Chapter 1 - THE DOOR ANA OPENED
Ana Ruiz knew something was wrong before she saw her sister.
The front door was unlocked.
Isabel never left doors unlocked.
Not in this neighborhood.
Not after years of living with a man who checked every window twice before bed and once told her that “carelessness is how people invite trouble.”
Ana stepped inside.
The house was too quiet.
Then she heard laughter.
Male.
Low.
Amused.
Luis.
And another voice.
A woman.
Ana moved through the hallway.
Then stopped.
Her sister was curled on the floor beside the living room sofa.
Barefoot.
Dirty clothes.
Hair tangled.
One arm wrapped around herself.
The other gripping the edge of the rug like she needed something solid to keep from disappearing.
“ISABEL!”
Ana dropped her bag.
Ran.
Fell to her knees.
Isabel looked up.
Her face crumpled instantly.
“Ana…”
She collapsed against her older sister’s chest.
“Don’t leave me.”
Ana wrapped both arms around her.
“Oh my God. What did they do to you?”
Isabel shook so hard Ana could feel it through both of their bodies.
Behind them, Luis laughed.
“Don’t be dramatic.”
Ana froze.
She turned slowly.
Luis stood near the fireplace in a black suit, holding himself with the casual arrogance of a man who believed the room belonged to him.
Beside him stood Vanessa.
Blonde.
Red dress.
Wineglass in hand.
She lifted it slightly and smirked.
“She’s always like this.”
Ana looked back at Isabel.
Her sister’s fingers tightened around her jacket.
Then Isabel whispered:
“Please… don’t make him angry.”
Ana stopped breathing.
Her eyes moved to Luis.
Then back to Isabel.
“She’s afraid of you?”
Luis smiled.
“She knows her place.”
Ana stood.
Every piece of her grief hardened into rage.
“Say that again.”
Luis tilted his head.
“She knows her place.”
He pointed toward Isabel.
“She’s nothing in this house.”
Isabel began sobbing behind Ana.
That sound ended whatever restraint Ana had left.
She pulled out her phone.
Luis frowned.
“What are you doing?”
Ana opened the property record she had downloaded that morning.
Then held the screen in front of him.
“Nothing?”
His smile disappeared.
“What the hell is that?”
“The document proving this house was never yours.”
Vanessa slowly lowered her glass.
Luis grabbed for the phone.
“GIVE ME THAT!”
Ana jerked it away and shoved his hand aside.
“DON’T TOUCH ME!”
Silence.
She pointed toward Isabel.
“You humiliated my sister…”
Then stepped closer.
“…inside a house you don’t even own.”
Luis went pale.
“Ana… listen.”
Ana pointed toward the open door.
“GET OUT.”
He stared.
She moved forward.
“YOU BROKE HER DOWN IN HER OWN HOME!”
Isabel sobbed behind her.
Ana’s voice cracked from fury.
“NOW GET OUT OF MY SISTER’S HOUSE!”
Vanessa gasped.
May you like
Luis’s face collapsed.
And for the first time since Ana walked through the door, he looked afraid.
