ElenaThe sun fell perfectly on my skin as I lounged by the poolside in our family yard, with Rona and Victoria by my side.Everything was peaceful, so peaceful I couldn’t even believe it was real. Life had gone back to the way it use to as this was how we used to spend our days in the past.My bond with Dad had improved so much, we hadn’t argued since I had gotten back.Victoria’s voice cut through the peaceful silence. "Do you think I should reply to Victor's text?" A blush reached her cheeks.“I think you should!” Rona who had been informed about everything told her.It was quite amusing, considering Victoria had insisted I stay away from Marvin and it had even impacted our friendship. Now she was the one after the bad guy.Still, I couldn’t help but feel happy for her. She deserved this happiness, this chance at love.The two matched each other perfectly. They were both bossy and stubborn and almost shared the same name.My mind involuntarily wandered back to Marvin. His curious e
ElenaOne week had passed since Lucas confirmed the meeting with Marvin, and today would finally be the day.I had spent the past week in a pool of emotions, constantly wondering how it would go. It could go either way. Marvin could either welcome me with open arms, or he had only agreed to meet me so he could yell at me some more.I dressed up as best as I could, went out of my comfort zone, and pulled out a yellow dress. It used to be my least favorite color until Marvin told me I looked pretty in it.My hair fell over my shoulders in soft waves, and I had put in some effort to put on some makeup.As I checked out my reflection in the hallway mirror one last time, I applied the last layer of lipgloss.“At this rate, your lips might fall off.” The sound of a voice behind me startled me, and I turned, my heart thumping in my chest. It was Dad, standing in the hallway, a faint expression on his face.My anxiety grew as I met his gaze. He was the last person I wanted to find out about m
Elena‘Dear stranger,You don’t know me, and I don’t know you either.’“Delete!”My best friend, Victoria, screeched in my ears. I took another look at the laptop screen and reread my message. “Why?” I asked, confused. “What’s wrong with it?”Victoria let out an annoyed sigh and grabbed the laptop from my lap. “You’re writing a prisoner, not a poet.” She rolled her eyes. “Have you read this guy’s charges?”I shrugged my shoulders and read through the endless list of charges.‘Murder’‘Assault’‘Drug trafficking'I made it easier for myself and stopped the count at the third. “How is this guy even allowed on this website?” I laughed at Victoria. She scrunched up her nose and gave me a frown. “I have n
Marvin“Marvin!”I looked at my younger brother, Santiago, who ran into the visitation room and flew into my arms. No, he wasn’t ten-years-old, he was twenty-one but tented to behave like a toddler.“What’s up, Santiago!” I greeted him and pulled him into an embrace. The last time I’d seen him outside of this place was a week before his seventeenth birthday. “Let me take a good look at you.” I smiled at him.“Look!” Tiago spoke with open arms. He stood in a proud stance and waited for me to praise him. “I am looking. You look healthy!”I looked behind Tiago and nodded at Panther. He wasn’t only a great asset to the family but also my bodyguard and my best friend. He was more than a best friend. He was like my brother.He protected Tiago, just as he promised, and when I got out of here, he would be the first one to get a big reward.
Elena—Hi Lena,It’s good to talk to someone from San Diego.It took me some time to get back, and I would like to apologize for that, but I’m a bit shocked.This is not quite what I meant when I said I needed someone to talk to, and I’m a bit confused as to why you would send me a ‘prison riddle,’ but so be it.You asked me if I knew what kind of barswon’t keep a prisoner in jail.The answer to that corny question is obviously chocolate bars. Even though the riddle was a bit weak, the intentions were definitely there, and you’ve caught my attention.I think it’s only fair for me to ask you something in return. I was very intrigued by not only your way of talking but also your use of emojis, so I just have to ask. How old are you?Marvin
Marvin—Hi again, Lena.I wasn’t done talking to you, so it’s a bit rude of you to cut off our conversation, don’t you think?I would’ve never guessed you were a 21-year-old, but I like your energy.Thanks for the heart, although you missed the big letters, displaying this is NOT a dating site, I feel flattered.Now that I know your age, I want to know more about you. What are your hobbies? What are your goals?Waiting for your reply,Marvin(Ps. please stop with the emojis.)—“Is there anything wrong with my reply?” I asked my lawyer, Steven Laine. We had a meeting about the upcoming court date, and I felt the need to show him that I had finally replied to someone on the message board. The only issue was t
120 hours until releaseElenaTwo days...It had been two days since inmate Marvin Romero decided to send me back an email. It wouldn’t be too far stretched to admit that the email scared the living crap out of me.He seemed like the kind of person who was spoiled and wanted things to go his way. That’s the very same reason why I had decided not to let him have his way and tried to make him sweat.Okay, that wasn’t the only reason.I was afraid of Victoria’s reaction and knew she would tell me not to reply anymore, but something told me that it was my duty to respond. I mean, the email was a tiny bit rude, but he did ask me about my hobby’s and goals, right?That was nice.“Hello, earth to Elena!” Rona waved her hand in my face. “Oh, right—I’m sorry.” I apologized.“One large bloody
96 hours until releaseMarvin—Dear Marvin,The heart didn’t mean anything, and it’s just the way I talk. I know this is not a dating site, and I’m not looking for anyone to date either!!!Anyway, about my hobbies. I originally planned on becoming a lawyer, but I work as a mixologist at a small cocktail bar, so it clearly hasn’t worked out. I’m a bit too embarrassed to admit it, but I don’t really have any goals yet, but what’s the rush?(If things go wrong, I can always marry some rich guy🤑)Enough about me. You seem way too intelligent to be in prison, and you have a ridiculously long list of felonies. My question for you is, where did it go wrong, and how can I prevent the same thing from happening to me?From,Lena&mda
ElenaOne week had passed since Lucas confirmed the meeting with Marvin, and today would finally be the day.I had spent the past week in a pool of emotions, constantly wondering how it would go. It could go either way. Marvin could either welcome me with open arms, or he had only agreed to meet me so he could yell at me some more.I dressed up as best as I could, went out of my comfort zone, and pulled out a yellow dress. It used to be my least favorite color until Marvin told me I looked pretty in it.My hair fell over my shoulders in soft waves, and I had put in some effort to put on some makeup.As I checked out my reflection in the hallway mirror one last time, I applied the last layer of lipgloss.“At this rate, your lips might fall off.” The sound of a voice behind me startled me, and I turned, my heart thumping in my chest. It was Dad, standing in the hallway, a faint expression on his face.My anxiety grew as I met his gaze. He was the last person I wanted to find out about m
ElenaThe sun fell perfectly on my skin as I lounged by the poolside in our family yard, with Rona and Victoria by my side.Everything was peaceful, so peaceful I couldn’t even believe it was real. Life had gone back to the way it use to as this was how we used to spend our days in the past.My bond with Dad had improved so much, we hadn’t argued since I had gotten back.Victoria’s voice cut through the peaceful silence. "Do you think I should reply to Victor's text?" A blush reached her cheeks.“I think you should!” Rona who had been informed about everything told her.It was quite amusing, considering Victoria had insisted I stay away from Marvin and it had even impacted our friendship. Now she was the one after the bad guy.Still, I couldn’t help but feel happy for her. She deserved this happiness, this chance at love.The two matched each other perfectly. They were both bossy and stubborn and almost shared the same name.My mind involuntarily wandered back to Marvin. His curious e
MarvinI was in Lucas’ car, on the way back to the Castillo estate. We had already been driving for a long time, an uncomfortable vibe swinging in the air as no one knew what to say. Each second stretched into minutes, and eventually into hours.The only noise was the sound of the radio.How could I say something, when I had yet to process everything? In a span of 24 hours, I was forced to make a decision and lost someone who I thought was my friend.My brother betrayed me.I had lost Elena.There was nothing to say.“Tiago, as far as everyone’s concerned, you didn't see anything today, and nothing happened today. ” I instructed, my voice cutting through the suffocating silence. As Tiago had already revealed, he didn’t always use his brains. “You saw nothing, you know nothing.”Tiago remained silent as I continued. “And you keep this from our father, Tiago. He must never find out...that you betrayed me.” The words almost made me chuckle. “I will deal with it. I’ll tell him that Panthe
MarvinEverything seemed foggy…It felt as if I was viewing the world through an underwater lens. That’s right, the car had just crashed. I blinked my eyes through the pain, and crawled away, groaning.There was no time for pain. The adrenaline pumped through my veins, bringing me back to reality. With heavy breaths and a ragged pulse drumming in my ears, I managed to get out of the car.My first instinct was to go to my brother, who was thrown out of the car. “Are you okay? Can you move?” I asked Tiago, who had luckily remained unharmed.He nodded his head, his eyes wide open as he took in the scene. With the car almost being on the edge of the cliff, we had barely survived. Did he want to take us all down with him?My head turned once I heard a groan, and there he was—Panther, semi-conscious, trying to pull himself together.A flicker of satisfaction went through my body. Good, I wanted him awake for this.“Let me give you a hand.” I dragged him out of the wreckage. His body seemed
MarvinWe were on our way back. Panther sat in the front passenger seat, Tiago in the back.As we were about halfway, there was an unspoken tension, and it was a good thing there was. By now, they were allowed to notice that I wasn’t in the mood at allIt smelled of treachery.Stopping at a stop sign, I tapped my fingers against the wheel, thinking about my next step. Hell, I didn’t even know what my next step would be. I only knew that there was no way in hell I could return with Panther.I couldn’t have him ratting out Elena.I just could not…"Tiago," I began, finally breaking the silence in the car. "I took care of Anya’s grave while you were gone." I wasn't sure why I had said it, but it felt necessary. If it’d make him feel like shit later on, good.He nodded as a somber look crossed his face. "Thank you, Marvin," he replied. “I knew I could count on you. I always can.”Yes, but can I count on you?Those were the words I so desperately wanted to ask, but I already knew the answe
Marvin“A-Already?” She frowned. “But of course, come in.” She invited, opening the door wider.“After you.” I turned to Panther, stepping aside. Tiago cared much more for him than he did for me, so it would only be appropriate. Right?After we entered the house, Ana led us to the living room, where we sat down."I'll go get Tiago. Please, make yourselves comfortable!" She called out, leaving the room.“Can I offer you some of our best liquor, sir?” A maid asked. Panther was just about to open his mouth, but I raised my hand to stop him, and kindly declined.“No, we’re good. Thank you, ma’am.” I said. "I need both of us to stay alert today." I exposed myself as my sharp gaze turned to Panther. This time he noticed, but said nothing.Only after a while, Panther huffed to break the silence. "You alright with being here, Marvin?" He asked, probably thinking my behavior had to do with something else.Years ago, Misty had been sleeping around with one of Ana’s sons, who was one of my close
MarvinIt had only been a few hours since I watched the video Anya left behind, along with countless files containing shocking information about Panther's betrayal. Not only Panter but also Tiago, the one I would take a bullet for.And poor Anya…Poor Anya had to pay with her life for trying to expose him. She could’ve told me the truth, she could’ve asked for my help—but she didn’t. Her love for Tiago must’ve been so big, she must’ve wanted enough evidence to show me he got manipulated.I felt shocked, numb, and in utter disbelief that my friend, my brother, had been betraying me. And on top of that, I had to deal with Elena's lies.How could I have been so blind? How could I have allowed myself to be played by three people I thought I could trust? I had always believed that I was strong, that my instincts were sharp. Yet, I was deceived.Me.The heir of the Castillo.All this time I had been keeping a close eye on Victor, while it was those three I really had to look out for.For a
Elena As I walked into the mansion, I immediately felt the tension in the air. It was just a gut feeling that something was about to happen, and I didn’t know why. It wasn’t too crazy, considering I planned on telling Marvin the truth. Dad and I had a deal, and now it was my job to hold up the end of the bargain. He needed me back home. “Marvin!” I called out his name, wondering if he was already home—but he didn't respond. “Marvin?” I walked further. “Mar—“ I stopped in my words as I saw him sitting at the kitchen table with a gun in front of him, and his head lowered. I swallowed as he held his hands together, and raised his head so I could see his eyes. There were filled with anger and disappointment. I wasn’t stupid. I knew what was happening. He had somehow found out the truth, the truth about everything. That must’ve been it. A breath escaped my lips as I reached for my pocket to secure Anya’s drive was still there. In one way there was a feeling of relief. I could fee
MarvinThe guys could talk all they pleased, but I wasn’t embarrassed for rushing to the house to apologize to Elena.My biggest goal was for her not to see what kind of monster I was, and unfortunately, she did. It was easy to blame Panther, but only one person was to blame—and that person was me.Seeing Lucas comforting her brought a sharp pain to my heart. Of course, the detective had to be there for her, while I couldn’t. Call it jealousy. I didn’t care.With Elena on my mind, I went straight home after handling business, but she was nowhere to be found. It wasn’t too far stretched to believe she might’ve run off with Lucas, the perfect detective.Hours went by as I sat at the dining table, waiting for her arrival—but there was still no sign of her.She wouldn’t respond to my calls, my texts—nothing.The second I heard footsteps at the front, I rushed to the door—thinking it was Elena. As I opened it, I realized that wasn’t the case. It was Misty.“What are you doing h—“ I was at