Chapter 2. Egil Arrabal

At the Arrabal family hacienda, Gage looks at Egil with concern. He hasn't said a word in response to the news he just received, and he let Bahram Valencia's messenger go as if it were nothing, something he would never have done for such grave news.

He hasn't given any orders either. That could be a good thing, but definitely not when it comes to Egil. He's not someone who sits idly by in the face of such dishonor; only someone truly reckless and unafraid of death could betray him in this way.

"Boss, maybe I can..."

"Silence!" Egil's powerful voice immediately silences him. The coldness in his tone is something his right-hand man is already accustomed to, as they have known each other since they were children, but there's something more going on inside that head, and he knows it well.

Egil's long fingers don't stop tapping on the desk, a characteristic sign that he's planning something in which many lives will be lost, something Gage has witnessed before. Egil is not a man who leaves debts unpaid, and those poor souls have no idea what awaits them.

For at least an hour, he remains impassive, staring into nothingness and not uttering another word. Outside, in the hallways of the hacienda, silence reigns. News of Nadia's escape two days before the wedding has spread like wildfire throughout the family, and no one dares to be close when the catastrophe unfolds.

"Is Adelaide on her way?" Egil asks, and Gage is surprised by his calmness.

"They will be at the Arrabal hacienda in at least five hours, boss."

"Send four men to escort her here. Ensure that she arrives without any issues. Also, prepare a welcome in the garden and notify all family members to attend."

Gage nods and rushes off to carry out Egil's order. From the tone of his voice, he can imagine what awaits that young woman once she arrives at this place.

Egil remains staring at a fixed point on the horizon, his mind racing. "How dare Bahram insult my family name in such a way?" he thinks angrily.

The anger he's repressing inside him is not doing him any good, but he needs to remain calm to carry out his plan. Bahram Valencia is already condemned to ruin, and he will do it slowly, cruelly, and with such brutality that no one will doubt what they face for defying his authority, until he destroys that disgusting family entirely.

Several hours have passed since Adelaide's van began the journey. She feels dizzy, tired, and sad. She never thought this would happen to her, and although she often dreamed of leaving the mansion, this turns out to be unpleasant for her.

"What new hell will I have to endure from now on?" is the question she has asked herself most often since they set off for her new destination. She doesn't even feel like looking at the landscape she often wondered about. Everything around her seems as gloomy as her mood.

"How much longer until we arrive?" she asks in a hoarse voice. The humidity in the air is wreaking havoc on her, especially in that revealing dress.

"We are already on Arrabal land, my dear, but we still have a long way to go to reach the hacienda. It would be best if you tried to rest."

After that brief conversation, silence reigns between them once more.

As dawn approaches, the young woman notices several black vans accompanying them on both sides. One doesn't need to be very intelligent to realize that these are Egil's men, and he has sent them to escort them to the hacienda.

After a few more hours, she finally catches sight of the highest peak of the Arrabal hacienda rising above a forest, her new home, or her tomb; she's still not sure.

"Everything will be fine, my dear," the old woman pats her hand. Adelaide wants to believe her, but deep down, she knows her destiny is uncertain.

As they get closer to the entrance, she becomes more nervous. Her hand keeps trembling, and a painful knot forms in her throat, almost suffocating her. She has never felt so uncomfortable, and it's not just because of the long journey but because of the circumstances that have brought her here.

In a few minutes, they reach a high stone wall. Outside, many men dressed in black guard a double metal gate, the main entrance to the hacienda. Adelaide is impressed by the view that unfolds before her. The Valencia mansion is not even a tenth of what this place is.

As soon as they reach the entrance, many people of all ages begin to surround the van's path, and she panics.

"What does this mean? Are they here to demand her sister's fate?" she wonders as she looks at the crowd murmuring among themselves.

There are people everywhere, all curiously staring at the woman who will be the family head's wife starting tomorrow.

The van stops right in front of the long walkway that leads to the main doors of the house. Adelaide looks at the path ahead and knows what awaits her.

The door opens, and her brother's stoic gaze indicates that it's time to get out.

"It's time, my dear," Mercedes is the first to get out, offering her hand to do the same. Adelaide's grayish gaze hardens, but she forces herself to regain composure. She can't fall apart right now.

Outside, there's an eerie silence, even more ominous than before. A sigh escapes her chest before she gathers the courage to step out and face what awaits her.

This first step is the closest thing to the path to death. Adelaide notices pity in the gazes of some people, while others show deep contempt and hatred.

"You damn traitor! Daughter of betrayal! Damn you and all the Valencias! I wish you a painful death! Traitors!" are just some of the murmurs she hears as she passes.

Adelaide feels humiliated, and her only desire is to run away at that very moment, but nothing could be further from her wish.

It's clear that Egil Arrabal's intentions in orchestrating this reception were to humiliate her, and he has certainly succeeded.