“We can’t go on like this,” the man said. We need a signature. »
“We will get it.”
« Comment ? »
“Javier will be out for ten days. I have time. »
“Don’t do anything we might regret.”
Lucía replied with a coldness that the old man would never forget.
“The only thing I would regret would be to spend another twenty years waiting for this old man to die.”
Ernesto felt as if the ground was slipping away from under his feet.
He did not enter the office.
He did not cry out.
He did not confront his daughter-in-law.
He slowly returned to his room.
He took out his notebook.
Note the date.
And the next day he called a person he hadn’t seen in years.
CHAPTER 4. THE WOMAN MERCEDES HAD ASKED HIM TO PROTECT
Elena Robles was forty-two years old.
She was a lawyer.
His mother had worked for decades in Don Ernesto’s company, and the Valcárcel family had helped her continue her education after her father’s death.
Elena had never forgotten this support.
Over time, she specialized in civil and patrimonial law.
She had advised Ernesto on several occasions.
But she also had an affectionate relationship with him.
To Elena, this man was a father figure.
When she received her call, she immediately sensed something unusual.
“Don Ernesto, are you okay?”
“I don’t know, my daughter.”
“What happened?”
A silence followed.
“I think someone wants to take my house.”
Elena arranged an appointment at her office.
Ernesto went there alone, taking advantage of a morning when Lucía had an appointment at the hairdresser’s.
He was carrying his old coat and his little notebook.
For nearly two hours he told all that had happened.
Elena listened to him without interrupting.
Then she examined her notes.
“It’s serious.”
“Do you think I’m exaggerating?”
“No. But we must distinguish suspicion from evidence. »
“I overheard conversations.”
“It’s important, but we’ll have to check the facts and get the documents.”
Don Ernesto lowered his eyes.
“Javier wouldn’t believe me.”
Elena felt a deep sadness.
“Why do you say that?”
“Because he loves his wife. And because, for months, she has been telling him that I am losing my memory. »
The lawyer took his hand.
“So we have to act smart.”
She explained that he should not sign any documents without independent advice.
She also recommended that he see a trusted doctor to assess his cognitive abilities.
Not because she thought he was sick.
But because it would be important to have objective medical information if someone was looking to question their ability to make decisions.
They also agreed to examine its properties and check for any suspicious steps.
Over the next few weeks, Elena discovered several disturbing elements.
A company related to Víctor had requested information regarding the encumbrances and the cadastral and land characteristics of the manor.
Unexplained money movements appeared in an account used for family expenses.
And some administrative documents had been filed using old copies of his identity document.
“That doesn’t mean they managed to sell anything,” Elena said. But it seems that they are preparing an operation. »
Ernesto listened in silence.
“What should I do?”
“First, protect your documents and limit the permissions you no longer want to maintain. Then, tell your son. »
The old man shook his head.
“Not yet.”
Elena frowned.
“Don Ernesto, the sooner Javier is informed, the better.”
“If I speak now, she will find an explanation.”
“It’s possible, but you shouldn’t put yourself in danger.”
Ernesto took a long time to answer.
“I want my son to see the truth with his own eyes.”
Elena disagreed.
She explained the risks to him.
But she respected the wish of this man, fully capable of deciding, to gather more information before confronting his family.
What Ernesto didn’t know was that Lucía had already started to question her outings.
And that it wouldn’t be long before she found out that someone was helping her.
CHAPTER 5. THE FIRST SIGNATURE
The opportunity presented itself on a Tuesday.
Javier was in Valencia to conclude a business deal.
During breakfast, Lucía announced that a manager would come to the house to update documents related to the maintenance of the property.
Don Ernesto looked up.
“What documents?”
“Administrative papers. Nothing important. »
“I prefer to examine them with my lawyer.”
Lucía’s smile disappeared.
“Since when do you need a lawyer to sign interview papers?”
“Since I don’t understand what I’m signing.”
Lucía abruptly puts her cup down.
“You get more and more suspicious.”
Ernesto did not answer.
That afternoon, Víctor arrived with a file.
For nearly an hour, he tried to convince the old man.
He presented several documents as simple administrative authorizations.
