“I have proof!” exclaimed a little girl defending the billionaire in court; the judge was stunned.
The courtroom was packed. Journalists, lawyers, assistants, onlookers, and men in suits filled every corner of the Mexico City Palace of Justice. In the midst of this oppressive atmosphere, where money seemed to breathe louder than the law, sat sixty-two-year-old Santiago Barragán, one of the wealthiest businessmen in the country.
Years ago, Santiago had built an empire of hospitals, technology, and real estate. But none of that mattered that morning.
He was in a wheelchair, immobile, his eyes glazed over and his lips barely parted. Multiple sclerosis had been stealing his legs, then the strength in his hands, and lately, something even more terrifying: fragments of his memory. At first glance, he seemed defeated. And that was exactly what his younger brother, Ricardo Barragán, wanted everyone to believe.
Ricardo, impeccable in his dark suit, feigned pain as he asked the judge to grant him full guardianship of Santiago and absolute control of his fortune.
“I am not driven by ambition,” he said in a measured voice, looking at the court as if he were a virtuous man. “I am driven by love for my brother. He is no longer in a condition to manage his businesses or protect himself.”
Beside him stood Rebeca Montalvo, Santiago’s ex-wife, elegant and cold as a statue. Behind them waited Víctor Soria, the personal assistant who had worked with Santiago for eight years and who now feigned loyalty while helping to bury him alive.
On the other side, next to Santiago, was his lawyer, Héctor Salinas. He was supposed to defend him. But he had spent half the hearing in silence, looking down every time the judge asked him a question.
Everything seemed to be over.
When Judge Elena Montiel, a stern and fair woman, took her pen to sign the preliminary ruling, the murmur in the courtroom became almost triumphant for Ricardo.
Then a small, firm, and out-of-place voice broke the air.
—I have proof!
Leave a Comment