Chapter 8 - The Night Everything Was Stolen
Before Ricardo became successful, before the Valente name became powerful, there was a night that changed everything.
A night nobody talked about.
The night Beatriz lost more than her marriage.
She lost her entire future.
Seven years earlier.
Rain poured over the city.
Beatriz stood outside the Valente mansion with a suitcase in her hand.
She had just discovered she was pregnant.
She was scared.
But she was happy.
For the first time in months, she believed something beautiful was happening.
She walked toward the door.
She wanted to tell Ricardo.
She wanted to surprise him.
But before she reached the entrance, she saw something.
Ricardo’s father.
And Juliana.
Together.
Talking.
She hid behind the garden wall.
She heard every word.
“She cannot stay,” Ricardo’s father said.
Juliana remained silent.
“You understand what this means.”
“She loves him,” Juliana replied.
“That is exactly why she is dangerous.”
Beatriz froze.
Dangerous?
They were talking about her like she was a problem.
Like she was something to remove.
“She will ruin his future,” Ricardo’s father said.
Juliana looked uncertain.
Then he continued.
“Unless someone replaces her.”
That sentence stayed with Beatriz forever.
Because in that moment, she understood.
Her marriage had not simply fallen apart.
Someone had planned it.
Someone had pushed Ricardo away from her.
And someone wanted her gone.
Years later, Ricardo finally learned this truth.
Beatriz sat across from him in her home.
“I heard them.”
Ricardo looked shocked.
“You heard my father and Juliana?”
She nodded.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Beatriz smiled sadly.
“Because when I finally confronted Juliana, she denied everything.”
Ricardo looked angry.
“And my father?”
“He told me you had already chosen.”
The pain returned.
Because that was the part Ricardo could not escape.
Even if others manipulated the situation…
He still made the final decision.
He still let Beatriz walk away.
That evening, Ricardo confronted Juliana.
He entered her apartment without warning.
She immediately knew.
“You found out.”
Not a question.
A confession.
Ricardo stared at her.
“You were there.”
Juliana looked away.
“Yes.”
“You helped him.”
“I was young.”
“No.”
Ricardo’s voice became colder.
“You were ambitious.”
Juliana’s eyes filled with tears.
“I loved you.”
Ricardo shook his head.
“Love does not destroy another person’s life.”
She stepped closer.
“I made mistakes.”
“Seven years is not a mistake.”
Silence.
Then Juliana whispered:
“Do you really think Beatriz is innocent?”
Ricardo stared at her.
“What are you trying to say?”
Juliana opened another folder.
“I think there are things about her you still don’t know.”
She placed the folder on the table.
A final weapon.
A final secret.
Ricardo looked down.
And what he saw made his heart stop.
Because inside was evidence suggesting Beatriz had hidden something too.
May you like
Something about the night their children were born.
Something that could change everything.
