Chapter 8 — The House Beyond the Lake
Alejandro stared at the photograph until his eyes burned.
The little girl stood beside a lake.
Seven years old.
Dark hair.
Brown eyes.
A small silver pendant around her neck.
His daughter.
His Isabella.
Lucía stood beside him, trembling.
“She has my eyes.”
Alejandro swallowed.
“And mine.”
Neither of them moved.
The photograph had been taken from a distance.
Whoever took it had been watching the child.
Protecting her—or threatening her.
Alejandro couldn't tell which.
Then another message appeared.
COME TO THE LAKE HOUSE. MIDNIGHT. COME WITHOUT POLICE.
A location followed.
No address.
Only coordinates.
Mateo looked over Alejandro's shoulder.
“That could be a trap.”
“It is a trap.”
Alejandro locked the phone.
“But Isabella is there.”
Mateo shook his head.
“We don't know that.”
Lucía looked at him.
“I do.”
Everyone turned.
She pointed at the girl's necklace.
“That pendant.”
“What about it?”
“I gave it to her.”
Alejandro stared at her.
“You remember?”
Lucía touched her forehead.
“Not everything.”
She closed her eyes.
“But I remember holding her.”
Her voice became softer.
“She was crying.”
A tear slipped down her cheek.
“I sang to her.”
“What song?”
Lucía looked at Alejandro.
“The song you used to sing.”
Alejandro's chest tightened.
He remembered.
A lullaby his mother used to sing to him as a child.
He had later sung it to Lucía.
And apparently—
to Isabella.
Something inside his memory shifted.
A room.
A baby.
Lucía sitting beside a crib.
Alejandro holding a tiny hand.
A woman screaming outside the door.
Then—
nothing.
Alejandro opened his eyes.
“We're going.”
Mateo immediately shook his head.
“Not alone.”
“I said no police.”
“I didn't say police.”
Mateo pulled out two weapons.
“I said we're not going alone.”
They left the hotel through the underground garage.
Valeria remained behind with Marta.
Before Alejandro entered the car, Valeria grabbed his arm.
“There's something you need to know.”
Alejandro looked at her.
“I helped them.”
Her voice shook.
“I know.”
“I mean before Lucía disappeared.”
Alejandro's eyes hardened.
“What did you do?”
Valeria looked at Lucía.
“I was there the night she was taken.”
Lucía froze.
“What?”
Valeria's eyes filled with tears.
“I didn't hurt you.”
“Then what did you do?”
“I watched.”
Lucía stared at her.
Valeria looked down.
“I was supposed to make sure Alejandro didn't wake up.”
Alejandro went still.
“You drugged me.”
Valeria nodded.
“Rafael gave me the vial.”
“Why?”
“Because Elena ordered it.”
Alejandro's fists tightened.
“What happened after?”
“I don't know.”
“You were there.”
“Yes.”
“Then tell me.”
Valeria began crying.
“I saw Victor's men take Lucía.”
Lucía's face went white.
“Where?”
“Through the east entrance.”
Alejandro stared at her.
“Why didn't you stop them?”
“Because my sister was in the same building.”
Silence.
“Victor told me if I interfered, he'd kill her.”
Alejandro stepped closer.
“And Rafael?”
Valeria looked at him.
“He wasn't supposed to be there.”
“What do you mean?”
“He arrived after Lucía was taken.”
“Then what did he do?”
Valeria whispered:
“He followed them.”
Alejandro's expression changed.
“He followed Victor?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I don't know.”
Valeria hesitated.
“Or maybe I do.”
She pulled a folded piece of paper from her purse.
“Rafael gave me this three months ago.”
Alejandro opened it.
A single sentence was written in Rafael's handwriting.
IF ALEJANDRO EVER REMEMBERS, TELL HIM I SAVED THE CHILD.
Alejandro looked up.
“Why didn't you show me this before?”
“Because I was afraid.”
“Of Rafael?”
“No.”
Valeria looked toward the dark hallway.
“Of Elena.”
The drive to the lake took nearly two hours.
The city disappeared behind them.
Then the highway became a narrow country road.
Trees closed around the vehicle.
The moon reflected across the windshield.
Lucía sat beside Alejandro.
She hadn't spoken for twenty minutes.
Finally she whispered:
“What if she doesn't remember me?”
Alejandro looked at her.
“She will.”
“How do you know?”
“Because a mother doesn't forget her child.”
Lucía's eyes filled with tears.
“I did.”
“No.”
Alejandro took her hand.
“They made you forget.”
She squeezed his fingers.
“What if she hates us?”
Alejandro stared ahead.
“Then we'll spend the rest of our lives giving her reasons not to.”
The lake appeared beyond the trees.
A large house stood on the far shore.
One light was visible upstairs.
Mateo stopped the vehicle.
“There.”
Alejandro looked at the house.
Something about it felt familiar.
Too familiar.
He had never been there.
At least—
he thought he hadn't.
They walked toward the house.
The front door was unlocked.
Inside, everything was silent.
A fireplace.
Old furniture.
Family photographs.
Alejandro walked past them.
Then stopped.
One photograph showed a younger version of himself.
Standing beside Lucía.
Holding a baby.
The photograph was dated seven years earlier.
He touched it.
“How many lies can one family tell?”
Lucía looked around.
“I know this room.”
Alejandro turned.
“You've been here.”
“Yes.”
“When?”
She shook her head.
“I don't know.”
A child's voice came from upstairs.
“Mom?”
Lucía froze.
Her entire body went rigid.
The voice came again.
“Is that you?”
Lucía began crying before she even saw the child.
She ran upstairs.
Alejandro followed.
At the end of the hallway stood a little girl.
Dark hair.
Brown eyes.
Silver pendant.
Lucía stopped.
The girl stared at her.
For a moment, neither moved.
Then the child whispered:
“Mommy?”
Lucía dropped to her knees.
Isabella ran into her arms.
Lucía held her so tightly that she began sobbing.
“My baby.”
Alejandro stood frozen.
Isabella looked over Lucía's shoulder.
Her eyes met his.
She hesitated.
Then whispered:
“Daddy?”
Alejandro's knees almost gave out.
He crouched in front of her.
“Isabella.”
The little girl touched his face.
“You're older.”
Alejandro laughed through tears.
“I suppose I am.”
“I knew you'd come back.”
His heart broke.
“Who told you?”
She pointed toward the bedroom.
“Uncle Rafael.”
Alejandro's expression changed.
“Where is he?”
“He went to get medicine.”
“Where?”
Isabella pointed toward the window.
Then—
a gunshot exploded outside.
Lucía screamed.
Mateo pulled them to the floor.
Another shot.
Then another.
Alejandro shielded Isabella.
“Stay down!”
Mateo looked through the window.
“Three vehicles.”
Black SUVs.
Men were getting out.
Victor's men.
Then Alejandro saw another figure.
Rafael.
He was standing in front of the house.
Holding both hands up.
He was shouting something.
A man behind him raised a gun.
Rafael turned.
The shot rang out.
Rafael collapsed.
Alejandro stared in horror.
“Rafael!”
Isabella began crying.
Lucía held her tightly.
Outside, Victor's men stormed the house.
And then the lights went out.
In the darkness, Alejandro heard a familiar voice.
“Take the girl.”
A second voice answered:
“And the pregnant woman?”
“Kill her.”
Alejandro looked at Lucía.
Then at Isabella.
Something inside him snapped.
He stood.
And for the first time in his life—
he wasn't fighting for his company.
He wasn't fighting for his money.
May you like
He wasn't fighting for his name.
He was fighting for his family.
