Chapter 5 - The CEO Who Slept on the Floor
The attack changed everything.
The Torres Grand was closed for security review.
Maria moved into Victor's house.
She insisted it was temporary.
Victor pretended not to hear the word.
They settled into an uneasy routine.
He worked downstairs.
She worked beside him.
Her mother recovered.
Rafael increased security.
And somehow, despite everything, life became normal.
That frightened Maria.
One evening, she found Victor asleep on the living-room floor.
A legal file lay across his chest.
She covered him with a blanket.
His eyes opened.
“Did I miss dinner?”
“You missed breakfast.”
He sat up.
“What time is it?”
“Eleven.”
“Eleven?”
“Yes.”
He looked embarrassed.
“When was the last time you slept?”
“Yesterday.”
“That was not my question.”
He smiled.
“You're becoming annoying.”
“I'm learning from you.”
She brought him soup.
He stared.
“You cooked?”
“Don't insult me.”
“I wasn't.”
“You look surprised.”
“I've never had someone cook for me because they wanted me to eat.”
Maria sat beside him.
“Get used to it.”
He looked at her.
Something shifted.
Neither looked away.
“Maria.”
“Yes?”
“I should tell you something.”
“What?”
“The first night I found you in the bathtub, I called Raphael because I wanted to know who you were.”
“You investigated me.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because you were unusual.”
She laughed.
“You mean I was asleep in your bathtub.”
“That too.”
He hesitated.
“I found your work history.”
“And?”
“You had applied for jobs all over the city.”
“Yes.”
“You rejected three higher-paying offers.”
“Because they weren't flexible.”
“For your mother.”
“Yes.”
He looked down.
“I admired that.”
She felt warmth spread through her.
“Victor.”
“What?”
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Because I'm trying not to.”
Her heart skipped.
They were interrupted by her mother entering the room.
Elena stopped.
“Oh.”
Maria stood.
“Mom.”
“I'll leave.”
“No.”
Elena smiled.
“I raised a daughter who can finally make a billionaire nervous.”
Victor laughed.
Maria blushed.
The moment broke.
Later that night, Elena gave Maria a second letter.
“This is for you.”
“What is it?”
“I found it after your father died.”
Maria opened it.
The letter was from Daniel Hart.
It revealed the final secret.
Richard was not the mastermind.
There was someone above him.
Someone inside the Torres Grand.
Someone Victor trusted.
Maria read the name.
Raphael.
She looked at Victor.
He went silent.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Rafael?”
“Your security chief?”
“Yes.”
Her mother nodded.
“He helped Richard.”
Victor immediately called Rafael.
No answer.
Then the house lights went out.
A door slammed upstairs.
Victor grabbed Maria's hand.
“Stay behind me.”
They moved toward the hallway.
Rafael appeared.
Gun in hand.
Maria froze.
“I don't want to do this.”
Victor stared.
“You betrayed me.”
“I had no choice.”
“There is always a choice.”
Rafael lowered the gun.
“Not when they have your family.”
“Whose?”
Rafael looked at Maria.
“Mine.”
A second voice came through the speaker.
Richard.
“Rafael, step aside.”
Rafael looked toward the ceiling.
“I can't.”
Victor realized.
Rafael had been forced.
Richard had taken his family.
“Where are they?”
“Warehouse forty-two.”
Victor's expression changed.
“We'll get them.”
Richard laughed.
“You're finally learning.”
The line ended.
Victor turned toward Rafael.
“Give me everything.”
Rafael did.
Passwords.
Locations.
Codes.
Names.
And one final piece.
Richard's real target.
Not the money.
Not the trust.
Maria.
Because the trust required her bloodline to remain alive.
Richard wanted her dead before she could activate it.
Victor stared at the documents.
“No.”
Maria touched his arm.
“What?”
“He's coming for you.”
Victor looked at her.
“Let him.”
She shook her head.
“No.”
“We need to end this.”
May you like
Together, they planned the final move.
But neither of them realized Richard had already planned his own.
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