Chapter Four
1627 Words
Ricardo had spent days preparing. Every detail of the attack had been carefully thought through. He couldn’t afford mistakes, not when it came to Elisa. If anything happened to her, it would haunt him forever.
Meanwhile, Emiliano was growing restless. What was Ricardo planning? The lack of information was driving him mad.
He was furious that George had become useless to him, but there was no time to deal with that now. He had a meeting with one of his father’s strongest allies, men he needed on his side if he was going to reclaim what was his. His father’s empire. Ricardo’s inheritance and Elisa.
As soon as Emiliano left, Ricardo got the signal from his informant inside the mansion.
Without hesitation, he and his men moved in. It was a war.
Gunfire erupted as Emiliano’s guards fought back, but Ricardo and his men were relentless. They tore through the mansion, taking down anyone who stood in their way.
Ricardo’s mind was focused on one thing which was Elisa.
Room after room, he searched, his pulse hammering. Then, finally he saw her.
She looked weak, her dress wrinkled, her eyes hollow with exhaustion. But when their gazes locked, something in her shifted.
Without thinking, she ran to him.
Ricardo caught her, his arms tightening around her trembling body. She was shaking, but for the first time in days, she felt safe.
She didn’t understand why, but she didn’t care. She just wanted to be out of this nightmare.
Ricardo leaned down, his voice low and firm. “I’ve got you.”
She clung to him as he lifted her effortlessly and carried her out. His men cleared the way, and soon, they were gone, leaving Emiliano’s mansion behind.
But they all knew this wasn’t the end. It was just the beginning.
Ricardo took Elisa straight to Beverly Hills, where their wedding was meant to take place. There was no waiting, no delay.
Her parents, Edward and Isabella Rivera, were already there, along with Ricardo’s mother, Tiara Castillo.
Elisa was still trying to process everything. The k********g, the rescue, the fact that she was about to marry a man she barely knew.
But when she looked at Ricardo, something in her chest tightened. He had risked everything to get her back.
And now, she was his.
The priest arrived, and with their families as witnesses, Ricardo and Elisa were married.
But as she looked at her new husband, as she felt the weight of his name, his power, and his world settle onto her shoulders , she knew.
This wasn’t a love story. Not yet.
This was just the start of something far more dangerous.
Ricardo had made up his mind. He and Elisa would stay at the Castillo penthouse in Beverly Hills for now. It was the safest option, far from Emiliano’s reach. He would deal with his brother later. Right now, his focus was on her.
Not because of love. This wasn’t about love.
It was about control. About securing what was rightfully his. His father’s empire, his power, his wealth. And the only way to have it all was through Elisa.
Maybe he had confused his emotions with love. Maybe the adrenaline of rescuing her had made him feel something deeper than he should. She had been in danger because of him, after all.
That didn’t mean he cared. Did it?
He pushed the thought away. Elisa was his responsibility, nothing more. He would make sure she adjusted to this life, and once everything was settled, he could decide what came next.
For now, he had a role to play which is the perfect husband.
Elisa stood in the middle of the massive penthouse, staring at the city lights beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows. Everything about this place screamed wealth, power, and a life she never imagined for herself.
And yet, this was her reality now.
She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to shake the overwhelming feeling of uncertainty. What would happen to her dreams? Her freedom? Would she ever have a choice in her own life again?
This wasn’t her decision. None of this was.
A soft knock on the bedroom door pulled her from her thoughts. A woman probably in her late forties, dressed in a neat uniform stepped inside with a polite smile.
“All your belongings have been arranged in the wardrobe, ma’am,” she said gently. “Clothes, shoes, personal items… everything you need.”
Elisa frowned. Her belongings?
She hadn’t packed anything.
That meant Ricardo had done it all for her.
The housekeeper continued, “Mr. Castillo has asked that you take a shower, get changed, and join him downstairs for dinner.”
Elisa swallowed, nodding slowly.
So this was it. The life she had been forced into had already begun.
Emiliano stormed into his mansion, his sharp gaze sweeping across the room. Blood. Bruised faces. Elisa was gone.
His chest tightened with rage. He knew Ricardo would come for her, but not like this. Not while he was away.
Justin stood beside him, tension radiating from his massive frame.
“Ricardo planned this,” Emiliano muttered, his voice dangerously low. “He waited until I was out. That means “there’s a rat in our midst,” Justin finished, his expression grim.
Emiliano exhaled slowly, forcing himself to think. His hands curled into fists. “Make sure the injured are taken care of. When I return, we will deal with the traitor.”
Justin gave a short nod and went to carry out his orders.
Emiliano glanced around one last time, his mind already calculating his next move. Ricardo may have taken Elisa, but this wasn’t over.
He still had his father’s strongest allies behind him. With their backing, he would take everything back which will start with her
Elisa stood at the top of the staircase, taking a steadying breath. Her fingers grazed the soft fabric of the sundress she’d found waiting for her delicate yellow sundress that fell far too cheerful for the chaos her life had become.
She ran a hand over her ponytail, trying to push away the thoughts swirling in her head.
She had spent the past few days terrified, trapped, uncertain of what her future held. Now, she was free of Emiliano, but somehow, she still felt… lost.
Slowly, she made her way downstairs, her bare feet light against the polished wood.
The dining room was dimly lit, the warm glow of the chandelier casting soft shadows across the long table. And there he was. Ricardo.
Seated at the head of the table, his dark eyes unreadable, his presence commanding.
Her heart did something strange in her chest.
The plates were set, the food untouched. Had he been waiting for her?
She hesitated, instinctively pulling back, choosing the farthest seat from him.
Ricardo barely lifted his gaze, but his voice was firm. “Here.” He motioned to the seat beside him.
Elisa swallowed hard. She wasn’t sure what unsettled her more was his authority or the fact that she obeyed it.
Without a word, she walked over and sat down.
A moment later, the housekeeper arrived, setting their plates before them. The rich aroma filled the air, making Elisa’s stomach tighten painfully.
She hadn’t eaten properly in days.
When the housekeeper left, silence stretched between them. The only sound was the clinking of silverware as she hesitantly took her first bite.
Then, Ricardo said “I’m sorry.” and Elisa stilled.
“I never wanted you to get hurt,” he said, his voice quieter than she expected. “Not by Emiliano. Not by anyone.”
She turned slightly, looking at him. His expression was unreadable, but there was something there, it felt real.
“You’re mine now,” he added. “And that means no one will ever touch you again.”
The words should have unsettled her. They should have made her feel trapped.
But instead… for the first time in days, she felt safe.
The air in the dining room was thick, charged with something Elisa couldn’t quite name. Ricardo’s gaze was on her.
She felt it like a weight on her skin, making her fingers tighten around her fork. The way he watched her calm, unreadable made her uneasy, but not in the way she expected.It unsettled her and made her too aware of him.
She forced herself to focus on the food, her stomach still hollow from the days spent in Emiliano’s captivity. But how could she eat when the man across from her was the reason she was here in the first place?
When he finally stood and left the room, she exhaled, her shoulders slumping slightly. She hadn’t realized she was holding her breath.
She needed space
Wandering through the penthouse, Elisa found herself drawn to the kitchen. There, she saw the housekeeper, an older woman with warm eyes and a quiet presence putting away the dishes.
For some reason, Elisa didn’t want to be alone.
“Do you need help?” she asked softly.
The housekeeper looked up, surprised, before smiling. “No, dear. You should rest. But if you’d like some tea, I can make you a cup.”
Elisa nodded, grateful for the distraction.
As the tea brewed, the conversation drifted, and Elisa found herself asking about the Castillo family. She needed to understand the world she had been thrown into.
And that was when she learned the truth.
The divide between Ricardo and Emiliano wasn’t just about inheritance, it was betrayal, power, and a fight for dominance.
Her chest tightened, was Ricardo even capable of love? Or was all of this just a means to an end for him?
She swallowed hard. Was she just another piece in his game?
- Writer
