PART 17 – THE WOMAN IN WHITE
For the first time since the Velasco family had found peace, Nicolás doubted everyone around him.
He hated the feeling.
The words from Gabriel's letter echoed in his mind like a curse.
"The Benefactor is already inside your family."
He hadn't shown the final page to anyone—not even Sofía.
Not because he didn't trust her.
Because he refused to let fear poison the home they had fought so hard to build.
But someone had planted a camera inside the mansion.
Someone had betrayed them.
And Nicolás intended to find out who.
The following morning, the atmosphere inside the estate was noticeably different.
The volunteers still arrived.
Patients still lined up outside the temporary clinic.
Children still laughed in the gardens.
But behind every smile, security had doubled.
Every employee was screened.
Every delivery truck was searched.
Every visitor passed through metal detectors.
Even Don Esteban noticed the tension.
"You can't live like this forever," he said quietly.
"I can," Nicolás replied.
"My family can't."
Inside the temporary clinic, Sofía worked nonstop.
Since the fire, hundreds of new patients had arrived every day.
Many had nowhere else to go.
One of the nurses approached her.
"Doctor..."
"We've received another volunteer."
Sofía looked up.
"A doctor?"
The nurse nodded.
"She says she's from Guadalajara."
"She specializes in pediatric trauma."
"Her references are excellent."
Sofía smiled.
"Send her in."
A few moments later...
A woman stepped into the examination room.
She looked to be in her early thirties.
She wore a simple white medical coat over navy-blue scrubs.
Dark hair was neatly tied back.
No jewelry except a silver cross around her neck.
Her eyes were calm.
Kind.
But strangely... familiar.
She extended her hand.
"I'm Dr. Isabella Reyes."
"It's an honor to meet you, Dr. Velasco."
Sofía shook her hand warmly.
"The honor is mine."
"I've heard wonderful things about your work."
Isabella smiled modestly.
"I've heard even more about yours."
Throughout the day...
Isabella proved extraordinary.
She comforted frightened children with remarkable patience.
She diagnosed complex illnesses within minutes.
She treated every patient as though they were family.
By lunchtime, even the nurses were impressed.
One whispered,
"She's incredible."
Another nodded.
"It's like she's worked with Dr. Sofía for years."
Sofía couldn't help smiling.
Perhaps...
For the first time since the fire...
Something good had happened.
Meanwhile...
Nicolás watched the clinic through the security monitors.
He noticed Isabella immediately.
"Who's the new doctor?"
The head of security checked his tablet.
"Dr. Isabella Reyes."
"Background?"
"Everything checks out."
Nicolás frowned.
"Everything?"
"Medical license."
"University."
"Hospital employment."
"No criminal record."
"No unusual financial activity."
Still...
Something bothered him.
Late that afternoon...
Daniel sat outside drawing pictures with Mateo.
Isabella walked past them carrying a box of medical supplies.
She stopped.
"Those are beautiful drawings."
Daniel smiled shyly.
"It's our family."
She looked at the picture.
Mateo.
Sofía.
Nicolás.
Don Esteban.
Daniel.
Then she noticed...
The raven Daniel had drawn in the corner.
Her smile disappeared.
Only for a second.
But Daniel saw it.
"You know that bird?"
She quickly recovered.
"No."
"It just reminds me of something."
She continued walking.
Daniel watched her leave.
Something about her answer...
Didn't feel true.
That evening...
Nicolás received a call from the cybersecurity team.
"We found the hidden camera."
He immediately stood.
"Where?"
"In the library."
Minutes later...
The tiny device was removed from behind an antique bookshelf.
It was no larger than a coin.
Professional-grade.
Encrypted.
The technician frowned.
"This isn't ordinary surveillance equipment."
"Can you trace the signal?"
"We're trying."
Suddenly...
The technician's computer screen went black.
Every monitor in the security room shut down.
Then...
A single message appeared.
STOP LOOKING.
The words vanished seconds later.
The entire system rebooted.
The technician looked pale.
"They hacked us."
Across town...
Ricardo Salazar watched the failed trace attempt on his own monitor.
One of his men laughed.
"They'll never find us."
Salazar remained expressionless.
"No."
"But they're getting closer."
He turned toward the woman standing beside him.
She wore a black suit.
Her face remained hidden in shadow.
"What about Dr. Reyes?"
The woman answered calmly.
"She has their complete trust."
Salazar nodded.
"Good."
"Tell her..."
"...the time has come."
The next morning...
Sofía and Isabella traveled together to a rural village where the foundation had organized free vaccinations.
The drive took nearly two hours.
For most of the journey, they talked about medicine.
Children.
Dreams.
Hope.
Finally, Isabella asked quietly,
"Can I ask you something personal?"
"Of course."
"Were you ever afraid?"
"Of what?"
"Marrying Nicolás."
Sofía smiled.
"At first."
"And now?"
"Now I'm only afraid of losing him."
Isabella looked out the window.
"You love him very much."
"More every day."
There was a long silence.
Then Isabella whispered so quietly Sofía almost didn't hear it.
"He deserves that."
The vaccination campaign ended just before sunset.
As the doctors packed their equipment...
A loud crack echoed through the valley.
BANG!
The windshield of their SUV exploded.
A sniper bullet.
"DOWN!" Isabella shouted.
She tackled Sofía behind the vehicle just as a second bullet shattered the driver's window.
Patients screamed.
Children cried.
Another shot rang out.
One volunteer collapsed with a wounded shoulder.
Sofía instinctively crawled toward him.
"No!"
Isabella grabbed her arm.
"Stay down!"
"I have to help him!"
Another bullet struck the ambulance beside them.
Fuel began leaking onto the ground.
The sniper wasn't trying to kill randomly.
Every shot was forcing Sofía into the open.
Then...
Something unexpected happened.
Isabella stood up.
Completely exposed.
She raised both hands.
"HEY!"
The sniper fired immediately.
The bullet tore through Isabella's shoulder.
She staggered but remained standing.
"Run!"
She shouted at Sofía.
"NOW!"
Sofía dragged the wounded volunteer behind cover while police officers returned fire toward the distant hillside.
Moments later...
The shooting stopped.
The sniper had vanished.
Back at the estate...
Sofía helped treat Isabella's wound.
The bullet had passed cleanly through her shoulder.
Painful.
But not fatal.
"You saved my life," Sofía said quietly.
Isabella smiled weakly.
"You would've done the same."
Nicolás entered the room.
His expression was grim.
"The sniper escaped."
He looked toward Isabella.
"Thank you."
She simply nodded.
As Nicolás left...
Daniel stepped into the doorway.
He stared at Isabella.
She looked back.
For several long seconds...
Neither spoke.
Finally Daniel asked,
"Have we met before?"
Isabella froze.
"No."
"I don't think so."
Daniel slowly shook his head.
"I've seen your eyes."
"Somewhere."
For the first time...
Real fear appeared on Isabella's face.
Late that night...
Unable to sleep, Isabella walked alone through the mansion gardens.
She stopped beneath the old jacaranda tree.
From inside her coat pocket, she removed an old photograph.
The same faded photograph found inside Daniel's wooden box.
Except...
This copy wasn't damaged.
All four young men were clearly visible.
Including the fourth brother.
Standing beside them...
Was a young woman.
She looked almost identical...
To Isabella.
A tear rolled down her cheek.
She whispered into the darkness,
"I'm sorry, Father."
"I don't know how much longer I can lie to them."
Hidden behind a nearby hedge...
A pair of eyes watched her.
The mysterious observer quietly raised a phone.
And sent one sentence to Ricardo Salazar.
Dr. Isabella Reyes is becoming emotionally compromised.
Salazar read the message.
Then calmly replied.
If she chooses them...
May you like
She dies.
