Chapter 77: Vincent's Decision

The private jet ascended into the night sky, cutting through the darkness with its powerful silhouette. Vincent sat in the leather seat, holding a glass of whiskey in one hand, with the documents about Elena spread out before him. He had spent weeks planning this trip in secret, ensuring that neither his daughters nor anyone else in the family would find out. This was something he had to do alone.

He closed his eyes for a moment, recalling the happy days with Elena before everything changed. Her smile, her laughter, the way she always seemed to have a plan. But now, with revelations about her possible survival and her connection to a clandestine network, her image was becoming blurry. Who was Elena, really? What had she been hiding all those years?

A soft tap on his shoulder pulled him out of his thoughts. It was Martin.

—Sir, we’ll be landing in a few hours. The villa where she was last seen is heavily guarded. My men have secured a nearby house to monitor their movements before we take action.

Vincent nodded.

—We’ll find out the truth. And if necessary, we’ll get her out of there at any cost.

Meanwhile, Shopia had decided to visit Clara that morning. Vincent’s behavior in recent weeks had set off alarm bells, and both sisters knew that something big was happening. When Shopia arrived at her sister’s mansion, she found her in the greenhouse, lost in thought as she tended to the plants.

—Another sleepless night? —Shopia asked, approaching her.

Clara nodded.

—I can’t stop thinking about Mom. And Alex. Everything feels like a mess I don’t know how to fix.

Shopia sat beside her, sighing.

—I’ve been thinking the same. But… there’s something else. Vincent is hiding something from us. I can feel it in the way he acts, the way he avoids our questions.

Clara stopped watering the plants and turned toward her sister.

—Do you think he’s left the country? I’ve noticed his security team is more active than usual.

Shopia shrugged.

—I don’t know. But I think we need to find a way to get answers, even if it means investigating on our own.

Clara fell silent, her mind racing. If Vincent was looking for Elena, and if Alex Morán really knew something, then they were in the middle of a dangerous game. Finally, she spoke.

—If we’re going to do this, Shopia, we have to be ready for the worst. Because the truth, whatever it is, might not be what we want to hear.

Shopia pressed her lips together and nodded.

—Then we’ll do it together. Always together.

In the underwater hideout, Elena watched the flickering lights of the monitor in front of her. The reports were coming in real time, and although her face remained calm, her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. She had spent so much time hiding, running from the consequences of her decisions, that the idea of being discovered now terrified her.

—Everything in order, Mrs. Elena? —asked a gray-haired man who had entered the room.

She nodded.

—For now, yes. But Vincent is getting closer. I can feel it.

The man hesitated.

—Should we relocate again?

Elena shook her head.

—No. This has to end. If Vincent finds me, it will be because I’m ready to face what we left behind.

Silence filled the room as the shadows of the past began to loom over them all.

Vincent sat in the surveillance room of the rented villa, staring at the screens showing strategically placed cameras around the suspected hideout. The underwater mansion wasn’t just a hideout; it was a fortress. Although his men had confirmed activity inside, everything was fortified, and any false move would alert its occupants.

—Sir, we’ve detected movement in the north wing. It seems they’re reinforcing security. —Martin pointed to a screen where several armed men patrolled the perimeter.

Vincent frowned, his mind working quickly. If Elena was really there, it meant someone else knew her whereabouts and was protecting her. But who? Why? Had she allied herself with the same espionage network that had turned her into an enigma?

—Maintain surveillance, —he ordered—. I want a detailed report of everyone who enters or leaves. We won’t move until we’re absolutely certain.

Meanwhile, at Vincent’s mansion, Clara couldn’t focus on anything. Her encounter with Alex and the revelation that he knew something about her mother had left her on the edge of despair. Shopia had tried to calm her, but her worry grew with every passing minute.

Together, they sat in Clara’s study, where the walls were lined with old books and family portraits.

—What’s wrong? —Shopia asked, taking a seat across from her desk.

Clara took a deep breath before speaking.

—Vincent isn’t in the mansion, and he didn’t tell me he was leaving. But I think our mother is alive, and Vincent went to find her. And if we talk to Alex, I’m sure he knows something.

—Dad wouldn’t leave without telling us. What else did Alex say? Did you talk to him again after what happened at the café?

Clara shook her head, staring out the window.

—No. And I don’t want to. But I feel like he’s the key to finding Mom.

Shopia crossed her arms, clearly annoyed.

—And what do you plan to do? Let that criminal manipulate you for information?

Clara turned to her, her eyes filled with determination.

—I’m not going to play his game, but I’m not going to ignore the possibility of finding Mom, either. If Vincent won’t tell us anything, then we’ll have to keep an eye on him too.

Elsewhere, Anthony was sitting in the living room reviewing documents when Isabella returned to the mansion and found Anthony with Dereck. Little Dereck, with his boundless energy, was playing with a wooden airplane while Isabella kept an eye on him.

—Everything okay? —she asked, sitting in a chair.

Anthony stood up and walked toward her, his expression serious.

—I need to talk to you about Vincent. He’s left the country.

Shopia couldn’t believe it; Clara’s suspicions were true. Their father, Vincent, had left the country without telling them anything.

In the underwater hideout, Elena watched the security cameras while speaking with a tall man with dark hair and a scar across his face.

—Vincent is close, —the man said, his tone worried—. We can’t stay here much longer.

Elena shook her head.

—I’m not leaving. If he’s this close, it means it’s time to face everything. But first… I need to protect my daughters.

The man stared at her.

—Are you sure you’re ready for that? If Vincent discovers the whole truth…

Elena interrupted him, her voice firm.

—What he discovers doesn’t matter. All I care about is ensuring Clara and Shopia are safe.

As she spoke, a silent alarm lit up on one of the monitors, indicating that something—or someone—was approaching the hideout.

The tension continued to rise as all the threads intertwined, leading to an inevitable and explosive confrontation.