Chapter 13 - Lorena’s Last Bargain
Lorena refused to speak for six days.
She sat in a federal detention room wearing gray clothing and no jewelry. Without the diamonds, tailored suits, and controlled lighting of her mansion, she looked smaller.
Not weaker.
Only more human.
Julian entered on crutches.
Elena followed with Agent Mara Bell.
Lorena looked at Julian’s injured knee.
“Does it hurt?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
Mara placed a recorder on the table.
Lorena smiled.
“I requested a private conversation.”
“You are not in a position to request privacy,” Mara said.
Lorena looked at Elena.
“I always knew you survived.”
Elena remained standing.
“Then why did you keep searching for me?”
“Because knowing someone is alive is different from knowing where she sleeps.”
Julian sat across from her.
“Who wore the mask in the tunnel?”
Lorena leaned back.
“You came here for answers. I came here for a bargain.”
“You have nothing to bargain with.”
“I know where Sebastián Vale is going.”
Mara’s expression did not change.
“Tell us.”
“Immunity.”
“No.”
“Then reduced charges.”
“No.”
Lorena looked at Julian.
“Your family has taken everything from me.”
“My family raised you.”
“Your family experimented on me.”
Julian glanced at her file.
The surviving Aurelia records described Lorena as Subject 4. Her conditioning emphasized dominance, emotional detachment, and reward through control.
It explained some things.
It excused nothing.
“You knew what they did,” Julian said. “Then you repeated it.”
“I used the tools they gave me.”
“On me.”
“On everyone.”
Lorena’s voice sharpened.
“You still believe this is a story about villains and victims. Gabriel stole a child and called him his son. Isabella erased memories and called it medicine. Elena abandoned you and called it protection. Victor drugged you and called it survival.”
She leaned closer.
“At least I never lied about wanting power.”
“You lied every day.”
“I lied about methods. Never purpose.”
Julian placed the silver medallion on the table.
Lorena’s eyes fixed on it.
“Where did you get that?”
“In the tunnel.”
“Who dropped it?”
“That is what I am asking you.”
Lorena did not answer.
Elena moved closer.
“The initials are Isabella Serrano.”
Lorena laughed softly.
“You think they belong to your mother?”
“Whose initials are they?”
Lorena looked at Mara.
“Turn off the recorder.”
“No.”
“Then you will receive nothing.”
Julian took the medallion.
“We are finished.”
He rose on the crutches.
Lorena spoke before he reached the door.
“Isabel Salvatierra.”
Julian stopped.
Elena’s face changed.
Mara reopened the file.
“Who is that?” Julian asked.
Lorena smiled.
“The first Keeper of Names.”
“Our mother?”
“No.”
“Then who?”
“The woman who gave Mateo Reyes to Gabriel Serrano.”
Julian returned to the table.
“Where is she?”
“She died in 1999.”
“Then she wasn’t in the tunnel.”
“No.”
“Who has the medallion now?”
Lorena looked at Elena.
“Your sister should know.”
Elena’s hand tightened.
Julian faced her.
“What does she mean?”
Elena said nothing.
Lorena laughed.
“She never told you about the clinic.”
“What clinic?”
“The one where she spent fourteen months after her death.”
Julian stared at Elena.
“You said they tried to erase six months.”
Elena’s face became pale.
“That is what I remembered.”
Lorena tapped the table.
“The masked woman did not enter the tunnel to rescue you. She entered to rescue the files.”
“Who is she?”
“I do not know her current name.”
“Her current name?”
Lorena’s smile vanished.
“But I know the face they gave her.”
May you like
She looked directly at Elena.
“Yours.”
