The first day of the yacht party had ended hours ago, leaving only the murmur of the waves and a faint hum of laughter echoing from the distant lounge. Carlos and I had retreated to our temporary room, a sleek space with modern lines and dim lighting that cast a soft, warm glow over the polished surfaces. The luxury was almost stifling—it felt like a gilded cage, a reminder that no matter how dressed-up this life seemed, the danger was always there, lurking just under the surface.
I sat cross-legged on the edge of the bed, fiddling with the hem of my dress. Carlos was leaning against the wall near the door, his dark eyes watching me intently as if gauging my thoughts before I'd even spoken. Finally, he moved closer and settled onto the armchair opposite me, leaning forward.
"We gathered a lot tonight," he began, his voice barely a murmur, laced with that edge of caution that always surfaced when we were dealing with something sensitive.
I nodded, matching his hushed tone. "It seems like everyone has their own version of what happened to my brother. It's hard to tell who's being honest and who's just enjoying the rumors."
Carlos leaned back, his brow furrowing. "Alvaro's men... they were the most open, which means we should probably trust them the least." A slight smirk tugged at the corner of his lips, but his eyes stayed serious. "They mentioned a 'shipment' that went missing not too long ago. It could be linked to what happened, or it could just be them trying to stir things up."
I sighed, trying to piece together the fragmented clues we'd managed to gather. "And Esmeralda's allies hinted that someone new has been lurking around the docks, but they didn't seem to know—or want to tell me—who it was."
Just then, a soft knock broke the quiet, jolting both of us. Carlos straightened, a flicker of tension flashing across his face. For a second, I thought it might be someone coming to snoop, but when he opened the door, a young yacht servant stood there, looking almost apologetic.
"Mr. Rosario," the servant greeted, his voice polite and carefully measured, "what would you and your guest like for dinner?"
Carlos turned to me, his expression unreadable for a second before he broke into a faint smile. "Anything in particular you're in the mood for?"
I tilted my head, considering. "I wouldn't say no to a good steak... maybe with a side of roasted vegetables?"
Carlos nodded, turning back to the servant. "Two steaks, medium-rare, and make sure there's a side of roasted vegetables and maybe some garlic mashed potatoes. And bring us a bottle of red wine to go with it."
The servant nodded, a professional smile flashing across his face before he backed away and closed the door behind him, leaving us alone again.
As soon as he was gone, Carlos slipped back to the armchair, the casual warmth he'd shown for the servant fading back to his usual guarded expression. "Now, where were we?"
I leaned in, lowering my voice. "You were saying we shouldn't trust Alvaro's men."
"Right. They're... useful at times, but their loyalty is flexible. We need to take whatever they told us with caution. If there was indeed a shipment involved, it could mean your brother was onto something larger than a typical mission."
I nodded, processing the implications. My brother had always been thorough, driven, but if he'd stumbled across something major, something worth hiding... it would explain why N.O.V.A. couldn't give me a straightforward answer. "If that's true, it makes me wonder if N.O.V.A. knew. Maybe that's why they've been so evasive."
Carlos' eyes darkened. "It's possible. But that also means we're dealing with more than just a vendetta or rivalry. We're looking at something that a lot of people—powerful people—want to keep buried."
I swallowed, feeling the weight of the reality pressing down. My fingers twisted around each other as I thought it over. "And Esmeralda's cryptic comments tonight—she's close with the docks, right? She might have seen something... or maybe she's covering for someone who did."
He nodded, his gaze sharp. "She's well connected, and she's got ties to some of the newer factions. We may be able to press her further, but we'll need leverage. She won't open up easily."
I leaned back on the bed, feeling the exhaustion from the day start to catch up to me. "So we'll play along for now, keep listening, watching. Maybe something will slip that leads us closer."
A faint smile ghosted over Carlos' lips. "It's a plan," he murmured, his gaze softening just slightly. "And don't worry. We'll get there."
There was something in his voice, a confidence that almost felt like a lifeline in the middle of all the uncertainty. The silence stretched between us, heavy but not uncomfortable, filled with unspoken things. I felt his eyes linger on me, and for a moment, I allowed myself to let my guard down, just a little.
Then a knock sounded again, interrupting the stillness. Carlos moved to the door, and this time, the servant returned with our food—two plates with perfectly cooked steaks, a spread of roasted vegetables, creamy mashed potatoes, and the bottle of red wine he'd requested.
Carlos thanked him with a nod, closing the door and bringing the food over to the small table by the window. We sat down, the comforting aroma of the meal filling the room, and for a while, we ate in silence. Each bite grounded me, reminding me that even here, in the midst of all this chaos, there was something real, something solid to hold onto.
After a while, Carlos spoke, his voice barely above a whisper. "You know, it's been a long time since I've had... company like this." He didn't look at me as he said it, but I could see the honesty in his expression.
"Same," I replied quietly, my voice soft. "But I guess I'm starting to understand this world a little better. I used to think everything was black and white... but now, I'm not so sure."
His gaze found mine, an intensity there that took me by surprise. "You've adapted better than anyone I've known. Most people would have broken by now."
I felt a strange warmth spread through me at his words, but I didn't let myself linger on it. There was still so much we didn't know, so much to unravel, and as comfortable as this moment felt, I couldn't lose sight of why I was here.
As the night stretched on and the words began to blur together in my head, I felt the weight of the day settle into my bones. Carlos must have sensed my exhaustion, too, because he glanced at his watch, then nodded toward the closet in the corner.
"Let's change," he murmured, his voice low. "We've got two more days of this, and it won't do either of us any good if we're dead on our feet."
I nodded, feeling the relief wash over me. We both headed to the small, luxurious closet in the suite, and I selected something more comfortable—a loose black t-shirt and simple sweats. It was strange, almost surreal, to find a sense of normalcy in something as simple as changing clothes, especially after spending hours lost in the intricate web of mafia alliances, betrayals, and whispers of death.
When I emerged, Carlos was already waiting by the bed in a plain gray shirt and dark lounge pants. Somehow, the casual look only added to his intensity, stripping away the layers of formality and leaving just him—steady, determined, watching me with a look I couldn't quite decipher.
I sat down on the edge of the bed, pulling the covers back and sliding under them, suddenly aware of just how tired I was. Carlos moved to the other side, settling in beside me. For a moment, we lay in silence, the only sound the soft hum of the yacht's engine in the background, the faintest reminder of the world outside this quiet bubble.
Just as my eyelids began to droop, Carlos turned to me, his voice barely a whisper. "Lilith, whatever we find out... you'll get your answers. I promise."
The sincerity in his words wrapped around me, like a warmth I hadn't felt in ages. I turned my head, meeting his gaze, and for a brief second, the walls between us slipped away, replaced by an understanding that went deeper than words.
"Thank you," I murmured, a soft smile tugging at my lips before I allowed myself to drift off.
In that small, shared silence, I felt a strange comfort settle over me, a quiet reminder that even in this world of lies and shadows, there was something real, something I could hold onto. And with that thought, I let sleep finally take me.
