Chapter 94

The scorching heat of Puerto Rico wasn’t what Belle, Keylef, and Belladona expected, but they knew the challenge was just beginning. In front of them, the search team presented a document for them to sign.
“Are you sure?” asked the leader of the group, a robust man named Marcos. “This isn’t a walk in the park. If something goes wrong in the jungle, the responsibility won’t fall on us.”
Belle signed without hesitation. Determination burned in her eyes. Belladona, reluctantly, signed as well. She couldn’t bear the thought of Belle being the only one searching for César. Keylef, deeply worried, refused to let Belle go alone.
“I don’t like this,” Keylef murmured as he signed the document. “But if you’re going, I’m going too.”
Belle gave him a grateful smile. Her heart pounded, a mix of hope and fear. Belladona, on the other hand, avoided eye contact, gripping the pen tightly with tension.
Two days later…
The jungle was unforgiving. The heat was oppressive, mosquitoes were everywhere, and the muddy ground made every step a struggle. The group moved cautiously, guided by barely perceptible traces. Belle was exhausted, but her determination didn’t waver.
“How much farther?” Belladona asked from the rear. She had insisted on staying at the hotel, but something inside her wouldn’t let her completely detach from the search. Now, her attitude was one of pure discomfort.
“We’ll keep going until we find something,” Belle replied firmly. Her voice, though tired, carried unshakable resolve.
On the second day, they found the first clue. Among the underbrush, Marcos discovered a piece of fuselage.
“There’s something here!” he shouted, calling everyone over.
Belle ran forward. When she saw the piece of metal with the plane’s initials, her heart raced.
“It’s from his plane!” she exclaimed, feeling a mix of hope and terror. “We have to keep searching.”
Marcos looked at her seriously.
“Belle, this area is dangerous. The trail leads to a zone that could be deadly. That’s enough.”
“No!” Belle insisted desperately. “We can’t stop now. He’s close—I can feel it.”
Keylef stood beside her, supporting her.
“If she wants to continue, so do I.”
Marcos sighed. He knew the decision was risky, but he also realized he wouldn’t be able to convince Belle to stop.
Five days later…
The jungle had taken its toll. Supplies were running low, exhaustion and frustration were evident. Belladona, who had decided to join the group on the last day of the search, finally spoke.
“This is madness. There’s nothing here, Belle. It’s time to accept that… that maybe he’s…” She hesitated before saying the word. “…dead.”
Belle felt her world crumble. Belladona’s words were a direct blow to her heart, but she couldn’t deny them. They were exhausted and on the brink of collapse. Through tears, Belle accepted the decision to call off the search.
As they were packing up their gear, something caught Belle’s attention. A faint thread of smoke rose in the distance. Her heart skipped a beat.
“Look! Over there—smoke!”
The search team reacted quickly. With renewed energy, they headed toward the source of the smoke. The scene they found was both heartbreaking and hopeful. Among the wreckage of the plane, several survivors were gathered—some injured, others crying.
Belle scanned the crowd frantically until she saw him. César, injured but alive, was helping the survivors organize.
“César!” Belle shouted, tears streaming down her face. She was about to run to him, but then something unexpected happened.
César saw her, but instead of going to her, his gaze passed right over her. His face lit up when he saw Belladona.
“Belladona!” he shouted, running toward her.
Belle froze, feeling a sharp pain in her chest. Belladona, bewildered, accepted César’s embrace while looking at him in surprise.
Keylef, who had been watching everything, couldn’t contain his anger.
“César! Aren’t you going to greet the woman who’s been searching for you for weeks?” he demanded, stepping forward with clenched fists.
Belle quickly stepped in.
“Keylef, please, it’s okay. He’s tired and confused. Let it go.”
But César’s words hit like a hammer.
“Why would I greet someone I don’t even know?” he said, looking at Belle coldly.
The silence that followed was unbearable. Belle felt the world stop. For some reason, it didn’t hurt as much as she expected. She had feared this moment for years—that her love would never be returned. Now, that fear had become reality.
Keylef, furious, took a step toward César, but Belle stopped him.
“He’s not worth it, Keylef,” she whispered, her eyes filled with tears. “What matters is that he’s alive.”
César, oblivious to the pain he was causing, continued embracing Belladona, who finally found her voice.
“César… what happened to you?” she asked, trying to sound calm.
“It was a miracle we survived. I thought no one would come looking for us,” he said, not letting go of her.
Feeling invisible, Belle took a step back. Keylef followed her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.
“You did everything you could,” he said softly. “You’re stronger than he’ll ever understand.”
Belle nodded, wiping her tears. Though the pain lingered, there was also a sense of relief. César was alive, and that, at least, was enough.