Page 134 of Cavern of Silence

Miguel scowls. "He is the scum of the earth. I will kill him before he knows what has happened."

Relief fills me. No matter how much Miguel and Josie's relationship pains me, he isn't a criminal. "Of course you aren't. I'm sorry I asked, but I'm confused. You're not making a lot of sense to me right now."

His next words make me regret apologizing. "Santiago and his brother are dead. I will rise, Liliana."

Blood pounds hard, throbbing between my ears. "Wh-what are you talking about?"

He strokes my hair. "Ah, my sweet, sweet, Liliana."

"Please tell me," I beg.

"Why do you think we moved to Belize?"

"It was your dream."

"Part of the dream."

"Wh… I...you always wanted to live there. What do you mean by part?"

He snorts. "I am Costa Rican with Guatemalan roots. Belize shouldn't even be a country. Guatemala is the true ruler of that land."

I sit in stunned silence. Tears, tremors, and more anguish assault me as I listen to every word, still not understanding what Miguel is involved in and wondering how I could have been blind to any of this.

"I needed to be stationed there for my dealings."

"What dealings? You are a farmer."

He scoffs. "Is that all you believe I am capable of?"

"You told me you loved farming. I... I did everything to support your dream."

His face softens, and he twists a lock of my hair around his finger. "Yes, Liliana, you did. You were an excellent wife. I'm still heartbroken you insisted on the divorce."

"You slept with my sister. Her child is yours," I cry out, still hurt from his betrayal and insistence we didn't need to end our marriage and insulted by his ideology that he did nothing wrong sleeping with my twin sister because she looks like me and he wanted to get laid.

The coldness comes back in his eyes. "You could have stayed. We could have made it work. Your sister and I both still love you."

Disgusted, I push off him, trying to get away, but he still holds me firm.

His voice turns hard. "You have a choice to make, my Liliana. And the hurt you feel, you should release. I'm here to give you one last option, but after I go, you will never have it again."

I stay silent.

"Are you ready to listen with an open heart and mind?"

I close my eyes, wishing this wasn't my current reality, but my days of living in fantasy land are over.

He palms the back of my head, and I open my lids. "I am at the top."

"The top of what?"

"The Guatemalan drug cartel."

Nausea fills me, and I get dizzy. I lean over and put my hands on my face, breathing deep.

No. It's not possible.

"It's true, Liliana. I've been quietly leading, and now Santiago and his brother are dead, I will reign."