Two

Isabela

The day began like any other, but I already knew it wouldn’t be. After seeing Gabriel the previous night, every fiber of my being was on high alert, as if an invisible thread tied me to him, pulling my mind back to that encounter over and over. It wasn’t just the present tension that haunted me; it was the memories I’d spent years trying to bury.

There was a time when Gabriel Castellano wasn’t the man who haunted me. He was the man I had fallen for completely. Strong, ambitious, but with a smile that made my heart race. I remembered the nights we stayed up late, talking about the future. He promised me the world but never mentioned the sacrifices that would come with it.

At first, Gabriel was protective, even sweet in his own way. But as our relationship progressed, the shadow of his ambition began to dominate everything. Small gestures of care were replaced by decisions made without consulting me, until I realized my place in his life wasn’t beside him but behind him. When I discovered I was pregnant, everything changed. He didn’t know, and I knew I couldn’t tell him. The Gabriel I loved had been consumed by his thirst for control, and I couldn’t let Miguel be dragged into that world.

Shaking off those memories was nearly impossible. With each thought, my chest tightened, and I felt guilt mixed with fear. Could he have changed? No. Gabriel Castellano didn’t change. He took, he possessed, but he never changed.

I woke up before the sun rose, unable to sleep more than a few hours. Miguel was still sleeping soundly, his small body curled up in bed. He had the calm of someone unaware of the chaos surrounding our lives, and I desperately wanted to keep him that way.

I prepared breakfast with trembling hands, the sound of oil sizzling in the pan bringing me minimal comfort. While setting the table, my mind wandered. Why did he have to be there? Why now, after all these years, did Gabriel Castellano have to appear and disrupt everything I had built?

Miguel woke up shortly after, with his usual energy that made me smile, even when I didn’t feel like it.

“Mami, can I take my drawing to school?” he asked, proudly holding up the picture of the house he had drawn the night before.

“Of course, mi amor. Everyone will love to see what you made,” I replied, trying to ignore the tightness in my chest. He deserved this—a normal routine, a childhood without interruptions. That’s why I had left. For him.

Taking him to school was a small relief. Watching Miguel run to his friends and disappear through the door gave me a few moments to breathe, but the relief was short-lived. I knew Gabriel wasn’t the kind of man to let things slide. He was probably already planning something.

At work, my mind was elsewhere. The restaurant was busy, but I operated on autopilot. I took orders, served plates, and cleaned tables without really registering what I was doing. Maria, my coworker, noticed.

“Isabela, you seem tired. Are you okay?” she asked, her voice filled with concern.

“Just a bad night,” I lied, avoiding her gaze. Maria had always been kind, but I couldn’t let her get too close. The less she knew, the better.

While wiping the counter at the end of my shift, the weight of reality hit me again. I needed to stay in control. I needed to protect Miguel. But how? Gabriel was smart, determined, and above all, relentless. The thought of facing him made me want to run and disappear again, but this time I knew it wouldn’t be that easy.

That evening, as we walked home, Miguel chatted happily beside me, his small hand holding mine. The sound of his childish voice was a desperate attempt to keep me in the present, but my heart felt heavy, and my mind wandered back to the previous night.

“Mami, do you think we can get a dog?” he asked, his eyes shining with hope.

I smiled, but it was a forced smile. “Maybe one day, my love. First, we need a bigger house, remember?”

He nodded, satisfied with my answer. But my smile faded as soon as I turned the corner and saw the black car parked across the street.

Gabriel.

He was there, leaning against the side of the car, his arms crossed and his expression unreadable. Despite the apparent calm in his posture, his dark eyes were fixed on me with an intensity that made my throat dry.

“We need to talk,” he said as soon as he saw us.

My body went on high alert. I squeezed Miguel’s hand harder than I intended, but he didn’t seem to notice. “Miguel, why don’t you go upstairs? I’ll be right behind you,” I said, keeping my voice as light as possible.

Miguel looked at Gabriel with curiosity before turning back to me. “Who is he, Mami?”

“An old acquaintance,” I replied quickly. “Now, go up and lock the door, okay?”

Reluctantly, he obeyed, running into the building. I waited until I heard the apartment door close before turning my gaze back to Gabriel.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, my voice low but sharp.

He uncrossed his arms and took a step forward, but kept a safe distance. “Five years, Isabela. You disappear for five years, and now I find you with a child who…” He paused, as if carefully choosing his next words. “…who has eyes like mine.”

My stomach churned, but I kept my expression neutral. “Miguel is my son. That’s all you need to know.”

Gabriel tilted his head slightly, his eyes studying every detail of my face as if trying to solve a puzzle. “His age. Did you have him right after you left?”

My breathing quickened, but I couldn’t let him see that. “It’s none of your business.”

He laughed, but it was an empty sound. “You’re terrible at lying, you know that? You always were. Now I know I’m right.”

“You don’t know anything,” I shot back, taking a step back. “And even if you did, it doesn’t change anything. Miguel is my responsibility. Mine. You have no place in our lives.”

Gabriel’s eyes narrowed, and for a moment, I saw something that looked like hurt cross his face before he regained his composure. “I won’t accept that, Isabela. I need to know. If he’s my son, you can’t just…” He stopped again, taking a deep breath. “I will find out the truth, with or without your help.”

“You’re insane,” I murmured, my body trembling with tension. “I did everything I did to protect Miguel, to protect us. You have no right to just show up and demand answers.”

Gabriel took a step back, but his gaze remained fixed on me. “Protect him from what, Isabela? From me? Am I his father or not?”

My silence was enough for him to understand I wouldn’t answer. He shook his head slowly, frustration clear in every line of his face.

“I’ll find out,” he said finally, his voice low but filled with determination. “And when I know the truth, you won’t be able to stop me.”

He got into the car and drove away, leaving me alone on the sidewalk with the weight of his words. My hands trembled as I hugged myself, trying to contain the fear threatening to consume me.

I rushed upstairs and locked the door behind me. Miguel was sleeping peacefully, oblivious to the storm that had just unfolded. I looked at him for a long moment, wondering how much longer I could keep our life intact before Gabriel tore it apart.

I knew he wouldn’t give up. Gabriel Castellano never gave up. And now, he was closer to the truth than ever before.