The mansion was unusually quiet that evening, a stillness that only added to Sanchez's unease. In the grand dining room, the long oak table gleamed under the chandelier's light. Sanchez sat at the head, staring at the untouched plate before him. His appetite had abandoned him ever since Pedro's return and Loiz's reappearance.
Susan entered, her steps light but purposeful. She paused at the doorway, observing Sanchez for a moment before speaking. "You look like you're carrying the weight of the world."
He glanced up, offering a faint smile. "Because I am."
She moved closer, pulling out the chair beside him. "Talk to me. What's going on?"
Sanchez hesitated, his fingers tracing the rim of his glass. "Pedro isn't here out of goodwill, Susan. He's here to take the company. And now Loiz... She's working with him. I can feel it."
Susan leaned forward, her eyes narrowing. "Do you have proof?"
"Not yet," Sanchez admitted. "But I've seen Pedro play this game before. He'll bide his time, gain trust, and then strike when you least expect it. And Loiz? She's a master manipulator. Together, they're dangerous."
Susan's mind raced. She had always been perceptive, and Sanchez's words resonated with her instincts. "What do you want to do about it?"
"I need allies," Sanchez said firmly. "People I can trust to keep an eye on them. And I need to stay one step ahead. If they're planning something, I'll find out."
Susan placed a hand on his. "You're not alone in this, Sanchez. Whatever they're planning, we'll stop them together."
Her words were a balm to his restless thoughts. For a brief moment, he allowed himself to hope that with Susan by his side, he might stand a chance against the growing storm.
---
That night, Sanchez called a meeting with Hedro, his most trusted confidant and the man who had overseen Cruz Oil during Sanchez's absence.
"Hedro," Sanchez began, his tone serious, "I need you to keep a close watch on Pedro and Loiz. They're up to something, and I need to know what it is."
Hedro nodded, his expression grim. "I overheard Pedro talking to someone earlier. He mentioned destabilizing the company. I didn't catch all the details, but it's clear he has a plan."
Sanchez clenched his fists. "Of course, he does. He's been waiting for this opportunity for years."
"There's more," Hedro said. "Pedro mentioned Susan. He sees her as a threat."
The words sent a chill through Sanchez. He had expected Pedro to target him, but the thought of Susan being dragged into the crossfire ignited a protective rage within him.
"I won't let him touch her," Sanchez said, his voice low but fierce.
Hedro nodded. "I'll keep an ear to the ground and report back with anything I find."
As Hedro left, Sanchez leaned back in his chair, his mind a whirlwind of plans and contingencies. Pedro had underestimated him before, and he wouldn't make the same mistake twice.
---
Meanwhile, in a shadowed corner of the estate, Pedro and Loiz met in secret.
"Are you sure he's not onto us?" Loiz asked, her voice sharp.
Pedro smirked, swirling the amber liquid in his glass. "Sanchez may think he's clever, but he's still that naive boy who inherited more than he could handle. By the time he realizes what's happening, it'll be too late."
"And Susan?" Loiz asked, her lips curling into a sly smile. "She's more than just a threat to your plans. She's in the way of mine."
Pedro raised an eyebrow. "Your plans?"
"Let's just say I have unfinished business with Sanchez," Loiz replied, her tone dripping with malice. "And Susan is a complication I intend to remove."
Pedro chuckled darkly. "Then it seems we both have something to gain from this alliance."
---
The next day, Susan returned to the Cruz Oil office to find her inbox flooded with reports and memos. As she sifted through them, a small, unmarked envelope caught her attention. Inside was a single piece of paper with a typed message: "Watch your back. Not everyone is who they claim to be."
Her heart raced as she looked around the room, searching for a clue as to who might have sent it. Was it a warning? A threat?
She slipped the note into her purse, her mind already strategizing. If Pedro and Loiz were planning.