Fifty-four

Fifty-four
Isabela

The drive back from the villa was cloaked in silence. Gabriel gripped the steering wheel tightly, his jaw set, while I stared out the window, replaying André’s cryptic words in my mind. His calm, calculated demeanor unsettled me more than outright aggression ever could.

“He’s planning something,” Gabriel said finally, breaking the heavy quiet.

“Of course he is,” I replied, my voice sharper than I intended. “You didn’t think he’d just sit back and let us dismantle everything he’s built, did you?”

Gabriel’s knuckles whitened as he tightened his grip. “I know he’s not giving up. But the way he focused on you… it’s personal now.”

I turned to face him, meeting his gaze briefly before looking back at the darkened road ahead. “It’s always been personal, Gabriel. He doesn’t just want to win—he wants to break us.”

The weight of my words lingered between us, unspoken truths pressing against the edges of our fragile resolve. Gabriel reached out briefly, his hand brushing against mine before returning to the wheel.

When we returned to the estate, Laura was waiting in the study. The tension in her posture mirrored ours as she handed Gabriel a folder.

“Raul’s been talking,” she said. “But it’s not all good news.”

Gabriel flipped open the folder, his expression darkening with each page he scanned. I moved closer, glancing at the documents. They were a mix of financial records, surveillance photos, and handwritten notes. One name stood out: Victor.

“Victor?” I asked, a chill running down my spine. “What does he have to do with this?”

Laura hesitated before answering. “According to Raul, Victor’s been working with André for months. He’s been feeding him information about Gabriel’s operations and keeping tabs on you.”

Gabriel’s face was a mask of cold fury. “That bastard.”

I sank into a nearby chair, my mind racing. Victor had been part of my life before all of this—a friend, a confidant. The idea that he had betrayed me, that he had played a role in putting Miguel and Gabriel in danger, was almost too much to process.

“How do we know Raul’s telling the truth?” I asked, clinging to a sliver of doubt.

“He gave us details only someone on the inside would know,” Laura said. “It matches with the breaches we’ve had and the timing of André’s moves.”

Gabriel closed the folder with a snap. “I’ll handle Victor.”

“Gabriel,” I said, standing to face him. “We need to think this through. If he’s been working with André, confronting him head-on might make things worse.”

“And letting him stay in the shadows is better?” Gabriel’s voice was sharp, but his anger wasn’t directed at me. “He’s betrayed us, Isabela. He doesn’t deserve the benefit of the doubt.”

I placed a hand on his arm, grounding him. “I’m not saying we let this go. But if we rush into this without a plan, Victor could warn André. We need to be strategic.”

Gabriel’s eyes searched mine, the fire in them dimming slightly. He exhaled deeply, nodding. “You’re right. We’ll do this carefully.”

The next few days were a blur of preparation. Laura worked tirelessly to cross-reference Raul’s information, building a clearer picture of Victor’s involvement. Gabriel’s security team tightened their operations, ensuring no more information could leak out.

Meanwhile, I found myself grappling with the betrayal on a personal level. Victor had been someone I trusted, someone I thought I knew. Confronting the reality of his deception was like peeling back layers of my own naivety.

One evening, as Gabriel and I sat in the study going over the latest updates, he placed a hand over mine. “You’ve been quiet,” he said softly.

I shrugged, unable to meet his gaze. “I’m trying to understand how I missed this. How did I not see what Victor was doing?”

“Because you trusted him,” Gabriel said simply. “And trust isn’t a weakness, Isabela. It’s what makes you stronger than people like André and Victor.”

I looked up, his words settling over me like a balm. “Do you really believe that?”

“I do,” he said, his voice firm. “And I need you to keep believing it too. If you lose that part of yourself, then they’ve already won.”

The plan to confront Victor was set in motion three days later. Gabriel arranged for a meeting at a neutral location, a sleek office building in the city center. I insisted on being there, much to Gabriel’s dismay, but I couldn’t sit on the sidelines any longer.

When Victor walked into the room, his usual confident demeanor was intact, but there was a flicker of unease in his eyes. He greeted me with a smile that didn’t reach his face.

“Isabela,” he said, his voice smooth. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“I’m sure you didn’t,” I replied coolly, folding my arms.

Gabriel remained silent, his presence looming as he stood by the window, his arms crossed. The tension in the room was suffocating.

“Victor,” Gabriel said finally, his voice low and dangerous. “Do you know why you’re here?”

Victor’s smile faltered. “I assume it has something to do with André.”

Gabriel took a step closer, his gaze piercing. “We know you’ve been working with him. Feeding him information. Putting Isabela and Miguel in danger.”

Victor’s face paled, but he quickly composed himself. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t insult me,” Gabriel snapped, his voice cutting through the room. “We have the evidence. Raul confessed, and it’s all there in black and white.”

Victor’s eyes darted to me, searching for some sign of doubt or leniency. “Isabela, you know me. Do you really think I would betray you?”

I held his gaze, my heart aching despite everything. “I thought I knew you. But the truth is, I don’t anymore.”

The words seemed to deflate him, his shoulders sagging slightly. Gabriel stepped forward, his presence commanding. “You have one chance to explain yourself, Victor. Make it count.”

Victor hesitated, his facade crumbling as the weight of his choices bore down on him. “I didn’t have a choice,” he said finally, his voice barely above a whisper. “André has leverage on me—something I couldn’t risk exposing.”

Gabriel’s jaw tightened. “What leverage?”

Victor looked away, shame etched across his face. “My family. He threatened them. If I didn’t cooperate, they…” He trailed off, unable to finish.

The room fell silent, the gravity of his confession sinking in. Gabriel’s eyes hardened, but there was a flicker of understanding beneath the fury.

“You still betrayed us,” Gabriel said. “And there will be consequences.”

Victor nodded, his head hanging low. “I’ll do whatever it takes to make this right.”

As we left the building, Gabriel’s hand rested lightly on my back. “Are you okay?” he asked.

I nodded, though my emotions were still raw. “I just hope we can survive what’s coming next.”

Gabriel’s grip tightened slightly, his voice resolute. “We will. Together.”