"You scared me! What are you doing here?" Ana scolds me, getting out of bed and standing in front of me. "I thought you were an intruder!"

"Calm down. I just came to see if the windows are closed," I say with a scowl on my face.

"Why would they even be opened?" She asks, putting her hands on her hips.

"It doesn't matter. You can go back to sleep." I start making my way out, but a hand grabs my arm, stopping me.

"Rafael..."

"What?" I harshly reply, making her flinch a little bit.

I immediately feel bad because it wasn't what I intended to do, it just came out like that.

She glares and lets go of my arm. "Nothing! Get out."

I roll my eyes and leave, hearing the door slammed behind me.

Fuck, she's mad.

I go to my office, two doors away from Ana's room, the one beside my room. Only my office is located close to my room because of my lazy ass, but the rest are on the third floor.

I push the door open and walk in. My mother is already sitting on my chair, browsing through my laptop.

"Mamá, qué estás haciendo aquí?" I ask, walking further into the room. She looks mad as a frown adorned her beautiful face.

-Mom, what are you doing here?

She slams the laptop shut and glares at me. "I was passing by Ana's room and heard you two."

"Okay?"

"Okay? I raised you better than that, Rafaelo."

I hold back rolling my eyes because I don't want to be murdered by her. Trust me, she'll do it. "I didn't do anything, mama."

"You were rude!" she yells. "Didn't I teach you to be a gentleman?" she asks a rhetorical question, but I answer anyway.

"No..." I shake my head as a no, making her angrier. "I am joking!" I quickly say when I see her sad face.

I was joking, really.

"You will treat her better, Rafaelo, or I swear I'll tear you apart! Understood?" Her voice booms across the room, making goosebumps crawl on my skin.

"Yes, mamá." I nod.

"Good." With that, she walks out and slams the door shut, not caring who wakes up from the noise.

Fuck, she's really mad.

From a very young age, my mother started teaching me how to treat girls. I was doing great until Alba grew up and I had to punch every guy who looked at her the wrong way. That's when I threw everything my mother taught me away. I couldn't even treat Alba like a lady, mostly because I wanted a brother. We used to wrestle, train with one another, and curse at each other. I also used to annoy her a lot, making her wish she had another brother. I still do.

Alba is my favorite person after my mother. She's my best friend and partner in crime. she could be annoying sometimes, but there isn't a day that goes by that I don't talk to her.

And she's the only person I go to when I need to get something out of my chest.

I knock gently on her bedroom door and wait for her to open. After waiting for a few seconds, she finally opens the door. A sleeping mask is placed on her head as she looks lazily at me. "Rafa? What are you doing here?"

I sigh before saying, "Necesito hablar."

- I need to talk.

She opens the door wider and ushers me in. She sits on the bed and crosses her legs, giving me a sign that I could start talking.

"Well, mom is mad at me." I huff, burying my face in my hands.

"I kinda heard yelling, why?"

"She was passing by Ana's room and heard me speaking with her rudely. I didn't really do anything, just my tone was a little harsh."

Alba closes her eyes for a few seconds and then reopens them. "Rafa, you know how mamá acts when it comes to behavior. Why are you being rude to Ana? Did she do something?"

"No, she didn't. That's the problem."

"What do you mean?" Alba furrows her eyebrows and tilts her head.

"I...I kind of...well, I feel something."

"I don't get you, Rafael. What do you mean?"

"Fuck, do I have to say it? I have a crush on her."

"So, let me get this straight," she starts with a grin, "You have a crush on Ana, yet you are being rude to her, and that's why?"

"Alba, did you forget that I am engaged to Carmen?"

"Oh...yeah. I actually forgot." She chuckles, making me roll my eyes. "I have always hated Carmen, Hermano."

"Who doesn't," I mumble.

She sighs deeply before yawning. "Don't you want to break it off?" She asks.

"I want to, Alba. I told dad and he said that in a month if I still want to break it off, I could. But I know how much this marriage means to him and the mafia. I don't want to let him down."

"But Rafael, this is your life. You deserve to be happy. I am sure dad won't stand in your way, despite it being his idea to marry Carmen."

"I don't know what to do, Alba. I have never even been in a relationship other than with Carmen. I don't know what it feels like to love someone."

"Oh, trust me, it's the best feeling in the world," she replies with a smile, making me frown.

"Alba."

"Yes?"

"Who is he?"

"Who is who? What do you mean?" She quickly sits straight, avoiding looking into my eyes.

"Alba," I warn.

She yawns again and quickly says, "I am very tired and sleepy. Good night!"

She slips under the covers and waves at me like the idiot she is. I know what she's doing, I am not stupid.

"Fine. We will talk later, Alba. I won't forget."

I walk out of her room and go to mine.

Who the fuck could it be?

I try not to think about it as I try to sleep.

My phone suddenly pings, indicating that I received a message. I huff before grabbing the phone from my nightstand and unlocking it. I go to my messages only to see that Carmen left me one.

-Carmen: Quieres salir mañana? -Want to go out tomorrow?

I weight the pros and cons and decide to go out with her. It's the only option for me not to think about anyone else.

-Me: Okay.

-Carmen: Really?! Okay, my love. See you tomorrow.

-Me: See you.

* * *

The next day, I look for my mother to apologize to her. I hate when we fight or argue.

When I spot her standing behind the stove with Ana, I quickly make my way to her.

"Mamá."

She looks at me but doesn't say anything.

"Mamá, can we talk? Please."

She tells Ana to continue stirring whatever's in the pot and follows me outside.

"Si, Rafael?" -Yes.

"Lo siento." -I am sorry.

"About what?"

"Yesterday," I reply.

"I am not the one you should apologize to," she replies.

"Okay." I nod, walking back into the kitchen. Ana must have sensed my presence because she looks behind and her eyes landed on mine.

"Ana..."

"Yes?"

I walk further until I stand beside her. I take the spatula from her hand and stir the pot. "I am sorry about yesterday. I didn't mean to scare you, nor speak harshly with you. I was just mad and I shouldn't have taken it on you." It's a half lie.

She seems taken aback by my apology but quickly recovers. "Thanks...I guess. Anyways, it wasn't that big of a deal. I forgot about it."

Tell that to my mother.

I just nod and give her a small smile.

"So, you're working today?" I ask.

"Cody gave me a break today and said that there isn't too much work. He doesn't need me."

"Mhmm." I hum. "I think this is done," I say, turning off the gas.

"Thanks." She nods.

"Well, I'll see you later," I say and walk out of the kitchen. My mother is still standing outside as if she's waiting for me to give her a report on what happened.

"What wasn't so bad, was it?" She says, crossing her arms together.

I am thirty years old and I still get scolded, the fuck?

"Mom, did you see dad?" I ask, ignoring her earlier statement, earning a glare.

"Yes. The last time I saw him was in the backyard. He was watering the plants."

"Okay, thanks," I reply, turning around to leave, but stop, remembering to tell her something else. "By the way, Edwardo is visiting today."

"Okay, honey."

* * *

At dinner, my family's friend Edward, who works for the police station in Vancouver, came to visit. He's our undercover spy at the station, giving us reports every month on things related to the mafia. But since my father's, Cash's, and Alex's escape, he'll be visiting every week to give us updates on what the police find.

"Welcome, son," my father greets Edwardo.

"Thanks, papá. How are you?"

"I am alive." He chuckles.

"Come on inside!" My mother's cheerful voice brings a smile to everyone's lips.

We all sit around the dining table, minus Cody and Ana. After a few minutes, they came down together.

"Oh, Edwardo, this is the newest member of the family, Ana Wright," my father introduces Ana to Edwardo.

"Yes, head all about her at the station." Edwardo smiles, shaking Ana's hand.

"Nice to meet you, Edwardo," Ana replies.

Ana sits beside Cody across from me. She looks beautiful with her wavy chestnut hair and rose-colored cheeks. Her smile looks genuine, making her eyes pop. Overall, she looks gorgeous.

A tap on my thigh brings me back from my daydream. I look to my right greeting Alba's warning eyes as if she's telling me to stop staring because it's obvious.

"So, Edwardo, what's new?" My father asks.

"Well, they have searched Ana's old car and found someone's fingerprints, but not any of you. It traces Ana's father, Christopher. Ana, did you leave something in the car that your father wanted?"

Ana's face turns pale. She gulps and swallows hard.

"Ana?" My father calls.

"I...there's my book."

"Book? What book?" I ask this time.

"A book that's very important and cannot reach anyone's hand. We need to get it back." She panics.

"What's in the book, Ana?" My father asks.

"It's...my diary. If the police get it from my father, I'll officially become a murderer."

* * *