Page 81 of Game of Revenge

“Yes, I am. I was even at your party with him when you got taken.”

I felt like I had been hit by a bulldozer.

“If it was up to me, I wouldn’t be here,” I said. “I’d be back in California, and since you know everything, you know I am only here because he wants me here.”

I was grasping onto straws, trying to hide my distress. I felt betrayed. Alejandro had embarrassed me, humiliated me to the lowest level. I was just a toy to him, a girl he enjoyed for the moment. And he had humiliated me by letting someone like Elena, a woman he clearly was attached to and respected, know exactly what place I occupied in his life.

“He is using you to get revenge, idiota. Why else would he sleep with you? He would never love an American girl like you, not when he has me, a true native, who grew up with him, who understands him.”

Elena’s audacity and vulgarity irritated me to no end, but everything she said made sense. Otherwise, why would Alejandro have told her so much? I wanted to disappear, run anywhere, as far as I could. But Elena was staring at me, measuring my reaction, and for the sake of my pride, I had to play the game, even if I was dying inside.

“I am not going to fall for your tricks. I know what game you are trying to play, and trust me, I am too much woman for you to ever be able to make me feel anything but sympathy for you. Have a safe trip.”

I walked away, doing my best to control my trembling hands and the tears that threatened to embarrass me further. I went to Alejandro’s office, the closest room I could find. I needed to be alone. I wouldn’t let Elena see me cry. But as I got to the office, I realized that Elena wasn’t ready to leave. She headed to the living room, leaving her luggage by the door. Great, that bitch was going to stay here. I was desperately hoping to find Dolores, but it was clear that she wasn’t in the house.

I locked the door behind me, letting myself fall on the floor, my heart broken, feeling defeated. How could I have ever thought that Alejandro wouldn't feel some contempt toward me? Would he ever be able to not see me as an extension of Richard, in some shape or form, after what I told him?

I knew he was attracted to me. Perhaps he even cared for me. But I was never supposed to be with him. I was an accident that he dealt with as best as he could. I didn't know what to make of his words. I felt foolish and stupid for even daring to consider that Alejandro and I could be more than an unfortunate situation.

Whatever it was that we had, I was not sure it could survive when we got back to our real lives. I didn't see how we could possibly overcome all that had happened and whatever was to come for us. I didn't see a path to happiness. I just couldn’t really understand what he would gain from how he treated me and saving my life.

Maybe it was all a game to him. Maybe he didn’t believe what I had told him about my relationship with Richard. Maybe he did sleep with me for revenge. I wanted to hate him. But I also couldn’t let anything happen to him.

If only I could leave this place and never come back. Give him his life back, keep him safe. Get as far as I could before I lost whatever shred of strength was left in me. Before I gave him my heart.

Elena would be willing to help me if it meant I would be away from Alejandro. The only way Alejandro would let me go is if he didn’t have a choice and if he thought I would be safe.

Regardless of whether he wanted me to be his, it was clear that he didn’t want to be responsible for my death either.

I had revealed that I knew where the diamonds were, but that only protected me against Mathias. I needed something else, to force Richard’s hand, to force him to “rescue” me.

If this situation was a normal kidnapping, in which the abductors were asking for a reasonable ransom and, more importantly, if that information were to go public, Richard would have no choice but to make sure I came back alive. It would ruin him if people knew he didn’t do everything he could to save me.

I contemplated my plan for what felt like an eternity. I wasn’t afraid, but the idea that I would stop seeing Alejandro hurt me to no end. I only found strength in knowing that I was going to do what was best for him, and if I didn’t leave, I would end up falling in love with someone who would never be able to truly love me back.

Determined, I got up, wiped my tears, rinsed my face with cold water, and walked to the living room. Elena was sitting on a chair by an outlet, charging her phone.

“I have a proposition for you,” I announced as I slowly walked to her and sat on the couch.

I felt calm and collected, with the type of coldness and detachment I had when I was focused on a task, any feeling or doubt put on pause for later.

“Why would I do anything for you?” asked Elena, straightening herself to face me.

“Because you want me out of your way, and because I have a life and a fiancé to go back to.”

Elena seemed a bit skeptical, but I gave her a slow, determined smile that seemed to put her at ease as she lifted her brow.

“In case you need some convincing…I don’t know if Alejandro told you, but I know where the diamonds are.”

Elena shifted uncomfortably in her chair. She clearly was surprised by this piece of information. I found strength in Elena’s shocked face. I would manage to get her to do exactly what I wanted.

“Even though he knows that, he insists on keeping me here with him, to protect me. My stepfather, after all, doesn't care about me, and if he finds out that I know where the diamonds are, he will have me killed without a doubt. As a matter of fact, he already tried for less than that. He tried because he didn’t want to deal with the issue. That’s how Alejandro got shot. He was protecting me.”

I felt a bit of guilt, seeing her start to get angry, but Elena deserved it. Plus, if she did help me, she would get what she wanted—Alejandro all to herself.

“But I know Richard more than anyone else. If it were to get out to the press that I was still alive, and that my kidnappers are asking for something like a mere two million dollars for my ransom—a relatively trivial amount for someone like Richard—he would have no choice but to pay it to guarantee my safe return.”

“Mathias wouldn’t allow that.”