Morning sunlight poured softly through the lace-curtained windows of Isabella's room, turning the dust in the air to gold. She sat in front of the vanity, staring at her reflection, while Selena moved quietly around the room, gathering clothing and accessories like she had done for years. But today, there was a lightness in her hands that hadn't been there before.
"You look nervous," Selena said gently as she held up a blue dress with delicate embroidery along the hem. "I suppose I would be too."
"I didn't sleep much," Isabella admitted, brushing her fingers through her hair absentmindedly. "I kept expecting him to change his mind."
Selena laid the dress across the bed and turned to face her. "But he didn't. And that has to. count as a win for you."
Isabella raised an eyebrow at her. "You said that yesterday."
"I say it again today because it's still true," Selena replied with a faint smile. "El Diablo doesn't grant kindness. Not even to his own men. If he gave you a wish, and honored it… then he sees something in you."
"Or maybe he just didn't want to deal with me, what could he possibly see in a woman who he fucks anytime he wants," Isabella muttered.
"No," Selena said, shaking her head firmly. "He sees you. And for a man like Rafael Navarro, that's dangerous in its own right."
Isabella hesitated before standing and stepping into the dress. Selena helped her into it, lacing the back and smoothing the fabric down with practiced care.
As she clipped silver earrings onto Isabella's ears, she said, "You made a good wish, by the way. Not money. Not power. Just... your father."
Isabella glanced at her. "You think he expected me to ask for something else?"
"Probably," Selena replied. "Most women who marry into this world want comfort. Protection. Jewelry. You asked for something no one could profit from. That's why it surprised him."
Isabella went quiet.
"Sometimes," Selena continued, her voice softer now, "we get one small window to do something right in this place. Something that feels like us again. You took yours. Be proud of that."
Isabella gave her a faint, grateful smile. "Thank you, Selena. For helping me. Always."
Selena's eyes lingered on her for a beat. "Just promise me you'll be careful."
"I will."
By 9 a.m., two black-clad guards appeared at the door. One knocked twice before opening it, giving a small respectful nod as Isabella emerged, draped in elegance and quiet resolve. She held her chin up as she descended the stairs, the morning wind tugging gently at the hem of her dress.
The car waiting outside was sleek, armored, and polished to a mirror-like gleam. One guard opened the door for her, while the other stood protectively nearby.
It was strange.....this respect....this courtesy. This polished version of captivity. For a moment, the ride felt almost royal. And yet, she knew better than to believe any of it.
...
The compound was smaller than Rafael's estate, but equally fortified.
Inside, they followed her till she reached the doors of her father's house. Then they stopped at the wooden door and opened it without a word.
They wanted to come in with her but she cleared her throat. "I will take it from here" She said and they gave a slight nod. No expression whatsoever.
Her father sat at the dinning table, facing away from her, his shoulders hunched forward.
"Papa…" she breathed.
He turned slowly, as if unsure he'd heard her correctly.
And when their eyes met, everything inside her cracked open.
"Bella?"
She rushed toward him, and he stood just in time to catch her. They embraced tightly, like time and walls and blood had all collapsed between them. For a long while, neither of them spoke. They just held each other, letting the silence wrap around their reunion.
"You're here," he murmured. "You're really here."
She nodded against his shoulder. "You look thinner."
"You look older," he replied, pulling back with a faint, tired smile. "But still my girl."
She laughed through a sudden flood of emotion. "I brought food," she said, pulling a small, cloth-wrapped parcel from her bag. "From the kitchen. Real food."
He raised a brow. "You stole it from the Devil's table?"
"I didn't ask. Just took it," she said proudly.
He opened it with curiosity, revealing soft tortillas, chicken in rich mole sauce, grilled corn, and avocado slices. A wedge of lime was tucked into the corner.
Gavin blinked slowly. "This… is a feast."
"You deserve better than this papa"
He took a few bites, chewing thoughtfully. She watched him eat, tears welling at the corners of her eyes. Seeing him alive....seeing him eat.....was almost too much.
"I know you're angry," she said quietly. "You have every right to be."
He didn't answer right away. Just kept chewing.
"But I couldn't let you die, Papa. Cassimo would've killed you eventually. And I had no one else to turn to. Rafael was the only one who could do anything."
Gavin set the food down, sighing. "I hated the thought of you going to him.I still do. But now that I see you here… I understand. You did what you had to."
She touched his hand. "I wish there had been another way."
"I know, Bella. And I'm sorry I didn't get the chance to say goodbye before it all fell apart."
They sat in silence for a few moments, the weight of everything unspoken thick between them. She finally excused herself and went to her to her. As she entered, the pain in her heart nudged her more than it usually did. She had to just accept the fact that she'd never sleep in this house again.....that she was caged forever and can't free herself.
She sat on the bed for a while then moved to her cracked mirror on the wall. She looked at herself....she looked nothing like she used to. Though well dressed but physically and emotionally damaged.
She looked around the room again mentally saying goodbye to it.
She came back to the living room and saw her father was done eating. She sat down beside him then asked, "Do you know anything about Rafael's mother?"
He looked at her, surprised by the question. "Why do you want to know?"
"I'm trying to understand him," she said truthfully. "There are pieces of him that don't make sense to me. I thought maybe knowing what he lost… might explain what he's become."
Gavin nodded slowly. "I don't know much. But I do know this.....he loved her. Fiercely. Even the coldest killers have someone they'd burn the world for. For Rafael, it was her. His mother was everything. And when she died…"
"Was it murder?" Isabella asked.
"Poisoned," Gavin said. "No one knows by who. But that's when everything changed. That's when El Diablo was born."
She looked down, her hands curling in her lap.
"What's the Marcello?" she asked next.
Gavin's face darkened. "Where did you hear that?"
"People talk. Even when they think I'm not listening."
He exhaled. "The Marcello is a title. A crown for the king of all cartels. It isn't official....not in any law....but in this world, it means everything. The one who holds it rules the rest. No one touches him. No one challenges him."
"And Rafael wants it?"
"I don't know," Gavin said. "But I know Cassimo does. And men like him will kill anyone in their way to get it."
Before she could ask more, a knock echoed on the door. The guard opened it carefully and nodded at her.
"It's time, señora."
She stood slowly, turning to her father. He rose as well, his shoulders still hunched from weeks of confinement, but his spirit stronger than ever.
"Be careful," he said. "You've stepped into the center of something darker than you know."
She nodded. "I will."
He took her hands one last time. "Whatever happens, you were the best thing I ever had. Don't forget who you are, Bella."
"I won't," she whispered, hugging him one last time. "I promise."
Then she turned and walked away, leaving him standing in the doorway as the guards escorted her out.....back to the mansion, back to the Devil, and deeper into the fire.