Chapter 7: The Woman Behind the Deal

The acquisition became the biggest competition in our industry that year.

Every major financial publication was watching.

Ferraro Holdings increased its offer twice.

We matched it.

They increased it again.

We matched that too.

But I wasn't interested in simply beating Reed.

I wanted to understand why he was fighting so hard for this particular company.

One evening, Clara walked into my office with another folder.

“I found something.”

I opened it.

Inside were the financial records of the hospitality group we were trying to acquire.

Clara pointed to several transactions.

“These companies are controlled by the same investment firm.”

I frowned.

“And?”

“The investment firm is secretly connected to Ferraro Holdings.”

I looked at her.

“How?”

“Indirect ownership. Three shell companies. Two private trusts.”

I studied the documents carefully.

“Why would Reed hide his connection?”

Clara shook her head.

“I don't know.”

I turned another page.

Then I saw a familiar name.

Pilar Salazar.

My fingers went still.

“What is she doing here?”

Clara looked confused.

“You know her?”

I closed the folder.

“She used to be my best friend.”

Clara waited.

I said nothing more.

That night, I searched through the documents again.

Pilar had no official position in Ferraro Holdings.

No shares were registered under her name.

No direct payments appeared in her accounts.

But someone had been transferring large sums to a private account connected to a foundation she controlled.

The dates caught my attention.

The first payment had been made eight years ago.

The same year Reed and I got married.

The second came shortly after my parents died.

The third came only weeks before Pilar gave birth.

I stared at the screen.

There was a pattern.

I called Clara.

“I need a complete forensic audit of every company connected to Pilar Salazar.”

She hesitated.

“Are you sure?”

“Completely.”

The next morning, the first report arrived.

It was worse than I expected.

Pilar wasn't simply Reed's affair partner.

She had been receiving money through several companies for years.

And one of those companies had paid for a private investigation into my parents.

I read the report three times.

My parents hadn't simply discovered Reed and Pilar by accident.

Someone had been monitoring them.

Someone had known they were suspicious.

Someone had tried to make sure they stayed silent.

My hands began to tremble.

I remembered Pilar's confession.

Your parents saw Reed and me going into a hotel that day.

They were furious.

They insisted on driving over to confront me.

That's why they crashed.

I had believed her.

Now I wasn't so sure.

I called the investigator who prepared the report.

“Find everything you can about the day my parents died.”

“Every phone call. Every payment. Every surveillance record.”

There was a pause.

Then he said, “Mrs. Alvarez, there is one more thing.”

“What?”

“The car your parents were driving had been serviced the day before the accident.”

I sat up straight.

“By whom?”

He gave me the name of the garage.

I wrote it down.

“And who paid?”

His answer made the room feel suddenly cold.

“Ferraro Holdings.”

I stared at the name on my screen.

For eight years, I had believed my parents died in a tragic accident.

For eight years, Reed had comforted me while I mourned them.

For eight years, Pilar had stood beside me pretending to grieve.

And now I was beginning to wonder if their deaths had ever been an accident at all.

I closed the file.

My tears were gone.

There was only certainty left.

I had left Manhattan because I wanted to forget Reed Ferraro.

Now I had a reason to go back.

Not for my marriage.

Not for revenge over the affair.

For my parents.