Chapter 12 - REBECA’S COUNTERATTACK
The courthouse was surrounded by reporters.
Cameras followed Valeria’s ambulance as it arrived.
She had given birth less than eight hours earlier.
Dr. Navarro argued that she should remain hospitalized.
Judge Villarreal ordered her appearance anyway.
Valeria entered the courtroom in a wheelchair.
Lucía remained at the hospital under federal protection.
Sebastián walked beside his wife.
For the first time, he did not hide behind the family’s attorneys.
He sat at Valeria’s table.
Across the room, Rebeca wore black.
She looked like a grieving grandmother rather than a woman accused of conspiracy.
Octavio’s chair was empty.
His attorney claimed he was cooperating from an undisclosed location.
The new witness entered.
Valeria recognized her immediately.
It was Teresa Maldonado, a former housekeeper at Casa Alcázar.
Teresa testified that Valeria often screamed without reason.
She claimed Valeria threw dishes, accused people of spying on her, and once threatened to leave the country with the unborn baby.
Rebeca’s attorney displayed photographs of broken glass and overturned furniture.
Valeria recognized the rooms.
She did not recognize the incidents.
“They staged those pictures,” she whispered.
The attorney presented audio recordings.
Valeria’s voice could be heard shouting.
“Stay away from me.”
“Don’t touch me.”
“I know what you’re doing.”
Without context, the recordings sounded frightening.
With context, they sounded like a woman defending herself.
But the court did not know the context.
The attorney asked Rebeca why she sought custody.
Rebeca lowered her eyes.
“Because I was afraid my granddaughter would not survive.”
Sebastián stood.
“That is a lie.”
The judge warned him to sit down.
Rebeca looked at her son.
“I forgive Sebastián.”
“He has been manipulated by a sick woman.”
A murmur moved through the courtroom.
Valeria’s attorney requested permission to introduce the video from Casa Alcázar.
Rebeca’s attorney objected.
He claimed the recording had been illegally obtained and edited.
The judge agreed to review it privately.
Until then, the temporary custody order remained active.
A court-appointed guardian would take control of Lucía.
Valeria’s face lost all color.
Sebastián rose again.
“You cannot give my child to someone selected by my mother.”
Judge Villarreal struck the desk.
“One more interruption and you will be removed.”
Mateo entered through the rear doors.
He handed Valeria’s attorney a document.
The attorney read it.
Then she smiled for the first time.
“Your Honor, we have evidence that this court received a payment from Aurelia Holdings.”
The entire room went silent.
Judge Villarreal looked toward Rebeca.
May you like
And Rebeca slowly stopped pretending to cry.
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