Chapter 3 - The First Night
That evening, Valeria officially moved into the lavish bedroom adjoining Mateo’s. Her modest belongings fit perfectly into a single small duffel bag, looking entirely out of place in the opulent closet lined with cedar. Doña Socorro, the strict, elderly housekeeper, brought her a fresh, tailored uniform and a hot meal.
“You are playing a very dangerous game, girl,” Doña Socorro whispered, glancing nervously toward the hallway. “Mr. Ríos is a desperate father, but he is still a wolf. And wolves do not know how to be gentle.”
“I’m just doing my job, Doña Socorro,” Valeria replied, eating the warm food quickly. “And my brother is currently getting prepped for surgery. That is all that matters to me.”
“Just keep your head down,” the housekeeper warned before slipping out of the room. “And do not go wandering the halls at night. This house breathes secrets.”
Around midnight, Valeria was awakened by a soft, frantic whimpering. She immediately threw off her expensive silk covers and rushed into Mateo’s room. The little boy was thrashing violently in his sleep, his face covered in a cold sweat. He was trapped in a terrible nightmare.
“Mateo,” Valeria murmured, sitting on the edge of the large bed and gently stroking his cheek. “Wake up, sweetheart. It’s just a dream. I am right here.”
Mateo’s eyes snapped open. He gasped for air, his chest heaving, and immediately threw his arms around Valeria’s waist, burying his face in her stomach. He didn't speak a single word, but his absolute terror was palpable.
As Valeria held him, humming a soft lullaby her own mother used to sing, she noticed something highly unusual. The heavy bedroom door, which she had distinctly remembered closing completely, was cracked open just a fraction of an inch.
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Valeria stared at the dark, narrow gap. The hair on the back of her neck stood up. Someone had been standing right outside the door, watching them in the dark.
She gently pulled Mateo closer, her protective instincts flaring wildly. The cartel boss thought his son was traumatized strictly by the tragic ambush that killed his mother. But as Valeria stared at the cracked door, she realized a horrifying truth. The threat wasn't just in Mateo's memories. The threat was still living inside the mansion.
