administrator rule.
Who had administrative authority over executive legal filters?
Ramón’s office.
The pattern widened.
This was no impulsive family interference.
It was operational.
Prepared.
Alejandro asked the question Elena had been asking from the beginning.
“Why?”
The answer appeared inside a company audit.
Ramón had been stealing.
For at least six years.
Not small amounts.
Not one account.
He had created consulting entities tied to construction projects.
Legal retainers.
Land acquisitions.
Permit services.
Payments moved through companies controlled by associates.
The preliminary total exceeded twelve million dollars.
Alejandro stared at the spreadsheet.
“Why would Lucía matter?”
Elena opened another file.
“She noticed something.”
Alejandro looked up.
“What?”
“Eight months ago, your wife attended the foundation budget meeting.”
“I remember.”
“She asked why a legal-services invoice appeared twice.”
Alejandro remembered that too.
Lucía had mentioned it over dinner.
He barely listened.
She said one vendor name looked familiar.
