ANA:
Awkward would be an understatement right now.
Sitting with Enzo, Mark, Lara, and the rest of the team feels like being part of a talk show—one where I recognize the faces but don't really know the people behind them.
Never in my life did I imagine I'd be sitting in the same room as the Devil, discussing his next course of action. Nor did I ever think that the best friend I've trusted all my life would betray me.
I know she has her reasons. That doesn't change the fact that she lied.
And me? I don't even know what to expect from life anymore.
Jaden breaks the silence, his voice steady. "Russo is a cunning fox. He knows the real threats are lurking outside, so he's doubled down on security. He's got bodyguards on him 24/7." He pulls up a picture on his tablet—Russo, flanked by ten men, their movements synchronized, their presence an impenetrable wall. "Taking them out won't be an issue, but here's the catch—he's barely making any public appearances."
"So, catching him is hard?" Rio groans. "We could break into his house!"
"That's not easy either," Enzo says, arms crossed. "With Brown's backing, his house is under constant surveillance. And even if I manage to break in, the guards are on high alert. After all the bodies that have been turning up these past few months, Boston PD is finally giving a damn. They're protecting the wrong person, but at least they're prioritizing the case."
I watch Enzo as he explains the layout of Russo's mansion, detailing security routes and entry points with alarming precision. Where the hell did he get all this information?
Does he have the same intel on my house too?
Is that how he used to break in?
I shake the thought away, mentally slapping myself for letting old memories surface.
Mark, who's been quiet until now, finally stands. "We do have a lead," he announces.
Every head turns toward him.
"Lately, Russo has been visiting someone. Every day. He spends hours there. And it's the only time he's ever alone—his bodyguards wait outside."
Lara frowns. "Who?"
Mark hesitates before answering.
"Abby Garcia."
The room stills.
I watch as Lara's face drains of color. Just for a second. But then she smooths her expression, like it never happened.
Mark exhales, running a hand down his face before sitting beside her. His voice drops to something softer, something almost hesitant.
"Baby... it's possible that we might need to eliminate your mother too."
"Mother." Lara laughs—sharp, bitter. Then, standing abruptly, she shakes her head. "She's everything but a mother, Mark."
Without another word, she turns and disappears into the room.
And no one stops her.
I sighed. "We could do this the hard way, or we could just go to my dad and tell him everything. I'm sure he'd help us."
Silence.
No reaction. Not even a glance.
Enzo, Mark, Jaden, and Rio continued their discussion like I wasn't even there, their voices blending into the background. Like I was uninvited to my own damn life.
Frustrated, I got up and walked away, desperate for some air.
The balcony stretched wide, open to a breathtaking view. The kind of view that people dream about—that I dream about. Lush greenery surrounded the estate, with flowers in full bloom and birds chirping in the distance. The morning air carried the scent of fresh earth and jasmine, wrapping around me in a way that made my heart ache.
Anyone—scratch that, I—would kill to wake up here every morning.
"And you could have all of this, my Estrelita."
I gasped, spinning around.
Enzo stood there, watching me. Catching me off guard.
I hadn't even heard him approach. He stepped closer, his presence overwhelming as he turned me back toward the view, his voice like a whisper against my skin.
"All you have to do... is say yes."
I hated this.
Hated how my body betrayed me, how my pulse quickened at his touch. Hated how, no matter how much I despised him, some twisted part of me still wanted him.
Still fell for him.
Mentally cursing myself, I shoved him away, snapping myself out of the trance.
I crossed my arms, lifting a brow. "What, you read minds now?"
He chuckled, a slow, deliberate sound. "Only when it comes to you, my love."
I rolled my eyes. "I'm not your love."
"We'll see about that." he murmured, brushing off my words like they meant nothing. "For now, we need to leave."
I frowned. "Leave? Go where?"
Enzo smirked. "Oh, I think you'd want to see the people you've been searching for all this time."
I blinked, my heart skipping a beat. What the hell was he talking about?
Before I could ask, Jaden stepped in. "Enzo, they're here."
My breath hitched as a middle-aged man with a full beard and flaming red hair stepped into the room, his hands tied behind his back. Beside him, a woman in an elegant designer dress stood in the same position, bound and silent.
San Dios. Diana Moretti.
I felt the blood drain from my face.
For a split second, fear flickered in their eyes as Enzo stepped toward them, his movements slow, deliberate.
"Well, well... the infamous San Dios and Diana Moretti in the flesh." His voice was laced with amusement, but the ice underneath was unmistakable.
Jaden, Rio, and the others tightened their circle around them. Even though their hands were tied, Enzo's men remained on high alert.
San Dios let out a mocking laugh, his lips curling into a sneer. "And the so-called 'Devil' is just a kid?" He scoffed. "I expected more."
Enzo's smirk didn't waver. "And you'll get more." He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a chilling whisper. "Right before you die."
My stomach twisted. "Wait—are they really San Dios and Diana Moretti?" My voice came out in a whisper, still unable to believe what I was seeing. "The ones who betrayed my mother?"
Enzo turned to me, his cold eyes locking onto mine. He nodded.
My mother's betrayers. Standing right in front of me.
Alive. Breathing.
"But David said they vanished after getting bailed out," I said, my mind spinning. "The person who bailed them wasn't even on record! How did you—?"
"It was Russo." Jaden cut in. "He helped them escape. The bail wasn't in his name, and we're still trying to find out who handled it for him. But last night, while patrolling near Russo's mansion, we caught these two running off with a stack of his money."
Enzo let out a humorless chuckle. "Cowards always run when the ship starts sinking."
I stepped forward, my pulse hammering in my ears. "Why?" My voice was barely above a whisper, but the weight behind it was crushing. "Why did you help them kill my mother? Why did you betray her?"
I hated this. Hated that I couldn't control my emotions. My throat burned, tears threatened to spill, but I refused to break. Not in front of them.
Diana tilted her head, finally speaking for the first time. "Your mother?" Her voice was almost curious. "You're Emma's daughter?"
I scoffed. "I don't think you're even worthy of saying her name."
Diana let out a laugh—soft, cruel, chilling.
"Oh, you're just like her," she mused. "So naïve. So innocent. It almost makes me want to break you... all over again." Her eyes glinted with something sick and twisted. "Reliving that moment would be... exhilarating."
My stomach churned. She's vile. Rotten to the core.
I swallowed the disgust crawling up my throat. "Why?" My voice was steel now. "Why did you hate her so much? She thought you were her friend."
Diana only smirked. And that was the most terrifying thing of all.
"Why wouldn't I?" Diana let out a sharp, mocking laugh. "She was the golden girl, and I was just... nothing. She had everything handed to her on a silver platter, while I had to claw my way up from the dirt. My father? Just a driver to her family. And if she really considered me a friend, do you think I would've had to struggle so much? No. She got the best of everything—the best life, the best men, the best opportunities." Her eyes burned with resentment. "So, I made a promise to myself. I wasn't going to stand on the sidelines and watch. I was going to take everything she had."
My blood turned cold. "So... it was all just for money?" I asked, barely believing what I was hearing.
San Dios scoffed from beside her. "Oh honey, everything is about money." His grin was sinister. "We did what we had to."
My hands clenched into fists. "No..." My voice trembled with fury. "You didn't 'do what you had to'—you committed a crime! You—"
I lunged toward them, rage blinding my senses. But before I could reach them, San struck first.
A brutal kick to my stomach sent me crashing to the ground, the impact knocking the breath out of my lungs. Pain flared through my ribs, sharp and unforgiving.
"You're just as foolish as your mother." San loomed over me, his voice dripping with venom. "And just like her, you trust the wrong people. The one you trust the most? That's the one who wants you dead."
Before I could react, Diana took advantage of the chaos. With a sudden, vicious movement, she kicked Rio hard in the ribs. He staggered, falling to one knee, gasping for air.
Jaden and Raven didn't hesitate. They charged. The room exploded into chaos as fists and bodies clashed.
Despite their bound hands, San and Diana fought like warriors—vicious, precise, and lethal.
San headbutted Raven, sending her stumbling back as blood gushed from her nose. But she didn't even flinch—with a growl, she struck back, landing a brutal punch square in his face. The sickening crunch of bone echoed as San staggered, cursing.
Jaden swung at Diana, but she dodged, twisting like a snake before ramming her shoulder into his gut, forcing him backward.
Damn it. Even with their hands tied, they were dangerous. I scrambled to my feet, my pulse hammering, but before I could join the fight—
"Enough!"
Enzo's voice cut through the chaos like a blade. He stood in the middle of the carnage, his stance unshaken, his gun aimed directly at San and Diana. His expression was pure ice.
"You two are nothing but disgusting, greedy parasites." His voice was eerily calm, dripping with contempt. "A plague on this world. And for the betterment of everyone... you need to die."
Before either of them could move—Two gunshots rang out. The bullets hit their marks with deadly precision—straight to the forehead.
San and Diana crumpled to the ground, their bodies lifeless. Eyes wide. Staring into the void. Blood pooled beneath them, thick and dark.
I couldn't move.
My breath hitched. My stomach twisted. My mind screamed. I stared at their lifeless bodies, horror sinking into my bones as the weight of it all crashed down on me.
What the hell had I just gotten myself into?