After returning from my studies abroad, I decided not to tell my dad anything. I wanted to surprise him, so I went directly to his company.
She dried her tears and stood up.
She was no longer trembling.
Her voice was so cold that even I felt a chill run down my spine:
—Valeria… take me to the lawyer.
Today I’m not just getting a divorce…
today I’m destroying the Salgado Group.
TURNING OVER ROBERTO SALGADO’S EMPIRE
Three days later, Attorney Trujillo sent a message:
Everything is ready.
My mom and I arrived at the Salgado Group building.
The lobby was noisy and crowded.
Nobody knew we were coming.
Mariana Torres was standing on a platform, boasting to the employees that “in a few months I would be the next director.”
Upon seeing me, he raised his chin:
—Valeria, the true daughter of a successful man, should know how to accept reality. Dad already chose me.
I smiled calmly.
—Yes, your “dad” chose…
I turned and pointed to my mom —who entered with the presence of a true Mexican queen.
—…but he doesn’t know that all the shares of the Salgado Group are in my mother’s name.
The entire lobby fell into absolute silence.
Roberto Salgado’s face —who was coming down the stairs at that moment— turned white.
Attorney Trujillo opened a folder:
—According to the authorization letter signed years ago, and considering that Mr. Salgado transferred shares without the permission of the legal owner…
those contracts are nullified.
All shares revert to the name of Ms. Teresa Ramos.
The employees murmured:
—So who is Mariana?
—And “Mrs. Irene”…?
—Was it all a lie?
Irene Torres, trembling, stepped forward to protect Mariana.
—Teresa… Valeria… please, have some friends—
¡PAF!
My mom slapped him so hard the sound echoed throughout the lobby.
“That’s because of the gift my daughter bought me,” she said angrily, “and that you hung up as if it were yours.”
Irene fell to the ground.
Mariana stammered:
—I… I just wanted to have a family…
I looked at her coldly:
—If you want a family, don’t try to steal another woman’s.
THE FALL OF THE FALSE KING
We entered the boardroom.
Roberto was in the middle, pale, desperate.
My mom sat in the president’s chair with a natural authority.
“Roberto Salgado,” she said firmly, “you lived off my money, you deceived me, you humiliated my daughter…
Today I declare the following:”
He slammed the file on the table.
—You’re dismissed.
Any transfer to your lover or her daughter is nullified.
And both of them are banned from ever entering the Salgado Group again.
Roberto fell to his knees.
—Teresa… please… let me explain—
She looked at him as if he were looking at garbage.
—I’ve heard enough.
All I want from you…
is silence.
I took the microphone.
—And one more thing.
Everyone turned towards me.
—From today onward, I will be in charge of running the Salgado Group.
And in this company… there will never be another “false princess.”
The employees began to applaud.
Loudly.
Thunderously.
Roberto couldn’t lift his head.
FINAL — THE TRUE POWER OF THE NAME
When everything was settled, my mom and I left the building.
The Mexico City sun shone brighter than ever.
My mother took my hand, her eyes red, but with a proud smile:
—Valeria… thank you.
If it weren’t for you, I would have lived a lie my whole life.
I hugged her.
—Mom, from today on… we will live our own lives.
Not the life of a traitor.
At that moment, the building’s internal loudspeaker announced:
New President: Teresa Ramos
New Interim General Director: Valeria Salgado
The employees celebrated.
Below, Mariana and Irene could only watch from a distance, their hands trembling, defeated.
And Roberto… escorted out of the building, turned to look at me again with a pleading expression.
I just told him:
—Dad… I’m not the little girl you can fool anymore.
And the Salgado Group…
is no longer a place for traitors.
The glass doors closed.
And that’s how it all ended.
A painful chapter has closed.
A glorious one has begun.
