tea.
"You rest right here, and do not move," he instructed with a gentle, loving smile.
"I am going upstairs to pack up all of her belongings and throw them out into the street."
Doña Victoria had practically moved into our guest bedroom during the six months Alejandro was deployed overseas.
I listened to the heavy, satisfying sound of Alejandro aggressively pulling drawers open and tossing items into garbage bags upstairs.
Suddenly, the house fell completely silent.
"Elena, you need to come see this," Alejandro called out, his voice thick with absolute disbelief.
I carefully pushed myself off the sofa and waddled up the stairs, my curiosity heavily outweighing my exhaustion.
When I entered the guest bedroom, Alejandro was kneeling on the floor next to the walk-in closet.
He had completely ripped up a section of the expensive hardwood flooring, revealing a hidden, heavy steel wall safe.
"She always was overly paranoid about her jewelry, but this is entirely different," he muttered, using a crowbar to pry the cheap electronic lock completely off.
The heavy metal door swung open with a loud creak, revealing stacks of manila folders and thick financial ledgers.
Alejandro pulled out the first folder, his eyes rapidly scanning the dense legal documents inside.
"These are offshore bank account statements," he said, his face turning a sickly shade of pale.
"She has been funneling massive amounts of money out of my father's estate to pay off underground gambling debts."
He pulled out another folder, and this time, a sharp gasp escaped his lips.
"What is it?" I asked nervously, stepping closer to peer over his broad shoulder.
"It is a fraudulent life insurance policy taken out in my name," he whispered, staring at the paper in sheer horror.
"The payout is ten million dollars, and it only pays out if I die while serving overseas."
My blood turned to absolute ice in my veins as the horrifying puzzle finally clicked together.
"She wasn't just trying to steal our baby," I realized, my voice trembling violently.
"She deliberately fabricated your death to collect the insurance money and save herself from financial ruin."
Alejandro's jaw clenched so tightly I thought his teeth might shatter.
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"She is a complete monster," he growled, aggressively shoving the papers back into the folder.
"And now, we have the exact ammunition we need to completely destroy her."
