Chapter 11 - THE WIFE VIVIAN COULDN'T BREAK
Vivian stared at Elena.
Pure hatred replaced every trace of elegance.
“You.”
Elena stood calmly.
Years earlier, she would have trembled.
Three years of captivity had changed her.
Not into someone fearless.
Into someone who knew fear could exist without controlling the next step.
Vivian lifted the gun.
Alejandro moved.
Elena said.
“Don’t.”
He stopped.
Vivian smiled.
“Still protecting him?”
“No.”
Elena held up the drive.
“I’m distracting you.”
A massive explosion thundered near the dock.
Not an attack.
A diversion.
Daniel dropped sideways.
Nathan tackled the nearest guard.
Federal agents surged forward.
Gunfire erupted.
Alejandro knocked Vivian’s wrist upward.
The pistol fired into the ceiling.
Elena kicked it away.
Vivian drove her shoulder into Elena.
Both women fell.
Alejandro reached them.
Elena shouted.
“Help Nathan!”
Alejandro hesitated.
“Go!”
He trusted her.
For perhaps the first time since finding her, he did not treat Elena like someone who needed to be saved every second.
He ran toward the terrace.
Vivian grabbed Elena’s hair.
“You should have stayed obedient.”
Elena slammed her elbow backward.
Vivian lost her grip.
“You took three years from me.”
Vivian lunged.
Elena moved aside.
“But you didn’t take me.”
Vivian grabbed a broken wine bottle.
Elena backed toward the railing.
“You think Alejandro still loves you?”
“I don’t need his love to know who I am.”
That answer enraged Vivian.
She attacked.
Elena caught her wrist.
They struggled.
The glass slipped.
It fell over the railing.
Vivian pushed Elena.
Elena nearly went over.
Then a hand grabbed her arm.
Isabella.
Vivian stared.
“You’re like a disease.”
Isabella pulled Elena back.
“So are secrets.”
Vivian ran.
She disappeared into the villa.
By the time federal agents secured the terrace, she was gone.
Nathan found a tunnel beneath the kitchen.
It led toward the northern cliffs.
Alejandro wanted to pursue.
Nathan stopped him.
“Let the teams handle it.”
“She’ll escape.”
“Not this island.”
Victor was taken into custody.
He immediately requested an attorney.
Daniel had a fractured wrist but remained conscious.
Elena suffered bruising.
Nothing severe.
Alejandro found her sitting outside while a medic checked her pulse.
“You okay?”
She nodded.
“You?”
“Yes.”
He sat beside her.
“You told me to leave you.”
“I did.”
“I hated it.”
“I know.”
“But I left.”
“Yes.”
“That was harder.”
Elena looked at him.
“Thank you.”
He understood what she meant.
Not for fighting.
For trusting.
A radio crackled.
“Movement north side.”
Nathan ran toward them.
“They found her.”
They drove to the cliffs.
Federal spotlights swept across the rocks.
A helicopter circled overhead.
Vivian stood near the edge.
Ocean below.
She held something in her hand.
A remote.
Nathan immediately stopped everyone.
“What is that?”
Vivian smiled.
“Insurance.”
Alejandro stepped forward.
“Insurance for what?”
“If I press this, every file I have gets sent to journalists, governments, competitors, criminal organizations.”
Nathan said.
“Put it down.”
“Castillo shipping records.
Politicians.
Judges.
Witness identities.”
Elena frowned.
“Bluff.”
Vivian looked at her.
“You want to risk it?”
Elena stepped forward.
Alejandro whispered.
“Elena.”
She continued.
“Press it.”
Vivian stared.
“Go ahead.”
“Elena.”
“No.”
Elena’s voice was steady.
“You spent years controlling everyone with secrets.
That only works if people are more afraid of truth than they are of you.”
Vivian’s thumb hovered.
Elena took another step.
“Press it.”
Vivian’s hand trembled.
“You’ll destroy Alejandro’s company.”
“Maybe.”
“You’ll expose your mother.”
“Maybe.”
“You’ll expose yourself.”
Elena smiled sadly.
“There’s nothing you can reveal about me worse than what I survived.”
Vivian’s face cracked.
For the first time, her power disappeared.
Her thumb lowered.
Nathan moved.
Vivian suddenly turned toward the cliff.
Alejandro shouted.
She jumped.
Agents rushed forward.
But Vivian did not fall into the sea.
A safety cable hidden below the ledge caught her.
She had planned everything.
A speedboat appeared from a cave beneath the cliff.
Someone pulled Vivian aboard.
Alejandro stared as it disappeared into darkness.
Nathan cursed.
“Who the hell was driving?”
Isabella looked at the retreating boat.
Her face turned white.
“I know.”
Elena saw it.
“Who?”
Isabella whispered.
“Your father.”
Elena stared.
“My father is dead.”
Isabella shook her head.
“No.”
The speedboat vanished around the island.
May you like
Isabella’s voice cracked.
“Gabriel Vargas is alive.”
