I drop the brick of noodles in the bubbling water, watching as it softens in the heat, and I wonder if Victor has ever done something like that to a person. I’ve heard stories about the man who lives in the castle on the hill, but I’ve never come across him.
It reminds me of the movies I’ve watched on TV of bad men who end up dying for the things they’ve done. But for some reason, Mr. Cordero has survived years of torturing innocent people.
Anger bubbles through me like the water in the pot that’s cooking my dinner. As soon as they’re completely soft, I turn off the heat, and my head spins wildly for a moment. Swiftly, I hold onto the countertop to keep from keeling over, until the dizzy spell passes.
“Where are you, papá?” I whisper to the empty house. My phone buzzes, startling me. With one hand still gripping the counter, I reach for it with my free hand. Hitting the green button, I press the device to my ear. “Papá?”
“Sofía?” The deep rumble of my father’s good friend Guillermo comes from the other end of the line. “Are you at home?” he questions in a voice that has me turning cold.
“Where is he?”
“Sofía, listen to me. Are you at home?”
“Yes,” I hiss, slumping to the floor, no longer strong enough to hold myself up. Something bad has happened, I feel it in the pit of my stomach. Tears sting my eyes, making everything blur before me, and I attempt to blink the emotion away.
“I need you to be strong now. Escúchame bien?” He growls for me to listen to him.
I nod, mumbling my response in a raspy tone, “Si, tio.”
“In your father’s bedroom, there’s a chest of drawers, put your hand in the back of the bottom drawer to find a set of keys. I’ll text you an address. Take some clothes in a backpack, enough for you to run. If you want to take any personal belongings make sure you can carry it for long distances. Sofía—”
“What’s happening?” I cry, losing my shit because I can’t do this. I can’t lose my papá when my mother is gone as well. I’ll be alone. I’ll have nobody. “Please, tell me.”
“He’s been captured by Cordero,” he spits into the speaker, causing my body to freeze.
“What?”
“I’ll explain everything, I just need you to get out of that house, they’ll come for you. Get out, Sofía! ¡Hazlo ahora!” That’s all he says before hanging up, leaving me crying on the kitchen floor of my childhood home.
Shutting the door behind me, I lean against the thick wood, praying it will keep me safe. Deep down, I know it won’t. Nothing can hide me from the man who my father warned me about all my life.
I wonder if I should’ve called Rodrigo. If he would be able to help me, but when I recall our last interaction, I shudder. I dated him for a few months, thinking he would be able to pay for my medication, but he wanted more than I was willing to give.
My chest aches when I think about running low on my medicine. The heart I was born with isn’t as strong as it should be, I know I can’t go too long without seeing a doctor. My phone rings as soon as I’m inside, and I wonder if he’s watching me. I hit answer and hold the phone to my ear. “Tio?”
“Are you safe, querido?”
“I’m at the apartment.” Seating my ass on the sofa, I hang my head, wondering what the fuck is going on. “Tell me.”
“Your father was caught stealing and selling Victor’s drugs.”
“Oh, god.” My groan is the only answer I can offer. Why the hell would he do this? For me?
“I have to go. They’re searching everywhere for you. Sofía, you need to get out of the city. Stay at the apartment till early morning, leave in the dark. Just run. Please.”
“Si, gracias, tio.”
He hangs up before responding, and my heart sinks even further. Victor is evil, he’ll kill papá, there’s no question about it. All because of me and this stupid fucking disease in my body.
At eighteen, I’ve heard about things that would give any other child nightmares about my father’s boss. Being the only daughter, and having my father be a single parent, hasn’t been easy. His job with the Cordero Organization changed him from a calm, loving dad to a stressed-out man who only worked.
I hardly saw him, and when I did, his eyes had dark circles under them, and I knew he feared that if he lost his job, he’d lose me too. Not by choice, but because nature decided his daughter needed a life-threatening illness and the medication was far too expensive for him to afford on his salary. He couldn’t afford the surgery, so the pills had to keep the evil at bay.