Chapter 8 - The Woman Who Lost Everything
Isabel's final attempt came during the Vargas charity gala.
She had escaped custody.
Everyone thought she would flee the country.
Instead, she returned to the ballroom.
She stood beneath the chandelier wearing the same necklace she had placed on me.
“You took my life,” she told me.
“No.”
“You took my company.”
“You stole it first.”
“You think you're better than me?”
“I know I'm different.”
She smiled.
“Not for long.”
The lights went out.
When they came back, my father was gone.
So was Matthew.
Panic spread.
Security locked the building.
I found a note.
COME TO THE ROOFTOP.
I went.
Isabel stood beside Matthew.
A gun pressed against his head.
“Drop your weapon.”
I froze.
She laughed.
“You love him.”
“Yes.”
“Then you'll do anything.”
I looked at Matthew.
He shook his head.
“Don't.”
Isabel wanted the original ledger.
I held it up.
“Here.”
She reached.
Then I threw it over the railing.
She screamed.
“It was a copy.”
Matthew smiled.
Security burst through the doors.
Isabel ran.
She reached the stairwell.
I followed.
She stopped on the final landing.
“You should have been grateful,” she said.
“For what?”
“For raising you.”
“You didn't raise me.”
“I fed you.”
“You controlled me.”
“I gave you a home.”
“You sold me.”
Her face twisted.
“Because I had no choice.”
“You always had a choice.”
She raised the gun.
I stepped forward.
“You're going to shoot me?”
She hesitated.
Then Matthew appeared behind her.
“Put it down.”
She looked at him.
“You ruined everything.”
“No.”
He took my hand.
“She did.”
Isabel surrendered.
This time, there would be no escape.
Her trial exposed everything.
The murder attempt.
The forged documents.
The financial network.
The kidnapping.
The attempted sale of me to Ambrose.
Every lie.
The public finally saw her for what she was.
Not a grieving widow.
Not a devoted stepmother.
A woman who had built an empire by destroying people.
She received a life sentence.
Ambrose cooperated.
Thomas received reduced charges.
Gabriel went to prison.
And Vargas Development was returned to me.
I didn't keep all of it.
I sold the properties connected to the old network.
I created a foundation in my mother's name.
A portion of the trust paid for medical care.
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My father's name was cleared.
And the Vargas family finally had a chance to become something other than a collection of secrets.
