Chapter 29
I left the house very early and met up with the organization's team. We put together a plan to catch whoever's responsible for everything that's been happening to us. We still need to figure out who the woman behind the liquor thefts is and whether she's working with that bastard Creta.
But I can't wait to get my hands on that worm. He got away from the Russian mafia unscathed and thinks he's going to slip away here too. But he won't—not if the Tropical Wolves have anything to say about it. He's done for.
I pick up the phone to call Lola. This is the fourth or fifth time I've called with no answer. I'm getting anxious now, a thousand things running through my head. I call the mansion and Yná answers right away.
“Caruso mansion, good afternoon.”
“Yná, it's me, Lorenzo. I need to talk to Lola, but she's not answering. Is everything okay there?”
“She must be sleeping. She's in her room.”
“Go upstairs and check, or see if she's in the garden with that gardener she insists on being nice to.”
“Okay.”
I hang up and keep trying to call her. A few minutes later, my phone rings—it's Yná.
“Hello.”
“Lorenzo, I couldn't find Lola anywhere, and her phone is in her room.”
“She's not with Maike?”
“I don't know. I couldn't find him either.”
“What? I'm heading there now.”
I hang up and storm out, the image of Lola bent over somewhere with that gardener fucking her tormenting my mind. If Yná couldn't find either of them, something's going on—they must be together somewhere. Not to mention the threat against them, and those traitors I can't expect anything good from.
I arrive at the mansion, jump out of the car, and run to the orchid house. No one's there. I search the entire garden—nothing. No sign of Maike or Lola. I go into the house and Yná comes to meet me.
“Lorenzo, she's nowhere to be found. I had all the staff looking for them.”
“I'm going to check the cameras.”
I go into the office and open the camera panel on the wall facing my desk. I rewind until she appears—there she is, leaving with Maike through the gate.
I can't believe Lola went out with that kid, knowing she's at risk, knowing one of the conditions for her safety was to stay in the mansion—especially not to go out alone. I punch the desk. I feel like breaking everything.
“Damn it, I'm going to kill Lola. Putting herself at risk for what? To go for a little stroll with that kid? I'm going to kill that gardener.”
I decide to wait for them to come back so I can deal with all this. What if they went to some motel? If Lola gave herself to me only to go fooling around with other men, I'm going to kill her.
I go up to her room and find the phone on the bed. I pick it up, but it's locked and I can't guess the password. I go to my room to try to distract myself until she gets back. I've barely lain down when Yná calls me on the intercom.
“Lorenzo, Accioly is here, wanting to talk to you.”
“I'm coming down.”
I put on my shoes and head down to the living room. I greet him and gesture for him to follow.
“Come to my office, please.”
As soon as we enter, he sits in the chair across from me.
“Lorenzo, I found out what happened. Rick is involved with your ex, and she's the one who ordered him to send that guy to the island.”
“What do you mean?”
“I don't know what she wants, but she's using my name, and if she doesn't stop, I'm going to end her bloodline. I don't know who she is, but I'm warning you—if she matters to you, I'm sorry.”
“No, she's not. She cheated on me. Well, it was never proven, but she left me, and that same week I found out she was traveling outside Brazil with another man. So she was already with him, don't you think?”
“What a traitor, that bitch. Who is she?” he asks.
“Veronica Marques, granddaughter of Severio Marques.”
He looks at me in shock.
“What do you mean? Veronica was with me, so she did cheat on you—and she cheated on me too, since she's with Rick now. I left her and got back with my current girlfriend. She's messing around with one of my soldiers, and according to gossip, she's involved with more than one arms dealer.”
“The bitch wanted to get back with me—probably right after you left her.”
“She's trying to get revenge on both of us. I see it now. She uses my name to hurt you and make you come after me—what a slut. I'm going to deal with her as soon as I can.”
“I can't believe this.”
“Well, I'm heading out. Stay sharp, man.”
“Thanks, Accioly.”
I reach out my hand to him. He shakes it and leaves.
I'm even more shocked—how could Veronica have deceived me so much?
And where's Lola? She still hasn't come back.
Did she leave on her own, or was she lured away?
And what about the gardener, who hasn't shown up either?
I'm starting to get worried. Could Veronica be behind Lola's disappearance too?