Chapter 40 40
“Where’s your grandpa?”
His tone was icy, though the question itself sounded harmless.
Sofía’s throat tightened instantly.
Words vanished from her mind.
Her breathing turned uneven as she sucked in a sharp breath.
He knew.
The truth had already reached him.
She stood there, frozen and speechless.
“I asked you something, Ana,” he said coldly, his voice a clear warning. “And I want an answer.”
“H-he… h-he’s gone on a trip,” she blurted out, the first lie that came rushing to her lips.
At the same moment, her back hit the wall.
There was nowhere left to retreat.
His jaw clenched hard.
He had been angry before but now she had pushed him further.
“A trip to God?” he growled.
His fist slammed into the wall beside her head.
The impact made her jump violently, flinching in terror.
He knows.
Her lips sealed shut as panic spiraled through her mind.
How did he find out?
Last night, Fernando had ordered one of his men to clean her house to erase every trace of what had happened there, including the bodies.
He’d also demanded every piece of information about Sofía.
That morning, he received confirmation.
The house was taken care of.
And her file would be delivered to him at Domingo Faustino Sarmiento.
He hadn’t wanted to leave her alone, but he had no choice.
Before leaving, he’d made her pancakes the only thing he knew how to cook placed the note beside them, and walked out, confident she wouldn’t try to run again.
At the academy, after the final period, the file was handed to him.
And the moment he read it…
Everything snapped.
She lived alone.
Her parents had died when she was thirteen.
Her grandfather was the only family she’d had left.
He’d raised her until he, too, passed away from a heart attack a few years later.
For two damn years…
She had been living all by herself in that miserable place.
Two fucking years.
Someone was going to be punished tonight.
As he’d been leaving, his eyes caught her bag resting on the couch.
He picked it up.
Interrogation was coming.
While driving, he felt her phone vibrating inside the bag.
Pulling it out, he saw the caller ID.
Alfonso.
At the red light, he swiped to answer.
“Sofía! Thank God you picked up,” Alfonso’s panicked voice rushed through the line. “I’ve been so worried about you!”
A sharp surge of jealousy burned through Fernando.
He didn’t like the concern in that man’s voice.
“She’s fine,” Fernando said coldly, deliberately lacing his words with his alpha authority.
“Who are you?” Alfonso demanded.
Fernando’s grip tightened on the phone.
Why was he so serious?
Did he have feelings for Ana?
“Her boyfriend,” Fernando replied flatly before ending the call.
He tossed the old phone onto the passenger seat.
It kept buzzing for nearly ten minutes until the battery finally died.
When he got home, he loosened his tie and rolled up his sleeves.
The food was gone.
The dishes were washed.
Good girl.
He went straight to her room, knocked once, and entered.
Then he asked about her grandpa.
And she lied.
He hated liars.
He’d warned her twice already.
“T-this is none of your concern,” she said, trying to sound brave.
But he could hear the fear trembling beneath her words.
“Is it?” he growled lowly.
This girl had a talent for pushing every one of his buttons.
“M…Mr. Ruiz,” she stuttered.
That was it.
“Look at me, Ana!” he snapped.
She only bowed her head further.
His hand shot out, gripping her chin and jerking her face up.
Her eyes immediately landed on his knuckles.
Fresh.
Red.
Bleeding from where he’d hit the wall.
“I said look at me,” he warned dangerously, “or I’ll do something forbidden.”
That was enough.
Her gaze flew up.
Green met blue.
Forest colliding with ocean.
A shaky breath slipped from her lips.
Her body trembled.
His words alone were affecting her.
And the thought sent dark images flooding his mind how she’d shudder beneath him, how her soft curves would react as he made love to her for hours.
“M…Mr. Ruiz, p-please,” she whispered, her eyes begging for mercy.
He hadn’t even touched her.
Fernando forced those sinful thoughts away.
If she ever knew what he truly wanted to do to her, she’d run straight to the mountains.
“Do you still think I’m just your professor,” he asked mockingly, “and you’re my student?”
She swallowed hard.
“Y-yes,” she answered weakly.
He tilted his head slightly.
That was when she saw the tattoo on his neck.
Deadly.
Her throat went dry.
Breathing suddenly felt impossible.
“Ahan,” he hummed darkly, mischief glinting in his eyes.
“Are they allowed to kiss?” he asked in a husky tone.
Her eyes widened.
“I-I didn’t” she started, tears gathering.
“But I did,” he interrupted calmly. “And what does that make us?”
“I-I told everyone I live with my grandpa b-because I didn’t want bullies coming to my h-house,” she rushed out, desperately trying to change the subject.
Big mistake.
His eyes narrowed.
His hand left her chin only to grab the nape of her neck.
Sparks shot through her body.
She was shaking now.
“It makes us…” he murmured, gaze dropping briefly to her plump lips before locking onto her eyes again.
Hunger burned within them.
“Forbidden,” he rasped.