Chapter 3 - The Threat at Dawn
At 6:00 AM, the sun began to rise over the Dallas skyline, casting long, bloody streaks of orange and pink across the glass towers of Uptown. The peaceful morning was shattered by the violent vibration of Sofia’s phone on the kitchen counter.
I picked it up. The caller ID read: Javier.
My hands shook, but before I could slide the screen to answer, Alexander took the phone from my grip. He pressed the speaker button.
"Sofia?" Javier’s voice was smooth, completely devoid of panic, laced with a patronizing tone that made my skin crawl. "Sweetheart, where did you run off to? My mother is very upset. You made a terrible scene last night at the hotel. You left before we could finish our conversation."
Alexander didn't say a word. He just listened, his jaw locked.
"Look, Sofia," Javier continued, his tone turning colder, sharper. "Let's be rational. You signed the marriage certificate yesterday morning. Legally, you are my wife. What happened last night was a family dispute—a traditional correction. My mother expects respect, and your refusal to cooperate with our financial integration was highly insulting. Come back to the suite. We can tell the guests you had a sudden illness. But if you're thinking of running to your mother or making a scene... remember what my mother told you. My firm handles the city's elite. One word from me, and your reputation in this town is dead. And we will get that condo, Sofia. One way or another."
"Javier," Alexander spoke, his voice dropping like a heavy iron weight into the conversation.
There was a sudden, sharp silence on the other end of the line. Javier’s confident breathing hitched. "Who is this? Alexander?"
"You have exactly twenty-four hours to enjoy your luxury car, your tailored suits, and your mother’s presence," Alexander said, his tone terrifyingly calm. "Enjoy the smell of your expensive cologne, Javier. Because tomorrow, you won't even be able to afford the water to wash the dirt off your face."
"Listen to me, old man," Javier spat back, trying to regain his footing, though his voice trembled slightly. "You haven't been in her life for a decade. You have no legal standing here. She is my wife. The law protects the unity of marriage—"
"I don't use the law to protect myself, boy," Alexander interrupted. "I use the law to bury people like you. Tell your mother to start packing. The storm has already arrived."
He cut the call and threw the phone onto the counter. It shattered into pieces.
Deploying the ShieldWithin the hour, four black SUVs parked outside my apartment building. A team of private security guards, all former military personnel clad in dark suits, took positions at every entrance of the property. Alexander was taking no chances. If Carmen Robles sent her people to intimidate us, they would be met with an impenetrable wall of steel.
Alexander’s assistant, a sharp woman named Marcus, entered the apartment carrying three laptops and a heavy briefcase filled with corporate financial documents.
"Mr. Vance has finished the preliminary asset trace on the Robles family," Marcus reported, opening the first laptop.
We gathered around the kitchen island. What appeared on the screen was a web of deception that explained everything.
Entity NameRegistered OwnerStated ValueActual Valuation / DebtRobles & Associates LegalJavier Robles$4.5 MillionInsolvent (Massive payroll liabilities)Prestige Properties DallasCarmen Robles$6.0 MillionForeclosure Notice (Issued 30 days ago)Uptown Luxury HoldingsCarmen Robles$2.2 MillionTax Lien (IRS Investigation pending)
"They aren't rich," I whispered, the realization hitting me like a physical blow. "The gold jewelry, the expensive perfume, the luxury cars... it was all a front."
"Exactly," Marcus explained. "Carmen Robles is a serial fraudster disguised as a high-society matriarch. They leveraged everything they owned to maintain the illusion of wealth. Javier’s law firm is facing multiple malpractice lawsuits for mismanaging client escrow accounts. They didn't want Sofia's condo because they were greedy—they wanted it because they are desperate. The $1.8 million equity in Sofia’s Uptown condo was their only escape route from bankruptcy and federal prison."
May you like
Alexander looked at the numbers, a dark, satisfied smile playing at the corners of his lips.
"They picked the wrong target," Alexander murmured. "Marcus, call the senior partners at the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Let's see how Javier likes practicing law without a license."
