Chapter 40 The Truth About Her
The drive was smooth, and soon we pulled up to Carlos’s family house. The entrance was crowded with guards, all armed, and a helicopter hovered overhead like it was waiting for something to go down.
"What’s going on here?" I asked, glancing around. The security was way tighter than I remembered.
"Making sure you’re safe," Carlos said. I turned to look at him. He added, "With this much security, they won’t get close to you. I promise."
I nodded, still scanning the place. It was wild to think all of this was just to protect me.
The Menendez must be seriously dangerous.
Carlos held my hand and walked me inside. Once we got in, he said, "I’ll be back in a minute."
"Where are you going?" I asked quickly, holding him back as if he were the shield protecting me. For some reason, I feel safer with Carlos around
"You’ll see," He said, then looked over at the guards and gave them a quick signal before walking off.
I stood there, feeling awkward. My eyes wandered around the room. Even with all the guards around, I still felt unsafe. Like something wasn’t right. Like I wasn’t really safe. Maybe I’m just over thinking or maybe I am right. Either ways, I’m really worried. And it only gets worse when i recall that they are protecting me from my own father.
The thought of that has been haunting me. I kept asking myself why. Why would he want me dead? What did I ever do?
I used to believe Richard was my father. When I found out he wasn’t, I went searching for the truth because I wanted to know my real parents. And now that I do, I wish I never did.
Tears filled my eyes as I thought about it.
Was I a bad kid? Did I do something wrong? Or does he not even know I’m his daughter?
None of it made any sense. But there had to be a reason. Otherwise, why would he do this?
Before I could spiral any further, Carlos came back. "Come with me," He said, reaching for my hand.
I took it and followed him. He led me to a room, opened the door, and inside was his father sitting behind a desk stacked with files.
I looked at Carlos, and he gave me a small smile. "Trust me."
I stepped in, and Carlos followed. His dad got up, gave me a quick hug, then stepped back. "Carlos told me everything. How are you feeling my dear?" He asked, his voice gentle.
"I’m okay," I said, even though I wasn’t.
Carlos jumped in. "Should we show her now?"
I looked between them, confused. "Show me what?"
"The truth," Papa said. He turned to the desk, picked up a paper that looked like a certificate, and handed it to me. "This is your registration certificate from the adoption agency. According to their records, you were found at their doorstep but the reality is, you were kept there because your birth parents gave you up. They had been hoping for a boy and didn’t want to raise a girl."
I froze as I took it from him. I read it. It was real.
Carlos took over. "Mario and Susan Menendez are your real parents. They’re in the mafia too, like my dad. But unlike him, they’re evil. You asked why your father would want to hurt you. It’s because he never wanted you in the first place. That’s why they gave you up. But now they’ve come back, and it’s not just about you anymore. They don’t want to kill you. They want to use you."
"What do you mean?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
"I’ve always told you that you’re valuable, Nala," Carlos said, walking over to the desk. He opened a drawer and took out a small folder. "That’s because you are. You’re the key."
He placed the folder on the table and opened it, revealing old documents and photographs. "When you were little, your grandfather made you the guardian of something important. Something dangerous. He left it in your hands because he trusted you, even as a child."
He picked up a worn letter and handed it to me. "This is from him. It’s part of the reason they figured it out. After he died, no one knew how to get their hand on the Oro Code until they started looking into his records and realized you’re the key."
I stared at him, confused. "I don’t understand. What’s the Oro Code?"
He pulled out another document. This one looked more official. "The Oro Code is a locked system. It holds access to a massive offshore fortune and something worse. A weapon no one should ever control. But only one person can unlock it and it’s You."
My body immediately went cold. Me?
"This is why they’re after you, Nala." He said. "It’s not because you’re their daughter but because you’re the only way in. And if they get their hands on the Ore Code, they’ll destroy everything including my family and everything I’ve fought to protect."
He paused, then added, "That’s why I brought you here. To keep you out of reach because if they get to you… It’s over."
He pulled out a second folder and slid it across the table. I recognized it immediately-it’s the same one I had seen in his study.
"The mission file you found… It doesn’t tell the full story," He said as he opened it, revealing notes, surveillance photos, and maps. "But yes you are right about a few things. I’ve watched you. Our meeting and relationship were a setup up but not to hurt you. I needed to keep you close. I needed to make sure they didn’t find you first."
He meets my eyes. "I never meant to hurt you. I was never going to force you to marry me. That was never part of the plan. But when Susan started looking for you again, I panicked and decided to reach you before she could."
He let out a quiet breath as he continued. "I know I messed up. But everything I did was to protect you… and the people I care about because I know what will happen if they get their hands on the Ore Code."
The whole time he spoke, I stayed silent, eyes fixed on the documents as I flipped through them. I read every word, every line, and while it seemed real, it felt unreal. My mind was spiraling, overloaded with thoughts I couldn’t even begin to process.
Then he looked at me and said quietly, "They’re dangerous, Nala. But they’re still your blood. If you decide to go back to them, I won’t stop you. Just know it won’t end well. Not for them, not for us, and not for you."
I couldn’t bring myself to respond. I didn’t even know what to say. I never imagined my life would turn out like this… a chaotic mess.