Chapter 4

Reina/Ina

I needed to find out what was happening in Spain.

"Excuse me," I called softly to the nurse. "Could I borrow your phone? I just need to call someone... quickly."

She hesitated for a moment, but perhaps she felt sorry for me because she eventually handed me her personal cellphone.

I quickly dialed an international number I knew by heart—the secret line of Alejandro, the trusted Commander and right-hand man of House Monteverde in Spain.

It rang several times before a familiar, deep voice answered.

"Hello? Who is this?"

"Alejandro... it's me. It's Reina," I whispered, keeping my voice low so the nurse wouldn't hear me. She was busy writing something on my chart.

I heard Alejandro let out a sharp breath on the other end. His shock and fear were obvious.

"Reina! Dios mío, you're alive! We've been looking everywhere for you! The entire council in Spain is in chaos right now. Are you safe? Where are you?"

"I'm safe for now, Alejandro. I'm in a hospital," I answered quickly, brushing aside his questions. There was only one thing I needed to know.

"Tell me the truth. My parents... Mom and Dad... where are they?"

Silence fell over the line.

All I could hear was Alejandro's heavy breathing before he finally spoke in a low voice.

"I'm so sorry, Reina... They're gone. The ambush was too precise. We arrived at the site as soon as the intelligence team raised the alarm, but the area had been completely wiped clean. No traces, no evidence... and we couldn't recover their bodies. House Valdés is doing everything they can to track where they took them, but so far, there's nothing."

My fingers loosened around the phone.

For a moment, I could barely breathe.

The last bit of hope I'd been holding on to crumbled inside me. They really were gone. And what hurt even more was knowing that our own people hadn't even been able to recover their bodies.

"Reina, you need to stay hidden," Alejandro continued, his voice tense. "The other Great Houses already know that Monteverde leadership has fallen. Rumors are spreading that you're dead, too. If they find out you survived, you'll be their next target. Don't trust anyone there."

"I know," I replied coldly.

The tears that had filled my eyes earlier were gone, replaced by a growing anger that burned through me.

"I'll find whoever did this, Alejandro. Tell the High Council... the Heir is still breathing."

I ended the call after reminding him that I was alive and handing the phone back to the nurse. I thanked her quietly and asked if she could leave me alone for a while so I could rest.

She returned the phone to me, telling me she'd come back to check on me later.

Once she stepped out, I kept the phone beside my pillow.

A moment later, it vibrated.

I answered immediately and lowered my voice.

"Reina, listen to me carefully," Alejandro said, his tone serious. "Since no one on the enemy's side knows what you look like, aside from our trusted allies, you still have an advantage. For now, you need to keep pretending to be an ordinary citizen. You must continue living as Ina."

"I can't just hide, Alejandro. My parents are gone," I replied, my voice shaking despite my efforts to stay calm.

The anger inside me was slowly beginning to overpower my fear.

"I'm not telling you to give up, Reina. I'm telling you to survive," he said, trying to reason with me. "We still don't know who the real enemy is. It could be someone from one of the Twelve Great Houses, or even a traitor close to us. Going back to the Monteverde mansion right now would be suicide. That's the first place they'll be watching."

I took a deep breath, staring at the white ceiling.

He was right.

Returning to the mansion without enough men or information would be like walking straight into a trap.

"Fine. I'll keep a low profile," I whispered.

Shit. How am I supposed to do that? I don't even have anything with me. Not a single peso. Not even an ID.

As if he'd somehow heard my thoughts, Alejandro spoke again.

"I'll provide everything you need."

I heard the faint tapping of a keyboard on his end.

"By tomorrow morning, someone I trust from the Silver Team will secretly deliver a package to your hospital room. It'll contain untraceable cash, keys to a safe house registered under a clean identity, and a car. I'll also send you a burner phone with a modified, encrypted network that should make it much harder for anyone to trace your communications."

A little of the tension in my chest eased.

At least, despite everything that had happened to my family, there were still people willing to stand by me.

"Use the house as your base. Live like an ordinary person until you've fully recovered. Don't draw attention to yourself, Reina. Do you understand?"

"Yes. Thank you, Alejandro," I replied quietly.

"Take care. The future of House Monteverde is in your hands now."

The call ended.

I placed the nurse's phone on the table beside my bed and closed my eyes, letting his words sink in.

I'd regain my strength, gather information, and find out who had ordered my parents' deaths.

And when I finally discovered which devil was responsible, I'd make sure they paid for it in blood.

A soft click from the door pulled me out of my thoughts.

I quickly adjusted my position in bed and forced my expression to go blank.

Zach walked in, holding his clipboard and a fresh checklist for my vital signs.

"How are you feeling now, Ina?" he asked as he approached my bed.

I looked at him, then at the clipboard in his hands.

For a brief moment, I wondered what he would do if he knew the truth about the woman lying in his hospital bed.

Would he still look at me the same way?

I pushed the thought aside and gave him a small nod.

"I'm feeling a little better, Doc."

"Good." He checked the monitor beside me. "Let's make sure your vitals agree with you."

I watched him work, keeping my face calm while my mind returned to Alejandro's warning.

For now, I had to remain Ina.

The Heir of Monteverde was supposed to be dead.

And until I knew who had destroyed my family, that was exactly what the world needed to believe.