7

SOFIA

My hands are on my phone, not knowing whether to unblock Justin’s number to tell him to calm down and back the hell off. I’m not sure how it would turn out if I tell Hector’s men to wait so I can go sort things out myself. That will only raise suspicions around me, as he didn’t know I was currently Anne Wolfe. 

I start questioning why I don’t want to let Hector’s men hurt him in the first place. He deserves to be blasted by Hector’s men after everything he has done. But chances are he could shout my name out loud before he dies. 

Instantly, I unblock him and send him a text that I hope he will pay attention to. “Don’t follow me. I’m on a dangerous mission and you will get killed.”

He texts back, “I don’t care if I die. I just want to talk to you.” The crying emoji he put at the end made me quite irritated. Then he went on to text again, “I know you’re lying because you already quit because of me.”

I hold back my anger as much as I can even though I’m lowkey wishing I can take the gun from one of the guards and blasting him myself. He just had to remind me of the stupid things I did in the name of love.

“We can meet later today. Just turn around or this could be the last text you will ever be reading.” I make my tone as hostile as possible in that text before slipping my phone back in my purse. I refuse to panic over what the outcome of the chase would be. He could die for all I care.

“The fool just turned around.” The man at the steering says. “I was ready to corner him somewhere and smoke him.” It’s clear he’s not bluffing from the way he speaks.

Part of me is relieved that I am not going to be exposed anytime soon. All I can do is get ready to face the Reyes family. I know a bit about what to expect from my studies. Hector has a brother and also a younger sister whom he has tried to keep away from the public eye as much as possible. Not much was known about where 

I notice the road getting even lonelier as the journey carries on. I’m almost suspecting that I’m being smuggled out of town until I see we are headed for a huge gate of what looks like a factory. 

“What the…” I mumble under my breath as I suspect that my cover has been blown somehow and I am being smuggled to a secret place where all the truth would be tortured out of me. The tracker on my phone is still active, and hopefully, everyone at the precinct would know if anything happens to me. 

“Here we are, Miss Wolfe…” the guy in the passenger’s seat in front turned with a friendly smile. “I’m sure it’s not what you expected.”

“Ohh…” I’m not sure how to reply as I’m not sure if that’s a threat or a welcome. But the huge factory gate slides open and I see another gate off in the distance that looks more like the gate to a luxury mansion. “Wow… for a moment I thought we were lost.”

“Haha…” the man laughs. “No fear. No way we are going to be guilty of fumbling the one who saved our boss.”

“Ohh, thank you…” I laugh, hating how all my conversational skills had evaporated. I’d said ‘ohh’ for the umpteenth time. “I didn’t know I’m this famous already. Too bad I won’t be giving out autographs.”

They both laugh. Fortunately. I have no idea what I would have done if they didn’t get the joke if it sounded weird to them. 

“Wow… talk about hidden in plain sight.” I remark as the car drives through a wide, empty expanse of space with something like two watchtowers on each end of it. All that before the mansion. 

The car finally comes to a stop in front of the mansion, and I let out a quiet breath I didn't realize I'd been holding.

“Welcome to the Reyes residence, Miss Wolfe.” The driver steps out and opens my door.

“Thank you.” I step out, adjusting my purse on my shoulder as I take in the building before me.

This isn't just a mansion. It's practically a kingdom. The white marble walls stretch high, with huge glass windows reflecting the morning sunlight. Two men stand on either side of the entrance, dressed in black suits with earpieces tucked into their ears. There's a fountain in the middle of the driveway, and perfectly trimmed hedges line the walkway leading to the front door.

I turn around, looking at the watchtowers in the distance. Seriously, who needs this much security unless they're hiding something?

Well, considering the kind of family I'm dealing with, maybe I shouldn't be surprised.

“Shall we?” The passenger-seat guy gestures toward the entrance.

I nod and follow him inside.

And just like the exterior, the interior is ridiculously beautiful. The floor is covered in polished marble, with a massive chandelier hanging from the ceiling. A staircase curves elegantly toward the upper floor, while expensive-looking paintings decorate the walls. There's a huge sitting room to my left, with cream-colored sofas arranged around a glass table.

“I know who you are.” His interruption makes me pause. Then he takes another step toward me, his eyes narrowing as he studies my face. “Actually, I know what you are.”

Before I can process what he means, he pulls a gun from behind his back and points it straight at my forehead.

My breath stops for a moment. What the hell?!

“Who sent you?” he demands.

I stare at the gun, then slowly raise my eyes to his face. “I'm sorry... what?”

He cocks his head, looking completely unimpressed. “Don't play stupid with me, little girl. I know exactly what people like you do.”

My heart begins to pound against my chest. And just when I thought surviving Hector was going to be the hardest part of this mission, I find myself staring down the barrel of a gun in his own house.

Fantastic.

I haven't even met the man I'm supposed to be working for today, and I might already be dead.