Chapter 61

Monday. Five days before the wedding...

As she sped down the highway connecting the hacienda to the town, Esmeralda Rosaria de la Cruz realised she was extremely livid with Carlos de la Cruz. She called herself to caution and reduced the pressure she applied on the gas.

For the past several hours, she did not know what to think of him. She could not possibly call him her brother, because some other man was his father. His mother, Doña Beatriz, was not her mother. Her mother was dead. Carlos’s father was dead. As Esme played with these thoughts in her head, she could not help but think about how nothing made sense.

Her father and his wife (it was so easy to not think of Doña Beatriz as her mother) had kept that a secret for several years. Who knew what other secrets they were keeping between themselves?

Knowing Carlos was not her biological brother made matters easier. She would not hesitate in causing him harm in order to get revenge. Always one to think things through, Esme decided it would be better to talk with Carlos one-on-one, to know if indeed he was the one who had leaked the secret. It was possible that someone else went to tell Villalobos about her affair with Aurelia. There was also the possibility that Villalobos was oblivious about them, too. Maybe he called Aurelia away from work on Friday for another reason. She needed to be sure before doing anything.

Eventually, she had plans to expose Carlos and his thieving ways. But not now. She was going to take her time to ruin his life. He would not know what hit him when it hit him. Knowing she was the true heir to the de la Cruz wealth brought with it some giddy feeling.

With that feeling, she stepped into the building of one of the companies Carlos managed.

“I want to see my brother Carlos,” Esme said to the receptionist as she got to the reception of the wine-shipping company her brother managed. It was few minutes past eight o’clock, and Esme was certain Carlos would be at the office.

When the young woman—who Esme assumed was about the same age as she—stared on as though she did not comprehend a word of what Esme had said, Esme spoke again in a firm tone, “I want to see Carlos.”

She did not bother to exchange pleasantries. Today was not the day for that. Also, she knew that being friendly, would not achieve what she desired, which was getting the receptionist to understand that she was not there to play.

“Good morning, ma’am, but he is not expecting anyone this morning. I cannot let you see him, please. You will have to come back another time,” the young woman said in a calm tone. Esme imagined she was sounding patronizing, and that grated her even more.

Esme thought the woman was sounding ridiculous. Did she realise this company belonged to Esme at all? Keeping her anger under wraps, she asked in a low, menacing tone, “Do you realize I can get you fired today?” She hated that she had to issue a threat, but at times, people needed those to act accordingly.

“I’m sorry, but you cannot see him if you are not on his schedule.” The receptionist was clearly not sorry. Esme detected a smugness to her. She took a closer look at her, and immediately got the feeling that Carlos was having an affair with the woman. No wonder she felt so assured that she would not lose her job. If only the woman knew who Esme really was.

“By the time Carlos goes to jail, I will make sure you don’t leave this place with a severance pay.”

Now, that got the woman shocked. Immediately, she picked the phone and dialled, her eyes not looking away from Esme’s. Esme in turn did not crack a smile.

The woman spoke in a low voice telling Carlos that his sister was around to see him, and that it was urgent.

Esme internally laughed at how the receptionist seemed to understand that things were urgent. As soon as she dropped the phone’s receiver back in its cradle, she spoke in a curt manner, “Please, come with me.”

Esme and the receptionist took two flights of stairs to arrive on the third floor where Carlos had his office.

That would be the first time Esme would come to this office since childhood. Surely, a lot had changed within a space of 15 years.

The receptionist knocked gently, and a muffled “Come right in” came through the wooden door. The woman opened the door, and gestured for Esme to walk right into the office.

Esme nodded curtly at her before walking past to meet Carlos sitting on a leather chair behind a huge desk. He had a goofy grin on his face. The five o’clock shadow he was sporting was something different, considering how he was always well-groomed. Was he too unable to get across to Aurelia? No, Esme thought.

The door closed behind them with a soft thud.

It was Carlos who spoke first, while leaning back in the chair, “It’s not every time my little sister comes over to see me working.”

Esme flinched when he called her little sister. In that moment, she wished she could tell him the truth – that he was not her brother, and that she was getting the hacienda, not him. It would feel so nice to wipe that happy smile on his face. But this was neither the place nor time for that.

“I’m not her to laugh about and play with you, Carlos.” Her tone was firm.

“You’re not?” He feigned surprise. He leaned closer to the table and looked up at her. “Then why are you here?”

“You know why I’m here.” Her tone did not waver.

“You called me on Saturday, and now you’re here on Monday to see me. Is this your way of having quality brother-sister time with me?”

“Fuck you, Carlos,” Esme said.

“You will not come to my office and disrespect me, Esmeralda.” He sounded offended.

“Where is Aurelia? I have tried getting across to her, but her calls are not connecting. What have you done with her?”

“I do not know what you are talking about,” he said, and looked away from her. He stared out of the window on his right. From there, he could see the carpark.

“You told her father about my affair with Aurelia. He sent for her on Friday. She got home, gratefully. And since then, I have not been able to hear from her. I cannot contact her, because the service provider keeps saying her phone is switched off.

“I went searching for her at her parents’ house, and the security man there told me she went on a trip. That is a fucking lie. We know Aurelia could not have travelled on short notice like that.”

Carlos stared up at her from where her was sitting as though she had lost her mind.

Esme had conveniently omitted the part where her father called Villalobos the previous day. That would mean that Don Alonzo already knew of Aurelia and her. Esme felt that piece of knowledge was like an ace card up her sleeves. There was no way she was going to tell him about it. It was okay if he went on thinking it would be some sort of leverage for him in the event he had to run along to Don Alonzo and tattle about knowing of Esme’s lesbian leanings.

Carlos soon found his voice and said, “You went to look for her. The security man told you she is gone on a trip. Possibly out of the country, and that is why her line is not available. That already answers your question. I don’t understand why you’re here.”

“You told Villalobos about us.”

“No, I did not tell him about you being a depraved lesbian. What would that say about our family?”

“You are lying, Carlos.”

“What good would telling him do me? Come what may, I am marrying Aurelia. It is not you marrying her,” he said with glee. “Why would I go on and tell him that you are fucking his daughter.”

“To get back at me?”

Carlos exhaled. “Can you listen to yourself? You’re assuming I have talked to him, just because I want to get back at you. Please, don’t overestimate yourself. You must think getting Aurelia is a competition. This is not like childhood when you competed with me for everything.”

“No, Carlos. It is you thinking this is a competition. You’ve just shown that. Just saying that makes it obvious that you are seeing getting Aurelia as a competition between us.”

“This is not one of your psychology mind games, sister. There is no competing here.”

“But you brought it up first, no?”

“Fuck off.”

“You will not be saying that when I show Father records of how you have been stealing from the companies. I have those, dear.”

That got him to shoot up from his seat, as though he just sat on a hot needle. “You will do no such thing, because there is no proof!”

“You think there is not? You’re in for the biggest surprise of your life, Carlos. When I’m done with you, you’ll be cussing at me in from your jail cell.”

“First of all, I don’t know where your girlfriend is. I have not heard from her. Secondly, I did not tell her father anything. Thirdly, you are peddling false accusations against me. I have not taken a dime from the company.”

“Then you’ll have to explain what Seville Construction is when we talk with Father.”

Carlos’s eyes popped in recognition. He could not even hide it to protect himself.

“Exactly as I thought.” Esme smirked, and with that, she turned to walk away from the office.

“Wait!” Carlos yelled, moving away from where he stood behind the desk, and coming to meet her. Standing before her, he said, “I promise, I did not tell Villalobos anything about you two. I swear. I would never do that.” He spoke quickly. “Even if I wanted to, there was no way I could tell him anything. He would not believe that Aurelia would be like that. And he would only think I’m lying against her so I opt out of the wedding and cancel out the business plans.”

“I’m not buying what you’re selling, brother. How else could he have known? No one knew about us.” Esme was not going to tell him Don Alonzo and Almudena knew of the relationship. “Who could have gone to tell Villalobos, if not you? You think I’ve forgotten how vengeful you are? No, dear brother. You were the one who told him.”

“I did not.” Carlos ran his hand through his blond hair. “I need you to believe me.”

“We had something like a deal. You keep my secret, and I keep yours.”

“You think I ever forgot that? See? That was yet another reason to not say anything to anyone. Not even Father knows. Think how he would react if he knew you were trying to ruin the wedding!” Carlos spoke in a high-pitched voice. His desperation was hard to miss.

“He’s going to know anyway.” Esme made to walk away, but Carlos held her back.

“Please, I am willing to do anything to make you understand that I wasn’t the one who leaked your secret.”

“Okay, I’m listening.”

“I’ll try to go over to the Villalobos’ and find out what is going on. Surely, they would not turn me back, seeing that it is me.”

That piqued Esme’s interest. “I’m coming with you.”

“No, you can’t. Did you not just say Villalobos knows of your affair?”

Esme saw the logic in his point. She nodded. “Fine, see what is going on and get back to me.”

“I will.”

“And we have to come up with a way to go about your marriage. I’m not giving Aurelia up.”

Carlos only nodded at her and swallowed. The resignation in his eyes was palpable. She loved that he was at her mercy.

Not uttering a word to him, she sauntered out of his office.