22. Sebastian
CHAPTER 22
sebastian
T he stables smelled of hay and leather when I arrived just before dawn. The bean of my flashlight caught dust motes dancing in the air as I made my way to the office tucked in the back. Carlos loved it here—said he did his best thinking surrounded by the quiet strength of the horses.
My fingers traced the worn, brass nameplate on his door. Carlos Perez, Stable Master. He had insisted on keeping the title even after becoming CEO, claiming it kept him humble. Now I wondered if he'd been keeping more than his ego in check.
"You're early." Maxine's whisper made me jump. She was wearing riding clothes, her hair tucked under a cap. Smart—anyone who saw us would assume we were going for an early morning ride.
"Couldn't sleep." I pulled out the key Sebastian had given me for my birthday. "You ready?"
She nodded, glancing over her shoulder. "Brooklyn's covering for us. She'll text if anyone heads this way."
The lock turned with a quiet click. The office was exactly as Carlos left it—dusty ledgers lining wooden shelves, faded ribbons from horse shows pinned to a corkboard, a half-empty coffee mug still sitting on the desk. My throat tightened at the sight.
"Over here." Maxine moved to the large portrait of Midnight Star, Carlos's favorite stallion. "Dad always said his most precious possessions were hidden in plain sight."
Together, we lifted the heavy frame. Behind it, a small wall safe gleamed in our flashlight beams.
"The combination"—Maxine's hands shook slightly as she reached for the dial—"he used to say I was his lucky number."
"Your birthday," I realized. She nodded, spinning the dial: 10-24-06.
The safe opened with a soft hiss. Inside, a leather-bound ledger and a USB drive sat beside a manila envelope marked ‘INSURANCE’.
"He knew," Maxine breathed out, reaching for the envelope. "He must have known they were planning something."
A floorboard creaked behind us.
"Well, well." My father's voice turned my blood to ice. "Isn't this cozy?"
We spun around. He was blocking the doorway, Ciara's elegant figure visible just behind him. Their expressions were identical masks of cold fury.
"I must say, I'm disappointed." Dad stepped into the office, his expensive shoes silent on the wooden floor. "Though I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. Like father, like daughter, always sticking your nose where it doesn't belong."
"What did you do to my dad?" Maxine's voice was steel; her hand found mine in the darkness.
"Why don't you ask your mother?" I kept my eyes on Dad, but my words were for Ciara. "After all, she's the one who insisted he take the mountain road that night."
"You ungrateful children." Ciara's perfectly manicured hands clenched into fists. "You have no idea what we've sacrificed to protect this family's legacy."
"Protect it?" Maxine's laugh was bitter and held no amusement. "By murdering my father?"
"Carlos was going to destroy everything we built." Dad's voice was eerily calm. "He discovered certain... arrangements we'd made with investors. Threatened to expose us. We couldn't let that happen."
"So, you killed him." The words tasted like ash in my mouth. "Your best friend. Your business partner."
"We gave him a chance to cooperate." Ciara stepped forward, reaching for the envelope in Maxine's hand. "He chose poorly."
Maxine jerked back, but there was nowhere to go. We were cornered.
"Give me the envelope, darling." Ciara's smile was razor-sharp. "And we'll forget this unfortunate incident."
"Like hell." I stepped in front of Maxine, my heart pounding. "It's over. We have proof of what you did."
"Do you?" Dad raised an eyebrow. "And who exactly do you think will believe two lovesick teenagers over respected business leaders? Especially when those teenagers are caught in such a... compromising position?"
The implication hit me like a punch to the gut. They'd use our relationship against us, paint us as unstable, untrustworthy.
"You're bluffing." But even as I said it, I could see the triumph in their eyes.
"The board already has concerns about Maxine's stability since her father's death." Ciara's voice dripped false concern. "Add in a forbidden romance with her stepbrother, theft of company documents... Well, it would be a shame if she had to be declared unfit to inherit her shares."
"You wouldn't," Maxine whispered.
"Try us." Dad reached for the envelope. "Now, let's handle this like family."
The word caught in my chest like broken glass. Family. Was that what we were? This twisted web of secrets and lies?
My phone buzzed—Brooklyn's warning signal. More footsteps in the corridor.
"Actually"—a new voice cut through the tension—"I think we'll handle this like law enforcement."
A gentleman stepped into the office, flanked by two officers. "David Trevino, Ciara Perez Trevino, you're under arrest for the murder of Carlos Perez and conspiracy to commit fraud."
“I am Detective Martinez with the San Antonio Federal Bureau of Investigations.”
The next few minutes were a blur of Miranda rights and handcuffs. I held Maxine as her whole body shook. We watched our parents being led away and put into the back of a cop car. Dad's last look of betrayal would be burned into my memory.
"How?" I asked Detective Martinez once we were alone.
She held up her phone. "Your sister's been working with us for weeks. Recording conversations, gathering evidence. The anonymous email sent to David? That was Brooklyn sending proof to your father from an anonymous account. We just needed you two to lead us to the physical evidence."
"Brooklyn?" Maxine looked dazed.
Martinez's expression softened and he explained, "After what Sebastian told her and her finding some irregularities in the company books, she came to us, worried they might target you next, Maxine. The stable meet up was her idea—she knew they'd follow you if they thought you were getting close to the truth."
I closed my eyes, remembering Brooklyn's warnings. Be careful. This wasn't just about the company anymore. My brilliant, protective little sister.
"What happens now?" Maxine's voice was small.
"Now"—I pulled her closer—"we honor your father's legacy. We build the company to what he always dreamed it could be."
"Together?"
"Together." I pressed my lips to her forehead. "Always."
Through the office window, dawn could be seen rising over the mountains. But, as Maxine's fingers laced with mine, I felt something else break too—the web of lies that had entangled our families for so long.
We were free now. Free to grieve, to heal, to love without shadows.
And somewhere, I hoped Carlos was watching, finally at peace.