Chapter 7 - The Bulldozers at Dawn
I grabbed my daughters instantly and pulled them silently behind the massive leather sofa.
I pressed my finger to my lips, signaling for them to stay absolutely quiet in the pitch-black darkness.
The heavy footsteps in the kitchen moved slowly, crunching loudly over the shattered glass on the floor.
I reached blindly under the sofa cushions and pulled out the emergency panic button I had hidden there.
I pressed the red button firmly, instantly alerting my private security team to the breach.
The intruder walked into the living room, swinging a heavy metal flashlight that cut through the darkness.
The beam of light swept across the walls, desperately searching for any sign of us.
I held my breath as the bright light washed over the top edge of the sofa where we were hiding.
Suddenly, the front door of the estate burst completely open with a deafening crash.
Four of my armed security guards rushed into the room, aiming their tactical flashlights directly at the intruder.
They tackled the man to the ground violently, pinning his arms firmly behind his back.
The main power to the house flickered back on, illuminating the chaotic scene in the living room.
I stood up slowly from behind the sofa, shielding my crying daughters from the violence.
I looked down at the man groaning in pain on my expensive hardwood floor.
It was not a hired hitman or a desperate burglar.
It was Andrés.
His expensive suit was torn, his face was bruised, and he looked completely unhinged.
He screamed at me, struggling wildly against the heavy boots pressing down on his back.
He yelled that I was a crazy, vindictive monster who was trying to ruin his perfect life.
He demanded that I call off the bulldozers at the hacienda and forgive his debt immediately.
I walked over to him slowly, my expensive high heels clicking softly against the floor.
I crouched down so I was looking directly into his terrified, bloodshot eyes.
I reminded him of the cold, spilled leftovers he had allowed his mother to feed to his own children.
I told him that forgiveness was a luxury reserved exclusively for good fathers, and he was nothing but a parasite.
Andrés spat angrily on the floor near my shoes, a wicked, desperate smile spreading across his face.
He told me I was incredibly stupid for thinking a simple eviction would actually defeat him.
He claimed that he had already anticipated my corporate revenge weeks ago.
He laughed a dark, manic laugh and said he had completely drained Horizonte Capital of all its liquid assets.
He explained that he had secretly transferred millions of dollars to offshore accounts using my forged signature on corporate guarantees.
He promised me that by tomorrow morning, my precious company would be forced to declare massive bankruptcy.
He told me I would lose my home, my business, and my daughters, leaving me with absolutely nothing.
I simply stood up, dusted off my knees, and looked at my head of security.
I ordered the guards to throw my pathetic husband out onto the street like common trash.
As they dragged his screaming body out the front door, I pulled out my phone to call Mateo.
I needed to know if Andrés was actually telling the truth about bankrupting my empire.
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Mateo answered the phone with a shaky, terrified voice.
He whispered that federal agents were currently swarming our corporate headquarters with massive search warrants.
