I hurriedly left my nanny in the living room and I went straight to my room. I couldn't get Luis out of my head. I was so scared. But why? He's a big boy, I'm sure he can handle himself well. Besides, he's a criminal, and that's his life. Why was I worried about him? It was something I couldn't explain. I was supposed to despise him, but I found myself not hating him.
"Ugh, if I hadn't gone on that date that evening, it wouldn't have come to this," I said to myself. And Aliyah slapped her face twice on the right and left cheek.
"No, Aliyah, focus! You've a mission to fulfil. He's just a distraction; Gabriel is the one you really want. How do I sneak Gabriel in now without my nanny or the guards catching me? This is the right opportunity since Mama left to meet her sister. She spaces around in thoughts... How could I forget this? Father's office has cameras implanted. I'm sure Gabriel is a handyman for that."
Aliyah went downstairs after thinking and thinking with no idea popping into her head. That was when her nanny, Mrs. Ella, called her for assistance in the kitchen.
"Aliyah, could you please help me watch the sauce so it doesn't get burnt? I really need to use the restroom."
"It's like the earth was on her side," Aliyah thought. "Thank God most of the maids in the house were on a day off," so Aliyah opened the emergency first aid box, which was kept in one of the shelves in the kitchen, and she took some sleeping pills.
"That was when I added it to the sauce. Thank goodness this came in handy at the right time."
And that was when Mrs. Ella walked in.
"Thank you so much, Aliyah, I knew I could always count on you. Today has really been hectic with no one around to help."
"I know, Nanny, that's why I'm here."
"Thank you, Aliyah," Mrs. Ella smiled.
Aliyah left the kitchen in jubilation of not getting caught.
"Phew, that was close," she checked the time and immediately called Gabriel.
"Hi, Gabriel, come to my house by 2 pm. The coast will be clear by then."
"What about your mother?"
"She's out to see her sister. She will be back by 5 pm, so don't mess this up."
Gabriel laughed and responded, "I won't, my love."
It was exactly 1:45 pm, and the meals of the guards had been served. They all ate, including Mrs. Ella, but Aliyah refused eating, saying she wasn't hungry.
"Aliyah, I feel so sleepy; I'll be in my room if you need me. I need to rest."
"Seems like the drugs are working perfectly," Aliyah said, and she cleared all evidence. She took the plates and cleaned everything up.
It was 2 pm already, and Gabriel was already present in Aliyah's house. He was led inside, but he was scared for his life because of the guards. To his greatest shock, they were all on the floor asleep.
"What did you do, Aliyah?"
"Stop asking, and let's get down to business."
Gabriel teased her, "My girl is playing dirty now."
"Oh, shut up," and Gabriel chuckled.
"We've a problem, though."
"What problem?" Gabriel asked.
"Do you know how to disconnect cameras?"
"Yes, why?"
"Oh, good, follow me to the control room," Aliyah said.
Gabriel followed her, and they were in the control room with the guards, who were all sleeping.
"Aliyah, what did you really do to them?" Gabriel asked.
"Ugh, you're just making a fuss out of this. I've got to just in case your father decides to come for me. He won't; it's just sleeping meds," Aliyah replied.
"Oh, god, I'm glad I was so scared. That's why I said you should trust me with all this. Now let's get back to our mission," Gabriel said.
Gabriel was able to disconnect the cameras and erase every evidence that showed he entered the villa.
"Aliyah, as soon as I leave, you come back here and touch this red button. The cameras will be back on," Gabriel instructed.
"OK, noted. Now let's go to your father's office," Gabriel said.
They moved to Juan's office and raided everything, but to no avail. Even the document connecting Juan to Gabriel's cartel wasn't there.
"It's like father knows a day would come, so he had to hide it. So what do we do, Gabriel? I'm really frustrated and tired," Aliyah said.
"It's OK, babe; we would find another way," Gabriel replied.
Aliyah was getting frustrated while Gabriel was still lost in thoughts. "You might have won this round, Juan, but it doesn't mean you're going to win the next. I'm going to use your precious daughter against you, and I'll marry her, and there's nothing you'll be able to do about it."
The both of them had been searching for hours, and Aliyah had to check the time.
"You need to leave now, Gabriel; my mom will be home soon, and if she finds you here or any of them wakes up, I'll be in big trouble," Aliyah said.
"I have a suggestion, Aliyah," Gabriel said.
"Which is?" Aliyah asked.
"Your father's office at work; what do you think?" Gabriel asked.
"No, no, no, no... we can't. His office is securely guarded, and I won't be risking myself to go there," Aliyah replied.
"But what about your freedom and us?" Gabriel asked.
"I think I'll just accept my cross; maybe this is fate. The wedding is bound to happen," Aliyah said.
"So you're saying you'll just give up on us just like that?" Gabriel asked.
"I don't know, Gabriel. You're not giving me a valid reason now. Gabriel, please just go; please, I need to think this through," Aliyah said.
"You're not thinking about anything; I'm sure you've made up your mind already. Gabriel, go, please. I'll leave, but I won't give up on our love," Gabriel said.
He tries to kiss Aliyah, but she moves back, and Gabriel leaves angrily.
Immediately he left, she pressed the red button, and the cameras were back on.
"I quickly went back to my room; I didn't know why I did that, but it felt so right. All this is father's and Luis' fault. I can't be thinking of accepting a criminal; how will my life and children's life be? It'll continuously be in danger; I just know. My life is so complicated right now. I need a drink."
In Luis' mansion...
Luis was back home from his mission, and he went upstairs to shower to wash off the blood stains and get himself cleaned up.
His POV, while in the shower...
"I know I might've acted irrationally, killing Charles like that, and I may have started a… war if any of his family finds out I was responsible. But I was Luis Moreno Salazar; I don't forgive and certainly, there's no second chance in my lineage. Forgiving wouldn't make people fear or respect me anymore. No one double-crosses me, so when Charles pulled that stunt of messing with me, I had to show him who's really in charge. Killing was what I was taught, and that's what I'd continue to do.
Luis was done with his shower and went downstairs to watch the news, just in case there was some kind of trouble.
"I need something strong while watching," he said to himself.
He went to his shelf of drinks and picked a wine, not too strong, and poured it into one of the glasses nearby. And he stood close to the wine shelf, while his mind drifted to his woman.
"I need to see her again. But why do I crave her presence? She pushes me to the edge, and I don't need that right now. I think I'll find a way to meet with her again, so I can have my peace."
He was finally seated on his couch when he put on the television and sipped his wine. He almost choked on his wine when he saw the news.
"I thought I told those two fools to dispose of his body well... such incompetence," he muttered to himself.
"Charles has been found, and they're on the lookout for his killers," the news broadcaster announced.