Chapter 3 - Morning Demands
The morning sun broke through the gray Mexico City skyline with crisp, unyielding clarity. By 6:30 AM, Daniel was sitting in my penthouse living room, a steaming cup of dark coffee in his hand and two thick leather binders laid out on the glass table.
"The medical examiner is scheduled to document the soft tissue damage on your face at 8:15 AM," Daniel said, his eyes scanning my bruised jawline with quiet fury. "The temporary protective order is already pre-filed. Once the judge signs it at 9:00 AM, Mauricio cannot come within five hundred meters of you, your residence, or your workplace without violating federal law."
"Good," I said, adjusting the collar of my dark navy power suit. I had chosen a high, structured collar that partially concealed the mark on my neck, paired with subtle makeup that left the bruise slightly visible if looked at closely. I was not going to hide my reality, but I was not going to look defeated either. "And the divorce petition?"
"Drafted under extreme fault—domestic violence, cruelty, and emotional abuse," Daniel replied, pushing a document toward me. "Since you maintained a strict prenuptial agreement keeping all pre-marital assets separated, he has no claim to a single cent of your wealth. In fact, given the financial disclosure misrepresentations he made during your engagement, we can dissolve this marriage within weeks."
"Sign it," I said, picking up a pen and placing my signature on the final page with a steady hand.
My corporate phone rang. It was the security desk at Horizonte Capital's main tower downtown.
"Miss Vance," the security chief said respectfully. "A gentleman named Mauricio Ortega is in the lower lobby. He is claiming to be your husband and is demanding immediate access to the executive floor. He says it's a family emergency."
I looked at my watch. It was 7:45 AM. "Tell him I am currently unavailable and that if he wishes to speak with management regarding any ongoing corporate matters, he must wait in the formal visitor suite on the fourth floor."
"Understood, ma'am. Should I have officers stand by?"
"Yes. Do not let him up to my floor under any circumstances."
I turned back to Daniel. "He’s at headquarters. He thinks he’s coming to find his quiet administrative assistant wife at her entry-level desk to drag her home before the workday starts."
"He doesn't know you own the building?" Daniel asked, raising an eyebrow.
"He thinks I work in the lower-level filing department for one of Horizonte’s sub-contractors," I said, a bitter smile touching my lips. "I told him I managed corporate documentation. He never bothered to ask for my full title or look at my actual credentials. He just assumed I was a glorified secretary because it suited his ego."
"He’s about to get a very expensive lesson in arrogance," Daniel said, closing his briefcase. "I'll head to the courthouse now to finalize the protective order. I'll meet you at your office at nine."
As I stepped into my private elevator twenty minutes later, my secondary phone lit up with a barrage of voicemails from Mauricio.
Valeria! Where the hell are you? I’m at your office building! Your security team is treating me like a stranger! You better get down here right now and fix this before I lose my patience! My mother wants an explanation for your absence this morning!
I deleted the message without replying.
When my chauffeur pulled up to the executive entrance of the Horizonte Tower, I walked straight through the private side entrance, bypassing the main lobby entirely. I took the express lift to the top floor, where the floor-to-ceiling glass windows overlooked the entire financial district.
My senior vice president, Marcus, was already waiting outside my corner office with a tablet in his hand.
"Good morning, Miss Vance," Marcus said, pausing briefly as his eyes registered the bruise on my face. He caught himself quickly, professional as always. "The NexoWare delegation just arrived for their final presentation. Mauricio Ortega and his legal team are in Conference Room A. They think they are meeting with our senior investment committee."
"Are they prepared?" I asked, walking into my office and placing my handbag on the desk.
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"They brought their full pitch deck," Marcus replied. "They're desperate, Valeria. Their secondary line of credit was pulled by Banco Nacional yesterday afternoon. If we don't approve the MXN 120,000,000 injection by Friday, their payroll defaults."
"Gather the board," I said coldly. "It's time to begin the review."
