Valeria's POV

Claudia leaned forward after I told her everything that happened to me after she left us, resting her elbows on the table, her gaze locked onto mine.

"You really want to know who gave Victor the order?" she asked.

I didn't hesitate. "Yes." She exhaled slowly, like she was bracing herself. Then she said a name. "Ignacio Contreras."

My stomach dropped. I knew that name. Everyone did. Not because he was a criminal. Not because he ran a cartel. Because he was a senator. A businessman. A kingmaker.

Because he was the kind of man who didn't need to pull a trigger himself-he made people disappear with a phone call.

Claudia watched as I processed it. "Surprised?"

I clenched my jaw, forcing myself to stay calm. "Why the hell would he care about Julia?"

Claudia shook her head. "It was never about Julia. It was about Salvador. He needed him to back out of a major deal. Julia was leverage."

I felt something cold slither down my spine. "And now?"

"Now, he's doing the same thing to your girl's father." I stiffened.

Emilia's father. Mr. Hayes.

I should have seen this coming. The threats, the silent warnings, Victor Espinoza watching Emilia-it was never about the past.

It was about control.

Claudia's expression darkened. "Ignacio Contreras is the one who sent Victor as a guard for Salvador's estate. That's how Carlos and the crew got in that night." A sharp pulse of realization shot through me. My breath stalled.

Victor is in the house with Emilia. Not just watching her. Preparing. He was going to do exactly what he did before. I pushed up from the table, heart hammering, body already moving.

"Where are you going?" Claudia demanded. I turned back, my voice steady despite the fire burning inside me.

"To stop him." She exhaled sharply, running a hand through her hair. "And what's your plan? Go charging into her house alone? You really think that's going to work?"

I hesitated.

No, I needed someone to back me up. Someone who could make Mr. Hayes believe me that they were in danger before it was too late. I knew exactly who to go to.

I grabbed my jacket and headed for the door. "But they'll listen to Salvador," I said.

"Valeria," Claudia called after me. I turned slightly, catching the look in her eyes-concern, something close to worry.

She shook her head. "Wait, I'll go with you."

The air outside was thick with humidity, the streets damp from an earlier rain. I moved quickly, my mind running ahead of my feet, knowing every second counted.

Victor was inside Emilia's house. And if I was right, he wasn't just watching anymore-he was preparing.

I had to stop him before history repeated itself. Before another daughter was lost.

Beside me, Claudia moved just as fast, her breath even, her hands tucked inside her jacket pockets. She kept stealing glances at me, like she was trying to gauge where my head was at.

"Are you sure he'll listen?" she asked.

"No," I admitted. "But I don't care. He's going to hear me whether he wants to or not."

Salvador Montiel wasn't the kind of man who listened to ghosts. His entire life had been built on power, deals, and betrayals. But I wasn't coming to him as a ghost. I was coming to him with the truth.

And the moment he heard Ignacio Contreras' name, everything would change. We reached the estate a little past midnight. It was quiet-too quiet.

Claudia exhaled beside me. "You sure about this?"

"No," I said again. "But it's happening anyway." I stepped up to the intercom, pressing the call button.

Silence. Then a voice crackled through. Not Salvador's. Not one of his usual men.

"State your business." I clenched my jaw. I had been expecting resistance, but this? Something was off.

"Tell Salvador Montiel that it's about his daughter, Julia."

Silence. Then the line clicked dead. Claudia shifted beside me. "That's not a good sign."

No, it wasn't. A second later, the gate buzzed, unlocking.

"Here we go," I muttered.

The weight of the silence in Salvador Montiel's study pressed on me, almost suffocating. His cold eyes watched me, a controlled tension thick in the room, and I could feel the slow burn of his anger simmering beneath his calm demeanor.

"You have some nerves to come back here," Salvador said, his voice cutting through the stillness. "But you have two minutes to explain why you're standing in my house, talking about my daughter."

I didn't flinch. I couldn't afford to.

"Because the man who ordered Julia's death is still out there," I said, voice steady despite the storm brewing inside me. "And now, he's using Victor to get to Emilia Hayes."

Salvador's hand tightened around the glass in front of him, his gaze narrowing. "Victor?" He looked at me like I had just said something absurd.

I nodded slowly, my heart hammering against my ribs. "Victor Espinoza. He was one of your guards. He let us into your estate that night."

Salvador's eyes darkened as the reality of my words set in. His fingers rested on the edge of the glass, his entire posture still, like he was calculating, weighing everything in front of him.

"What do you want from me?" he asked, the edge of suspicion creeping into his tone.

I swallowed, knowing this wasn't the moment to falter. "I need you to help me. Help us."

He tilted his head, as if trying to dissect my intentions. "Why now? Why come to me with this information now?"

I didn't hesitate. "Because I know that you know Emilia Hayes-and I know she knew Julia."

At the mention of Emilia, Salvador's expression shifted slightly-a flicker of something human, a rare softness that I'd only seen in people who still had love to lose. He let out a breath, then spoke quietly, almost to himself. "Yes. She and Julia were close. Very close. They were best friends since they were little kids."

I stiffened at that. Emilia knew Julia. I hadn't known. At the time, I hadn't dared to ask too many questions, too afraid of learning more truths I wasn't ready for. But now... Now, the weight of it hit me like a hammer.

Salvador noticed my change in posture, his eyes narrowing. "You didn't know that, did you?"

I shook my head. "No. I didn't."

The silence stretched again, but I forced myself to push forward. I couldn't afford to dwell on it now.

"Victor is at Emilia's house right now," I said, my voice a bit harder than before. "And I need your help. For some reason, I don't know why, Mr. Hayes pissed Ignacio Contreras off, and now he's using Victor to get to him through Emilia."

I could see the wheels turning in Salvador's mind. His gaze remained fixed on me, skeptical but intrigued. "Why not go to them directly?" he asked. "Why come to me?"

I exhaled, shaking my head. "Because I'm not the person they'll trust. They won't listen to me."

Salvador's expression didn't shift, but I could see the gears turning. He was processing, weighing the cost of trusting me-or not trusting me.

For a moment, the silence stretched, thick with his doubt. Then he stood up, walking over to a small bar across the room, his back to me. "And why should I trust you? I saw you with them that night."

I opened my mouth to respond, but something in his posture-the subtle tension in his shoulders-told me he wasn't just questioning me. He was testing me.

I took a deep breath, my heart pounding in my chest. "Because if Contreras gets his way, not only will Emilia be in danger, but so will your family. This isn't just about business or power-this is about control. He'll keep using people like Victor Espinoza until he has everyone he wants under his thumb."

Salvador stood still, his back still to me, his fingers brushing against the rim of his glass. It was as though he was weighing my words carefully, trying to decide if he could believe me or if I was simply a risk he couldn't afford to take.

Finally, he turned around, his eyes sharp. "You're playing a dangerous game."

I didn't flinch. I didn't have the luxury of fear anymore. "So are you."

Salvador's gaze softened for just a moment-something almost like recognition passing through his eyes. But just as quickly, the hardness returned, and he set the glass down with a quiet clink.

"Fine," he said, his voice low and deliberate. "I'll help. But don't think I'm doing this for you. I'm doing this because Ignacio Contreras has crossed a line. He threatens my family. My daughter's memory."

I nodded, knowing that this was the first step in getting to the truth-and the first step toward stopping Contreras.

"Thank you," I said quietly.

Claudia, who had been silent up until this point, finally spoke up. "We don't have much time. If Contreras is making a move, we need to act fast. And we need to make sure Emilia stays safe."

Salvador nodded grimly. "I'll handle it. But don't expect me to trust you. Not yet. You'll have to prove yourself to me."

I stood a little straighter, determined not to let doubt creep in. "I will."

Salvador studied me, his silence heavy. He didn't trust me. I wouldn't trust me either. But I wasn't lying. And he knew it.

Salvador exhaled sharply, then reached for his glass, downing the rest of his drink in one motion. Then, he grabbed the gun. " Let's go."

Emilia's POV

The anger had faded. All that was left was regret.

A hollow, aching kind of regret that sat deep in my chest, pressing down on every breath, every thought.

I told myself I had done the right thing. That I had no choice. That Valeria had kept a truth from me that I couldn't ignore.

But now, I couldn't stop thinking about it. About her. Where was she? Was she okay? Was she even alive?

The thought made my stomach twist painfully. I had thrown her out.

I had sent her back into the world with nothing. No money. No place to go. No way to protect herself.

I should have waited. Should have calmed down. Should have let myself think before I reacted, before I let the pain swallow me whole and push her away.

Because the truth was, no matter what she had done, no matter what she had been, I couldn't live without her.

I had been angry-furious. I had wanted to hurt her, wanted her to feel even an ounce of the betrayal and loss that had torn through me when I realized she had been part of Julia's death.

But now?

Now, I couldn't shake the feeling that if anything happened to her-if she never came back-**it would be because of me.

Because I let her walk away when I should have held on.

I should have listened. I should have stayed. I pressed the heels of my palms into my eyes, my breathing uneven.

God, what if she was hurt? What if she had gone back to her old life? What if something worse had happened?

Would I even know? Would I ever get the chance to tell her that I-

A knock on my door jolted me from my thoughts.

I turned sharply, my pulse spiking for half a second before I forced myself to breathe.

It wasn't her. Of course, it wasn't her.

She was gone.

Swallowing against the weight in my throat, I crossed the room and opened the door.

Valeria's POV

The estate was dark, but I knew it was awake. Places like this never truly slept. There were too many people with too much money, and money always needed protection.

Salvador's driver pulled up to the side entrance. Not the main gate-this wasn't a visit, it was an intervention.

I stepped out first, the weight of the gun Salvador had given me firm in my grip. Claudia followed, silent but sharp-eyed, her hand already resting on her own weapon. Salvador came last, slower, more measured-a man with nothing to prove but everything to reclaim.

We moved through the side path toward the back entrance, sticking to the shadows. I had learned a long time ago that houses like this were built like fortresses, but every fortress had weak spots.

And I had been raised in the weak spots.

When we reached the side of the house, I spotted him. Victor.

He was standing near the back door, speaking quietly into his phone, his back turned.

I didn't hesitate. I stepped forward, pressing the cold barrel of the gun right between his ribs. Close enough that he could feel it.

He stiffened.

"Quiet," I murmured in his ear. "Unless you want me to make a mess of this suit."

Claudia was next to him in an instant, her hand swift and practiced as she took his gun from its holster. She tossed it to Salvador, who caught it without a word.

Victor's muscles tensed under my grip. But he didn't move. Didn't resist.

Smart man. I leaned in just a fraction, my voice low. "Walk."

He obeyed.

We moved quickly, ushering him through the back door, down a hall, and straight to Hayes' office. Salvador led the way, his presence enough to clear the path without a word.

When we entered the office, Mr. Hayes was sitting at his desk, a glass of whiskey in his hand, his brows furrowed as he looked up at us. His confusion turned into outright disbelief when he saw Salvador Montiel step inside, followed by **me, Claudia, and Victor-**a gun to his back.

"What the hell is this?" Hayes demanded, standing up. His gaze flicked to me, then to Salvador. "Montiel, what is the meaning of this?"

Salvador didn't answer immediately.

He took his time. Walked to the center of the room, poured himself a drink from Hayes' bar, took a sip.

Then he looked at Victor. And smiled. Like a man who had finally caught a rat that had been gnawing at his foundation.

"You've had a snake in your house, Hayes," Salvador said, setting the glass down with a quiet clink. "And I'm here to cut off its head."

Hayes' gaze snapped to Victor. "What?"

Victor didn't speak. Didn't move.

He just stood there, stiff, knowing he had no control over the room anymore.

Salvador exhaled, rolling his shoulders like this was an inconvenience more than anything else. "Years ago, my daughter was murdered. A hit, carried out on my own estate." He let the words settle before continuing, "And guess who let them in?"

Hayes glanced between him and Victor, but he didn't interrupt.

Salvador turned, gesturing lazily in Victor's direction. "You've met him. He was one of my guards back then. You probably thought he was one of yours now."

Hayes' eyes flickered. "He was assigned to us-"

Salvador laughed, but there was nothing amused about it. "No. He was planted."

The words dropped like a hammer. I pressed the gun a little firmer into Victor's back, watching as his fingers twitched at his sides.

Salvador took another step toward the desk. "Do you know who gave the order on Julia?"

"Carlos pulled the trigger," Salvador admitted, picking up his drink again. "But the man who gave the order? The one who has been orchestrating every move?"

Silence. Then Salvador said it.

"Ignacio Contreras."

The name hung in the air like a death sentence. I felt Victor shift-just slightly. Enough for me to know he was panicking now.

Hayes' face darkened, his grip tightening around the armrest of his chair. "You're saying Ignacio Contreras ordered your daughter's death?"

Salvador nodded. "And now he's coming for yours." Hayes' face barely reacted, but I saw the way his shoulders tensed. Victor knew we had everything.

He hadn't said a word yet, but he was listening. Listening and understanding that he had nowhere left to run.

Salvador turned to him, his expression cold. "Anything you'd like to say?"

Victor didn't blink. Didn't move.

But I could feel his pulse thrumming under his skin-sharp and fast, like a caged animal waiting to lash out.

He wasn't going to go down without a fight. And we weren't leaving without answers.

Emilia's POV

I had barely slept. Every night since Valeria left, I had drowned in my own regret. The anger had burned out, leaving only guilt, uncertainty, and something far worse-emptiness.

I told myself she was gone. That I had made my choice. That I had to live with it. But the truth was, I wasn't living at all.

And then Lucia walked into my room, her face pale, her breath unsteady.

I looked up, immediately uneasy. "What's wrong?"

She hesitated for a split second, then said, "Valeria is here."

My heart stopped. I barely processed the rest of her words as they tumbled out.

"She came with Julia's father-. And some other woman. I thought she had lost her damn mind, Miss Emilia." Lucia's voice was rushed, urgent. "I was about to go down there, to calm her down, but then I heard it." She swallowed. "They have Victor at gunpoint."

The words made my stomach twist violently.

Lucia kept talking, but my mind was racing ahead, piecing things together.

Valeria was protecting me. Even after I threw her out. Even after I made her believe she was a monster. Even after I hurt her in every way possible.

But the thought that was louder than anything else-

Valeria is alive. She is back. And she is downstairs.

I ran.

I barely heard Lucia calling my name as I ripped through the hallways, my breath ragged, my pulse pounding in my ears.

I didn't think. Didn't hesitate. Didn't care who else was in that room-

I just needed to see her.

My hands slammed against the heavy doors of my father's study, throwing them open.

The entire room froze. For a split second, no one moved.

Salvador. My father. A woman I don't know. Valeria-Valeria, standing there, a gun pressed against Victor's head.

Her gaze barely had time to meet mine before everything shattered.

In that second of distraction-that one second of hesitation-

I saw Victor move. His hand reached for his ankle. For the gun strapped to his leg.

His eyes locked onto me-and I knew. He was going to shoot me.

I didn't have time to react. The world exploded.

A gunshot.