Ricardo sat in his study, the weight of the situation pressing down on him like a storm he couldn't control. The firelight flickered against the walls, but it did nothing to warm the cold rage settling in his chest. His hands were clasped together, his knuckles white as he stared at the documents on his desk, plans, maps, strategies all leading to one thing: getting Elisa back.
A knock at the door broke the silence.
Antonio stepped inside, his face tense. "We've received word."
Ricardo's sharp gaze snapped to him. "From whom?"
"Our informant inside Emiliano's estate." Antonio hesitated for a moment before continuing. "Elisa is being mistreated. She hasn't eaten or had anything to drink since she was taken."
The air in the room shifted.
Ricardo's jaw clenched, his fingers digging into the edge of his desk. For a moment, he said nothing, but the silence was suffocating, thick with restrained fury.
In one swift motion, Ricardo grabbed the glass of whiskey beside him and hurled it against the wall. The shattering sound echoed through the room, matching the chaos inside him.
Antonio remained still, watching him carefully. He had known Ricardo for years, had stood beside him through countless battles, but this… this was different.
Ricardo turned away, running a hand through his hair. His chest rose and fell heavily. Elisa. His Elisa. Locked away, hungry, alone.
"She's not strong enough for this," he muttered, more to himself than anyone else. He could picture her now, her striking green eyes filled with fear but still burning with defiance. She had fought against him from the start, unwilling to accept the fate their fathers had decided for her. But she was his. And no one, especially not Emiliano was going to take her from him.
Antonio exhaled, stepping forward. "I know what you're thinking. We need to be careful, Ricardo."
Ricardo turned, his expression like stone. "Careful?" His voice was dangerously low. "She hasn't eaten in days. She's being punished because of me. I won't sit here and wait for Emiliano to break her."
Antonio studied him for a long moment. Then, a small, knowing smirk tugged at his lips. "You're in love with her."
Ricardo tensed.
Antonio chuckled. "You don't even see it, do you? The great Ricardo Castillo, rattled over a woman."
Ricardo shot him a warning glare, but Antonio only raised his hands in surrender. "It's obvious," he continued. "Ever since she was taken, you've been different. You're distracted. Unfocused." His voice softened slightly. "But you don't have to hide it from me. You want her back and not just because she's your fiancée, not because of your father's will… but because she's yours."
Ricardo said nothing.
He didn't need to.
He had felt it from the moment he first saw her. this angel in disguise, so flawless yet filled with fire. He had tried to ignore it, to remind himself that this was just business, just another power move.
But now? It was something more.
And Emiliano had just made the worst mistake of his life.
Ricardo straightened, his expression set. "Tell our informant to send her a message."
Antonio nodded. "What should it say?"
Ricardo's voice was steady, final.
"Tell her I'm coming for her."
Antonio smirked. "She'll like that."
Ricardo didn't respond. He had wasted enough time. Now, it was time to bring Elisa home.
Emiliano stood by the window, his sharp gaze sweeping across the estate. He could feel it , Ricardo was planning something.
Without George feeding him inside information, he had lost his advantage. That didn't sit well with him.
Turning to Justin, his most trusted man, Emiliano spoke with certainty. "He's coming. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but he will come for her."
Justin folded his arms. "We're ready. The estate is locked down, and the guards know the orders Elisa doesn't leave."
Emiliano smirked, adjusting the cuffs of his tailored suit. "Good. Let my dear brother come. I'll make sure he regrets it."
But Ricardo wasn't the only thing on his mind. The Castillo empire should have been his, not Ricardo's. That thought fueled his determination. While Ricardo was distracted, Emiliano would move forward with his plans.
He signaled to Justin. "Come. We have business to attend to."
Before stepping out, he turned to his guards, his voice low but threatening.
"Watch her closely. If she tries anything, ensure you crush whatever hope she has left."