Chapter 7 - The Forty-Million-Dollar Embezzlement
On Monday evening, twenty-four hours before the extraordinary shareholder summit, Camila Esquivel arrived at the Lomas mansion wearing an immaculate black Chanel power suit and carrying a silver tray.
She walked into Santiago’s study with her practiced, sorrowful smile, placing a porcelain teacup beside his paperwork.
"Santiago, darling," Camila purred, leaning down to press a kiss to his forehead. "You look so pale today. Uncle Rogelio and I have arranged everything for tomorrow’s meeting so you won't have to stress yourself. You just need to sit in the boardroom and sign the proxy delegation."
Santiago sat in his wheelchair, an oversized wool blanket draped carefully over his legs, looking hollow and exhausted.
"Is Dr. Tomás coming tomorrow, Camila?" Santiago asked in a faint, raspy whisper.
"Of course, my love," Camila replied smoothly, stirring a spoonful of honey into the steaming tea. "Tomás will be there with the medical certification of incapacity. It’s for your own protection, Santiago. You’ve carried the burden of this company for too long. You deserve to rest."
She pushed the teacup closer to his hand.
"Drink your chamomile tea, darling. It will help you sleep."
Santiago picked up the porcelain cup, swirling the amber liquid. Beneath the sweet scent of honey, his cleansed senses detected the faint, metallic aroma of the Saxitoxin compound.
"Thank you, Camila," Santiago said softly. "You have always been so very attentive."
The moment Camila turned her back to adjust her coat in the foyer mirror, Santiago poured the tea directly into a concealed plastic flask beneath his blanket, replacing it with pure warm water from his hidden thermos.
He set the empty cup back on the silver tray.
Camila looked at the empty cup, a flash of triumphant, greedy satisfaction glittering in her eyes.
"Sleep well, my love," Camila smiled, walking out of the study. "Tomorrow, a new chapter begins for all of us."
Behind the heavy velvet drapes of the library, Julia and Mateo stepped out, holding a video recording of the entire interaction.
"She didn't even blink," Julia said, shaking her head in disgust.
"A predator never blinks when it thinks its prey is cornered," Santiago replied, his voice returning to its thunderous, commanding baritone.
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He kicked the wool blanket off his lap, stood up effortlessly from the wheelchair, and walked across the hardwood floor to his wardrobe to select his tailored navy Brioni suit.
"Mateo," Santiago commanded. "Notify the Federal Attorney General's Special Financial Crimes Division. Tomorrow, the harvest begins."
