Chapter 10 - CHAPTER 9: THE AFTERMATH
The legal storm that followed was the largest medical and criminal prosecution in the country's history.
For three months, the trial of El Enclave dominated international headlines. Lucía served as the lead counsel representing the victims, presenting mountains of digitized records, financial transactions, and expert medical testimony.
I sat in the front row of the courtroom every single day.
Dr. Ernesto Beltrán was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole for human trafficking, medical malpractice, and multiple counts of conspiracy to commit murder.
Elvira Salgado was sentenced to forty-five years in maximum-security prison for racketeering, financial fraud, and attempted murder. During the sentencing, she refused to look at either Renata or me.
And Rodrigo Salgado.
Because of his extensive debts and direct role in plotting my murder, he was sentenced to thirty-five years in prison. His architecture license was revoked, his assets were seized to pay restitution to the victims' families, and his name became a national symbol of betrayal.
Saint Jude Hospital was permanently shut down by state authorities, its assets liquidated to create a federal fund for victims of medical trafficking.
Nurse Marisol received full legal immunity for her cooperation and was awarded a national medal for civil courage. She returned to nursing in a public pediatric clinic, far away from the corruption of private healthcare.
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On the final day of the trial, as Rodrigo was being led away in chains, he turned to look at me one last time. He looked thin, broken, and hollow. He parted his lips as if to say something—to beg for forgiveness, or perhaps to explain—but I simply turned my back on him and walked out of the courthouse into the bright afternoon sun.
He didn't exist to me anymore.
