<h4>Chapter 178: _ Gone For Two Days</h4>


    I dragged my hands down my face, inhaling sharply. My mind was still reeling from the absolute disaster I’d woken up to. Rosario giggled, thoroughly enjoying my misery, while Luis remained unmoving and emotionless like a statue.


    It was as if he were some damned guardian spirit sent to haunt me.


    This wasn’t happening. This couldn’t be happening.


    I pulled on my shirt with shaking hands, my fingers fumbling with the buttons. My clothes smelled faintly of sweat, wood, and the scent of Rosario.


    Fuck. I resisted the urge to gag.


    Rosario stretchedzily, the nket slipping slightly from her shoulder, and I turned away so fast I nearly gave myself a beating.


    "Listen, until I figure out what the hell happened and what to do about it, <i>you</i> will not say a word of this to anyone."


    Rosario arched an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Oh,e on, ni?o, don’t be so dramatic. This is a little secret between friends." She wiggled her fingers at me yfully.


    Was she really serious?!


    I red at her, my jaw tightening. "Rosario."


    "What?" she said innocently. "I was just going to say..."


    I shot her a look so sharp it could’ve sliced through metal.


    She blinked, then pouted. "Fine. No fun."


    Ignoring her, I yanked on my shoes, grabbed my belt, and cinched it tighter than necessary. "I need to get the hell out of here."


    Luis still hadn’t moved. His gaze was unwavering and made my skin crawl. I pointed at him, exasperated. "And <i>you</i>! Stop looking at me like that!"


    I knew that was unnecessary and would probably make the poor Luis feel more bad about himself, but I was too paranoid and confused to care:


    But my sweet cousin, Luis was a creepy bastard as usual. He simply continued to stare.


    I groaned, running a hand through my already messy hair. I needed fresh air. I needed to get far, far away from this room before Ipletely lost my mind.


    I stormed out, nearly ripping the door off its hinges in my haste. The cold morning air hit me like a p, but it wasn’t enough to clear my head. My thoughts were a swirling mess.


    This was bad. <i>Really</i> bad. I wanted food. <i>Wanted María José. Hell, I missed her like crazy. </i>


    My ns for yesterday were ruined. Dang, it was a bad day yesterday and it was about to get worse.


    Because the moment I stepped into the packhouse, still uneasy from my ordeal, I mmed straight into a wall of solid muscle.


    I staggered back, blinking.


    Oh, no. That wasn’t a wall. That was my father with álvaro right beside him.


    Perfect.


    "Where have you been?" my father demanded, his sharp gaze boring into me.


    I forced my features into something neutral. "Good morning to you too."


    His eyes narrowed as he assessed me coldly. álvaro, the arrogant bastard, crossed his arms and smirked.


    I turned, ready to walk past them and pretend this conversation didn’t need to happen.


    But then...


    "I thought you were finallying to your senses and trying to be responsible," my father said coolly. "Guess I was wrong."


    I paused mid-step, my hands clenching into fists. <i>Here we go again... </i>


    I turned back slowly. "What exactly are you talking about?"


    álvaro scoffed. "Don’t y dumb, hermano. We’re talking about your little visit to Don Diego."


    What the heck were they talking about now?! Oh, wait... <i>did María José report me already?!</i>


    I stared at him nkly. "What visit?"


    My father’s eyes darkened. "Don’t even try to deny it. I <i>am</i> the Alpha... have ears everywhere."


    A cold prickle ran down my spine. Oh, Dios, they know:


    "One of my men nted at Don Diego’s told me you came over," my father continued, voice sharp as a de. "That you promised him heaven and earth."


    My frown deepened. "I <i>what</i>?"


    He stepped forward, his presence looming over me. "Did you really think betraying me and offering yourself as a mole... feeding Don Diego information about what goes on in my packhouse would make Rosa love you more?"


    I felt the blood drain from my face.


    "What the hell are you talking about?" I snapped. "I don’t even care about Rosa, so why should I give a damn about what she thinks?"


    álvaro scoffed. "Oh, <i>really</i>? Because your visit didn’t exactly scream <i>I don’t care</i>."


    I clenched my jaw. "I don’t..."


    álvaro cut me off with a slow, mockingugh. "If you want to vie for the Alpha post with me, maybe try ying fair and square like a <i>man</i>, instead of resorting to dirty tricks." He gave me a pointed look. "After all, while we’ve been busy trying to investigate the murder, you’ve been busy trying to impress a <i>woman</i>."


    Murder? Oh, the murder. I had ns of my own to investigate. Oh, wait. Was I not allowed to ck off for a day?


    After seeing María José today, I’d definitely get into it. I had no idea what tactic Father and álvaro wanted to resort to grate on my nerves this morning but they sucked and I wasn’t down for it.


    Two days? Why not just make it ten? Pfft.


    I stared at them, looking hard from one to another. "I slept off at Luis’s ce and came back this morning. When the hell did I have time to do all the things you’re using me of?"


    álvaroughed again, shaking his head. "Oh, so now you’re ying dumb? That’s so cool of you, hermano."


    My father’s gaze bore into me, dangerous and threatening. <i>Oh, could this man spare me already?!</i>


    álvaro crossed his arms. "Ever since the discovery of the murder <i>two days ago</i>, you haven’t set foot in the packhouse."


    What in the world was he talking about? What were they on about?!


    "...Two days?" I repeated in a whisper.


    álvaro smirked. "What, you lost track of time while you were <i>busy</i>?"


    No. No, that couldn’t be right.


    I had only been gone for one night. I was sure of it. I had left the packhouse, stayed at Luis’s, and woken up <i>this</i> morning.


    Just one night. Not two. The room suddenly felt smaller. My head throbbed, the pounding growing louder and my stomach twisting.


    What the hell was going on?


    I racked my brain, trying to piece together anything that could exin this. Had I really been unconscious for two days?


    Had something happened to me?


    I swallowed hard as my mind raced, trying to make sense of this absurdity.


    This wasn’t just a misunderstanding. Something was <i>very</i> wrong.


    And for the first time since waking up in that bed, naked, with no memory of what had happened, I felt real fear.