Chapter 1 - The Mark of the Serpent
The blanket hit the floor with a soft thud, but the silence that followed felt deafening.
Alejandro’s eyes locked onto his wife’s trembling body. There was no secret lover hiding beneath the sheets. There were no stolen gifts or hidden phones.
Instead, covered by bruised and purple-black skin across her arms, legs, and abdomen, were deep, chemical burns and violent contusions. Etched into her shoulder was a jagged, chemical-burn brand in the shape of an intricate crest—the old family seal of the Aranda dynasty.
"Valeria..." Alejandro choked out, falling to his knees beside the bed, his violent anger instantly shattering into sheer terror. "My God... what happened to you? Who did this to you?"
Valeria wept silently, her thin fingers clutching her swollen stomach to protect their unborn child. "I tried to hide it... I knew if you saw... they would kill us both..."
"They? Who is they?" Alejandro demanded, gently reaching out, his hands shaking violently as he avoided touching her raw, blistered skin.
"Your family, Alejandro," she sobbed, her voice breaking. "Your mother... Marcela... and Uncle Guillermo. It wasn't an accident. They’ve been poisoning me for months."
Before Alejandro could process the horror of her words, the bedroom door swung open.
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Doña Esther stood on the threshold, dressed in pristine black silk, flanked by two imposing private security guards. Behind her, Marcela held a leather briefcase with a cold, triumphant smile.
"Step away from her, Alejandro," Esther commanded calmly, as if discussing the morning tea. "It’s time to finalize her transfer to the asylum."
