Forty eight

Forty eight
Isabela

The house was eerily quiet after Gabriel left. Every creak and whisper of the wind outside seemed amplified in the stillness, a reminder of how fragile this moment was. Miguel was asleep upstairs, his soft breathing the only comforting sound in the vast silence. I sat in the living room, staring at the phone in my hand, willing it to stay silent—no news was better than bad news.

But the calm didn’t last.

The first sign of trouble came as a knock on the front door, sharp and deliberate. My heart jumped into my throat. Clara had gone home hours ago, and Gabriel’s team was supposed to be outside, patrolling the perimeter. Who could it be?

I hesitated before approaching the door, my hand trembling as I reached for the knob. Through the peephole, I saw a man in a dark suit, his expression unreadable.

“Who is it?” I called, trying to keep my voice steady.

“Ms. Duarte, my name is Raul Ferreira,” the man replied, his tone smooth but carrying an edge. “We need to talk. It’s about André.”

My blood ran cold. Raul Ferreira. The name that had been haunting Gabriel’s conversations for days. What was he doing here? And how had he bypassed the security team?

“I’m not opening the door,” I said firmly. “You need to leave.”

“If you don’t let me in, things will escalate,” Raul said, his voice low but threatening. “And trust me, you don’t want that.”

I stepped back, my mind racing. Should I call Gabriel? Would it put him in more danger if I distracted him? As I debated, a second knock—louder and more insistent—echoed through the house.

“I’m giving you one last chance,” Raul said. “Open the door, or I’ll open it myself.”

Upstairs, Miguel stirred, his small voice calling out, “Mommy?”

I bolted toward the staircase, my instincts kicking in. “Stay in your room, Miguel!” I called, trying to sound calm despite the fear clawing at my chest.

As I reached the top of the stairs, I heard the unmistakable sound of splintering wood. Raul had forced the door open. My hands shook as I locked Miguel’s bedroom door behind me, whispering reassurances to him as he clung to my side.

“Everything’s going to be okay, sweetheart. Just stay quiet, okay?”

Miguel nodded, his wide eyes full of trust I didn’t feel I deserved in that moment.

Footsteps echoed up the stairs. I searched the room for anything I could use as a weapon. My eyes landed on a heavy lamp. It wasn’t much, but it would have to do.

The door handle rattled, followed by Raul’s voice. “Isabela, let’s not make this harder than it needs to be. I just want to talk.”

“Then talk from there,” I snapped, gripping the lamp tightly.

“You think Gabriel can protect you?” Raul sneered. “He’s out there playing hero while André tightens the noose. And you’re here, vulnerable, with a child who has no idea what’s coming.”

My stomach churned, but I refused to let him see my fear. “You don’t know anything about us.”

“Don’t I?” Raul’s tone was mocking. “André knows everything, Isabela. Your past. Your secrets. How to make you break. He sent me here to remind you of that.”

I pressed my back against the door, trying to shield Miguel as much as possible. “If you take one step into this room, you’ll regret it.”

To my surprise, Raul laughed. “Brave words. Let’s see if you can back them up.”

Before Raul could make his next move, the sound of approaching footsteps filled the hallway. A moment later, Gabriel appeared, flanked by two members of his security team. His presence was a force of nature, his expression thunderous.

“Get away from that door,” Gabriel ordered, his voice a low growl.

Raul turned slowly, a smirk playing on his lips. “Ah, the knight in shining armor. Right on time.”

Gabriel didn’t respond. His focus was razor-sharp as he signaled to his team. One of the guards moved to secure Raul, who didn’t resist but continued to smile as if he held all the cards.

“You should listen to what I have to say, Castellano,” Raul said as the guards restrained him. “André isn’t just coming for you. He’s coming for everything you care about.”

Gabriel’s expression didn’t waver. “Take him outside. I’ll deal with him later.”

As the guards dragged Raul away, Gabriel turned to me, his eyes scanning me for injuries. “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”

I shook my head, my grip on the lamp loosening. “We’re fine. He didn’t get inside.”

Gabriel stepped closer, his hand brushing against my arm. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here sooner.”

“You were here when it mattered,” I said, my voice shaking slightly. “That’s what counts.”

Miguel peeked out from behind me, his small face pale. Gabriel knelt to his level, placing a steadying hand on his shoulder.

“You were very brave, Miguel,” Gabriel said softly. “But I promise, no one is going to hurt you or your mom. Not while I’m here.”

Miguel nodded, his trust in Gabriel as unshakable as ever.

Later that night, after Miguel had fallen back asleep, Gabriel and I sat in the living room, the shattered remnants of the front door a stark reminder of how close we had come to disaster.

“This was a message,” Gabriel said, his voice heavy. “André’s testing our defenses, seeing how far he can push before we break.”

“Then we push back,” I said, my resolve hardening. “We’re not running, Gabriel. Not now, not ever.”

He looked at me, a hint of a smile breaking through his grim expression. “That’s why I need you by my side, Isabela. You’re stronger than you know.”

I reached for his hand, lacing my fingers with his. “And you don’t have to carry this alone. We’re in this together.”

For the first time in what felt like forever, the weight on my chest eased. The fight was far from over, but as long as we faced it together, I knew we could withstand anything.