CHAPTER 345: _ ONE MORE TRUTH

~Luis’s Point Of View~

Three days had passed since I revealed myself to the Montenegro family. And good good lord, I fear I’ll be driven crazy before I can even begin my plans of revenge. It’s nothing but annoyingly wide smiles everywhere I turn.

I am well aware of my own beauty—for I, big daddy Luis, have the potential to make the Goddess herself swoon—but I need a goddamn break. Can’t a man hatch a plan in peace?

Before I can arrange my thoughts, that bitch, Rosario, will have come knocking on my door.

"I’m here if you need anything, Luis. You remember I took care of you all this time, ¿sí? Anything you need—dime." She would say, with her eyes fluttering seductively.

Dios mio.... Could she be trying to woo me?

If only she knew how many times I had my way with her in that goddamned house. Rosario is nothing but a pig slut to me.

I picked up the mug of tea placed on the table and brought it to my lips. As I took slow sips, I looked around my new room. Axel’s mother had ensured this place was quickly prepared once news of my rapid ’healing’ spread.

Oh, Luna Ann. If only you weren’t part of this forsaken family... I shook my head with a soft chuckle.

The poor woman wouldn’t leave my side throughout the party that night. She had been genuinely pleased to see me up and healthy. And I noticed that hint of fear in her eyes whenever she looked at her husband and Álvaro. She was scared of what they would attempt to do to me.

Of course, unlike everyone else, Axel’s father had been utterly wrathful when he laid eyes on me. Yes, I had to keep up my innocent Luis act, but I couldn’t resist flashing him a little smirk when we locked gazes.

How hilarious. He had looked utterly terrified at that moment, almost like I was his worst nightmare manifested to life. Perhaps I was. These past few days, I hear him whispering to his men, and to his sorry excuse of a son. They’re hatching a plan to get rid of me, and Álvaro simply cannot wait to have another competitor out of the picture.

Little Álvaro. That spineless bastard never ceases to humor me. He acts all high and mighty like he holds all the power, when in reality, he’s the most powerless of them all. Frankly, I couldn’t spare the effort to hate him even if I wanted to. I just felt...pity for him.

Of course, he was going to suffer like the others. Not for being an asshole to me, but for the way he ogled my love, María José. I was going to make sure the bastard never used his eyes for something good again.

And then there was Axel. The fool who thinks he’s going to be the hero of the pack. Oh, the urge to slam his head against the wall when he was digging up the past that night.

None of these fools knew what was coming for them.

As I slowly sipped my tea, a knock came from the door. A frustrated groan escaped my lips as I said, "Rosario, mira— por tercera vez no necesito nada."

To my surprise, however, Luna Ann’s voice came from behind the door. "Luis, mijo. It’s me."

"Oh," I turned and said, "it’s open. Come in."

Axel’s mother stepped into the room. Her gaze observed the elegance of the place for a moment, and she gave a nod of approval.

"Although it was prepared in a hurry, I hope it’s to your taste?"

I offered her a smile and nodded. "Claro que sí. This is more than I could’ve asked for."

Luna Ann seemed pleased. Her gaze slowly settled on me, and an awkward silence quickly defined the room.

"Uh, is there something?" I asked, pretending like I did not know the reason for her being here.

She tucked her hair behind her ear and slowly nodded. "Yes, in fact. There’s something I need to talk to you about, mijo."

I nodded and quickly rose to my feet, before offering her a chair to sit on. Then, I grabbed a spare mug and poured her tea from a classy ceramic jug, which frankly, is probably my favorite thing in the entire room.

"Thank you," Luna Ann smiled faintly as she held the mug in between her hands.

Then, she fell silent once more.

Oh, come on, woman. I do not have all day. I have plans to execute!

I urged her on with the fake smile I had become utterly proficient at, "You wanted to discuss something, eh?"

She finally exhaled and spoke, "It’s about what happened, mijo. I need to talk to you about the past."

My eyes narrowed at just the right moment. I put on a frown and muttered, "The past? What about it, Ma?"

Luna Ann looked at me somberly, then shook her head. She reached out with her hand, as though she wanted to cup my face, but pulled back at the last moment. She sighed softly and muttered, "You don’t need to pretend with me, mi Luis."

Your Luis? Okay, I think that’s pushing it a bit too far... A sudden discomfort washed over me. Still, I put on a smile.

But then, my smile faded when she grabbed my hand and said, "That night, I tried to stop him. I tried to stop him. I’m so sorry I couldn’t. For Axel’s sake. I couldn’t."

She broke down in tears, but my attention was on something else. I frowned and asked, "What do you mean, for Axel’s sake?"

Luna Ann’s hand trembled slightly. I could feel it. Whatever she was about to say was bound to get me extremely pissed. Still, I had to know.

She sniffled and wiped her eyes, then looked at me and said in a low tone, "That night... Before it happened, I overheard my husband talking to one of the elders about his plan. And, I tried to confront him... but, but..."

She started sobbing again.

I grabbed her hand and urged, my tone laced with rage, "But what? Ann?"

She looked up at me, her eyes wet.

"He told me that if I alerted anyone, or tried to stop him in any way, that he was going to kill Axel. And I couldn’t.. I couldn’t lose my baby..."

Luna Ann broke down once again, this time, weeping with full intensity.

However, I couldn’t spare the heart to feel pity for her. Rather, I was furious beyond belief.

Did this woman mean to tell me that she could’ve prevented my father’s death? But chose to keep quiet because of that bastard Axel?! Because she was trying to protect that good for nothing?!

That was it. That was the final straw.