(POV Mia)
The hallway clock showed almost ten at night when Mia left the library. The campus was silent, only the distant murmur of a group of students broke the calm. She tucked her notebook into her backpack and thought about Saval and Semiel. Two days without speaking. This can't go on.
Her phone vibrated. It was a message from Antonella: I need to tell you something important. It's about Santiago and Xavier. Let's meet tomorrow.
Mia stopped in her tracks. Antonella… after all this time. She felt a pang of distrust, but also a spark of hope.
—What are you up to now?— she murmured to herself, putting her phone away.
She decided to go to her dorm first. There, the smell of coffee her roommate had left in the air comforted her. She dropped her backpack on the chair and turned on her laptop to distract herself.
As she browsed through the university files, a new folder appeared in her institutional email: "Internal tests – confidential." She thought it was a mistake, but when she opened it, she saw scanned documents with official stamps. They were contracts and financial reports.
She frowned. —This isn't normal…—
As she scrolled, she found a repeated name: Santiago Vargas. And on another page, Xavier Leclerc. Each document showed different signatures for the same person. The dates didn't match.
This looks like forgery.
Her heart pounded. Why me? She stood up and paced around the room.
—Calm down, Mia. Think,— she whispered.
She picked up her phone and called David.
—What's wrong?— he answered, his voice sleepy.
—David, I need you to come over. I found something… big.
—I'm on my way.
She hung up and looked back at the screen. Each document was a piece of a dangerous puzzle. If this is real, Santiago didn't just lie… he may have committed a serious crime.
A few minutes later, David arrived with his hair messy and his jacket thrown on haphazardly.
—What's going on?—
Mia turned the laptop toward him. —Look at these files. Someone sent them to my university email.
David leaned in. His eyes widened in astonishment. —These signatures… they're clearly forged.
—And Santiago's and Xavier's names are here,— she said, barely above a whisper.
David ran a hand over his face. —This is… serious.
—Antonella texted me a little while ago. She wants to talk tomorrow. Says it's about them.
He looked at her cautiously. —Do you think she's the one who sent this?
—I don't know. But if she did, it means she's on our side.
They fell silent, processing. Outside, rain began tapping against the window.
Mia took a deep breath. —We have to save this. If it disappears…
David nodded. —I'll make a copy on my USB.
As he transferred the files, Mia felt a mix of fear and determination. This could change everything. Saval, Semiel… they need to know, but in due time.
When David finished, he looked at her seriously. —Let's not talk about this with anyone else. For now.
—Okay,— she replied, though her mind was already planning the conversation with Antonella.
The rain outside intensified, like a curtain sealing the night. Mia closed the laptop and hugged herself. This is the beginning of the end for Santiago and Xavier.