Chapter 49

Chapter 49

Gabriel Dantas

The hallway seems to narrow with each step. I feel the blood boiling in my veins, thoughts tangled under the weight of the accusation.

Leonardo accusing me of theft? Him, of all people, thinking I could betray his trust? It feels like a dagger to the chest. I’ve never faced such a ridiculous judgment. And worse, coming from someone who should know me better than anyone else.

The white lights above don’t comfort me. On the contrary, they expose me, strip me bare, as if everyone could see the rage pulsing under my skin. I grip the folder tightly, as if it’s the last thread holding me together.

At the end of the hallway, near the elevators, a silhouette stands out. Leaning against the wall with a damn smug air, Adrian stares at me with that crooked, poisonous smile. Arms relaxed, a mocking expression. The kind of provocation only he knows how to deliver.

— Rough day, Gabriel? — he says with sarcasm.

I stop in front of him. His eyes gleam with satisfaction, as if he’s won a dirty game. My jaw clenches, and the urge to wipe that smug smile off his face only grows stronger.

— You set me up, didn’t you, you bastard? You blue-eyed leech!

The blond lets out a short laugh, licks his lips, and feigns confusion.

— Look, I have no idea what you’re talking about.

— Oh, you don’t? — I let out a dry, bitter laugh. — Playing dumb now? You really think you can pull this off and walk away clean, you damn snake?

He flips his hair back like he’s some star in a cheesy scene.

— I’m not to blame if you’re a scammer, Gabriel.

My fists clench on instinct. Blood pounds in my ears, drowning out any trace of self-control.

— I warned you. I told you clear as day: if you made me lose my job, you’d pay dearly for it.

His eyes widen, but it’s too late. My fist crashes into his face with full force, and he collapses like a sack of bones. But I don’t stop. The indignation consumes me. I unleash my fury in blows, not thinking, not holding back.

— Help! — he screams, his voice high and terrified. — Someone get this lunatic off me!

I hear rushed footsteps approaching, but my focus remains on him. Blood drips from the corner of Adrian’s mouth, and yet he still smiles. That twisted gleam in his eyes is still there, even as he bleeds on the floor. It only enrages me more.

Security guards pull me away forcefully. One grabs my arms, another kneels beside the blond, who groans in pain but fakes a fragility I know he doesn’t possess.

— You’ll pay for this, you worm! — I spit, adjusting the folder over my shoulder as I stare at the damage I caused. — You set me up, but I’ll prove I’m innocent. And when I do... you’ll wish you’d never messed with me.

He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand, spitting blood on the cold floor. He stares at me with that mocking look, eyes gleaming with pleasure at the chaos he caused.

His hatred for me is nothing compared to the thrill he gets from trying to destroy me.

I step into the elevator, breathless. I jab the ground floor button like it’ll speed up my descent into the hell Adrian designed for me. I wipe the sweat from my forehead. My fingers tremble. The bitter taste of rage still lingers — in my mouth, on my hands, in my skin.

Before the door closes, he’s still there, lying on the floor, licking his bloodied teeth and smiling like he’s won, like he got exactly what he wanted.

That deranged look confirms it — he provoked me until I lost control, and now he’s going to use it against me.

The elevator doors shut. I’m alone with my reflection and the memory of every word said. Everything inside me screams. I’ve been framed, exposed, and now branded as violent. And all because of him.

Because of his envy. Because, no matter how well he tried to hide it, Adrian always wanted my place. Leonardo won’t talk to me about their past, but I’m certain that bastard was once something more intimate to him.

But he’s going to regret this.

Bloody teeth or not, I’ll prove my truth. And I’ll make sure he feels, in his own skin, every blow he tried to deal from the shadows. Because if he thinks this was the end, he has no idea — I’ve only just begun to fight.

As I step through the revolving door of the building, the warm air from the street hits my face and only fuels the fury burning inside. I raise my hand and, almost instantly, a taxi pulls up at the curb.

— Where to, sir? — the driver asks, glancing at me through the rearview mirror.

I lean back on the seat, pressing my fingers to my eyes, as if that might wash away the bitter taste of humiliation.

— Club Royale. Take me straight there, please.

The driver just nods and drives. Along the ride, I stare out the window at the passing city. The buildings, the streetlights, the unfamiliar faces... everything feels distant, irrelevant. The only thought pounding in my head is how unfair this all was.

How could Leonardo choose to believe that worm Adrian instead of me? Days of dedication, commitment, loyalty — thrown in the trash because of a planted rumor.

Minutes later, the taxi stops in front of the Royale. The glowing sign is the same. The facade too. It’s like time never moved since the days I used to walk in there almost daily. I pay the fare and step out without a word.

The club doors swing open, and I’m instantly greeted by muffled music and the familiar scent of liquor and old wood. My feet move on their own, led by memories I didn’t even try to summon.

In the corner of the room, I spot Alexandre surrounded by a few young guys practicing a routine. He gestures, giving directions, and then notices me. His eyes widen.

— Gabriel? — he drops what he’s doing and approaches. — Man... they say the prodigal son returns, but I wasn’t expecting to see you this soon. What happened?

I let out a heavy sigh. Just seeing him makes my body ease a little.

— I need to talk, Alexandre. I feel like garbage. And... I might be coming back here.

— Judging by your face, it’s serious — he says, furrowing his brow. — Come on, sit here.

We head to the bar. He settles into a cushioned stool, pours himself a whiskey, and grabs a bottle of smooth vodka for me, filling a wide glass.

I take a big gulp, almost draining half of it.

— Easy, Gabriel. — Alexandre eyes me. — What the hell happened to you?

— Today... — my voice cracks, but I go on. — Today, they accused me of theft, Alexandre. Theft! Something I’ve never stooped to, not even in my worst days, when I had nothing to eat. And worse... I was set up.

He whistles, surprised.

— Then it’s heavy stuff, for real.

— “Heavy” doesn’t even begin to cover it. I was betrayed by someone I trusted. And the worst part? Leonardo... he chose to believe that idiot Adrian. Accused me without even listening.

— So that’s it? — he leans back. — He chose the other guy?

— Yeah. Without hesitation.

Alexandre frowns, deep in thought.

— From what I gather... this Adrian guy probably had something with Leonardo in the past, right? And now he’s playing dirty. Accused you just to push you out.

— You think I don’t know that? — I slam the glass on the counter, furious. — That blue-eyed pest is going to pay. That bastard set me up well. But he forgot I don’t fall easy. He may have dragged my name down, but not my strength.

Alexandre chuckles.

— Those nicknames... is he really that venomous?

I smirk through clenched anger.

— Oh, you don’t even want to know. If he’s the snake or the leech, it’s the others that die crossing his path. And if it’s up to me, he’ll crawl through places he never imagined.

The noise around fades. I stare at the Royale’s hall like past and present are painted on the same canvas.

That place shaped me, gave me strength when everything was falling apart. And maybe, just maybe, t
hat’s where I’ll rise again.