Below it were screenshots—fabricated messages implying Sofía had used her “Educator of the Year” platform to pressure donors for personal gain. There were accusations dressed up as concern, sprinkled with corporate buzzwords like integrity and compliance.
Javier stared at it, stunned.
Sofía would never.
But someone wanted the room to believe she would.
Javier’s hands curled into fists.
There was only one person in the company petty and desperate enough to do something like this.
And only one person who had watched Sofía walk down those stairs and realized she was never going to win by standing beside Javier.
She had to destroy Sofía instead.
Javier marched to HR.
Camila wasn’t at her desk.
Her badge was already deactivated.
But the damage had been done.
By noon, the rumor had reached board members.
By 2 p.m., it had reached Riveros.
And at 4 p.m., Javier sat in a conference room with the CEO, the compliance director, legal counsel, and three executives who looked like they’d love nothing more than to watch someone fall.
Riveros entered last.
He didn’t sit immediately.
He looked at Javier for a long moment, then spoke with quiet authority.
“I invited Mrs. Mendoza because her work is real,” Riveros said. “So I’ll ask once: is any of this true?”
Javier’s throat was dry.
“No,” he said. “None of it.”
Legal slid a folder forward.
“These emails were sent from a blocked account,” she said. “The screenshots don’t match our system headers. We believe they were altered.”
The compliance director leaned in.
“Even if they’re fake,” he said, “this situation puts the company at risk. Public perception—”
Javier cut him off, voice sharp.
“Public perception is why I became a coward in the first place,” he said. Then he stopped, realizing what he’d admitted.
The room went still.
Riveros’s eyes narrowed, not angry—curious.
Javier inhaled slowly.
“I’m going to tell you the truth,” he said. “Not the polished version.”
Everyone waited.
Javier looked at the table, then up at Riveros.
“I brought my secretary to the gala because I was ashamed to bring my wife,” he said. “I thought Sofía didn’t ‘fit’ in a room like that. I convinced myself it was about her comfort, but it was about my ego.”
A stunned silence.
The compliance director blinked as if he’d misheard.
Riveros didn’t react. He just listened.
Javier continued, voice steady now—like speaking the truth was painful, but also freeing.
“My wife is the most accomplished person I know. And I treated her like an inconvenience,” he said. “That’s on me.”
One executive cleared his throat.
“Javier… why would you—”
“Because I’m done hiding behind titles,” Javier said. “And because whoever made those fake emails did it to hurt her. They targeted her because they knew she’s stronger than all of us in this room.”
The lawyer slid her glasses up.
“We can investigate,” she said. “We’ll trace the source.”
Riveros finally sat down.
And when he spoke, the room quieted again.
“This isn’t just about a rumor,” Riveros said. “This is about character.”
He turned toward Javier.
“You brought your wife into this company’s orbit and failed to protect her from the ugliness of corporate politics,” Riveros said. “But you also did something most people never do.”
Javier swallowed.
“You told the truth when it could cost you.”
Riveros tapped the table once, decisive.
“Here’s what’s going to happen,” he said. “We will investigate the sabotage. We will clear Mrs. Mendoza publicly. And we’re going to launch a new education partnership initiative.”
The executives perked up.
Riveros looked directly at Javier.
“And you,” he said, “will not be the face of it.”
Javier flinched—then nodded, accepting.
Riveros’s voice didn’t soften, but it wasn’t cruel.
“If you want redemption, you’ll earn it quietly,” Riveros said. “Not by standing in front of your wife. By standing behind what she’s building.”
Javier exhaled.
“Yes,” he said. “That’s fair.”
Riveros glanced to legal.
“Get me the proof,” he said. “And call Mrs. Mendoza. I want to apologize to her personally.”
Sofía didn’t melt. She didn’t gloat. She didn’t beg.
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