Chapter 31He left the gym and headed straight for Theo’s office. Pushing open the door, he found Theo reviewing the updated security plans.“Got a minute?” Miguel asked, shutting the door behind him.“Sure,” Theo said, leaning back in his chair. “What’s up?”Miguel crossed his arms, pacing slightly. “It’s about Sophia and that so-called gym instructor of hers, Oscar.”Theo raised an eyebrow. “What about them?”“I just saw them in the gym. The way they were interacting—too close, too familiar. He told her he missed her after the ‘kidnapping.’ It’s odd, Theo. He’s supposed to be her trainer, not her confidant.”Theo frowned. “You think there’s something going on between them?”Miguel stopped pacing, his expression serious. “I don’t just think it—I know it. And we need to keep a closer eye on them. There’s something about Oscar that doesn’t add up. He’s disrespectful to staff, acts entitled, and now he’s cozying up to Sophia.”Theo nodded thoughtfully. “Do you want me to escalate this?

Chapter 33The night was cloaked in a veil of restless clouds, the soft hum of distant crickets the only sound outside Diego’s sprawling mansion. Inside, the warm glow of chandeliers illuminated a room thick with tension. The mahogany table in Diego’s private study bore marks of age and power, much like the man who sat at its head.The thick smell of cigars mingled with the faint tang of spilled whiskey, curling through the opulent study like a specter of power. A half-empty wine bottle stood forgotten on the table, next to a silver tray dusted with the remnants of cocaine. The grand chandelier above cast flickering light, illuminating the tension etched into every corner of the room.Diego lounged in his leather armchair, a cigarette smoldering between his fingers. His dark eyes, sharp as a hawk’s, bore into the men seated before him. On the table, a glass of Malbec swirled lazily in his other hand, the deep red liquid glinting in the light. He didn’t need to speak; the silence was s

Chapter 35 Miguel hadn't slept much. He kept replaying Theo's report in his head, the timeline of Sophia's movements, the way Oscar had shown up out of nowhere with no history that made sense. By the time the sun came up, he was already in the security office, a mug of black coffee going cold beside him. Theo walked in a few minutes later, looking just as tired. "You're here early." "Didn't leave," Miguel said. "Anything from Jackson?" Theo shook his head. "He's still digging. Says Oscar's paperwork checks out on the surface. Certifications, a training studio in the city, references. But surface is the word he used. Nothing deeper than that. No family listed anywhere. No old employers willing to talk." Miguel set the mug down. "That's not nothing." "No," Theo agreed. "But it's not proof either. If we go to Alejandro with 'his references sound too clean,' he's going to tell us we're grasping." Miguel knew he was right. Alejandro had been distant the last few days, caught between

Chapter 37Valentina waited until the house had gone quiet before she moved. Diego had left after dinner for one of his late meetings, the kind he never explained and she'd learned never to ask about, and the staff had retreated to their quarters for the night. She sat alone in the sprawling bedroom, staring at the phone in her hand.She didn't have Alejandro's number. She didn't have anyone's number that mattered, not really. Diego had made sure of that years ago, slowly, so she never noticed it happening until every friend she'd once had stopped calling.But she remembered a name. Miguel Torres. She'd heard Diego say it enough times with enough venom that it had lodged itself in her memory. Alejandro's right hand. His most loyal man.She opened a browser on the phone, hands trembling slightly, and searched for the casino's public contact page. A general line. Not what she needed, but somewhere to start.A floorboard creaked outside the door.Valentina's heart jumped into her throat.

Chapter 39Sophia found Alejandro in his study that evening, hunched over a stack of papers from the finance meeting, a glass of untouched whiskey sitting beside his elbow. She knocked softly on the open door before stepping inside."You've been in here for hours," she said, moving behind his chair to rest her hands on his shoulders."Trying to make sense of an opportunity Marcus brought me," he said, rubbing his eyes. "A resort property out on the coast. He thinks it could double as an investment and a foothold into a new market.""Sounds exciting." She began massaging his shoulders gently, feeling the tension there. "What's stopping you?""The numbers are aggressive," Alejandro admitted. "Miguel wants more time to look at it properly before we commit to anything."Sophia kept her expression soft, careful. "Miguel always wants more time. Sometimes opportunities don't wait for someone else's comfort level.""He's usually right about these things.""Usually," she agreed, letting the wo