Chapter 4 - The Snakes Within the Castle
The revelation hit the room like a physical explosion.
Gabriel Castillo. Alejandro’s younger half-brother, the soft-spoken vice president of Castillo Global, the man who had sat across from Alejandro at dinner every Sunday for three years, comforting him over his missing wife.
Alejandro didn't move. His expression didn't change. But inside him, something fundamentally human snapped, replaced by a cold, lethal instinct.
He stood up from the bed, gently tucking the blanket around Elena’s shoulders. "Sleep, my love. Nobody will ever touch you again."
"Alejandro... please don't do anything reckless," she begged, clutching his sleeve. "They have deep roots. They planned this for years."
"They planned for a war, Elena," Alejandro said, kissing her forehead. "I am bringing them extinction."
Ten minutes later, Alejandro descended into the subterranean level of the mansion.
Down in the concrete holding room, Vivian Moretti was sitting on a metal chair, her silver dress ruined, her hair disheveled. Sitting across from her, pinned down by two security operatives, was Mrs. Gable—the estate’s head housekeeper, who had worked for the Castillo family for over fifteen years.
When Alejandro walked in, the temperature in the room dropped to absolute zero.
"I'll give you one chance, Mrs. Gable," Alejandro said, pulling out a chair and sitting across from the old housekeeper. "You were paid to oversee the servants. You personally oversaw the woman scrubbing my floors tonight. Speak."
Mrs. Gable began to weep hysterically. "Mr. Castillo, please! They threatened my grandchildren! Gabriel told me if I said a word to you, he would have my family wiped out! They brought her in six months ago through the utility tunnels! They kept her drugged in the old servant quarters! They made her use a false name—Clara!"
"And Vivian?" Alejandro asked, turning his dark gaze to the socialite.
Vivian tried to maintain a sneer, but her hands were trembling violently. "Do your worst, Alejandro. Gabriel controls the board now. The proxy votes were signed yesterday. You’re being ousted as CEO at tomorrow’s shareholder summit. By noon tomorrow, you won't even own this house!"
Alejandro let out a low, dark laugh that made the skin on Vivian's arms prickle with ice.
"You really think Gabriel is in control?" Alejandro leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Did Gabriel tell you that I uncovered his embezzlement scheme in Zurich two weeks ago? Did he tell you that every transaction he made to fund your luxury lifestyle was tracked by federal agents?"
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Vivian’s sneer collapsed entirely. "W-What?"
"You were never the mastermind, Vivian," Alejandro said, leaning back. "You were just Gabriel’s disposable lapdog. And tomorrow morning, at that shareholder summit... I am going to put both of you down."
