Chapter 267 - The living disc - meters
Guadalupe
"After your attack, do you think we cared about anything other than your safety? Besides, Jacinto is paying the fee, he made it very clear that until you married him, your expenses were covered by us, your parents."
"Mommmm... What the hell happened? It doesn't matter, I don't want anything from him. Tell Dad to stop paying that fee, I'll return the car, so you'll have more money, you already have enough with your children's tuition."
"Lupe..."
"I'll call you later, Mom."
I looked at the cell phone, it was also a gift from him. I opened it, took out the SIM card. I started packing my clothes, putting everything into two suitcases. I wouldn't take anything else. An hour later, I stood in front of the door to the room and took a deep breath before opening it. "God, help me, Our Lady of Guadalupe, don't leave me alone." I walked out, dragging the suitcases, and hearing the noise, he came out of his room.
"I thought you had left," he said, looking at the suitcases. "Where are you going?"
"What's it to you?"
I commented calmly, in the kitchen I looked for my lunch bag. For a few days, I would eat at a restaurant. I put my jars in the big bag I also had.
"Arnold, I was taught to be grateful, so thank you for your help these past few months."
If I was leaving, it would be with my head held high. His gaze was a whirlwind, but he remained still.
"Here are the keys to your apartment, the cell phone, and your car keys. Please, release my father from that payment, it's enough that he's paying for our tuition." I looked him in the eye.
"Piel Canela... It was a Christmas gift," he said, his jaw clenched.
"You once said it was for the woman who stayed with you. Because of that phrase, I deluded myself into thinking I was your woman. Please, give it to your future wife. Goodbye, Arnold."
I opened the door, "please stop me, your eyes tell me you love me, Arnold, please don't let me go," I screamed from my soul... He didn't speak, and when I looked back while waiting for the elevator, I saw him watching me, he didn't move, he chose her... He didn't care about me, as soon as the doors closed, I wiped my tears.
While waiting for a taxi, I saw Miguel entering the parking lot. He was wearing glasses, strange, he never wore them. A taxi passed by and I stopped it, asking to be taken to a hotel. I chose a hotel near the university, so I wouldn't have to take transportation. After settling in, I went to a mall. I needed to withdraw some money and see if I had enough to buy a cell phone. What a surprise I got when I saw the amount of money in my account. I would only spend what was necessary. This Saturday I'll talk to Inés, I need to return that money.
Two days had passed, I saw the güerejo several times at the university, he didn't even greet me, it was as if we had never existed, I couldn't deny it hurt, but that would be his problem, for me, this would pass in a few weeks, I just needed to go out and have fun with my classmates, it was time to join them.
As soon as I stabilize, because the rooms I've seen I didn't like. What I have felt, and although it seems absurd, it must be from spending so much time for the güerejo and it left me paranoid. But I feel like I'm being watched. I haven't seen anyone and it wouldn't be that idiot, he was too big to hide.
Last day of the week, I stopped for a burger before entering the hotel. I couldn't wait to be at home with my parents and have my mom stroke my hair while I drank a cup of hot chocolate. Going through heartbreak without someone to give you a hug was very hard.
In the hotel bed, after showering, I lay down, hugged the pillow, and started to cry. Sleep came with my silly yearnings. Yesterday I had dreamed that he hugged me, in my world of illusions he took care of me, now I feel it again, a gentle kiss on my shoulder, another on my hair.
I sank deeper into my dreams with the stupid idea of feeling him. The next morning, the bed was empty and it hurt a lot to realize it was all a dream. I put the pillow in my mouth to stifle the scream... I lost, it hurts so much to have risked everything and lost. Especially when everything he did made me believe I had won. What a hard lesson I got from the world.
……
Roland
Rasca culo and Cereza arrived early Thursday morning, today Saturday I will meet with them, these two days were to gather information on Arnold's behavior. It will be the first group meeting without one member.
"What could they be threatening you with, my friend? Lupe is a very important option, but if it was just her, you would have come to us for help. If you haven't contacted anyone, it means it's more serious. What am I missing?"
"You haven't slept in two days, Cielo."
Verónica rested her head on my chest. I loved her scent, her hair always smelled wonderful.
"Something."
"Should I be worried? Inés spends the morning until noon at Luisa's house and comes to the ranch in the afternoon, since Mrs. Consuelo is with your sister. It's not because of Inés that you're like this, right?" That was my wife, always perceptive.
"Beautiful, I'm sure, Arnold will be here with his fiancée in a few hours."
"I don't want that Marcela woman sleeping in my house."
"Arnold won't bring her to sleep, but that's the woman he chose."
"Poor Lupe."
"Yes, a real mess."
I can't tell her everything. If I do, Verónica won't act indifferent toward Marcela, and I need everything to seem real.
"It's three o'clock, Roland, get some sleep."
"I can't, love, I'll be in the office." I got up and grabbed a sweatshirt. "By the way, of the three options to celebrate our kids' first year, I liked the second one."
"Me too. I'm going to sleep the two hours I have left of peace. The older they get, the more trouble they cause. I can't imagine what they'll be like when they learn to walk." I smiled and leaned in to give her a kiss.
"I love you."
Before leaving, I checked on my children. As soon as they learn to walk, they'll be out of my room. I’ve already closed theirs, though there's a folding door so I can watch them. Once they turn two, they'll be independent. The three intruders in one room and my princess in hers will be perfect. I logged into the SSCTC system from my computer and started watching the videos each of them had uploaded to the folder Arnold didn't have access to.
"Come on, talk to me, Arnold. This was our game. You were the only one who liked playing human chess. Move your pieces, brother."
At one point, I saw his user log into the system, stay for a few seconds, and then log out. I checked if he had downloaded anything or tried to clone information, but nothing. Until I saw a frog icon. I laughed heartily. I accessed it and, before deleting it, transferred the information to my personal storage.
Once copied, Arnold's user logged in again and deleted the Tadpole. At least I managed to take a picture of the icon. I checked the history; the report indicated he had been logging in at different times for no more than two minutes over the past week.
"Thank you, brother."
I looked at what Mojón had downloaded and simply clenched my fists; it was almost six in the morning. I sent a message to the cartel chat. This would reach Arnold; I needed him to understand we knew what he was doing for us. It was important to show him how much we cared. I wouldn't let him die for us. That wasn't his job; it was mine. To take care of them.
"Meeting at ten in the morning to help me with the wedding anniversary surprise."
They knew my anniversary had passed several months ago. They would all understand.
"Vallenato band or mariachis, Arnold can sing."
Miguel wrote.
"If you guarantee Mrs. Verónica won't throw hot water at me, I'll howl until my diaphragm is swollen."
That was my boy.
"You're all invited to lunch at my house."
"I'm coming with my fiancée."
"I hope she likes horses; I have a beautiful specimen for her as a gift. Maybe Amentet will like her."
"That's perfect, she's gentle."
Simón wrote. Everyone got it; that mare was treacherous. She wouldn't throw you off, but she'd give you a scare by running off if you didn't know how to rein her in.
"Thanks, brother."
Arnold wrote to me.
"That's what we're here for."
Once I finished writing on my phone, I sent a voice message only to selected phones, excluding Arnold's.
"I need you all at my house now!"
Nikolay, Nikolay, you huge bastard, you shouldn't have messed with my family, and even less put my kids and my wife at risk. You'll regret even thinking you could kill them. You've just resurrected the big boss. I swear if you do anything to them, I'll skin you alive myself.