The Black Dahlia (Cartel Series #1) ✔️

71. A Perfect Proposal

Gabriella

As I gaze out of the small window of the plane, watching as the familiar landscape of Columbia grows smaller and smaller beneath me, I am overcome with bittersweet emotions. This place, once my home, holds a lifetime of memories-both joyful and painful.

Leaving Columbia behind feels like closing a chapter of my life, bidding farewell to the streets I've walked, the faces I've known, and the experiences that have shaped me into the person I am today. It's a daunting prospect, stepping into the unknown, leaving behind the comfort of the familiar for the uncertainty of what lies ahead.

But as the plane climbs higher into the sky, I find solace in the knowledge that this is not an ending, but a new beginning.

"Are you sad?" As Alejandro's voice breaks through my reverie, I turn to face him, a small smile playing on my lips. "No, I'm not sad," I reply, my voice filled with a mixture of emotions. "It's bittersweet. I'll miss Columbia, but I'm also excited to start this new chapter with you."

His smile warms my heart as he leans in to place a gentle kiss on my forehead. "And whenever you miss Gabriel, you can come to visit him," he says, his words a comforting reassurance.

"Will you let me?" I asked mischievously.
Alejandro's chuckle dances in the air.
With a tender smile, I rest my head on his shoulder, feeling his comforting embrace envelop me like a warm blanket on a chilly night.

As he wraps his arms around me, pulling me close, I sigh inwardly, a sense of contentment washing over me. In his embrace, I feel safe, cherished, and utterly at peace.

As I finally muster the courage to ask the question that has been weighing on my mind, Alejandro's expression shifts, his features betraying a hint of tension and confusion. I can't help but feel a pang of anxiety flutter in my chest, fearing what his answer might reveal.

"So, what were you talking with Gabriel?" I inquire, my voice laced with curiosity and concern. When I woke up I didn't found Alejandro besides me and for a moment I thought that it was dream and Alejandro didn't came for me at all. I hurriedly ran out of my room and sighed in relief when I saw Alejandro walking out of Gabriel's study with a serious expression. He looked a bit tense and confused.

"Nothing much, he just gave me some tips to how to keep you happy and some botherly warning " As Alejandro's response brings a smile to my lips, I can't help but giggle at the thought of Gabriel offering him advice on how to keep me happy. It's typical of Gabriel to play the protective older brother role, even if it means meddling in our relationship.

But despite Alejandro's attempt to brush off the conversation with Gabriel, I can't shake the feeling that there's more to the story than meets the eye. The tension in his expression and the way he hesitates before answering tell me that there's something he's not telling me.

Before I can press him for more information, however, his bodyguard interrupts, leaning in to whisper something urgently in Alejandro's ear.

"I will be back in a minute " he said and
presses a gentle kiss to my lips, I watch him go with a mixture of love and concern. But as the minutes tick by and he fails to return, I feel the exhaustion of the past sleepless nights and yesterday's events catch up with me.

Despite my best efforts to stay awake and await his return, the comfort of the chair and the soft hum of the plane lull me into a state of drowsiness. Before I know it, my eyelids grow heavy, and I succumb to the embrace of sleep, my worries and anxieties momentarily forgotten.

As the warmth of the sun's rays gently filters through my closed eyelids, I stir from my slumber, blinking against the brightness. With a soft groan, I shield my eyes from the light, the remnants of sleep still clinging to me.