Chapter 6: The Web of Deceit
The silence that followed Gabriel's departure felt suffocating. Sophia sat on the couch, her hands trembling in her lap as her mother and Ethan exchanged a few words in hushed tones by the door. Her mind was spinning, too many thoughts colliding at once.
Ethan had just saved her life, her mother had returned after years of absence, and yet all Sophia could focus on was the crushing weight of the secrets that loomed in the air.
"Sophia, we need to talk," her mother said softly, her eyes softening as she moved toward her. "There's a lot I owe you an explanation for. Things aren't as simple as they seem."
Sophia looked up at her, disbelief washing over her. "Why now? After all these years? You've been gone, and I—" Her voice cracked, and she took a deep breath to steady herself. "I thought you left me. You disappeared. I was alone."
Her mother's eyes filled with regret, and she kneeled in front of her daughter. "I'm so sorry, Sophia. If I had stayed, it would have been worse. You would have been in even more danger than you already were."
Ethan, standing by the door, finally spoke. "Danger from Gabriel?"
Her mother nodded, her face hardening. "Yes. Gabriel was never the man you thought he was. He's dangerous, and he's been manipulating you for years."
Sophia swallowed hard, feeling the truth of her mother's words settle heavily in her chest. "I don't understand. Why would he—why would he want to control me? I'm just his wife."
Her mother's eyes flashed with something unreadable. "You were never just his wife, Sophia. You were always more than that. Much more."
The words hung in the air like a heavy fog. Sophia's mind raced. "What do you mean? What am I?"
Before her mother could answer, a soft knock interrupted them. Her head snapped toward the door, and she froze. Her heart pounded again. She didn't need to guess who it was. Gabriel had come back.
Ethan's posture stiffened as he moved toward the door, his hand instinctively reaching for the gun tucked under his jacket. Sophia quickly stood, her chest tightening. "No. Don't. We have to leave. We can't let him find us here."
But her mother was already walking toward the door, her face a mask of resolve. "This isn't over, Sophia. Gabriel is persistent, but we have to face him head-on. You can't keep running."
Ethan turned to her. "Are you sure you want to do this now? We don't know what he's planning."
Sophia's mother turned to him, her eyes piercing. "We don't have a choice. I've spent years hiding from him. I won't let him control my daughter any longer. We're going to take back everything he's stolen."
Sophia stared at her mother, her mind a whirlwind of questions, but one thing stood clear. This was her fight now, too.
Before she could say anything else, her mother opened the door, revealing not Gabriel, but a familiar face—her stepfather, Leo.
"Sophia," Leo said, stepping into the room. His face was drawn, a mixture of exhaustion and fear. "We need to talk. It's about Gabriel."
Sophia's breath caught in her throat. "What about him?"
"He's not just a threat to you," Leo continued, his voice low. "He's been planning something much bigger. Something that involves your real father."
Her eyes widened. Her real father. The words struck her like a slap. She had no memory of him, just the stories her mother had told her—stories that now seemed like lies.
"What do you mean?" she asked, her voice shaking. "What does Gabriel have to do with my father?"
Leo's face was grim as he stepped farther into the room, his eyes flicking toward her mother before resting back on Sophia. "You need to know everything. It's time to tell you the truth about your family, Sophia."
Sophia felt a chill creep up her spine as she took a seat, unsure if she was ready to hear what was coming. "Tell me," she whispered.
Leo turned toward her mother, and for a moment, Sophia saw the quiet exchange between them. Something passed between them—something Sophia couldn't quite understand.
Her mother finally nodded and spoke. "Your father was more than just a businessman. He was involved in things you never knew about. Dangerous things. And Gabriel…" She paused, her eyes hardening. "Gabriel wasn't just some businessman. He was involved in something far darker."
Sophia felt her heart stop. "What are you saying? What are you trying to tell me?"
Her mother took a deep breath, as though preparing herself for the weight of the words to come. "Your real father was part of a criminal syndicate. And Gabriel—he was working for them."
Sophia's world tilted. Her father had been part of a criminal organization? Gabriel was connected to that world? The realization hit her like a blow to the gut.
"I don't understand. Why didn't you tell me any of this?" Sophia's voice broke as the magnitude of the betrayal began to sink in. "Why keep it from me?"
Her mother's eyes softened with regret. "I thought you were better off not knowing. But now, with Gabriel after you, it's time you understood who he really is. And what he'll do to get what he wants."
Before Sophia could respond, the air seemed to shift—an uneasy tension filling the room. Suddenly, a phone rang. It was her mother's. She answered it without hesitation.
"Yes?" Her mother's tone was sharp, her eyes narrowing as she listened to whoever was on the other end. "Where?"
Sophia watched as her mother's face went pale, her lips pressing into a thin line. "We'll be there," she said before hanging up abruptly. "We have to go. Gabriel just made his move. He's going after someone we both care about."
Sophia stood quickly, her heart racing. "Who?"
But before her mother could answer, there was a knock at the door again. Only this time, it wasn't a warning. It was a promise.
Sophia's body tensed, and Ethan stepped in front of her, his protective stance firm. "Stay behind me."
Her mother's eyes locked with hers. "This is it, Sophia. The fight we've been avoiding. But you're ready now. We don't have time to waste."
As the door opened, the figure standing in the doorway sent chills down Sophia's spine. Gabriel had returned. And this time, he was not alone.