Chapter 21 #3
Isabella’s tone shifts, becoming more serious. "We need to talk, Renata. And while I trust my husband and yours, what I need to tell you is highly confidential.” Her voice lowers. “I sent an encrypted message to your phone. You need to step away from Ollie and listen to it. Do you understand?"
My heart beats faster, and my skin feels prickly. I swallow hard and nod, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside me. "Where’s Lev?" I ask, keeping my tone deliberately light.
"Oh, he stepped out to get me something to eat," she says sweetly. "Please confirm you heard what I said."
"I did. I’ll be in touch. Thank you so much for letting me know."
I hang up the phone, my heart pounding. I hate lying—it feels wrong, but I need to find out what she sent me. What is this about?
"And?" Ollie’s voice cuts through my thoughts.
"She just wanted to talk about, you know, girl stuff," I say, shaking my head. I force a yawn. "I’m exhausted. We were talking about things like hemorrhoids, bleeding, and periods. Do you really want the details?"
Ollie stares at me, unblinking, clearly unconvinced. He doesn’t buy it for a second. How am I going to get my phone without him noticing?
I’ll have to wait until he’s in the shower, distracted, or maybe even awake in the middle of the night. I’ll find a way.
My phone sits innocuously in my bag on the bedside table. If the message is encrypted, it means no one else can access it. That’s a relief, at least.
On a whim, I decide to head into the bathroom. My headphones are in that bag too…
"I’m going to get ready for bed."
Ollie holds my gaze for a moment longer. "All right," he finally says, his voice a mix of suspicion and concern. "I’m coming with you."
Oh, sweet Jesus.
"Ollie, can’t I even go to the bathroom alone?"
"Carlos could be in this house, Renata."
"And if he is, I’ll scream for you, and you’ll come to my rescue. Deal?"
"Fine," he grumbles, "but I’m standing right outside the door if you need me."
I know his concern is genuine, but it’s damn near suffocating. And where would Carlos be? Aleks already ran a complete security scan and can’t find any evidence that someone else is in the house.
I think he’s overreacting, as usual.
I grab my bag. He only gives me a curious look, which I ignore. I make a big deal of shutting the bathroom door and rolling my eyes, really just to distract him from what I’m about to do.
I run the water and pull out my toothbrush, making as much noise as I can to mask my real intentions.
I unzip my bag, retrieve an earpiece, and slip it into my ear.
My hands are shaking as I tap my phone screen.
There it is—a text message from Isabella, waiting for me to open it.
I press the play button, and the screen prompts me to use my thumbprint to unlock it.
"Everything all right in there?” Ollie’s voice is laced with suspicion, even through the door.
"Yes," I reply, forcing a light tone. "My molars look excellent. No signs of tooth decay!" I hope he doesn’t notice the slight tremor in my voice. "No villains in the shower, and I don’t hear any ticking bombs," I add, hearing a low growl from the other side of the door that nearly makes me smile.
Isabella’s voice comes through the earpiece, guarded and rapid.
"I have a man who works for me that has information about Carlos. He’s learned that Carlos is working with La Sombra Roja.
They’ve offered him a million dollars for your capture, believing you hold critical information that could either solidify their power or dismantle their operations entirely.
They believe you know the Romanov family and the Carrera cartel’s most sensitive secrets, including alliances and details of their financial operations—information that could help them dominate the Colombian underworld. "
My pulse quickens as I process her words, but Isabella isn’t finished.
Why doesn’t she want Ollie to know this?
"However, there’s more. This part will impact you greatly. You’re supposed to inherit five-hundred million dollars when you turn twenty-five, from your mother’s family. La Sombra Roja wants to take you and your money to expand their empire."
My breath catches. This isn’t just about family—it’s about power. The stakes are far higher than I imagined. Of course, Carlos’s vendetta wouldn’t have pushed him this far alone.
"Carlos is using this as his ticket back to power. We need to bring him out of hiding now. The longer we wait, the more desperate he’ll become.
And this is why my message to you is private, Renata.
Ollie will never let you use yourself as bait, but it’s only way to draw Carlos out into the open.
We know Carlos is nearby. Get away from Ollie.
Use yourself as bait. Bring Ollie with you if you have to, but you must draw Carlos out of hiding. ”
There’s a rush of static, and the recording ends. I stare at my phone, the water still running in the sink. My heart races as I shut off the faucet and shove the phone back into my bag.
I know what I have to do.