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A MOTHER'S CONCERN (Part 2)
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2026-11-03 13:17:08
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Paid To Pretend, Destined To Love THE COST OF SILENCE
Vanessa Torres had never liked being reminded that she owed anyone anything. She preferred arrangements in which she held all the cards, where people understood what she expected without needing to be told twice. That was how she had managed most of her relationships, both personal and professional. She gave people a reason to cooperate, made sure they understood what they stood to lose, and expected them to remain useful for as long as she needed them.Señor Torres was beginning to test her patience.He had called three times that morning, and she had ignored every call. When his name appeared on her telephone again shortly after lunch, she answered with a sharp sigh.“What is it now?”“I need the rest of my money.”Vanessa leaned back in her chair. She was in her apartment, surrounded by the remains of a lunch she had barely touched. “I thought we had already discussed this.”“We discussed it last week. You told me you would pay me when things settled down.”“And things haven't sett
Paid To Pretend, Destined To Love A MOTHER'S CONCERN (Part 2)
Isabel recognised the end of that discussion when she heard it. Joseph had inherited his father's stubbornness, but he had developed a way of expressing it that made argument almost pointless. She would have to learn more about Rachel before deciding what, if anything, needed to be done.For now, she changed the subject.“I also heard that you've been reviewing some old company accounts.”Joseph's attention returned to her. “Who told you that?”“Your father mentioned that you've been asking questions about the company's financial history. I was curious.”“It's an internal review.”“Is it connected to the missing funds you've been investigating?”“I'm looking into several matters.”“Does that include the discrepancy from 2017?”The question came out more quickly than she intended.Joseph studied her for a moment. “Why are you interested in that particular year?”“I worked with your father for years. I remember that period. The company was expanding, there were financial pressures, and
Paid To Pretend, Destined To Love A MOTHER'S CONCERN (Part 1)
Isabel Delgado had not planned to visit Sterling Tech that morning until Vanessa Torres called her the previous evening. The conversation had begun with a complaint about Joseph, which Isabel had grown accustomed to hearing from Vanessa since their relationship ended. She had never understood why her son had allowed the relationship to fall apart, especially when Vanessa came from a family whose connections and social standing were well suited to the Delgado name. Still, Joseph had made his decision, and Isabel had learnt that pushing him too hard only made him more determined to do the opposite of what she wanted. Isabel remembered the young woman from the family dinner. She had been polite, perhaps a little uncomfortable among people whose wealth and influence were evident in every detail of the evening. Isabel had not thought much of her afterwards. Joseph had introduced her, and that had been enough to make her curious, but he had offered no explanation beyond the introduction its
Paid To Pretend, Destined To Love THE THINGS THAT DID NOT ADD UP (Part 2)
When the man arrived, Joseph explained that he wanted a complete copy of the access register connected to Rachel’s disciplinary file, including the original entries, the staff codes, and any available building entry records for the relevant dates.“I want the records preserved exactly as they are,” Joseph added. “No amendments, no replacement copies, and no attempts to tidy up incomplete entries. If anything has already been changed, I want to know when and by whom.”The head of records nodded. “I’ll arrange that.”“I also want the staff code from the incomplete entry identified. If it belongs to a former employee or someone who no longer has access to the building, establish that as well. I want a list of everyone who could have retrieved that file during the relevant period.”“Understood, sir.”After the man left, Joseph opened his notebook and wrote down the dates of the three incidents that had contributed to Rachel’s dismissal. Beside each one, he listed what was known, what had
Paid To Pretend, Destined To Love THE THINGS THAT DID NOT ADD UP (Part 1)
Cynthia waited until most of the staff had left before approaching Joseph Delgado. She had spent the better part of the afternoon debating whether to speak to him at all. Rachel’s dismissal had left the office unsettled, and although people had gradually returned to their routines, the matter had not disappeared. It lingered in conversations that stopped whenever someone approached, in the careful way employees handled confidential files, and in the empty desk that had once belonged to Rachel Martínez. Cynthia had never been comfortable with office politics. She preferred problems that could be solved with a direct conversation and people who said what they meant. Unfortunately, the situation surrounding Rachel had become increasingly difficult to explain, and Señor Torres’s reaction to her questions had only made it worse.When she was informed that Joseph was still in his office reviewing documents, she asked his assistant whether he could spare a few minutes. She did not explain wh
Paid To Pretend, Destined To Love THE ACCESS THAT SHOULD NOT EXIST (Part 2)
When his assistant returned with another set of papers, Joseph reviewed the timeline again. The first query had concerned a delayed expenditure report. The second involved a confidential financial request submitted through a shared account. The third concerned a missing page from a quarterly expenditure file. Each incident had raised questions about Rachel's conduct, but the reports did not establish a clear chain connecting her to the alleged misuse of information. The bank account was a separate matter. Someone had opened it in her name, and company money had been traced to it. Joseph needed to know who had provided the information, how the account had been opened and whether the transaction could be traced to a person or system within Sterling Tech. He was still considering the possibilities when a message arrived from the finance manager. The older records relating to the 2017 discrepancy had not yet been recovered, but the archive team had found a reference to a departmental tran
Paid To Pretend, Destined To Love The Saturday Shadow
The week following the transfer of the fifty thousand euros had been a blur of antiseptic smells and hushed prayers for Rachel. Benjamin's surgery had been scheduled, and the weight on her chest had lightened just enough for her to breathe. But as Saturday approached, a different kind of suffocati
Paid To Pretend, Destined To Love HOPE
"Why do you need me to come? Why not just... hire someone? An actress, a professional. Someone who'd be better at this."Joseph's expression darkened slightly."I tried that," he said quietly. "Twice. My grandmother saw through it immediately. She's... sharp. She knows when people are lying."He pa
Paid To Pretend, Destined To Love CAFÉ DEL ESPEJO
10:30 AM the next day Rachel arrived early.She'd barely slept. After leaving the hospital at two in the morning, she'd gone home, stared at her ceiling for three hours, and given up on sleep entirely. By seven, she was showered, dressed, and pacing her tiny apartment, rehearsing what she would say
Paid To Pretend, Destined To Love A Bar (Continued)
Joseph's gaze lifted. He stared at her attentively."It's just me and my little brother now," she continued. "He's... not well. He has a heart condition."Her fingers twisted together unconsciously."He needs surgery. I've been saving. But apparently, my dad didn't die alone. His death brought more
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