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𝐈 𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐍𝐄𝐃 𝐀𝐆𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐊𝐈𝐓𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑,arms crossed, listening to the soft ticking of the wall clock as Alejandro pretended to stay calm. He poured himself a glass of water like it mattered, like hydration would save him.
"Are you going to tell me, or do I have to start guessing?" I asked.
He didn't look at me. Coward.
"I told you, Catalina. I don't know anything."
I laughed. "You're a shit liar."
"I'm not lying."
"You're shaking."
"I'm not—"
"You're shaking and you haven't looked me in the eye since you walked in here," I said, stepping closer. "You know something about Rafe. I know you do."
He slammed the glass down too hard on the counter, water splashing up his wrist.
"I don't! Jesus, Catalina, what the hell is wrong with you? He's gone, okay? Maybe he just left. Like he always does."
I tilted my head. "Is that what you tell yourself? Makes it easier, doesn't it? If he just disappeared. Like a ghost."
"He used Sofia," he snapped. "You know that. Everyone does. You think you're special? You think he didn't lie to you the same way he lied to her?"
I kept my voice level. "He didn't lie to me."
Alejandro barked out a laugh. "Oh, come on. You think that twisted bastard cared about anyone but himself? He played Sofia like a violin, and now he's doing it with you."
I didn't answer.
Because I was listening.
To the silence in the hallway.
Still no sign of his mother. Good.
Alejandro continued, voice rising, getting braver like an idiot mistaking silence for surrender. "He's poison, Catalina. Everyone sees it but you. You need to stop chasing ghosts. You need to forget him. Let him go."
I stepped forward until I was right in front of him.
He kept talking, but now his voice faltered, stuttering over his own conviction.
"You can't fix someone like him. He's not coming back. You're better off without—"
I pulled the gun from my waistband and pointed it straight at his face.
