2025-07-07 03:48:22Cold. That was all Andre felt.
The air in the holding cell was heavy, almost wet. The gray walls pressed in on him, and the single metal bench beneath him was hard and cold. The same questions ran through his head again and again.
How did it come to this?
Why didn’t she speak for me?
Why did Tom do this?
He had been the Golden Son. The chosen heir. The one everyone admired.
Now? Now he was just a man in an orange jumpsuit. Betrayed. Broken. Alone.
Andre leaned back against the wall; eyes closed. Every time he thought of Hermosa, a sharp pain stabbed through his chest. Her face. Her voice. The bracelet she gave him. “I’ll always be here.”
Lies.
He opened his eyes when the cell door creaked open. Two guards entered.
“Time for your hearing,” one said, rough and uninterested.
Andre stood slowly. His wrists were cuffed again, and they led him down the long hallway. His footsteps echoed. Cameras flashed through small square windows as he passed. Reporters pressed against the glass like vultures, shouting questions he couldn’t hear.
Inside the courtroom, the atmosphere was thick with tension.
The judge, an older woman with strict eyes, sat high above. The room was packed. Reporters, family members, investors, and strangers filled the benches. All waiting to watch the golden boy fall.
On the far side of the room, Tom sat quietly, dressed in a crisp suit. He nodded to the judge respectfully and gave a soft, humble smile to the cameras. At his side was Hermosa.
She wore black.
A dress that made her look like she was mourning.
Her eyes were puffy. Her lips trembling.
But she didn’t look at Andre.
Not even once.
The prosecutor stood. “We have one final witness, Your Honor. Ms. Hermosa Navarro.”
Andre’s heart dropped.
She stood slowly. Everyone watched as she walked to the front of the courtroom. Her heels clicked softly against the floor. She took the oath with shaking hands.
“Ms. Navarro,” the prosecutor said, “you were the closest person to Mr. Gordonis, correct?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
“You attended all his meetings, were with him daily, even had access to his files.”
Hermosa looked pale. “Yes.”
“Did Mr. Gordonis ever mention moving company funds into personal accounts?”
Andre’s chest tightened. He stared at her, begging her silently. Please… tell them the truth.
Hermosa hesitated.
Then she spoke.
“He… he told me he was doing it for the company’s survival,” she whispered.
A gasp moved through the room.
Andre’s jaw dropped. “No,” he whispered, barely able to breathe.
“I didn’t know it was illegal at first,” Hermosa continued. “But he said it was the only way to protect the Gordonis legacy.”
The prosecutor nodded, pretending to be sympathetic. “Thank you, Ms. Navarro. That will be all.”
Hermosa stepped down. Her eyes flickered to Andre for a single moment, but she looked away before their gazes could meet.
That look. That one second. It told him everything.
She was lying.
But why?
The media had their headlines within seconds. “Andre Gordonis Confessed to Girlfriend, Courtroom Bombshell!”
“From Lovers to Enemies — Betrayal in the Elite Circle.”
Cameras caught the moment Tom stood and gently placed a hand on Hermosa’s shoulder. She leaned into him like he was her protector. It made Andre want to scream.
The judge pounded her gavel. “Order in the court.”
An hour later, the room was silent again as the judge read the sentence.
“After reviewing the evidence, the financial records, and the witness testimony… the court finds the defendant guilty.”
Andre’s ears buzzed.
Guilty.
Guilty?
The word rang over and over in his head like a bomb.
“You are hereby sentenced to 15 years in federal prison.”
The gavel came down.
And just like that, everything Andre had—his name, his family, his future…was gone.
The guards pulled him to his feet. He looked at Hermosa. She still wouldn't meet his eyes.
As he was led out of the courtroom, one thought echoed in his mind like thunder.
She chose him.
She chose Tom.
Over me.
Hermosa sat in a dark room at the back of the courthouse. Her hands trembled in her lap. Across from her, Tom leaned back in his chair, arms crossed casually.
“I don’t want to do this,” she whispered.
Tom didn’t flinch. “Then your father dies.”
Hermosa looked up sharply. “He’s on life support, Tom. He doesn’t have much time.”
Tom pulled out a folder and placed it on the table. Inside were fake emails, forged records, and a signed confession—none of which Andre had ever seen.
“If you don’t testify,” he said calmly, “these files go public. And the media will spin it all on you. They’ll say you helped him steal millions. They’ll say you ran the fake charities. You’ll go to jail too.”
Hermosa’s throat tightened. “He’s innocent.”
Tom’s eyes darkened. “Maybe. But that doesn’t matter now.”
She stood. “Why are you doing this? You already have everything you wanted.”
Tom shrugged. “I don’t want everything, Hermosa. I want what’s mine. The company. The legacy. And if I get you in the process…” He gave her a slow smile. “That’s a bonus.”
Hermosa backed away. “I’ll tell the truth.”
Tom stood too, suddenly cold and dangerous. “Then your father dies alone in a hospital bed. I made sure of that. One call. One message. And his medicine… doesn’t arrive.”
Hermosa froze.
She thought of her father’s frail body, the way he had whispered her name yesterday through the oxygen mask.
“I’ll do it,” she said, her voice hollow. “But never touch me again.”
Tom’s grin didn’t fade. “Smart girl.”
---
Back to Present
Andre sat in the back of the prison transport van, wrists bound, staring at the floor.
He felt empty.
Like a shell.
He had dreamed of building an empire, of marrying Hermosa, of one day leading the Gordonis name into greatness.
Now he was just another man in a jumpsuit. A number in the system.
His last thought before the van drove off:
They broke me.
But I’ll come back.
Even if it kills me.
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Chapter 23 — Business and Blood
Angela pushed open the door to Tom’s house without bothering to knock. The place reeked of whiskey and frustration. She found him in the living room, slouched on the couch, a half-empty bottle of liquor in his hand, and the television playing some sports channel neither of them cared about.She didn’t bother with pleasantries. Instead, she stormed across the room and slammed her hand against the coffee table with a loud thud.“What makes you think you can pull down Don Alaric?” she snapped.Tom didn’t flinch. He took a slow sip from his glass and looked at her from beneath his furrowed brow. “Watch your tone, Angela,” he said coldly. “And your actions. I’m not in the mood today.”Angela crossed her arms and sneered. “Neither am I.”For a moment, silence simmered between them like a kettle on the verge of boiling over.Tom sat up slowly, rolling his neck like he was trying to stretch out the weight of his current reality. “How did your meeting go?” he asked. “With the woman I sent you
Chapter 22: A little romance
The clock on the wall ticked past noon, but Hermosa hadn’t moved from her bed. The curtains were drawn halfway, letting in just enough light to keep the room from drowning in gloom. Her throat still felt sore, and her body ached faintly with the remnants of fever. She had called the office that morning, her voice hoarse, informing them she wouldn’t be coming in due to illness. She hadn’t expected a response, certainly not the kind that came knocking at her door now.A soft knock interrupted her daze.“Yes?” she called out, her voice rasping slightly.One of the maids entered, balancing a medium-sized brown box, a bouquet of fresh tulips and daisies, and a smaller gift-wrapped box that unmistakably carried the scent of rich, imported chocolate.“These just arrived for you, Miss Hermosa,” the maid said with a curious smile, placing the items on her bed.Hermosa blinked in surprise. The packaging was elegant and thoughtful. She reached first for the card attached to the bouquet, her fing
Chapter 21 – Shifting Shadows
Hermosa sat at the edge of her bed, still dressed in yesterday’s clothes, her phone clenched in her hand like a lifeline she didn’t know how to cut.A soft knock tapped against the door before Bella stepped in, arms crossed, a knowing look in her eyes.“You called him last night,” Bella said plainly, walking over and sitting beside her. “I saw your call log when I picked up your phone to turn off your alarm.”Hermosa stiffened, her jaw tightening. “So, you’re checking my call logs now?”Bella raised her hands innocently. “I wasn’t snooping. I just saw it.”Hermosa looked away. “It’s not a big deal.”Bella gave a small laugh and pulled Hermosa into a side hug. “It is. And it’s okay. I know why you called him.”Hermosa didn’t respond, her eyes fixed on the floor.Bella continued gently, “He reminds you of Andre.”Hermosa flinched but didn’t deny it.“But they’re not the same,” Bella said, tightening her grip around her friend. “You need to get that into your head. Andre’s gone. You have
Chapter 20 – Night Watch
The soft glow from Bella’s laptop cast shifting shadows across the walls of the control room. Hermosa leaned in toward the CCTV monitors, her heart racing as the grainy images flickered. “There,” she whispered, pointing at a dark silhouette just beyond the iron gate.On screen, a figure stood still, head tilted as if listening. Then the person started gliding sideways, pacing slowly back and forth. Rain earlier that evening had dampened the driveway, puddles glistened in the low lamplight.Hermosa’s chest tightened. “Who is that?” she murmured.Bella closed the laptop but kept her eyes fixed on the screen. “Calm down. It’s a guard shift, someone checking the perimeter. Probably late.”Hermosa shook her head, frowning. “It’s too one-pointed. Someone staying in one spot, watching the gate.”Bella's phone buzzed. She checked the time. “Okay. I’ll go check the back. You go upstairs. Stay with your father.”Hermosa reached for her phone on the table. Heat tingled through her fingers. She h
Chapter 19 – Shadows of Truth
The late afternoon sun filtered through the tall windows of Don Alaric’s study, casting golden streaks across the polished mahogany floor. The scent of cigars lingered in the air, faint but unmistakable. Valerie stood by the bar cart, pouring herself a glass of sparkling water, while Don Alaric sat behind his desk, a contemplative look etched onto his face.She glanced at him as she took a sip. “You didn’t eat much at lunch,” she said. “That’s rare for you.”“I wasn’t hungry,” he replied flatly, his eyes focused on a small photograph on his desk, a weathered image of a young woman holding a baby. Hermosa and Andre Jr., from years ago.Valerie set her glass down. “She’s getting to you, isn’t she?”Alaric didn’t respond. Instead, he leaned back in his chair and exhaled slowly. “She asked him to take off the mask.”Valerie raised a brow. “You knew she would. She was bound to get curious.”There was a knock at the door.“Come in,” Alaric called.The door creaked open, and the man who had
Chapter 18 – Shadows and Suspicions
Bella stepped out of her car, her eyes scanning the quiet estate. The early morning sun cast long shadows across the driveway, and the air was still, almost too still. She clutched her handbag tightly as she made her way to the front door, her heels clicking softly against the stones.Hermosa opened the door before Bella could even knock. Her face was pale, her eyes guarded, and there was a tension in her shoulders that immediately set Bella on edge.“You look like hell,” Bella said gently, stepping inside.“I feel worse,” Hermosa replied. “Come in.”They moved into the sitting room. Hermosa offered tea, but Bella declined, settling on the velvet couch instead.“I came early because I couldn’t sleep,” Bella admitted. “Too much racing through my mind. I haven’t stopped thinking about our last conversation... about Andre. About the evidence. Everything is finally beginning to make sense. I feel like we’re this close.” She pinched two fingers together.Hermosa didn’t respond immediately.
