Chapter 2: Diamonds Bought with Children's Hunger
Chapter 2: Diamonds Bought with Children's Hunger
By sunrise, the mansion no longer looked like a home.
It looked like the scene of a financial investigation.
Accountants filled the library.
Lawyers occupied the conference room.
Security officers reviewed months of surveillance footage.
Jimena sat in the living room wearing sunglasses despite being indoors.
She still believed she could explain everything away.
"It's all a misunderstanding."
Alejandro never looked at her.
The lead accountant finally entered carrying three thick binders.
"We finished tracing the accounts."
Alejandro nodded.
"Tell me."
The accountant opened the first file.
"Over the past six months..."
"...Mrs. Santillán transferred nearly four million dollars into shell companies."
Another page.
"Luxury jewelry."
Another.
"Designer clothing."
Another.
"Private vacations."
Then the final page.
"The children's education trust has been nearly emptied."
Alejandro's face went pale.
"Their trust?"
"Yes."
Jimena suddenly stood.
"I was investing it!"
The accountant calmly slid another document across the table.
"The investment was your personal penthouse."
Silence.
Then security displayed the surveillance videos.
One clip showed Jimena ordering servants to remove food from the nursery.
Another showed her throwing away homemade drawings because they "looked cheap."
Then came the recording that broke everyone.
Little Regina asked softly,
"Can we have soup?"
Jimena answered without hesitation.
"If you're hungry, drink water."
The room became painfully quiet.
Even the police officers looked disgusted.
Jimena realized she had lost.
She grabbed her purse and rushed toward the front door.
She never made it.
Detectives were already waiting outside.
"Jimena Santillán?"
"You're under arrest for fraud, child neglect, financial theft, and abuse."
She screamed.
She blamed Alejandro.
She blamed the children.
She blamed everyone except herself.
As the patrol car drove away, four tiny girls watched from the upstairs window.
"Daddy..."
Camila whispered.
"Is she coming back?"
Alejandro knelt beside them.
"No."
"Not ever."
May you like
For the first time in months...
The girls smiled.
