Chapter 4 - The Man From Isabella’s Past
Victoria had spent ten years building a life where nobody could hurt her.
She built a billion-dollar company.
She bought the biggest house on the hill overlooking Madrid.
She surrounded herself with security.
But none of those things mattered now.
Because the one person she thought she would never see again was standing outside her gate.
The man from Isabella’s past.
The man who knew the truth.
The man who had been looking for Maya.
Victoria stared at the security monitor.
The scar on his hand.
The cold expression.
The confidence of someone who believed he had nothing to fear.
Maya stood beside her, holding Charlie tightly.
“Victoria…”
She looked down.
“Yes?”
“Is that the bad man?”
Victoria froze.
Because she didn’t know how to answer a child.
She didn’t know how to explain that sometimes monsters didn’t look scary.
Sometimes they wore expensive suits.
Sometimes they smiled.
Sometimes everyone trusted them.
“I don’t know,” Victoria whispered.
But deep inside…
She did know.
His name was Adrian Cross.
Ten years ago, Adrian had worked with Isabella and Victoria.
He was their financial advisor.
The person they trusted with everything.
Their money.
Their secrets.
Their dreams.
Until one night changed everything.
A night when Isabella disappeared.
A night when Victoria lost her best friend.
A night Adrian claimed he knew nothing about.
But now he was back.
And he had found Maya.
The security team surrounded the gate.
“Ms. Harrington, should we call the police?”
Victoria hesitated.
Adrian looked directly at the camera.
Almost like he could see her.
Then his lips moved.
He was speaking.
She increased the volume.
The speaker crackled.
“You have something that belongs to me.”
Victoria’s face hardened.
“Belongs to you?”
Maya looked confused.
Victoria immediately turned off the screen.
She didn’t want Maya hearing that.
The little girl looked up.
“Why does he want me?”
Victoria didn’t answer.
Because she was asking herself the same question.
Thirty minutes later, Adrian was gone.
No confrontation.
No police.
Nothing.
But Victoria knew that was worse.
Because people like Adrian didn’t walk away.
They waited.
They planned.
That night, Victoria sat in her office.
The room was filled with old photographs.
One picture showed her and Isabella laughing together.
Before money.
Before betrayal.
Before everything broke.
Victoria picked up the frame.
“I’m sorry, Isabella.”
Her voice cracked.
“I should have believed you.”
A sound came from behind her.
She turned.
Maya was standing at the door.
“You knew my mom.”
Victoria slowly put down the picture.
“Yes.”
“Were you her friend?”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn’t you save her?”
The question hit harder than anything Adrian could say.
Victoria looked away.
Because she didn’t have an answer.
“I tried.”
Maya shook her head.
“No.”
The girl’s eyes filled with tears.
“My mom waited for someone.”
Victoria looked at her.
“What?”
“She always said…”
Maya swallowed.
“‘Victoria will come back for me.’”
The room became silent.
Victoria felt her heart break.
Because Isabella had believed in her.
Even when Victoria had given up.
The next morning, Victoria made a decision.
She would find the truth.
No matter what it cost.
She opened an old storage box.
Inside were documents from ten years ago.
Financial records.
Letters.
Photos.
Everything connected to Isabella.
But one thing was missing.
The final page of Isabella’s investigation.
Victoria searched through every file.
Nothing.
Then Charlie started barking.
The dog ran toward Maya’s backpack.
Maya opened it.
Inside was a small notebook.
An old notebook Victoria had never seen before.
Maya looked at the cover.
“My mom told me never to open this.”
Victoria slowly reached for it.
“Why?”
Maya whispered:
“She said only Victoria would know when it was safe.”
Victoria opened the notebook.
The first page had one sentence.
Written by Isabella.
“Victoria, if Maya is with you, it means Adrian failed to stop me from telling the truth.”
Victoria’s hands started shaking.
Because underneath that sentence…
May you like
Was a name.
A name that could destroy one of the most powerful families in Spain.
