CHAPTER 2

THREE MONTHS LATER

Delicate laughter echoing from the grand entrance of the Valladolid's big house, Valeria Valladolid had just arrived. The incredulous smile was made on her face. In her house only elegance, who had the right to raise her voice and laugh? In that house nothing happened without her authorization.

“We have visitors and nobody told me?” Valeria asked her trusted man, the one who was willing to do everything for her and the same one who had just taken her to her deceased husband as a woman worthy of bearing his last name.

“I don't know, ma'am. As far as I know no one was coming to visit today.”

Valeria continued on her way until she could reach the living room, from where laughter could be heard only to meet her daughter-in-law, the same one who was sharing with an older man.

“Oh! It's you, Erika, I didn't know we had visitors today,” she said without taking her eyes off the well-dressed man in front of Erika.

“Oh! Mrs. Valladolid, how nice of you to arrive,” Erika got up to greet her mother-in-law.

“Yes, I can see that. May I know who this person is?” She asked without ever lowering her gaze.

“Madam, this is Detective Muñoz, and he is here because I called him.”

Valeria could not help but smile incredulously. “What? Already so fast the infidelities started? You suspect my son?”

Erika looked down. “No, of course it's not that. It's a private matter. Nothing to do with your son.”

And with those words Valeria was able to understand that Erika didn't want her there.

And exactly those thoughts went through Erika's mind. She didn't want her mother-in-law there because no matter how much power she had over the village, over Erika she was nothing more than her mother-in-law and as such she should respect her. No more, no less.

“Well, I understand!” Valeria raised her hands in innocence. “I understood that you don't need me. See you later, my dear.”

And without further ado, Valeria left, leaving Erika calmer.

Three months she had been living in that place, three months that had only made her see how tyrannical her mother-in-law could be. She hated to see the way she wielded her power over all those farmers who made her three times richer than she already was. There were things Erika was not going to allow but if she wanted to do something, she had to act slowly, she had to be smart to reveal herself to her.

And just as Valeria walked away, Tomas followed her. Her right hand.

“I want you to investigate the reason why that man is here. There's something I don't like about Erika, there's something that tells me I should be careful with her. There's something I don't like and if I could turn back time and make my son not marry her, I think I would. Did you hear that, Tomas?”

“Of course, my lady. You will have that information in your hands soon.”

“My son doesn't need to know.”

“Of course, my lady!”

“Thank you very much, Detective Muñoz! All I want is for everything to be kept discreet, I don't want anyone to know that I had a twin sister and that apparently lived in this town, okay?”

“Okay, ma'am, you don't have to worry about anything. I'm leaving, I have another appointment.”

“Go ahead, be careful.”

That said, Erika was left alone in that room. Once again she took a seat. At last she felt she could breathe. No one, no one could know about her plans, no one could know everything she had in her head after having been living with Valeria Valladolid.

The truth was that she was very worried about the people who worked for her. They were nothing more than noble men who were barely getting paid. There were so many things that were wrong in that place, Valeria Valladolid being treated like the goddess and woe betide anyone who dared to speak ill of her, they could find death.

Little by little she was going to become the madam and boss that the townspeople needed. Of course that was not her intention but she did at least intend that the people would have what they needed.

Thinking about everything and at the same time about nothing, Erika continued on her way to her husband's office, she had so much to do and if she really wanted to change the destiny of all the people in that town she had to start now, as soon as possible.

ONE WEEK LATER

The pounding of her fist against the desk was all that could be heard at that moment in that office, the office that no one could enter except Valeria Valladolid's people.

“What did you just say?” She asked without being able to believe what the trustworthy man had just said.

“Just as you heard, my dear boss, your daughter-in-law has just had a meeting with all the farmers and has promised them changes in their pay, the way they live and the breaks they will be given.”

“That bitch can't do that! Does she have the authority? There must be no one else here in the village but me!”

“We already know that, Mrs., but your daughter-in-law seems to be convincing the people in the village and not only that, it seems that the farmers and all the staff are planning to revolt against you.

“Who the hell is she to create new policies if I haven't told her to do that?”

All Valeria could think at that moment was that her daughter-in-law, the woman she had agreed for her son to marry was that she had to get her out of the way, she couldn't be the one in charge.

“I want my son here, right now.”

“Madam, that's not all,” the man continued, looking at his madam with a hint of mockery and satisfaction, for what he was about to reveal went beyond what his madam could think.

“Oh no, what else are you going to tell me? That she will be the one to authorize the exports of the family's wine?”

“Something more interesting.”

Valeria looked at Tomas until she could sit down again. “I'm listening.”

“I have all the information about the person who came to see your daughter-in-law and I also know what she is looking for.”

A smile came to Valeria's face. “What is that stupid woman looking for?”

“She is working with lawyer Muñoz because she is looking for her missing sister.”

“Sister? Does she have a sister?”

“And the worst thing is that you won't believe who it was.”

“Is she dead?”

“She's looking for the maid who used to work here, Elena, the same one who woke up dead one day in the stables.”

Valeria's smile froze, her body lost all strength, the words wouldn't come out. No, that couldn't be true, that couldn't be possible.

“What did you just say?” Valeria got up from her place in one movement.

“That maid was her twin sister, the rumors of her working in this town reached her and she is willing to occupy all her fortune to find her, a fortune that is ten times bigger than yours, my lady. You know what I mean by that, as soon as the farmers and the whole town find out that she is richer than you, the town is going to make her their new madam.”

Valeria blinked a couple of times, Tomas' words were true. As soon as the world knew, she would no longer be the authority. That she could not allow.