Chapter 4 - The Ultimate Trap
The sudden darkness plunged the extravagant banquet hall into absolute chaos.
My cousins screamed in terror, and the older relatives scrambled blindly for the exit doors.
A split second later, the emergency backup lights flickered on, casting a dim, eerie glow over the room.
Alexander's heavily armed guards had already positioned themselves at every single exit, locking the massive doors from the inside.
Nobody was allowed to leave this party until I was completely finished with my revenge.
Valeria clung to Diego's arm, her perfectly manicured nails digging into his expensive suit jacket.
"Diego, do something," she demanded hysterically.
"Call the police and have these dangerous people arrested right now."
Diego did not reach for his smartphone.
He simply stared at me, the arrogant facade he had maintained for ten years finally crumbling into dust.
"It was you," Diego whispered, his voice trembling with sheer horror.
"You are the shadow investor who bought out all my syndicate debts last year."
I smiled politely, resting my hands on the edge of the silk-covered table.
When I stole his encrypted USB drive ten years ago, I did not go to the police.
I knew the corrupt justice system would never properly punish a man with his level of financial influence.
Instead, I took that drive straight to Alexander, his biggest and most terrifying rival in the criminal underworld.
I traded the devastating information for a low-level position within Alexander's secretive organization.
Over the next decade, I ruthlessly climbed the ranks of the syndicate, using my brilliant financial mind to multiply their wealth.
I eventually became Alexander's most trusted partner, and together, we orchestrated a massive corporate trap specifically for Diego.
We allowed Diego to believe he was an untouchable king, feeding his ego while quietly purchasing every single one of his debts.
"You owe me exactly forty-five million dollars, Diego," I announced loudly, making sure my parents heard every single word.
My mother gasped audibly, covering her mouth with her trembling hands.
"That is completely impossible," Valeria shrieked defensively.
"My husband is a respected millionaire, and we own a massive mansion in the hills."
Alexander reached inside his tailored black suit and pulled out a thick stack of legal documents.
He casually tossed the paperwork onto the table directly in front of my sister.
"Actually, ma'am, your husband secretly mortgaged that mansion three times to cover his illegal gambling losses," Alexander corrected coldly.
"As of this morning, your bank accounts are completely frozen, and your home officially belongs to Lucía."
Valeria staggered backward, her beautiful face contorting into a mask of pure agony and disbelief.
She turned to Diego, desperately waiting for him to deny the horrifying allegations.
Diego looked at her, his eyes cold and devoid of any remaining affection.
"She is telling the truth, Valeria," Diego confessed bluntly.
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"We are completely bankrupt."
Before Valeria could start screaming again, Diego suddenly pulled a small, silver pistol from an ankle holster.
