Chapter 35 The Breaking Point

Chapter 35 The Breaking Point
Isabella's POV

Isabella wakes up and knows she can't do this anymore.

It's early morning. Damián is still sleeping beside her, his arm across her waist, his face peaceful. She watches him for a long moment and feels something break inside her.

She can't play Sofia anymore. Can't lie to this man's face while he sleeps. Can't pretend she doesn't know about Ghost's betrayal. Can't keep secrets that could destroy everything he's built.

The weight of the deception is crushing her.

She slides out of bed carefully. Damián doesn't wake. She puts on clothes and walks downstairs like someone moving through a dream.

His office door is locked, but she knows where he keeps the key. Hidden in a leather-bound book on his shelf. She finds it and unlocks the door and steps into the space where secrets live.

The computer boots up. She types his password with hands that are shaking so badly she has to try twice.

She navigates to the encrypted folder. LUCCI NEGOTIATIONS. She knows exactly where it is now. Knows exactly what she'll find there.

The communications between Ghost and Victoria Lucci appear on the screen. Two years of betrayal documented in careful detail. Two years of Ghost feeding information to their rivals.

She finds the message about Sofia. "Problem eliminated. Nurse won't talk."

Three weeks ago. The night Sofia died. The night Ghost made a decision that set everything in motion.

Isabella's hands clench into fists.

She's going to show this to Damián. She's going to tell him everything. She's going to confess about Ghost's deal. She's going to admit that she kept his betrayal secret. She's going to open herself up to whatever consequences come because she can't live with this lie anymore.

She's pulling up the printer to make copies when Damián's voice cuts through the room like a blade.

"What are you doing in here, Sofia?"

Isabella's entire body goes rigid.

She doesn't turn around immediately. Can't face him. Can't look into his eyes knowing what she's about to do.

"I found something," she says quietly. "Something about Ghost."

"Turn around," Damián commands.

Isabella turns slowly. Damián is standing in the doorway wearing only pants. His dark eyes take in the scene instantly. The computer screen with the encrypted files open. The printer ready to make copies. Isabella standing at his desk like a thief caught in the act.

"You were in my files," he says flatly. It's not a question.

"Yes," Isabella admits. There's no point in lying anymore. "I was looking for proof. I found it."

She shows him the screen. Shows him the communications between Ghost and Victoria Lucci. Shows him the message about Sofia's death.

Damián reads without speaking. His expression doesn't change, but she can see the moment he understands. The moment he realizes that his trusted second-in-command has been betraying him for two years.

When he finishes reading, he looks at Isabella.

"You knew about this," he says. His voice is ice. "How long have you known?"

Isabella's heart is pounding so hard she can barely breathe.

"Since I found it," she says. "Since I searched your office without permission."

"Before or after Ghost came to the kitchen?" Damián asks.

Isabella's blood runs cold.

"You know about Ghost's visit?" she whispers.

"I know everything," Damián says. His voice is completely controlled, which is somehow more terrifying than if he was screaming. "I know Ghost came to you with a deal. I know he threatened to expose you. I know he asked you to keep me distracted while he planned his betrayal."

Isabella realizes she's been caught completely. Has nothing left to hide behind.

"I was going to tell you," she says. "I was going to show you everything. I couldn't live with the secret anymore."

"How noble," Damián says. He steps into the office and closes the door behind him. "You were going to confess. After you helped my enemy plan an attack on my organization. After you kept me away from my operations for six days. After you let him move against me while you were keeping me occupied."

"I didn't help him plan anything," Isabella says. "I just agreed not to expose him."

"Which is exactly the same thing," Damián says. He sits on the edge of his desk and studies her like she's something fascinating and terrible. "You made a choice. You chose to protect yourself by helping Ghost. And now you're trying to absolve yourself by turning state's evidence."

"That's not what I'm doing," Isabella says.

"Isn't it?" Damián asks. His voice is still calm, but underneath it she can hear something dangerous. Something that sounds like betrayal recognized. "You're federal. You came here to investigate me. You've been lying about your entire identity. And when you realized I wasn't guilty, instead of confessing, you just continued the lie. You let Ghost blackmail you. You helped him move against me."

Isabella wants to deny it. Wants to explain. Wants to make him understand that she came here to tell him everything this morning. That she couldn't live with the deception anymore.

But the truth is, he's right. She did help Ghost. She did let him move against Damián. She did make choices that hurt the man she loves.

"I love you," Isabella says. It's all she has left.

Damián's laugh is bitter.

"You love me?" he repeats. "You don't know who I am. You only know the version of me that you created. The version you decided existed beneath the criminal. The version you wanted to believe in."

He stands and walks to the window.

"I could kill you right now," Damián says. His voice is quiet. "I could execute you for betrayal. It would be justified. You've lied about your entire identity. You've helped my enemies. You've violated my trust in ways that are unforgivable."

Isabella waits for him to make that decision. Waits to understand what he's going to do.

"But I won't," Damián continues. He turns to face her. "Because despite everything, despite your lies and your betrayals and your deception, I still love you. And that's the most dangerous thing in this world."

He walks toward her.

"So here's what's going to happen," Damián says. "You're going to tell me everything. Every detail. Every conversation with Ghost. Every moment you kept information from me. You're going to confess completely."

Isabella nods.

"And then," Damián continues, "you're going to help me hunt down Ghost. You're going to use your federal training to find him. You're going to help me make sure he pays for his betrayal."

"Okay," Isabella says.

Damián grabs her face with both hands and forces her to look at him.

"And if you lie to me again," he says, his voice dropping into something that sounds like death, "if you protect him or help him or do anything except give me your complete loyalty, I will kill you myself. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Isabella whispers.