Chapter 2 - THE SNAKE AT THE DINNER TABLEHook Headline: THEY CELEBRATED TAKING HIS EMPIRE OVER DINNER—UNTIL THE SOLDIER SERVED A DISH THEY DIDN'T EXPECT!
The next evening, the grand dining room of our estate was lit by the soft glow of crystal chandeliers. Six months ago, Elena and I sat here discussing our plans to expand our boutique architectural firm into Europe. Tonight, my mother sat at the head of the table like a reigning monarch, wearing a diamond necklace that had belonged to Elena’s grandmother.
Ricardo sat to her right, wearing my custom-tailored Italian suit, cutting into a thick piece of rare prime rib.
Elena sat beside me, her hands tucked beneath the table, wearing a high-collared black dress I had picked out for her to hide the darkening bruises on her neck and collarbone. She was terrified, her body rigid as a board.
“Alejandro, darling,” my mother said, wiping her lips with a linen napkin. “You’ve been so quiet since you arrived. I suppose combat leaves a man… unrefined. But we must discuss the future of the estate.”
“Is that so, Mother?” I said, casually cutting my steak, my voice completely devoid of emotion.
“Yes,” Ricardo chimed in, leaning forward with a smug grin that made my jaw clench. “Given Elena’s unfortunate… episode while you were away, she realized she couldn't handle the stress of managing the company’s assets. Out of the goodness of her heart—and with Mother’s guidance—she transferred management rights to my firm, Vance Holdings. It was really for her own good.”
“For her good,” I repeated slowly. I turned to Elena. “Is that true, darling?”
Elena squeezed her eyes shut, her lower lip trembling. “I… I was tired, Alejandro,” she choked out, reciting the script they had clearly beaten into her. “Ricardo took the burden off my shoulders.”
My mother smiled triumphantly. “You see? A fragile bird needs a strong cage, Alejandro. Now that the paperwork is finalized, we think it’s best if you and Elena move into the guest cottage at the back of the property. Ricardo needs the main house for entertainments. He’s hosting the Mayor next week.”
I laid my knife and fork down with a quiet, deliberate clack against the porcelain plate.
“That’s very thoughtful of you, Ricardo,” I said, looking my brother dead in the eye. “Taking on such a massive financial burden. Tell me, how is Vance Holdings managing to liquidate $4 million in physical hardware inventory this quarter? Last time I checked, your shell company didn't have a license for international export.”
Ricardo’s smile faltered for a fraction of a second. The fork in his hand froze halfway to his mouth. “What are you talking about? It’s standard commercial real estate.”
“Is it?” I leaned back, folding my arms across my chest. “Because while I was deployed in Sector 4, my unit kept running into missing shipments of military-grade structural steel and surveillance tech. Strange how those exact serial numbers appeared on the manifest of a warehouse right down at the harbor—registered under Vance Holdings.”
Doña Victoria’s eyes flicked sharply toward Ricardo. “Ricardo, what is he talking about?”
“He’s talking nonsense, Mother!” Ricardo snapped, his cheeks flushing red. “He’s battle-fatigued! He doesn't know what he’s saying!”
“I know exact numbers, brother,” I said smoothly, reaching into my jacket and placing a single folded sheet of paper on the table between us. “That is a copy of a shipping manifest dated three weeks ago. It bears your signature, Ricardo. And strangely enough, it also bears the stamp of the corrupt logistics officer who was arrested on my base two days before I boarded my flight home.”
Ricardo’s face paled. He reached aggressively for the paper, but I slammed my hand down on the table, the force of the strike causing the wine glasses to ring like alarms.
“Touch it, and I break your fingers,” I said softly, my voice dripping with lethal intent.
Elena gasped, holding her breath. My mother stood up, her pearls rattling against her chest. “Alejandro! How dare you threaten your brother in my house!”
“My house, Mother,” I corrected her, rising slowly to my feet until I towered over both of them. “Every brick of this estate was bought with the blood, sweat, and tears of Elena and myself. You took advantage of my absence to brutalize my wife and steal our life. But you forgot one tiny detail.”
I turned my gaze to Ricardo, whose eyes were wide with sudden panic.
“What detail?” Ricardo stammered.
May you like
“You forgot that when you steal from a soldier, you aren't fighting a businessman anymore,” I whispered. “You’re fighting a tactical operative. Enjoy your dinner, family. It’s the last meal you’ll ever eat in this house.”
I took Elena by the hand, lifting her gently from her chair, and led her out of the room, leaving my mother and brother sitting in terrifying silence.
