16

Morning settled over the De Torre villa in a heavy hush, the kind that carried the weight of something waiting to happen. The rain had stopped before dawn, but the clouds still hung low — gray, swollen, threatening to break again.

Upstairs, Rafael was asleep, finally resting after the previous day's chaos. His breathing had evened out, the color returning slowly to his face. Lea had stayed beside him until exhaustion caught up, only slipping away when she was certain he was stable.

Now she sat in the lounge, a cup of coffee cooling in her hands, the silence of the villa almost too still. She scrolled absently through her phone, eyes glazed, until a new message notification made her freeze.

Michelle Cojuangco.

Her heart stuttered.

Michelle Cojuangco: Lea, I'm sorry for the early message. Joey knows. He found out Ellie's been at your home. He's furious.

Lea sat up, the fog of fatigue vanishing instantly. Her thumb hovered over the screen as another message came in seconds later.

Michelle Cojuangco: He called Ellie several times. When she didn't answer, he called his security team.He thinks you and Rafael turned her against him.

Lea's breath caught. For a moment, all she could hear was the dull tick of the clock and the faint hum of the air conditioning.

She set the cup down — too quickly. It toppled, coffee spilling across the table, staining the morning paper. Her hands trembled, not from panic but from the instinctive surge of adrenaline that came with crisis.

Then another message arrived.

Michelle Cojuangco: He left the house before sunrise. He has two men with him. I don't know if they're armed. Please, Lea — keep her safe.

The mug slipped from Lea's grasp and shattered against the floor. The sound jolted her into motion.

Her mind sharpened instantly — trained, focused. She grabbed her phone and typed back, fingers steady despite the pounding in her chest.

Lea: How long before they reach Forbes?

Michelle: An hour, maybe less. He's driving himself. I'm trying to stall by calling his chief of staff.

Lea was already standing before she finished reading. She crossed the lounge and hit the intercom. "Get Alex," she said. Her voice was steady, but it carried command.

Moments later, Alex Santiago, head of security, appeared by the doorway — tall, composed, his black polo crisp, earpiece already in place. He had the alert expression of someone who didn't need to ask what was wrong.

"Ma'am?"

Lea turned to him, the calm in her tone belying the fear in her chest. "We're expecting company. Senator Joey Cojuangco. Possibly within the hour. He's looking for Ellie."

Alex's jaw tightened slightly. "Understood. Do you want the front gates sealed?"

"Yes," she said immediately. "No one gets in without my authorization. Double-check the CCTV coverage and post two men by the driveway. If his convoy reaches the property line, you inform me first — not Rafael, not anyone else. Understood?"

"Understood, ma'am."

"Good," she said, already walking toward the hallway. "And Alex — make sure our people stay calm. No one panics. We handle this cleanly."

"Yes, ma'am." He nodded once and was gone, his steps quiet but swift.

Lea exhaled, forcing herself to breathe slowly. Panic would only make her sloppy. She needed to be three steps ahead — for Rafael's heart, for Ellie's safety, for the family.

She picked up her phone again and called the housekeeper. "Mila, find Ellie. Tell her to meet me in the garden. Don't alarm her, just say it's urgent."

"Yes, ma'am."

Lea ended the call and steadied herself against the table, pressing a hand to her chest.

The villa suddenly felt too large, its silence too loud. Her thoughts spun through contingencies — Joey's temper, Rafael's health, Ellie's fear.

The sound of the fountain outside filtered through the window — calm, deliberate, mocking in its serenity.

And then her phone buzzed one last time.

Michelle Cojuangco: He's not thinking clearly, Lea. If he gets there, he'll cause a scene. Please — whatever happens, don't let him near Ellie alone.

Lea's pulse spiked. Her gaze darted toward the stairs leading up to where Rafael slept.

No, she thought. Not him. Not now.

She squared her shoulders, phone clutched tight. "Hold the line," she whispered — Beatriz's words echoing in her head.

Because Joey Cojuangco was coming. And this time, Lea De Torre was ready to meet him herself.