The Unexpected Enemy

CHAPTER 5: LYSANDRA’S SUMMONS

At an upscale hotel in the heart of the city, Gustavo Delos Santos sat on the edge of the king-sized bed, his shoulders hunched with tension as he stared intently at the stack of documents spread before him. The room was dimly lit, the only source of illumination coming from the bedside lamp, casting elongated shadows against the cream-colored walls. The faint scent of expensive cologne lingered in the air, mingling with the rich aroma of the coffee that sat untouched on the glass table beside him.

Outside the towering windows, the city buzzed with life—honking cars, flashing neon lights, and the distant chatter of pedestrians weaving through the streets. The world outside was restless, chaotic. But within the confines of this luxurious suite, an eerie stillness prevailed. It was the kind of silence that pressed against the walls, suffocating, inescapable.

Across from him stood a woman he had not seen in years—Lysandra Suarez.

She had once been a passionate flame in his life, a woman who had filled his younger years with an intoxicating blend of love and desire. But time had changed her. The softness he had once adored was now replaced with sharp edges, her once-warm gaze now cold and calculating.

She was still beautiful—undeniably so. Her high cheekbones and piercing eyes remained striking, untouched by time, yet there was something different now, something unsettling. Resentment had hardened her, shaping her into a woman of ruthless ambition. And tonight, as she stood before him in a form-fitting black dress, her arms crossed in expectation, she carried herself like someone who had already won.

"Sign it, Gustavo," Lysandra ordered, her voice smooth but firm.

Gustavo’s jaw clenched. He lifted his gaze from the papers to meet her unwavering stare. "What is this?" he asked, his voice laced with suspicion.

Lysandra smirked, tapping manicured fingers against her hip. "A legal document," she said casually. "Upon your death, all your assets will be transferred to our daughter—Ariana."

His breath hitched.

The words struck him like a hammer, each syllable driving deeper into his chest. His pulse quickened as his fingers tightened around the document. "That’s impossible!" he hissed. "I cannot leave everything to Ariana. I have another child—Freya!"

At the mention of Freya, something in Lysandra’s face darkened. The playful smirk vanished, replaced by something far more dangerous. Her expression turned steely, her eyes narrowing into thin slits.

"You refuse?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Gustavo could feel the shift in the air. It was subtle, but it carried a warning—a storm was brewing, and he had just lit the fuse.

Lysandra reached into her designer handbag with deliberate slowness, her fingers wrapping around something hidden within. A second later, the unmistakable sound of a metallic click filled the room.

A g*n.

Gustavo felt his stomach drop.

His breath caught in his throat as he watched Lysandra pull out a sleek black pistol, its polished surface gleaming under the dim lighting. The sight of the weapon sent a cold chill down his spine, his muscles instinctively locking in place.

"Lysandra… what are you doing?" he asked, his voice tight with disbelief.

A slow, taunting smile spread across her lips. "What does it look like, Gustavo?" she said mockingly. "I am merely ensuring that my daughter gets what she deserves." She tilted her head slightly, amusement flickering in her eyes. "And don’t you dare act surprised. We wouldn’t be in this situation if you had chosen to marry me instead of Carmen."

Gustavo stiffened. He had expected anger, had even braced himself for harsh words. But this? He had never imagined Lysandra would go this far.

"What?!" he breathed, struggling to comprehend her words.

"Oh, don’t act so innocent!" Lysandra snapped, her voice rising. "I was your first love! I was the one by your side before you met that woman! But you threw me away—you left me and our child to marry Carmen! And now, you think I’ll just sit back and watch while your other daughter inherits everything?"

The weight of her words pressed heavily against him.

Guilt.

It had always been there, buried beneath years of carefully constructed justifications.

He had never meant to abandon Ariana. He had provided for her, ensured that she had everything she needed. But he had never been there. Not in the way a father should have been.

And now, Lysandra was demanding payment for the past.

"Lysandra, please," he tried to reason with her. "I never abandoned Ariana. I have always taken care of her. But what you’re asking of me—this is wrong."

Lysandra let out a hollow laugh, tilting her head slightly. "Wrong?" she echoed, amusement dripping from her tone. "Oh, Gustavo, you have no idea what wrong really is. Do you have any idea how hard it was to raise a child alone while you lived comfortably with your perfect little family?"

She stepped closer, the barrel of the g*n now pointed directly at his chest.

"Now, I won’t ask again," she hissed, her patience wearing thin. "Sign the damn papers before I lose what little patience I have left."

Gustavo’s mind raced.

There had to be a way out.

He could feel the weight of the pen in his hand, the smooth surface pressing against his fingers.

If he signed, he would be sealing Freya’s fate.

If he refused…

His gaze flickered to the g*n.

He had no choice.

With a heavy heart and shaking fingers, he signed his name at the bottom of the document.

Lysandra’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction. "There," she said, taking the signed papers and carefully folding them. "That wasn’t so hard, was it?"

Without another word, she turned on her heel and strode toward the door. The sharp click of her heels against the marble floor was the only sound that accompanied her departure.

As she reached for the doorknob, she paused briefly, casting one final glance over her shoulder.

"Enjoy the rest of your life, Gustavo," she murmured. "However long that may be."

Then, she was gone.

The silence that followed was deafening.

Gustavo let out a slow, shuddering breath, his fingers pressing against his temples. His mind reeled, struggling to comprehend what had just transpired.

How did it come to this?

Lysandra had always been ambitious, but this… this was something else entirely. This was a level of greed, of ruthlessness, that he had never seen before.

Or had he simply been too blind to notice?

A sinking feeling settled in his stomach.

This wasn’t just about money.

This was about power.

And if there was one thing he knew about Lysandra Suarez…

It was that she never walked away without a backup plan.

He feared that this was only the beginning.

The room suddenly felt colder.

He closed his eyes, inhaling sharply.

Somewhere, deep inside, he knew—

This battle was far from over.