It was only a matter of time before the backlash hit. I knew the moment I stepped into that warehouse, exposing the corruption, that I would become a target. But I never imagined it would come so quickly—like a storm that builds in silence before it breaks.
The days after the warehouse confrontation were a blur. The media frenzy only grew, but so did the pressure on me. Every hour felt like a countdown. The phone calls, the messages, the threats—they were all piling up.
Then, the phone call came. It was from Carlos.
"Santiago," he said, his voice tense, "you need to listen carefully. The higher-ups... they're moving fast. The system is closing in on you. The judge is calling for your expulsion."
"What do you mean?" I asked, confusion seeping into my voice.
"They're going to expel you from the city, from the legal community. They're saying you overstepped, that you were never meant to uncover what you did. The corruption is too big, Santiago. They're going to make you a scapegoat."
I sat in silence for a long moment. It was exactly what I had feared—the moment I crossed the line, the moment I became a threat, the system would fight back.
A few hours later, I was summoned to the courthouse. The room was cold and sterile, the air thick with the weight of impending judgment. The judges, once allies, now sat before me with expressions that were unreadable.
They made no effort to hide their contempt. Judge Vega, the one I had trusted, stood up from his seat, his face hardening.
"Santiago Del Valle," he began, his voice sharp. "You have exposed information that was never meant to come to light. You have interfered in matters that do not concern you. You have violated the boundaries set by law and order. For that, you will be expelled from your position, from this city, and from the legal community."
The words felt like a punch to the gut, but I didn't flinch. I stood tall, my eyes locked on Judge Vega.
"You think this is justice?" I said, my voice rising. "You think kicking me out will make the corruption go away? You think the truth can just be buried? The people know what's happening! They won't stop."
"The people don't control this system," Vega shot back, his eyes narrowing. "You do not have the right to expose things that were never meant for public knowledge. The consequences of your actions are greater than you realize, Santiago."
I could feel the weight of his words pressing down on me. The truth had cost me everything—my career, my reputation, my place in the system that had once been my life.
But even as they expelled me, I didn't regret a thing. I had made my choice. And if I had to stand alone against the tide of corruption, then that was a fight I was willing to take.
I was escorted out of the courthouse by two guards, my heart heavy with a sense of finality. The doors of the place that had once been my sanctuary now felt like the gates of a prison closing behind me.
As I stepped out into the cold air, I saw the reporters gathered outside. The cameras were on me, flashing incessantly, trying to catch a glimpse of the broken man.
But I wasn't broken. Not yet.
I took a deep breath and faced the crowd. "I may be expelled from this city, but the truth remains," I said, my voice steady. "The corrupt will not silence me, and they will not silence you. This is not over. This is just the beginning."
The reporters scrambled to capture my words, but I didn't stay long. There was nothing left for me here. No matter what they had taken from me, I knew I had started something that couldn't be stopped.