Chapter 5 - The Test of Truth
By the next morning, the storm had reached the media.
Marisol woke up to the sound of whispering outside her door. When she walked into the kitchen to prepare Valentina’s breakfast, she found the rest of the household staff gathered around a tablet. The headlines were brutal: Robles-Villaseñor Merger Collapses Amid Rumors of Infidelity. Some gossip blogs were already posting paparazzi photos of Marisol leaving the mansion’s gate with Valentina from weeks ago, claiming she was a "secret mistress."
Diego entered the kitchen, dressed not in his usual tailored suit, but in a simple sweater and jeans. His face was grim.
"Marisol, don't look at the news," he said immediately, noticing the tablet.
"It’s too late," she said, setting down a bowl of oatmeal. "They are calling me a gold-digger, Diego. They are putting Valentina's face on the internet."
"I’m already having my legal team take down any photos of Valentina," Diego said, his voice hard. "And we are going to put an end to the speculation today."
Before Marisol could ask how, a tall man in a dark suit entered the kitchen. It was Dr. Silva, the Villaseñor family notary and personal physician. He carried a small black briefcase.
"Diego, are you sure about this?" Dr. Silva asked, looking at Marisol with a mixture of curiosity and respect. "The board is already calling an emergency meeting for this afternoon. If you do this publicly..."
"I want the DNA test done immediately, Silva," Diego said. "Not because I have any doubt, but because I want a legally binding document that no court, no board member, and no Robles can ever contest. I want Valentina's birth certificate updated by the end of the week."
Dr. Silva nodded and opened his briefcase, pulling out the sterile cotton swabs. "Very well."
Marisol watched as Diego knelt down in front of Valentina, who was eating her breakfast. He spoke to her in a gentle tone she had never heard him use with anyone else. "Valentina, sweetheart, this nice doctor is just going to tickle the inside of your cheek with a little cotton. Is that okay?"
Valentina looked at her mother. Marisol nodded, giving her a reassuring smile. "It's okay, mi amor."
The little girl opened her mouth, and Dr. Silva quickly took the swab. Diego then took his own sample, handing it back to the physician.
"How long?" Diego asked.
May you like
"I will have the results rushed. Six hours," Dr. Silva promised. "But Diego, the board meeting is at three. They are going to demand your resignation if you cannot assure them of the Robles merger."
"Let them demand it," Diego said. "I’ll be there."
