Valerio Moreira always depended on how things generally happened, like how people moved, took breaths, and paused. No lie was ever completely without flaws; every act of dishonesty had a weakness. And Catalina… Catalina was beginning to show those weaknesses.
Valerio was sitting at his mahogany desk, lightly tapping his fingers on the smooth surface as he read reports from his spies. Catalina's name appeared many times, always with unclear places and hours that weren't accounted for. Before, she always did what he expected, worked well, and was accurate, like a weapon that never shook when aiming.
But lately, she seemed like someone who was hiding two secrets. And Valerio didn't allow secrets.
"Hank," he said, without yelling.
The man came from the next room quickly, tall, bony, and always with that self-satisfied half-smile that Valerio disliked but put up with. Hank had a strong desire to get ahead, like a stubborn and harmful rust that was impossible to remove.
"Did you call me?" Hank asked.
"Yes." Valerio leaned back in his chair. "I need someone to keep an eye on Catalina. Secretly."
Hank's smile became sharper. "Do you think she's keeping something from you?"
"I think," Valerio said slowly, "she's forgetting who helped her become who she is."
He didn't say more. He didn't need to. Hank knew exactly what he meant. And he seemed to like it too much. Valerio noticed his excitement at the idea of Catalina losing his favor. Because Hank was jealous, he was easy to predict, but that also made him useful.
"Watch her," Valerio ordered. "Tell me everything. Where she goes. Who she sees. Every little thing she does."
"And if I find something?" Hank asked, quietly.
"You tell me," Valerio replied. "Just me."
Hank nodded once and left the room, walking quickly with purpose.
Valerio looked out the window at the city. The night was long and dark, with the skyline clear in the distance. Catalina was supposed to be his perfect creation, well-behaved, loyal, and without mercy. But she was losing control.
And nothing scared Valerio more than losing control of the weapon that he had trained himself.
---
Catalina had no idea she was being followed.
She walked through the dark alley behind the small café, her heart beating quickly because of a worry she didn't want to admit. Luca had wanted to meet in private, away from people watching, and away from Valerio's area. It was silly and dangerous, but she couldn't stay away.
Hank stood halfway down the block, hidden in a parked car, watching her as she walked toward the black car waiting at the street.
The door opened.
Luca got out.
"You came," he said quietly.
She gave a weak, forced smile. "You wanted to know."
Hank sat up straighter, his eyes becoming more narrow.
This person was not just a business connection. Not someone giving information. Not a friend from a drug group.
This was someone she had touched. Someone she had kissed before.
Someone she shouldn't even know at all.
Hank smiled slowly, looking happy. Oh, Valerio would be very happy about this.
---
Catalina sat down heavily in Luca's car, feeling very worried. Luca didn't turn on the car. He didn't move a muscle. He just looked at her face.
"You're not talking much," he said.
"Just… thinking about things."
"That doesn't make me feel good."
She let out a breath, looking down at her own hands. "Things are changing. Valerio seems… different. I can just feel that he is."
Luca's face became tense. "He is aware. Maybe not everything that's going on. But he knows something is up."
She looked up quickly. "How do you know that?"
"Because I would be." Luca placed his hand gently on top of hers. "A leader doesn't last if he can't sense when things are changing. And Valerio is very good at knowing things."
Her stomach felt uneasy.
"I can deal with him," she whispered, even though she knew it wasn't true.
"No," Luca said strongly. "You can't do it alone. He taught you to always be loyal, not to be free. If you leave him? That's like turning against him. And he will never forgive that kind of thing."
They looked at each other, understanding something without saying it.
"You don't belong to him," Luca said quietly. "Not anymore."
Her throat felt tight. It was either a nice lie. Or a bad truth. She didn't know yet.
They held hands together.
And Hank saw everything that happened.
---
The next morning, Hank walked confidently into Valerio's office like a man who had a gun. Valerio didn't look up right away, he liked to make people wait before he paid attention to them.
"So?" he asked at last.
Hank smiled slyly. "I watched her. Followed her around."
"And what did you find?"
"She's seeing someone new." Hank paused to make it more exciting. "The leader of the Deluca family."
Valerio stopped moving.
Slowly, he looked up.
"Luca Deluca?" he asked, his voice very even.
"That's right," Hank said. "She was with him last night. Just the two of them. No guns or anything. They were just… being nice with each other."
Valerio leaned back in his chair, his face showing nothing. But the silence that followed was so cold it could freeze you.
"She didn't call me," Valerio mumbled. "She didn't tell me about it. She didn't say where she was."
Hank shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe she's sick of you."
Valerio didn't react to the insult. He just put his hands together, tapping his thumbs like this, like that, like this again.
It was something Catalina used to joke about.
"Keep watching her," he said at last. "Don't talk to her. Don't let her know. Tell me everything you see."
"And what about me?" Hank asked carefully.
Valerio's voice was soft, too soft.
"Think of it as a promotion."
Hank smiled widely. He didn't try to hide it.
Catalina failing was his success.
Valerio watched him leave, his eyes hard and cold.
Catalina… meeting Luca Deluca.
She had picked their enemy out of everyone.
His jaw tightened, a muscle jumping.
He wasn't mad. Not yet anyway.
But something inside him, something old, possessive, and deeply hurt, started to wake up.
She wasn't just making small mistakes.
She was completely losing control.
That night, Catalina was in Luca's arms, with her face against his chest, listening to his constant heartbeat. It felt peaceful and safe, but also strangely still.
Luca gently and almost without thinking ran his fingers through her hair. He quietly said, "I will not allow him to harm you."
She softly replied, "You cannot be sure of that."
"Yes, I can," he said firmly. "And I will make sure of it."
But they were already being threatened from all sides by danger.
Catalina was unaware that she was being cornered.
But she could sense something bad coming.
And Valerio, who used to keep her safe, might soon want to see her get hurt.