Hugo walked into his room without knocking and found the bed empty. The bed was a mess and Camila hadn't stepped out of the room all day. It had been going on since the day she had returned to the mansion. She barely ate, barely slept and almost never talked. Hugo had tried everything yet she remained distant and emotionless. It only fueled his guilt even further. He listened for any noise from the bathroom but there was nothing but silence. His heart skipped a beat. Then he caught the sliding door to the balcony wide open. He walked through the sliding door and into the open. He found Camila standing at the rail staring at the sunset. It was a beautiful sight. The horizon had turned bright orange and the moon could be seen at the top of the sky. There were no signs of relief or satisfaction on Camila’s face. Somedays one could feel like happiness has forgotten their names. It had become Camila’s life. She wasn't allowed to leave the mansion without a dozen guards. She still hadn't be
Hugo stood in the light of the burning cabin as he smoked a cigarette. He had never expected that from Pedro. Hugo’s father had assumed the financial responsibility for Michelle and Pedro. The siblings had been less than grateful but Hugo had never expected Pedro to do something so heinous against his saviors. Hugo knew that Michelle would give him hell for doing what he did to her brother but he didn't regret it. Pedro was to become an example for those who dared to look at the Ortiz family the wrong way. Hugo extinguished the cigarette under his shoe. He still had to break the news to Michelle. He shook his head and entered the SUV. Juan was typing away on his laptop. As soon as Hugo was inside, Juan ordered the driver to step on it. Hugo was silent for a while until he finally had enough of the secrecy. “What’s up with you and computers?” Hugo asked. Juan was a bit reluctant.“Senor Ortiz… I have a confession to make. I didn't drop investigations into Madam Michelle when you told
Michelle was out with her friends drinking at Club Toledo. The place was packed with young boys and girls trying to get noticed and have a good time. The flickering lights and deafening bass music filled the club. It all reeked of sweat and cheap deodorants. Michelle was looking for a new target as usual. All her friends had found someone to spend the night with. Michelle had higher standards and no such man was up for grabs in the club. She decided to stick to the drinks. She checked the watch and it was ten already. Juan didn't show up. She’ll have to tame that stallion some other day. Even thinking about him made her mouth water. She caught one of her friends dragging a muscular guy to the restroom and she couldn't help but laugh. She ordered another round. Her phone pinged and drove her attention away from the psychedelic lights and deafening music. The screen said, “Message from Pedro”. She cringed as she was in no mood to deal with his tantrums and failures. She tapped on the ph
A month later…The flight from the United States descended with the sun. Ernesto Cortissoz Barranquilla International Airport was already bustling with activity. There weren't many passengers traveling from the United States to Colombia. The majority of them were tourists and the rest were back to see their families. Among the crowd of arriving passengers was Adam Peterson trying his best to blend in. He wore a pair of oversized sunglasses and a baseball cap. He walked over the line at the immigration. He produced his passport that read, “Alex Bradley” and the officer didn't take long to return it after stamping it. He went through the formalities and stepped out of the airport. His mind was working over time. He couldn't spend one minute without looking over his shoulder. There was some truth to Frank’s words. This was a stupid idea. Hugo Ortiz didn't have much support back in Nebraska yet he still managed to wreak enough havoc to have the federal government involved. But this was hi
An extravagant yacht floated a couple of kilometers away from Tortuga Bay in Ecuador. A party was being hosted on the vessel. There were dozens of women of all shapes and sizes wearing swimsuits and bikinis, dancing to the beat. The tables had lines of coke on them and every once in a while, one of the guests showed up and one of the lines vanished. Dominic Carter was the center of attention as he sat on the beach chair wearing a tropical print shirt and a pair of shorts that barely hid what it was supposed to cover. Two girls sat on the armrests leaning their bodies on him and he wasn’t complaining. Everyone was trying to be on his good side since he was the proud host of the party and the yacht. Most of the girls enjoying the party had made their way to his list through his bedroom. The rest were future prospects. Dominic preferred them in their mid teens. Half a dozen guards were scattered across the vessel and two of them stood behind Dominic like mannequins. The lines on the tabl
Days passed agonizingly slow for Camila. The security around her had tightened exponentially. Her each step was carefully watched. She had a strict routine that even laid out her lunch, dinner and bedtime. Hugo still hadn't been physically intimate with her but that didn't mean she had any say over anything else. She wasn't allowed to leave the mansion alone under any circumstances. The servants and guards had orders to stop her at all costs and failure would result in execution. The recent bloodshed left little doubt in the gravity of the orders and everyone shadowed her twenty four hours. She wasn't allowed to own a cellphone. The walls were suffocating the life out of her. It was a starry night with a crystal clear sky. Camila stood at the balcony watching the only friends she had left. The stars never hurt her. They were free and Camila envied them. She cursed the day she had fallen in love with Hugo. She had been blind to the blood running through the white walls of Casa Ortiz.
Adam put his hand on the Tokarev in his belt but he knew that it wasn't going to save him if he was a sitting duck against an army. The shadow of the man strengthened on the ground. Adam pulled out the gun and aimed it where the head of the guard was expected to be. His hands were shaking. One gunshot could end it all before it even started. A lot could happen to Camila as well if he was found in the mansion. His forehead was covered in sweat. The thunder rumbled outside and it shook him from the inside out. The guard stepped out of the room and caught Adam standing right in front of him. He was an old man with a gray beard. He pointed his AK47 right at his face and walked closer to him, examining him. Adam didn't even breathe. “What was it?” Yelled the other guard from inside the room. Adam felt the old guard’s grip tighten around the weapon and he followed suit. One badly timed itch would have started a war. The two of them didn't break eye contact for even a second. “Just a cat!”
No matter what Hugo did it only ended up making matters worse. He stormed out of the bedroom and went downstairs. It was raining cats and dogs. The sound of the rain and thunderclaps echoed across the mansion. He walked to the living room and almost smiled when his mind expected to see Michelle on the couch tapping away on her phone. He sat down and buried his face in his palms. Something had to give. They say faith can move mountains but what they don't say is how long one must have it for. Hugo was at the verge of giving up. He had tried everything and provided everything a woman could ever ask for. Even rocks eventually give in to constant pressure but Camila was something else. She didn't even pretend to love him. The disdain in her eyes was so obvious that even the servants weren't oblivious to it. “Would you like something to eat?” Asked a servant with a professional ear to ear smile. She was an old woman who had been with the Ortiz family since Mateo Ortiz took charge. Nobody