Chapter 341

Elena As I walked into the mansion, I immediately felt the tension in the air. It was just a gut feeling that something was about to happen, and I didn’t know why.

It wasn’t too crazy, considering I planned on telling Marvin the truth. Dad and I had a deal, and now it was my job to hold up the end of the bargain.

He needed me back home.

“Marvin!” I called out his name, wondering if he was already home-but he didn’t respond. “Marvin?” I walked further.

“Mar-“I stopped in my words as I saw him sitting at the kitchen table with a gun in front of him, and his head lowered.

I swallowed as he held his hands together, and raised his head so I could see his eyes. There were filled with anger and disappointment.

I wasn’t stupid.

I knew what was happening.

He had somehow found out the truth, the truth about everything. That must’ve been it.

A breath escaped my lips as I reached for my pocket to secure Anya’s drive was still there.

In one way there was a feeling of relief. I could feel the weight of my lies and secrets crushing down on me. I had been so scared to tell Marvin the truth, but now there was no excuse to hide it from him.

“W-What happened?” I sat on the opposite side of him, pretending to be oblivious. “And what’s with the look?” My eyes moved from the gun on the table to his.

Despite his rant about liars, I had enough faith that he wouldn’t hurt me. Marvin couldn’t. Right?

“Where have you been?” Marvin asked, his tone cold and threatening. “Or, no-wait. Let’s not play this game.” He shook his head, pointing out his finger. “Why did you not want me to meet your family?”

Oh, well.

“Did Panther tell you?” I wondered. There was no turning back. I had to come fully clean, or he would accuse me of lying even more.

“Tell me what?” Marvin slammed his fist on the table, his face contorting with anger. “That you’re a liar? The daughter of a DEA-agent? Fucking George Torres on top of that!”

A cold shiver left my body and I flinched. He had never been this aggressive towards me before, but his reaction was justified.

I hid my trembling hand under the table as the guilt washed over me. The thought of mirroring the type of person he hated the most, crushed me.

“You have to hear me out.” I spoke extra fast, thinking he would try to stop me, but he didn’t.

“I’m listening.” He let out a defeated sigh. By his tone, I could tell he was hoping for the simplest explanation that would actually make sense. A way out so he wouldn’t feel completely crazy for believing my lies.

“When I first met you-I had no idea who you were.” I confessed. “Yes, I did find out somewhere along the way because I looked through my dad’s files-but I was too selfish to let go of you.”

“Do you want me to believe that you didn’t come here and played me to investigate my family?”

“Yes!” I replied immediately. “I-” My voice got stuck as I thought about the safest way to tell him about Panther’s betrayal and Anya’s evidence. It would only be a matter of time before he’d kick me out.

Marvin didn’t even give me the chance. Instead, he grabbed the gun and shoved it in my hands, forcing me to hold it.

“Come on, shoot me.” His voice was serious and emotionless.

“W-what?” I stammered, looking down at the gun in my hands. Tears threatened to spill down my cheeks, but I refused to cry. Crying would only make it worse. I had never expected for him to go that far. “Kill me!” He raised his voice this time. “You’ve already done it once, you might as well do it again.” His words devastated me. I played him, took his love for granted-and this was the result of that.

“I can’t.” I dropped the gun to the table. Of course I couldn’t kill him. Just the thought of that wa ridiculous.

“You’re right, because you don’t have the right to.” Marvin chuckled in disbelief. “I should k but I can’t…you have a talent for bewitching. Elena.”

“Marvin, I’m not a witch.” I made it clear. “I’m not your enemy, neither is my family.” I said. “I’m things had to go this way and I’m sorry for breaking your heart-but I do love you.”

“Love?” Marvin looked at me as if I was insane. “How is Lucas involved?”

Oh god, he didn’t think the two of us were together, did he?

“I don’t know.” I said. “He isn’t…he doesn’t care about you and none of this is his fault.” I decided to clear his name for as long as Marvin would allow me. “He planned on taking revenge for his mom, but I guess somewhere along the way he got fond of all of you.”

“So he knew who you were…and I didn’t.”

“I didn’t tell him, my dad-”

“I don’t care.” Marvin snapped. “Elena, what do you think I should do to you?”

That was a good question.

I knew the rules, I knew what happened to liars in the Castillo family-but Marvin had already made it clear that he wouldn’t hurt me.

As I reached for my pocket, my fingers brushed against Anya’s drive. I hesitated for a moment before pulling it out, placing it on the table.

“Marvin, you can’t trust Panther.” I didn’t beat around the bush.

He glared at me but didn’t speak up. I took that as permission to continue.

“Panther is responsible for a lot of the things that have happened to us. He was the one who set you up to go to prison, and he was the one who got Anya killed.” I said. “She was investigating him.”

Marvin looked at the USB stick with an unreadable expression, and then at me. Who knew if my words had gotten through to him?

“Leave….leave and don’t let me see you again.” He turned away from my eyes, completely ignoring my words. He must’ve thought I was either crazy, or trying to save face.

“Marvin, you can’t trust him-you’ve got to listen to me!”

“I’ll let someone pack your things-or you can do it yourself, whatever works for you-just get out of my sight, please.” He spoke calmly, as if I had not just given him the shocking news. “Just go.”

“You can’t-

“Go.

“Marvin, you can’t trust Panther-”

“Yes, I’ve heard you the first time!” Marvin cut me off, the sides of his lips trembling. The tone in his voice was proof that my words got through to him, and that was all that mattered. As if my betrayal wasn’t enough already, he had to deal with Panther’s as well. “Now please leave.”

No matter how much it hurt to leave, I knew it was the right thing to do. I knew I had set myself up for a broken heart and that this day would eventually come Accepting my fate, I walked over to him and wrapped my arms around him for the last time. I had expected him to push me away, yell at me, swear at me-but he didn’t. Instead, he let me.

“Marvin, I’m so sorry,” I whispered. “I do love you. I still love you.”

There was a moment of silence, and then he sighed. “Elena, you need to leave. He pushed me away gently. “Please, I’m asking you kindly.”

Kindly?

After everything he was still trying to be kind.

“Marvin…” I stepped back. The sight of him was devastating. “I’m so sorry.”

“And.” I said one last time. “Whatever you find out about Tiago, please know that he’s not the same person anymore. He’s your brother, and he’s on your side.”

Not wanting any more embarrassment, I turned to leave as I still held back my tears. Crying wouldn’t do anything, because I had already prepared myself for this day.

All I could hope for was that warning him wouldn’t be enough to save him from the danger that was closing in.