Chapter 11 - SELINA DECIDED DIEGO WASN'T WORTH PROTECTING
Selina hired her own attorney.
Then she started talking.
At first, I assumed she wanted a deal.
I was right.
That did not make her information false.
She admitted the affair with Arthur.
That part had been real.
She also admitted she had never been certain whether Arthur or Diego fathered Mateo.
She had been seeing both brothers during overlapping periods.
Arthur did not know.
Diego did.
When Mateo was born, Diego privately ordered a test.
He was the father.
Then he made Selina an offer.
Arthur had shares.
Diego had none.
If Mateo became Arthur’s recognized son, Beatrice’s obsession with a male heir could be used to secure the boy’s future.
And through Mateo:
Diego’s.
Selina initially refused.
Then her finances collapsed.
Diego paid her debts.
He created the fake testing plan.
Months later, Beatrice learned the truth.
I expected Beatrice to expose them.
She didn’t.
Selina explained:
“Beatrice said the blood was still Vance.”
That sentence was almost impressive in its corruption.
Arthur was the wrong father.
But Mateo was still biologically Diego’s.
Still a male Vance.
So Beatrice decided the lie was useful.
She helped preserve it.
Arthur became the public father.
Diego stayed hidden.
Mateo became the symbolic heir.
Beatrice got her boy.
Diego got access.
Selina got security.
Everyone got something.
Except the children already there.
My daughters.
Elena.
Even Mateo.
Then Selina revealed the next plan.
After the divorce, Beatrice intended to offer me $8 million for my shares.
If I refused, she planned to pressure company lenders into questioning whether my relocation to Boston created “management instability.”
Then Arthur would tell me he could secure additional child support only if I sold.
I stared at the statement.
They wanted to link my daughters’ financial security to surrendering my ownership.
Arthur had known part of it.
Not every detail.
Enough.
Then Selina gave investigators an email from Diego.
SUBJECT:
AFTER MARIANA SELLS.
Inside was a proposed ownership chart.
Arthur:
41%.
Vance Legacy Trust:
24%.
Diego-controlled entities:
35%.
There was no meaningful interest reserved for Mateo.
The little boy they called the future heir was never meant to own the empire.
May you like
He was marketing.
Once Diego gained actual shares, Mateo’s usefulness ended.
